The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-17 00:00:00

ARRIVAL

'MALAYA,

SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. Id.
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-
pany's screw steamer Himalaya, Capt. A. Kellock, ar-
rived here at 3 p.m. to-day, bringing the heavy portion
of the East India, China, Australian, and Mediterra-
nean mails, in charge of Lieutenant A. Latouche, R.N.,

Admiralty agent.
The Himalaya has the largest Australian mail ever
yet brought to this country. She left Alexandria on
the 4th inst. at 5 p.m. ; Malta, on the 7th, at 9 p.m. ;
and Gibraltar, on the 12th, at 1 a.m. She brings on
freight 3 packages of gold, 10 cases of shawls, 69 chests
of oranges, 52 packages of elephants' tusks, 47 boxes of
mother-of-pearl, 45 packages of incense, 22 bales of
lambs' skins, 94 cases and 201 bales of silk, 50 bales
. _ _

of wool, 68 barrels of gum, 52 bales of flax, 13 casks
of wine, 70 packages of walnut wood, five cases of
pictures, an Arabian horse, and 83 packages of general
merchandise.

This steamer brings 98 passengers, among whom are
Rear-Admiral Sir George Lambert, K.C.8., and secre-

taries, from Burmah, via Bombay ; Lieutenant-Colonel
Holdich, C. 8., her Majesty's 80th, from ditto. This
young and gallant officer has seen, perhaps, more actual
service for his years than any officer in her Majesty's
service, having been through two campaigns at the
Cape, the battle of the Sutlej, including Sobraon, where
he was aide-de-camp to Sir Harry Smith, and was
wounded, and has just returned from the late campaign
in Burmah. The passenger list also comprises Mr. J.
Olding and Captain Kilgour, from Calcutta ; Captains
Singleton and Showers, from Burmah ; Mr. Fairfax,
from Sydney; Messrs. Lee, Barker, &c., from Melbourne;
Messrs. Wills and Woodward, from Adelaide ; Captain
Rowan Yates and Mr. Corp, from Bombay; Command-
ers Mends and May, R.N., with Lieutenants Balfour,
Perceval, &c., from Admiral Dundas's fleet, in the Black
Sea ; and Captains Green and Eastwick, from Malta ;
also Captain Cooper, commander of Peninsular and
Oriental Company's ship Cadiz, which vessel he has,
with his usual success, placed on the Indian station, via
the Cape, having previously taken out several of the
company's other ships.
On the 12th inst., about 12 miles off Cape St. Vin-
cent, the Himalaya observed four large ships and a brig
hull down to the south-west, supposed to be a portion of
Rear-Admiral Corry's squadron from the Tagus, bound

to Spithead.
The Himalaya, although she has experienced most
adverse and unfavourable weather throughout the voy-
age, has made the quickest run to and from Alexandria
on record. We subjoin a synopsis of the voyage which,
as the first performance of this splendid steam-ship has
been looked forward to with much anxiety, will, doubt-

less, prove generally interesting.
The Himalaya, as will be remembered, left Southamp-
ton on her first voyage, on the 20th of January, with the
usual India and China mails, a considerable quantity
of specie, and an unusually large number of passengers
for the time of year. She took her departure at the
usual hour—viz., 3 p.m., and steamed down to the
Needles by 4.45, when the pilot left her. Passing
through the Needles she at once encountered a heavy
gale of wind, which continued with increasing violence
down Channel and across the Bay of Biscay, to a dis-
tance of 590 miles. By the time she reached Finisterre
all on board were perfectly convinced of her admirable
sea-going qualities, her ease in a heavy sea-way, and
also of the speed at which she rushed through the un-
bending elements, seldom going less than 91 and 10
knots, and never less than 81. Sailing ships were ob-
served to be running with the gale, under triple-reefed
topsails and reefed fore course. After getting round
Cape Finisterre she fell in with the usual northerly
winds, and was enabled to set her square canvas, viz.—
three topsails (single-reefed), fore course, and her three
fore-and-aft sails. This was the first time her rate under
canvas and steam was tried, and it was most satisfactory
to find her bowling away at 14 and 151 knots, which
speed she maintained during the continuance of the fair
wind. At Gibraltar she was detained 12 hours, for the
purpose of adjusting a bearing in her engines (which,
however, afterwards worked most satisfactorily). Leav-
ing the Rock she met with a hard "Levanter,” or east
wind, for the first day, against which she steamed 101
and 11 knots. Passing Cape de Gatt the breeze
fell lighter, and away she went her usual steaming
pace, viz.-131 to 14 knots ; but on the third day, a
fresh north-west sprang up, enabling her to carry all
plain sail, and during the nest 24 hours she ran by ob-
servation 345 miles, equal to 390 statute miles, and
carried this breeze into Malta harbour, running from
Galita 300 miles in 20 hours, equal to 15 knots per
hour, and having accomplished the run from Gibraltar
to Malta, 1,000 miles, in 77 hours, giving an average
of 13 knots per hour. She remained in Malta 12 hours,
and got away at 1.30 a.m., on the 31st of January, car-
rying with her a fresh north-west breeze, which lasted
to Alexandria, 840 miles ; in six hours from passing the
light at Valetta she made the light-house at Alexandria,
and in an hour more slacked her engines for a pilot,
having run the distance in 61 hours, giving an average
of 131 knots or 151 statute miles per hour, at 8 p.m. on
the Ist of February, when the log was hove. After re-
maining at Alexandria for the mails and passengers
from Australia, India, and China, she got away at five
p.m., on the 4th of February, and met with nothing but
head winds all the way to Malta, against which she
steamed at 12/ knots, performing the run to Malta in
68 hours. Leaving that port for Gibraltar at nine
p.m., on the 7th, after coming well up to Pantellaria
against a fresh westerly breeze, she encountered for
40 hours a heavy north-west gale, with a most confused
and heavy rolling sea, running through which she
made very good way, never going less than 61 to seven
knots, but losing by it for her passage home at least 16
hours. After the gale subsided a light breeze sprang up
from the north-east, and the water becoming tolerably
smooth, she made her best day's run, having gone by
observation from noon on the 10th to noon of the 11th
347 knots or 400 statute miles in 24 hours. It is confi-
dently believed by persons best able to judge, that some
day, under favourable circumstances, she will log 400
nautical, equal to 480 statute miles. She has not yet
actually met with 24 consecutive hours of strong fair
winds, without at the same time a heavy sea. Her run
from Malta to Gibraltar against this bad weather was
96 hours, giving 101 knots' average speed. Leaving
Gibraltar at a quarter to 1 a.tn. of the 12th, she brought
a Lavanter through the Straits and as far as Cape St.
Vincent, 197 miles, which she passed at a quarter to 3
p.m. of the same day. Off the coast of Portugal, after
rounding the Cape, she met with northerly and north-
east winds, but not very strong, steaming against them
13 knots until abreast of Oporto, when it commenced
blowing from N.E., and at 10 p.m., after rounding
Finisterre, it was blowing a furious gale, with a tremen-
dous sea running. This lasted 30 hours, or the vessel
would have been in Southampton at 4 p.m. On the 15th
it continued blowing with considerable force all across
the Bay and up Channel, so that, out of eight and a-half
days' run from Malta, for 70 hours it blew a hard gale ;
otherwise, there can be no doubt of the ship's arrival on
the 14th of the month. The machinery of the Hima-
laya works with excellent smoothness and precision, and
the boilers, on Lamb and Summer's patent flue prin-
ciple, have at all times yielded an abundant supply of
steam.

