The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-30 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

PLYMOUTH, Sunday.—By the arrival of her
Majesty's ship Dee, Captain Smith, we have advices
from the Cape to the 30th of August.
Her Majesty's ships Hydra, Frolic, and Penguin
were at Simon's Bay.
The clpper mines recently discovered in the
Amagualand have exceeded all expectations, and
shares have risen from a few shillings per share to
many pounds.
The Kafirs are again uneasy. Since they have
gathered in their crops several robberies have been
committed. The inhabitants, since they were
granted the constitution, seem indifferent to pro-
tect themselves, and if another Kafir war should
break out the consequences might be serious.

The clipper-ship Plying Dragon, Carter master,
from Ceylon, bound to London, with a valuable
cargo, has been totally consumed by fire. Fire was
first discovered on board her at midnight on the
31st July, about 200 miles from Simon's Bay.
Every exertion was made to put the fire out, but
without avail; the fire, however, was so kept under
that the ship was brought into Simon's Bay, where
she arrived on the 3d August, burnt almost to the
water's edge. The Urial, of Boston, engaged to
convey her to the nearest port, but after proceeding
a short distance she turned and proceeded on her
voyage.
The Dee left Ascension on the 20th Sept. ; St.
Vincent, 6th of October; and Madeira the 19th.
The steamers Telegraph and Wonga were at St.
Vincent, bound to Australia. The American cor-
vette Dale was at the latter place. The Dee brings
home a few invalids, and Commodore Talbot, lady,
and family.

THE CUNARD STEAMERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

- -
Sir,—A letter signed "R. D. Weld" appears in the
Times of this morning, containing statements which may
cause alarm and uneasiness to those who may have to
travel by our steam-ships.
I trust you will be so good as to insert my observa-
tions on this gentleman's statements.
Mr. Weld accuses the owners of indifference as to the
safety of the lives of passengers and crew, and calls upon
Parliament to interfere for their protection, and to
punish the owners.
We are obliged by act of Parliament to carry boats of
a stipulated size ; we have not only the number required
by the act, but one more in each ship ; each boat has in
her at all times the proper number of oars, a mast with
a sail bent to it, some small water casks, an axe, and
other articles likely to be useful in cases of emergency ;
a crew is regularly appointed to each boat.
The boats may not be exactly placed in the way that
Mr. Weld would place them, but they are carried in the
manner in which the judgment and experience of the
captain think best for their safety and usefulness ; hey
must be well secured to the ship, or they will be carried
away in heavy weather, which occasionally is the case,
with all the care we take of them ; four of the boats are
on davits, two are within and on the top of the dec
houses.
Mr. Weld says, "It would take three-quarters of an
hour in the tranquil waters of the Mersey, in broad
daylight, to launch each of these boats."
I have not the pleasure of knowing Mr. Weld. He is
evidently not a seaman himself, and has been misinformed.
Every boat in the ship, under such circumstances, could
be launched, equipped, and manned in three minutes.
The boats are quite sufficient to carry every person in
the ship. We are not only bound by act of Parliament
to have boats and other suitable equipment, but the
Lords of the Admiralty order our ships to be rigidly
inspected immediately before going to sea on each
voyage. The public have, therefore, this additional
security for their safety.
Mr. Weld says, "We make the lives of the passengers
and crew a very secondary consideration." This is,
indeed, a very grave charge, and is entirely without
foundation. It is our first consideration. We have been
so fortunate as to carry about 100,000 passengers across
the Atlantic—a distance of 3,000 miles—without injury
to one of them. Ido not speak of this boastingly, for
we know not when accidents may happen.
Mr. Weld alludes to the unfortunate occurrence of the
Arctic. The passengers who were saved say that the
boats were sufficient to carry 500 persons. There were
only 400 on board. Some of the boats were lost by the
unskilful management of passengers, and one was not
used at all. Additional boats would, therefore, have
been useless. Captain Luce is known to be a good sea-
man, and a firm and resolute man. He did his duty
under the trying circumstances in which he was
placed. If his crew had stood by him all might have
been saved.

S. CUNARD.
Howohin's Hotel, St. James's•street, Oct. 28.

DEPARTURE OF THE AMERICAN MAILS.—LIVERPOOL,
Saturday.—The British and North American Royal
mail steam-ship America, Captain W. J. C. Lang, sailed
from the Mersey this afternoon for Boston and Halifax,
with the usual mails for the United States and British
possessions in North America, 145 passengers, and a
full cargo of merchandise on freight. Previous to her
departure, copies of the London morning journals of this
date were placed on board by Messrs. Willrner and
Smith, of Liverpool, for the press and news-rooms of
the Western Continent. The Royal mail steam-ship
Canada, with the New York mails of the 18th, is ex-
pected to-morrow, and the Royal mail screw steam-ship
Lusitania, with the Brazil mails, on Tuesday.
THE TEMPLE.—Several improvements are shortly to
be carried into effect with regard to the buildings ; the
most prominent of which is the demolition of all the
houses abutting on the round tower of their beautiful
church, together with the mean chambers now consti-
tuting the south side of Churchyard-court. This will at
once lay open to proper view thtt most splendid edifice
—the unique relic of the Ternplars of England. Notices
have also been served on the few remaining- tradesmen,
only six in number, who still occupy shops within the
precincts of the Temple. The two Temples, Inner and
Middle, will then be exclusively occupied by barristers
and students at law—their original and proper destina-
tion. A considerable reduction in the rents is also to
be made, brought about by the great number of cham-
bers now vacant—no less than thirty in the Middle
Temple alone. The price of the dinners is also to be fixed
at two and sixpence, both for the bar and students.
rliesa cLa.::ges, together with a more prudept a.dupm!-
tra.tion of the funds by the respective treasurers, will, it
is to be hoped, restore the Temple to something of its an-
cient greatness and renown.