The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 22, 1862,

TILE JVAVY.

VALETTA, Jan. 16.—Orders were despatched by
the last mail to Gibraltar for the Algiers, 89, to re-
turn immediately to Malta, and the Queen to pro-
ceed to Corfu ; and it is reported that the remainder
of the ships of war at Gibraltar that have not yet
started for the North American station will follow
in about a week, including the Edgar, 91, flagship
of Rear-Admiral Dacres, who is to be second in
command of the Mediterranean Fleet. The Edgar,
when last heard of, was at Lisbon, with one or two
other vessels. The ships at Gibraltar on the Bth
inst. were :—The Queen, 86 ; Algiers, 89 ; Doris,
32 ; Scylla, 21; Firebrand, 6 ; Alacrity, 4 ; Cuckoo,
3 ; and Procris, 1. The French paddle steamer
Coligny was also there. The Algiers went out on
the morning of the Bth to exercise,the crew at her
Armstrong and other guns, and returned the same
day. The Exmouth, 90, was at Naples ; the James
Watt, 89, at Messina; the Victor Emmanuel, 89,
at Corfu; and the Mars, 80, at the Piraeus, by the
last accounts. The Pelican (17), the Malacca (17),
and the Gannet (11), were at Beyrout, the Hon.
H. M. Nelson, Captain of the last-named vessel,
being senior officer. Her Majesty's in Malta har-
bour are—the Marlborough, 131 (flagship of Vice-
Admiral Sir W. F. Martin, K.C.8.); the Hibernia,
receiving-ship (flagship of Rear-Admiral H. S.
Codrington, C. 8.) ; the London, 90; Neptune, 89;
Wanderer, 4 ; Foxhound, 4 ; Surprise, 4 ; Trident,
2; Medina and Firefly, surveying vessels ; and
Hearty, tug. Foreign—ltalian corvette Tripoli.
A letter from Marseilles, received here on the 14th
inst., states that the Messageries Imperiales Com-
pany have just concluded a contract with an Eng-
lish firm for the construction, for £1,000,000 ster-
ling, of eight first-class iron steam-vessels for packet
service, three to be built on the Clyde and five in
ports of France, under the superintendence of the
firm. The first English-built one is to be
completed within 19 months, and the others
at successive intervals of two months from
the expiration of that term. With respect
to the company's operations in connection
with India, the same letter states that the three
vessels intended for that service are now lying in
the harbour of Marseilles completely ready for sea,
in regard to equipment and furniture. They are
the Imperatrice, the Donau, and the Camboge, all
screw vessels of 3,300 tons burden each, and 500
horse power, and fitted entirely for first-class pas-
sengers and their servants. The first-class is sub-
divided into three classes with respect to accomo-
dation, that is, single berth cabins, double berth
.cabins, and cabins containing three or four berths,
each passenger being provided with a separate
washing basin, &c. ; and, curious enough, over each
bed is placed a lifebelt available at any moment.
These ships are to leave Marseilles for Calcutta
within two months from the present date, and are
intended to run between that port and Suez.

The iron steam frigate Defence, 18, 600 horse
power, Capt. R. A. Powell, C. 8., shipped her guns
yesterday from the Ordnance wharf, Chatham. She
is furnished with six of the large 100-pounder Arm-
strong guns, and 10 of the largest 68-pounder
smooth-bore iron guns, in addition to which she is
supplied with several 24-pounder and 12-pounder
brass howitzers for the pinnace and launches and
a 20-pounder and 12-pounder Armstrong. The quan-
tity of shot and shell supplied to the Defence is as
follows :-600 solid 68-pounders, 160 solid 100-
pounder Armstrong shot, 360 68-pounder shells,
180 common and 190 segment 100-pounder Arm-
strong' shells, 200 20-pounder Armstrong shells,
125 12-pounder segment Armstrong shells, 100 24-
pounders, and 100 20-pounder and 12-pounder
Armstrong solid shot. The work of completing
the Defence is proceeding as rapidly as possible.
The Conqueror arrived at Port Royal, Jamaica,
on the 13th, one month from England, all well on
board, and will proceed to Bermuda. The Donegal
and Sanspareil have not yet arrived. The ships in
the harbour are the Mersey, the Himalaya, and the
Barracouta. The St. George is expected. The crews
are all healthy, the weather being very fine.
The Calypso, 18, sailing frigate, was taken down
the harbour yesterday, and placed under the float-
ing shears at Chatham, to have her masts taken
out. A report is to be forwarded to the Admi-
ralty of her condition, and the length of time it
will take to put her in thorough repair.
Her Majesty's screw corvette Racoon, 22, 1,467
tons, 400 horse power, Capt. W. C. Chamberlain,
hauled down her pennant and was put out of com-
mission at Chatham yesterday, when the crew were
paid off. The Racoon was commissioned at Chatham
in Navember, 1857, by Capt. J. A. Paynter, now of
the Exmouth, 86, screw steamer, and was attached
to the Channel squadron, under the command of
Vice-Admiral Sir Charles H. Fremantle, K.C,B.
In 1859 she was despatched to the Mediterranean,
and has since served with the squadron of Vice-
Admiral Sir W. F. Martin, K.C.8., cruising from
Syria to Gibraltar, until ordered home at the close
of last year. During the time she was in commis-
sion there were comparatively,few cases of sickness
on board, the crew being generally healthy. Only
about three of the officers who first joined the ship
on being commissioned remained until she was paid
off. Prior to the steamer being put out of commis-
sion yesterday Capt. Chamberlain assembled the
crew on the quarterdeck, and expressed the regret
he felt that they were all about to part, especially
as they had been such a generally well-behaved
ship's company since he had held the command.
Should he be appointed to any other vessel he
should be happy to see as many of his old crew as
possible with him. On the recommendation of Capt.
Chamberlain medals, together with the usual gra-
tuities, were awarded by the Admiralty, for long
service and goed conduct, to Robt. Whitbred, cap-
tain's coxswain, Charles Powers, gunner's mate,
and John Childs and John Chapman, boatswain's
mates. Tho Racoon is to be placed in the third
division of the steam reserve at Chathajn.
The Osborne paddle yacht, Master-Commander
George K. Bower, sailed from Portsmouth yester-
day for Trieste, calling in at Cowes to embark
luggage and stores for his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, and afterwards in Plymouth Sound
to coal and receive final orders.
The Caesar, 86, screw, Capt. T. H. Masco, dis-
mantling at Portsmouth, is not expected to pay off
before the end of the present month.
The screw steamship Revenge, 89, Capt. Fellowcs,
having received the family of Admiral Smart, made
sail on Monday evening from Plymouth for Queens-
town.