The eminently successful voyage of this steamer, un
der every variety of weather, must, we think, fairly set-
tle the superiority of the screw over the paddle-wheel
steamer for all ocean-going purposes. With one-third
less power, in proportion to tonnage, it is quite possible
to obtain a higher rate of speed, and with a consump-
tion of coal of nearly one-half. The original cost of the
ship and engines is also proportionably reduced. The
ship is easier than a paddle steamer, goes faster, costs
less to begin with, and is sailed at less expense. As re-
gards size, it seems quite clear that, to obtain a high
rate of speed, you must have both length and size, and
as to comfort no one who has experienced a gale of wind
in a steam ship of 3,500 tons would ever wish to obtain
similar experience in a ship of 2,500 tons. It was said
before the Himalaya left England that she would be dif-
ficult to get in and out of port. The result has proved
just the reverse ; and any one who saw how completely
Capt. Ifelloch had her under control in going in and out
of Gibraltar, Malta, and Alexandria (at the last of which
ports there was a very heavy sea on the bar), would at
once say, this ship seems to be as easily managed as any
of the company's smaller vessels, her engines being so
completely under the engineer's control that she is stop-
ped and backed with the greatest possible facility. In
the run from Gibraltar to Southampton a very good com-
parison was afforded between the relative merits of the
screws and paddles. The Euxine left 25 hours before the
Himalaya, and was passed by that ship at 8 this morn-
ing to the westward of Portland, having up to that point
beaten her a little more than one-fourth in speed. The
Euxine is 1,200 tons and 400 horse power, while her
competitor, the Himalaya has a power of only 700 horse
to 3.560 tons' burden.

TILE GREAT BRITAIN.—We have heard, from authority
which may be relied on, that a private joint-stock com-
pany has been formed for the purpose of establishing- a
line of powerful screw-steamers between Liverpool and
Australia. The Great Britain will be one of the ships of
this line, and all the others will be built ow
ill the same
principle. Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co. be the
principal shareholders and managers. A charter has
been obtained from the Board of Trade.—Liver pool

Times.
EXTRAORDINARY HIGH TIDE AND NUMEROUS ACCI-
DENTS.—During the whole of yesterday, considerable
alarm prevailed amongst the inhabitants of Lambeth,
Southwark,
.and
.Battersea, consequence of the river
Thames having risen the
i previous day to an extraordi-
nary height, and done an incalculable amount of mischief
to the property of some thousand persons living on the
Surrey side of the river. To prevent a similar destruc-
tion of property,. the various doorways, and even kitchen
areas were barricaded with boards, and clayed over, so
that the water might be prevented from rushing
down and filling the different rooms. About one
o'clock in the afternoon, a Urge, laden with coals,
was
.driven by the strong tide against the north-
east side of Blackfriars-bridge. Such was the force of
the concussion that the barge was cut in two, the coals,
of course, sinking to the bottom of the river, and the
men in charge, in all probability, would have been
drowned had it not been for the timely arrival of J. Bull,
pierman No. 1, who on seeing what had taken place,
rowed off to the spot, and succeeded in saving the man
from a watery grave. The barge was on its way to the
city gas works, and the accident took place entirely from
the rapidity with which the tide was running, and only
one man, instead of two, having the control of the ves-
sel. One part of the barge is lying off the Temple, and
the other at Vauxhall. The neighbourhoods of Princes-
street, Fore-street, Belvedere-road, Stangate, Bankside,
and Bermondsey were some feet
.under water, and much
property was destroyed, or seriously damaged ; fortu-
nately the tide did not rise so high as on the previous
day, consequently the damage done was trifling.