The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-04 00:00:00

COLLISION IN THE CHANNEL.

PORTSMOLITH.—The Dutch merchant ship Jeannette,
Captain Visses, was towed into harbour on Sunday
night, from Cowes, having been in collision with the
Monteagle emigrant ship off Portland, early in the
morning of the 25th ult. The Jeannette was from Hartle-
pool, bound to Ceylon, heavily laden, and the collision
appears to have been caused by the darkness of the
morning : the time at which it took place being about 3
o'clock. It is represented as being of the most frightful
character, reducing the Jeannette to a perfect wreck,
carrying away her bowsprit, main andifore masts, toge-
ther with all her sails yards, and rigging. The Mont-
eagle fared much better, her chief damage consisting
in the loss of her jibboom, which she left on board
the Jeannette. After the two vessels had parted
from each other, the captain of the Monteagle sent
a lifeboat to the Jeannette for the purpose of bringing
off her people, as it appeared very probable that
she would shortly founder ; but Captain Visses having
assured himself that there was no danger of this taking
place, declined to leave his ship. The Monteagle, how-
ever, remained by her till daylight, her captain proffer-
ing every assistance in his power, and he did not leave
the disabled vessel till a steamer came up. Finding, then,
that he might quit the Jeannette without exposing her
crew to danger, he pursued his voyage. The captain of
the steamer, belonging to Cork, offered to take the Jean-
nette in tow, but demanding a very exhorbitant price,
1,0001., for his services, Captain Visses refused to avail
himself of them. Shortly after a sloop belonging to
Penzance, named the Smuggler, came up, and offering
to take the Jeannette in tow on reasonable terms, the
offer was accepted, and the two vessels, after encounter-
ing most severe weather in the Channel, arrived in Cowes
Roads on Saturday. The Jeannette has been brought
to this port to undergo the necessary repairs, by direction
of B. J. Martin, Esq., surveyor to Lloyd's and the au-
thorisation of the underwriters of Holland being placed
for that purpose in the hands of L. A. Vanden Bergh
and Son, the agents at this port. It is considered that
the repairs will entail a cost of some thousands of
pounds.