The screw surveying steamer Rifleman, 5, Master
Commander John W. Reed, having received a
draught of boys, sailed from Plymouth on Monday
evening for China.
A naval court-martial has been sitting during the
past two days on board her Majesty's ship Victory,
at Portsmouth, for the trial of Staff-Surgeon Joseph
Caldwell, surgeon of her Majesty's ship Caesar, on
the following charges :-1. That he, the said Joseph
Caldwell, being in actual service and full pay in
her Majesty's fleet, and doing duty on board her
Majesty's ship User, did, on or about 5 p.m. of the
20th of December, 1861, use provoking language,
tending to make a quarrel and disturbance, by twice
saying in the wardroom of the said ship, "that any
member of the mess who made any remark about
any bet he had made, or who implied that he wished
to get out of any bet that he had made, was a liar
and a blackguard, and that he would prove it."
And 2. That he, the said Joseph Caldwell, did at
the same time and place use provoking language to
Lieut. 7. C. Patterson, of the said ship, by saying to
him " You lie, Sir ; you lie." The Court last even-
ing found the charges proved, and sentenced the pri-
soner to be dismissed her Majesty's service.
II The following appointments were made at the Admiralty
last evening :
Assistant-Surgeon Martin Magill to the Russell.
AssistaAt-Engineers—W, Dirks (first class) to the Asia

for the Earnest ; G. F. William (ditto) to the Asia for the
Cracker.

Naval Cadets nominated—Alexander William Ogilvy,
Alexander Baring, William Nott Atkinson, Edward Henry
Arden, Ward Braham, William Macbean Campbell, Alex-
ander Milne Gardiner, Richard Fraser Hoskyn, Edward
Plantagenet Hume, and John Phillips.

blacks had stored there. He rested two days, and
then returned to Cooper's Creek, where he found the
corpse of Mr. Wills, that unfortunate gentleman
having succumbed to his sufferings in the interval.
King, the only survivor of the party, soon after fell
in with a party of natives, and remained with them
until Mr. Howitt came up. Such are the leading
features of the incidents connected with the lament-
able history of the explorers after their return from
having solved the great geographical problem which
has cost many valuable lives and an immense
amount of treasure in attempts to unravel it. The
continent of Australia has been traversed through-
out its extent, but of the heroic men who accom-
plished this tremendous task, only one survives.
The following are the last lines written by Wills
previous to his death, and apparently after he had
been left by Burke and King :
Friday, 26th June (sic).--Clear cold night, slight
breeze from the E., day beautifully warm and plea-
sant ; Mr. Burke suffers greatly from the cold, and
is getting extremely weak, he and King start to-
morrow up the Creek to look for the blacks, it is the
only chance we have of being saved from starvation.
I am weaker than ever (sic), although I have a good
appetite, and relish the nardoo much, but it seems
to give us no nutriment, and the birds here are so
shy as not to be got at. Even (sic) if we got a good
supply of fish I doubt whether we could do much
work on them and the nardoo alone. Nothing (sic)
but the greatest good luck can now save any of us ;
and as for myself, I may live four or five days if the
weather continues warm. My pulse is at 48, and
very weak, and my legs and arms are nearly skin
and bone. I can only look out, like Mr. Micawber,
" for something to turn up," but starvation on nar-
doo is by no means very unpleasant, but for the
weakness one feels, and the utter inability to move
oneself, for as far as appetite is concerned it
gives me the greatest satisfaction. Certainly, fat
and sugar would be more to one's taste, in fact,
those seem to me to be the great stand by for one
in this extraordinary continent; not that I mean
to depreciate the farinacious food, but the want of
sugar and fat in all substances obtainable here is
so great that they become almost valueless to us as
articles of food, without the addition of something
else.

