The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-26 00:00:00

MUTINY AT SEA.

The American clipper ship Sovereign of the Seas, of
New York, from Melbourne, which arrived in the river
on Wednesday last, was only hauled into the East ludia
docks on Sunday morning, She commenced discharg-
ing her gold (35,000 ounces) on Monday morning. A
serious affray occurred on board during the passage,
arising from the insubordination of some of the crew,
who are at present confined on board in irons. 17th of
March, the ship on the Equator, long. 32, a quarrel took
place between two of the steerage passengers (of whom
there were 76 on board) and one of the crew. The
mate interfered, and ordered the seaman on deck, but
he refused and became abusive, when he was put in
irons by direction of the captain. After a lapse of about
15 or 20 minutes all the crew mustered aft, and demanded
of the captain the immediate release of the man (an
Englishman), or they said they would take the ship from
him, amid loud murmurings and threats. Reports had
previously reached the captain, observing the deter-
mined conduct of the men, at once armed himself, as
also did the officers, and then proceeding on deck, or-
dered the men forward ; they refusing, he, with his
officers, drove them back at the point of the bayonet ;
in the scuffle four men got wounded. Most of the men
had some weapon in their possession, either a belaying
pin, crow-bar, or knife, and their conduct was of such
a character as to create alarm for the safety of the ship.
After being driven forward, they still refused to return
to their duty, and mustered in the forecastle. The cap-
tain, perceiving the serious nature of the case, consulted
with the chief-cabin and a large number of the steerage
passengers, which resulted in their arming themselves,
and aiding the captain in seizing the ringleaders. Six
were picked out, and they had been placed on one side
of the deck, when a man named Hall stepped forward
from the remainder of the crew, and urged them not to
stand by and see their shipmates put in irons, but to
stand up for them. The captain, seeing the man making
towards him, cautioned hint not to move a step ; if he
did, he would blow his brains out. He persisted, when
the captain in raising a pistol, it discharged, and the
contents passed through the legs of the third mate—
Mr. Myers, a German—wounding him severely. Hall,
with the rest, were immediately seized and dragged down
below, where they were securely ironed ; they were ten
in number, named George Sutlers, John Benson, Henry
Bundy, George Hall, Irving Lawry, Win. Watts, Peter
Sturman, George Davidson, James Bartlett, and Samuel
Holme. They were placed between decks, where they
have since been confined. Three Thames police officers
boarded the ship on her arrival in the river, into whose
custody it is expected the mutineers will be given as soon
as the vessel has discharged her cargo. n Gcactle.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following gen-
tlemen having undergone the necessary examinations for
the diploma were admitted members of the College at
the meeting of the coert of examiners, on the 24th inst.
—Messrs. John Allder Vincent,' Oiford ; DavidjCing,
Elthani, Kent ; John Wild. Hulseberg, Royal Navy ;
John Jones, Abergele, Denbighshire ; Robert Hickling
Heathcote, Manchester ; Ralph Heatheote, Manches-
ter ; John Long, Leeds ; Edward Towndrow France,
Royal Navy ' • William Henry Kirton, Louth, Lincoln.
shire ; John Lomax, Bury, Lancashire.
CHARTERED AUSTRALIAN LAND COMPANY.—A meet-
ing of the Chartered Australian Land, Mining, Import-
ing, and Refining Company was held yesterday to
receive a report from the directors. It appeared that
estates representing 2,585 acres had been purchased for
64,0001., payment being made in shares; and that the
amount subscribed by the public on the general allot-
ment was about 12,0001. The shares having been de-
livered to the vendors, a portion of them had found their
way into the market ; hut it was mentioned that they
were liable for future calls. The staff despatched to
commence operations had arrived out, and the state-
ments returned were not of an encouraging nature, the
property being apparently valued at about 5,0.001., and
the superintendent expressing a desire, if possible, to lot
it a rent of 1501. a-year, reserving mineral rights. The
whole of the funds received have been expended,
with the exception of a balance of 2,700/. remaining
in tho hands of Capt. Baker, in Australia, out of 5,1501.
originally appropriated to the service of the colonial staff'.
The accounts in England, including existing liabilities,
irrespective of the Solicitor's bill, not yet delivered, show
an adverse result of about 900/., to liquidate which and
provide for future expenditure it is proposed to make a
call of ls. per share. The only success at present known
to have accrued from the operations of the company con-
sists in 26 ounces of gold obtained by some of the miners
through working under license; but the directors antici-
pate further information by the next mail. The report
having been adopted, it was suggested that measures
should be taken to dissolve the undertaking. It was,
however, eventually determined to appoint a committee
of five shareholders to investigate its financial position,
and then to recommend future plans.

SOCIETY FOR TEACHING THE BLIND TO READ.—Yes.
terday the sixteenth anniversary meeting of the friends
and supporters of the schools of this society, which are
situated in the Avenue-road, Regent's-park, was held at
the Hanover-square Rooms, under the presidency of the
Right Rev. Dr. Carr, late Bishop of Bombay. The
afflicted objects of the society's teaching having been in-
troduced to the meeting, sang with great power and ef-
fect selections from the sacred music of Mendelssohn,
Haydn, and Handel. Several subsequently read, with
due regard to punctuation and accent, portions of the
sacred Scriptures, printed in Lucas's embossed charac-
ters. On the whole, the liveliest interest was excited
by their appearance, at once painful and to be com-
passionated ; their display of mental culture ; and
the exhibition of their works of industry and of the
means by which instruction is conveyed to them.
The right tee. chairman, having referred to the objects
of the society, said that as blindness was a calamity felt
alike by the monarch and the peasant, it was of the ut-
most importance to promote such a system of teaching
those afflicted with it as would enable them in retirement
to keep their mind occupied by useful reading. The secre-
tary then read the retina, a lengthy document, compiled
without niuch regard to the due arrangement of the mat-
ter, the principal points of which may be thus set forth.
There are in the schools 24 females and 26 males, some
of whom are daily pupils, others on the foundation.
In consequence of a deficiency of funds, the society
was last year unable to admit more than seven addi-
tional pupils, and was at its close 1501. in debt. The
committee therefore entreat the public for increased sup-
port and for means, in the first instance to pay off 5501.
due on the building account, and secondly, to pur-
chase—the price being I,sool.—the freehold of the site,
for which they now pay 751. per annum. The Rev. E.
Beamish and several other gentlemen having addressed
the meeting, the proceedings terminated in the usual
manner.