The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-24 00:00:00

THE RUSSIAN PRIZE.

PORTSMOUTH, APRIL 22. The Russian merchant-
ship, reported by telegraph to be captuxed as a prize
last night, by the revenue steam-cruiser Argus, Com-
mander Grandy, was towed into harbour by the latter,
without coming to an anchor at Spithead. The arrival
of the first prize, as may be imagined, attracted great
attention, and hundreds of the inhabitants crowded the
walls and beach to see the novel sight. By the aid of
her steam power the Argus soon took the Russian up to
safe moorings, when numbers of boats went off to survey
and ascertain her charaCter. She proved to be the
Froja, of upwards of 500 tons burden, Captain Week-
man, from Lisbon to the Gulf of Finland, laden with
salt and a small quantity of wines. She is a, fine barque,
of strong build and considerable breadth of beam ; she is
Finnish built, and her crew of two mates and 13 seamen
are chiefly Fins. It is believed, however, that some-
thing more valuable and important than salt will be
found on board when her cargo is taken out.
The Argus went from Spithead at six o'clock yester-
day morning, on one of her usual cruises to prevent smug-
gling, and about noon fell in with the Froja, off Beechky
Head, and although the latter had no colours flyin g
Captain Grandy was led to suspect her character by th e
tell-tale of a Russian eagle painted on her stern. Hi
caused her to heave to, and boarded her, and found out I
what she really was. He then informed the Captain
that his ship was a prize, and that he must take her to
port ; this mission was by: no means welcome, but such
mission was the only alternative ; the Argus having au
crew at least double that of the Russian, whilst her two
32-pounders were far more than a match for the s
unserviceable signal-guns aboard the Froja. An akar •
and some men were at once put on board, and a z.opt
made fast between the two vessels, and by which th. a
Argus took the prize iu tow, and brought her iitle>
harbour.
Captain Weekman is part owner of the Froja, lance
will, we hear, be ruined by this seizure. Himself and.
crew are treated with every possible consideration and,
leniency ; the only restriction upon them is their am-
finement to the ship, and they do not seem to take t heir
captivity very seriously to heart. Some of the i 21. aw
can speak a little English, and they freely enter into
conversation with the English sailors in charge. rrn a
few days it is expected that instructions will be rec eived
las to how they are to be dealt with, and how dis posed
of, on the condemnation of the vessel as a legal prize.
This morning the Fanny, cutter-tender to the Port
Admiral, went out into the Channel to look after ,some
more Russian ships, reported to be knocking a .71 out.
She will, doubtless, soon bring them in should sl is fall
in with them.