The subjoined extract from Mr. Burke's diary
shows the painful position to which the party were
reduced :
Return party from Carpentaria arrived here last
night, and found that the D. party had started on
the same day. We proceeded slowly down the creek
towards Adelaide by Mount Hopeless, and shall
endeavour to follow Gregory's track, but we are
very weak, the camels are done up, and we shall
shall not be able to travel faster than five miles a
day at most. Gray died on the road from hunger
and fatigue. We all suffered much from hunger,
but the provisions left here will I think restore our
strength. We have discovered a practicable route
to Carpentaria, the principal portion of which lies
in the 140th meridian of east longitude. Between
this and the Stony Desert there is some good coun-
try; from there to the tropic the country is dry and
stony ; between the tropic and Carpentaria a consi-
derable portion is rangy, but it is well watered and
richly grassed.
We give the subjoined extract from Mr. Howitt's
journal, as showing when he fell in with King, the
only survivor of the expedition.
At the lower end of the large reach of water be.
fore mentioned I met Sandy and Frank looking for
me, with the intelligence that King, the only sur-
vivor of Mr. Burke's party, had been found. A
little farther on I found the party halted, and im-
mediately went across to the blacks' wurleys, where
I found King sitting in a hut which the natives
had made for him. He presented a melancholy
appearance, wasted to a shadow, and hardly to be
distinguished as a civilised being, but by the
remnants of clothes upon him. He seemed
exceedingly weak, and I found it occasionally diffi-
cult to follow what he said. The natives were all
gathered round, seated on the ground, looking with
a most gratified and delighted expression. Camped
where the party had halted on a high bank, close
to the water. I shall probably be here ten days to
recruit King before returning.
Camp 32, 16th September.—King already looks
vastly improved, even since yesterday, and not like
the same man. Have commenced shoeing horses
and preparing for our return. Wind from S.W.,
with signs of rain. The natives seem to be getting
ready for it.
Camp 32, 18th Sept.—Left camp this morning
with Messrs. Brahe, Welch, Wheeler, and King, to
perform a melancholy duty which has weighed on
my mind ever since we camped here, and which I
have only put off until King should be well enough
to accompany us. We proceeded down the creek
for seven miles, crossing a branch running to the
southward, and followed a native track leading to
that part of the creek where Mr. Burke, Mr. Wills,
and King camped after their unsuccessful attempt
to reach Mount Hopeless and the northern settle-
ments of South Australia, and where poor Wills
died. We found the two gunyahs pretty much as
King had described them, situated on a sandbank
between two waterholes, and about a mile from the
flat where they procured the nardoo seed, on which
they managed to exist so long. Poor Wills's re-
mains we found lying in the wurley in which he
died, and where King after his return from seeking
for the natives, bad buried him with sand and
rushes. We carefully collected the remains, and
interred them where they lay ; and not hiving a
Prayer-book, I read chap. v. of 1 Corinthians,
that we might at least feel a melancholy satis-
faction in having shown the last respect to his
remains. We heaped sand over the grave, and
laid branches upon it, that the natives might under-
stand by their own tokens not to disturb the last
repose of a fellow being. I cut the following
inscription on a tree close by to spark the spot :

'W. J. WILLS,
XLV. YDS.
W.N.W.
A.II,

The field books, a note book belonging to Mr. Burke,
various small articles lying about, of no value in
themselves, but now invested with interest from
the circumstances connected with them, and some
of the nardoo seed on which they had subsisted,
with the small wooden trough in which it had been
cleaned, I have now in my possession. We returned
home with saddened feelings, but I must confess
that I felt a sense of relief that this painful ordeal
had been gone through. King was very tired when
we returned, and I must most unwillingly defer my
visit to the spot where Mr. Burke's remains are
lying until he is better able to bear the fatigue.
19th September.—Shoeing horses. A very slow
and troublesome job, as many have never been shod
before, and our forge is of the most primitive de-
scription. This afternoon got the pigeons in order
of flying. Their tails being rubbed down by
travelling so far in cages, I got the tails from several
crested pigeons, and inserted feathers iu the stumps
of our carriers, fastening the splices with waxed
thread ; the plan answered far better than I had
expected, and the birds can now fly about the avictry
we have made of a tent with the great( st ease.

20th September.—Started the pigeons at day-
break, each with a message fastened to its legs. On
throwing them up they commenced wheeling round
the camp, bat separated, one being chased by one
of the large kites which are always hovering about
the creek. After flying round
with great sveed, they k ill various directions
gradually drew across the
creek —1-
; we lost sight of them ; the fourth, after
making a large circle, pitched in a treo about tali'
a mile off. After breakfast he was found under
a bush, with a kite watching him, and the fea-
thers of one of the other pigeons was found
not far off, having been killed. Of the two
others nothing has been seen, and I hope that they
got clear away, but I am much afraid that
A the experiment has proved a failure. However, I