APPOINTMENTS TO THE EXCISE.—The following regu-
iations have been made, relative to the appointments in
the Excise :—Qualifications, &c., of Candidates for Ex-
cise Expectants (or Pupils) : The candidate must not be
less than 19, or more than 25 years of age ; must be
healthy, active, and without any bodily infirmity, un-
married and without family, and free from debt. He
must understand the first four rules of vulgar and deci-
mal fractions, and book-keeping by double entry, and
write fluently and correctly from dictation. On his
qua,
lifications being approved upon examination, he will be
placed under instructions for a period not less than six
weeks ; after which, when it shall be certified that he is
capable of acting as an officer, his salary of 501. per an-
num, as an expectant, will commence ; and when actually
employed on duty he will receive an additional allow-
ance at the rate of 301. per annum. A person possessing
average capacity, with the indispensable requisites of
industry and attention, will, generally in about two
years, be promoted in his turn to be an assistant or su-
pernumerary officer, the salary of whom is 851. or 901.
per annum respectively, and will in about two years
more be promoted, in his turn, to be a ride officer, at a
salary of 1001. per annum, when he will be required to
provide himself with, and keep, a horse for the perform-
ance of his duty. His further promotion will depend on
the efficiency of his conduct ; and he cannot, according
to the rules of the service, marry before he attains the
station of ride officer.
FATAL CAB COLLlSlON.—Yesterday Mr. Bedford held
an inquest at the Artillery Arms, Rochester-row, on the
body of 'Archer Groombridge, a cab-driver, aged 48.
Alfred Vix, 144 V, deposed that about half-past two
o'clock on Friday last he was on duty in IVlillbank-street,
when he observed a Brougham with two horses pro-
ceeding towards the prison, and also saw a cab, driven
by the deceased, coming in the opposite direction at the
rate of about eight miles an hour. The two vehicles
then came in contact, the jerk throwing deceased off the
box on his back in the roadway. Witness observing
that the deceased was intoxicated, took him to the
police-station • after he had been examined by two
medical men, who were of opinion that the deceased_
had received no injury from his fall., Mr. Pearse,
surgeon, of Regent-street, Westminster, stated on the
day in question he was called upon to attend the
deceased, who was intoxicated, but after witness had.
administered some stimulants he became much better.
He (witness), however, upon hearing that deceased.
had fallen from a cab examined his head and chest, but
found no injuries, and lie then said, "All right, master ;
I have only been lushing all day." About 11 o'clock
at night he was again called to attend the deceased, but
on his arrival found that he had expired. He had
made a post-mortem examination of the body, and dis-
covered an extensive fracture through the bone of the
skull, the vessels on the right side of the liver being
highly congested. He was of opinion that death had.
taken place from apoplexy, caused by the fracture. By
the Coroner—The fracture would be produced by a per--
son falling on the lower part of the spine without the
head touching the ground. Inspector Beckerston and.
other witnesses having given testimony as to the intoxi-
cation of the deceased, and also as to his treatment at
the police station, the jury were about to return their
verdict, when Richard Tovey, a labourer, came forward,
and contradicted the
principal points of the constable's
long discussion between the jurors,
adjourned until Thursday next.
et
hv ied iennqc ue
STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.—A general
EASTERN
ryAwfatesrada
meeting of shareholders in this company took place yes.
terday, at the London Tavern, when Charles Geach, Esq.,
my., was unanimously elected to the vacant director.
ship, consequent on the resignation of Henry Davidson,
Esq., by reason of his connection with an Australian,
Steam-packet Company, one of the main features of the
Eastern Steam Company being to include the Australian
colonies with their line to India. From the sound and.
practical views entertained by Geach on the advan-
tages of this undertaking, his accession to the direction
may be taken as an indication of the favourable light in.
which it is viewed by himself and his friends.
A. KILLING TRAIN.—The_ mail train of the Great
Western Company
on• Monday night dashed through a
flock of sheep which had taken up their quarters for Ike
night in a deep cutting between Ebley and Stonehouse.
t once converted •
Ten of them were a_
_r_ into mutton. The
belonaed to 3/ j Hopson, of Randwick, and.
sheep l•
the me near Ebley chapel, when they,
first got on _
k it a d
thin kin goo
doubtless, " sheep run," continued
for some distance,
their be by the • ance. The loss, we believe,
vill be borne company.
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.—
A correspondent of the Cork
Constitution states that, during the gale of Monday last,
bottle was washed on shore here, containing a letter
purporting be written by Sir John Franklin. It is
dated Cape Bathurst, 12th of January, 1850, and repre-
sents Sir John and his companions to be in considerable
want of provisions, having nearly consumed a seal that
they had caught. It also states that ten of the seamen
had died during the previous year, and that a bottle
containing a letter was sent adrift in 1849. The letter
is written on a sheet of foolscap, writing rather indif-
ferent, and signed J. Franklin.
ANOTHER FALL OF A CLIFF.—EXETER, SATURDAY.
The remainder of the cliff at the Halcombe-tunnel, be-
tween the towns of Teignmouth and Dawlish, fell this
morning, with a tremendous crash, upon the South
Devon line.
It was no more than was expected by
every person who had witnessed its frowning
aspect.
Fortunately it fell before the arrival of the mail train,
which is due at that place about two hours after the
time at which the accident occurred.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE NEAR HOLYHEAD.—A dreadful
fire occurred at Rhoscolyn, near Holyhead, on Friday
morning, by which the contents of the farm-yard of the
Plas Rhypont farm in the occupation of Mr. John Ed-
wards, were destroyed. The most prompt and energetic
means were taken to subdue the flames, but they resisted
every effort, and spread with terrific rapidity. The whole
of the hay and corn stacks were reduced to ashes ; and'
nineteen head of cattle, and a number of calves were
literally roasted to death. Happily the farm-hose es-
caped without much injury. The loss is estimated at
upwards of 7006