The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-14 00:00:00

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

DEATH OF DR. BARTH AND MR. HENRY
WARRINGTON.
An evening meeting was held last evening, the Earl of
Sheffield in the chair. Dr. W. T. Domville, RN., and
Mr. R. D. Woodifield, were officially introduced upon
their election. The Hon. Frederick Byron, Mr. Alex.
Devaux, Mr. Joseph Glen, Captain J. T. Paulson, R.N.;
Mr. Frederick P. Stevens, and Mr. Matthew Uziell,
were elected fellows.
Among the members and visitors present we observed
his Excellency General Oxholin, the Danish Minister ;
ibrd Overstone, Sir George Staunton, Sir David Dun-
des, Count Strzelecki, the lion. IL S. Law, Dr. Hodg-
kin, the Rev. Mr. Heller], the Rev. Mr. Martin, Dr.
Domville, Dr. Rae, Dr. Wagstaff, Dr. Bird, &c.
The papers read were-
1. Reports from Dr. Barth, addressed to the Chevalier
Bunsen, dated Timbuctoo, Nov. 23, 1853, and March
23, 1854, announcing his departure from that place,
communicated through the Foreign-office.
2. Despatches from Consul Herman to the Earl of
Clarendon, dated Tripoli, Oct. 3 and 24, and the 6th of
Nov. 1854, reporting that the African mission had not
yet returned to Kuka from the south.
LETTER FROM THE FOREIGN-OFFICE TO DR. SHAW,
SECRETARY.
" Sir,—l am directed by the Earl of Clarendon to
transmit to you, to be laid before the president and
council of the Royal Geographical Society, the accom-
panying copies of two despatches from Major Herman,
her Majesty's consul at Tripoli, dated respectively the
24th Oct. and 6th Nov., the former reporting that ac-
counts had reached Dr. Vogel of the death of Dr. Barth,
from sources which leave but a faint hope that the melan-
choly intelligence will not prove true ; the latter report.
ing the death of Mr. Henry Warrington, who had ac-
companied Dr. Vogel's expedition as far as Kuka, and
was on his return from that place.—l am sir, your
most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) " E. HAMMOND.
" Dated Foreign-office, Dec. 9, 1854."
" TO TRH EARL OF CLARENDON, K.H.
" Tripoli, Oct. 24. 1854.
"My lord,—lt is with the deepest regret I have the
honour of reporting to your lordship that Dr. Vogel, in
a private letter to me, dated Kuka, the 18th of July
last, announced the death of Dr. Barth, at Meroda,
about 100 miles E.N.E. of Sakatu. This melancholy
intelligence, for which no date is assigned, had reached
Dr. Vogel from sources that he, however, considers to
leave but a faint hope of its non-veracity. In fact, the
date of Dr. Barth's last letter, which reached me through
Gardames, dated four miles from Timbuctoo, on the 2Stk
of March last, coupled with the spot where his death is'
reported to have taken place, midway between Sakatu
and Zinders, upon which last point it is natural to
suppose the unfortunate traveller was moving, with the
object of falling in with the despatches and supplies that
had been sd long awaiting him ; these all teed to induce
the sad conclusion that the report of his death will prove
but too true a tale. Unable from the state of his health
to proceed to Meroda in person, Dr. Vogel had despatched
there a confidential servant to ascertain the fact, and
in case of need to collect the papers and other effects of
the deceased. Dr. Vogel had suffered from a severe
attack of fever—he was nevertheless enabled to accom-
pany the ruler of Borne upon an expediton to Mogan,
from which he returned early in June. It is his inten-
tion after the rainy season to proceed to Wadai, but
whether with the object of penetrating into Dar el-Fur
and Kordofan, and returning to Europe by the way of
Egypt, he does not state. The despatches of which Mr.
H. Warrington is the bearer, and who was to leave Kuka
a fortnight after the date of the doctor's letter, will doubt-
less shed an ample light upon his future plans. The cara-
vans by which Mr. Warrington is coming, Mr. Gazluffl,
by the last post, reports had already reached El-Dirken,
half way between the Lake Chad and the Fezzan fron-
tier ; they may be expected in a few days. From the
deadly feud that exists between the people of Wadai and
Dar-el-Fur, an attempt to penetrate into the latter coun-
try may prove an operation of extreme difficulty, and of
equal risk. In the meamtime I have already written to
a respectable Arab merchant at Bengasi, Haj Moham-
med el Medway, who is agent of the Sultan of Wadai,
to use his powerful offices in obtaining for the doctor and
his party all aid and protection; and I feel confident that
the Haj, to the utmost of his ability, will readily comply
with my wishes. But at such a distance from the new
theatre of Dr. Vogel's operations the best combined plan
for relieving him will, I fear, but too probably be de-
feated by the action of unforeseen obstacles, er uncon-
trollable events. In such cases but too much unfortu-
nately depends upon the chapter of accidents.
" I have, &c.,
(Signed) "G. F. HERMAN."
"Tripoli, Nov. 6, 1854.
" My Lord—ln my despatch marked separate No. 18,
of the 24th ult., I had the honour of reporting to your
lordship that intelligence had reached me of the death of
Dr. Barth, which, in the sequel, I feared would prove
but too well founded. I have now with equal regret to
announce the death of Mr. Henry Warrington, who died
at the Well el Dibla, some hundred miles to the south
of Bilma. This melancholy intelligence was conveyed by
a letter from his servant to Mr. Gagluffi, who will bring
on to Murzuk the despatches of which Mr. Warrington
was the bearer. By the servant's letter, of which I trans-
mit a literal translation, your lordship will observe that
Dr. Vogel had set out for the Ada.ma.wa country, leav-
ing the two non-commissioned officers of the Sappers and
Miners at Kuka.—l have, &c.
(Signed) " G. F. HERMAN."
The meeting was then adjourned to the Bth January,
856.