- CAPE OF GOOD Hore.—Professor Sowerby haft just
-returned from our African colonies, after a.- most, sue-
, cesaful tour of inspection. He has procured larger ape-
, cimens of coal, irbn, copper, silver, galeana, and -other
mineral productions of that colony, which are shortly
to be brought 'before the public.
SAILING OF THE AFRICA.—The British and North
American•royal mail steam-ship Africa, Captain
son, sailed from Liverpool for New York on Sat urdky
afternoon, at four o'clock, with .a full cargo, the usual
inaila, and 113 passengers on libard..
THE WELLINGTON CLACK TOWER LONDON-BRI DQE.
—On Saturday morning
_the workmen were bi!ally
engaged in digging the foundation for the Wellington
Clock Tower, -at -the entrance of the London and •
Brighton Railway. The tower will, be seventy feet in
height; and forty feet at the base, with four splendid
illuminated clocks, which, when finished, will present a
- neat and elegant appearance.
•
THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—The incessant rain • whiCh
prevailed on Saturday from noon until .sunitiet furnished
perhaps the best test that could be •Afforded of the for-
ward state of completeness which " the • People's
Palace " at Sydenham as it has been very appropriately
styled, has attained. It is true that the number of vise.
tors was not very great, compared with the myriads
who surrounded the building during the earlier Easter
holidays ; but even Coleridge might have envied the
feeling of comfort and security which seemed to pervade
every bteast, whilst turret, dome, and ;roof kept music
to the sound of water drops. On)y herta and there, at
very 'distant intervals, were the slightest signs of leakage
perceptible ;"and when it is considered that on a roof
of such immense area, ,a depth of one-eighth-of an inch
of rain gives a pressure of 275 tons, it must be admitted
that Sir Joseph Paxton has achieved the greatest archi-
tectural exploit of this or any other age. ' The living
cognoscenti seemed as much at ease during, the incle-
mency of the storm bustsasthein
thea and
vsteateisiol let
illustrious individuals congregated
which, by the bye, form the most glorious collection of
poets, statesmen, warriors, and divines, which the his-
tory of the world can farnish.—SU2lClay Ti 712,44.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERIES OF JEWELLERY, Ac., AT THE
WEST-END.—On Saturday morning inforrnation was
forwarded to the various metropolitan police stations of
aa extensive robbery having been committed at No. 45,
Hyde-park-square. The property carried ,off is of an
exceedingly valuable description; being mostly jewellery
of .the first class. It is believed to have been .stolen
some months since, but singularly enoughwasr.not missed.
till very recently. Another robbery has also taken place
at the same house within the last month, the, property
stolen consisting of some port wine, silk handkerchiefs,
china, plate, gold neck chains, and other valuables. It
was the abstraction of the latter, which w ere almost
immediately missed, that led to the discovery of the for-
mer and heavier loss. For the recovery of tine proper,t7
a reward of 501. has been offered, and an addlitional 101.
for
any clue to the whereabouts of the depredators.
STATE VISIT OF THE JUDGES, LORD MAYOR, AND
CORPORATION- OF THE CITY, TO. ST, ' PAl:rea 'CAME-
-DEAL—Yesterday being the first Stindipy after Easter,
the Judges, the Right Hon, the Lord I,ayor, the alder-
-men, common council' members, and 01 Cher chic func-
tionaries, a,ccordingito annuak.custore, v Nut in state 'to
,St. Paul's Cathedral to attend Divine ser
Yice. Amongst,,
those present were noticed Lord Cam pbell, Justices
Erle, Justice Coleridge, Baron Martin, th °Lord May(r,
Alderman, Carden, Alderman Muggeridge,, Sir Chapm;
-'itlarshall, Alderman Farebrother, Alderm au. Kennedm
Sheriff Wire, Mr. Under-Sheriff Made don. The
City marshals, the sword-bearer, the mace-b Darer, aid
the different ward beadles, carrying their maces, and,
clad in their State liveries, were also in ellen(' lance, and
contributed greatly to the splendour of the I procession.
Such a vast concourse of spectators as attend ed yoster-
day has not been witnessed on a similar oc:casion for
some years ;_ but owing to the admirable arr augements
of the police, under Inspector Sharry and Sai enders, the
:public, were kept out of danger. The judges and mem-
bers of the corporation having taken :their suds, Divine
service was commenced, and an, eloquent *barman was
preached by the Rev. Mr. Charnpni ys, the vicar of
Whiteehapel, &c., from the seventh,chapter of St. Luke,
and 47th verse. The • service having been concluded,
the. distinguished visitors walked in procel,sion across
the great nave of the cathedral and departed by the
southern entrance, when they entered t.lieir respective
carriages and were driven to their homes.
EMIGRATION TO ABERDEENSHIRE.—Upwards of 1,000
emigrants left the port of Aberdeen last weelt. for Canada.
A large number of agricultural labourerka and small'
farmers have also gone to Australia, the to tel number
emigrating from this .county this season being above -
2,000 persons. The emigrants for the most part are
young men and women, who have no hope, under the
large farm system of cultivation, of bettering t heir con-
dition at home. The wages of agricultural labourers in
the county of Aberdeen averages 61. in the h alf-year,
with food in the kitchen or the bothie, but now, with
the certainty of a deficiency in the supply of labour, an
advance of wages will no doubt be given.
.THE POET ROGRRS.--We regret to hear alarming ac-
counts, of the health of Mr. Samuel Rogers, the last
survivor of the poets who adorned the past generation.
The venerable bard of Memory", is now in his 90th
year. He had a fall some two years ago, the effect of
which has been to -confine him -to - his chair, in which he
is wheeled from one room to another. He has of late
become more feeble, and is now subject to fainting
fife.--LWerpool Mercury.