DEPARTURE OF THE JAMES BAINES.

The magnificent new clipper-ship James Baines, of
the " Black Ball" line, the largest, and, it is believed,
the fastest-sailing vessel in the world, took her departure
for Melbourne on Sunday morning, about ten o'clock,
having on board 700 passengers (80 of the first class),
about 1,400 tons of cargo, and upwards of 180,000 let-
ters and newspapers, cantained in 350 sacks, weighing
about 120 tons, the largest Australian mail ever de-
spatched from this or any other country. So crowded
was the ship by passengers, mail, and provisions, that
every description of freight had to be shut out. The
style in which Messrs. Baines and Co. feed their passen-
gers may be estimated by the fact that, in addition to
the usual stores, there were on board 75 sheep, 25 of
which are preserved in ice ; 86 pigs, 6 of which are is
ice ; and 100 dozen of fowls, 30 dozen of which are in
ice ; the live stock being reserved for use after the vessel
has crossed the line. A bullock is also on board, which
will be killed to provide a portion of the old English
Christmas dinner. Nothing, in fact, that the well-knewa
liberality of the owners could provide has been omitted
that will be likely to conduce to the comfort of the pas-
sengers. It is anticipated that the James Baines will
make the voyage in about 60 days. By the contract
with the Post-office authorities she is bound to deliver
the mails in Melbourne within 65 days, undee.penalty.
She is under the command of Captain M'Donnell, who
has already distinguished himself for the quick and safe
passages made by vessels under his charge. She was left
by the steam-tug Independence on Monday, at nine
a.m., 30 miles we.t of Holyhead. The wind was fresh
from S.W. at the time, creating a heavy surge, which
caused the steamer's hawser to break. The James
Baines was, however, still in tow of the Constitution,
which left her on Monday, at one p.m., off Bardsley ;
wind S. by W. The James Baines will be succeeded by
the famous clipper Lightning, which has made the
voyage round the world in less time than any other ship
ever built.

DEATIL OF SIR J. R. HlLTON.—Captain Sir John
Richard Ililtoa died on the morning of the 6th •f
December, at St. Fillans, Perthshire, aged 69.
TE] LOSS OF THE PRINCIE STEAMER.—Mr. Mare, of
Blackwell, the builder of the Prince steamer, has
writte dock say that the cables were tested at her Ma-
jestyyard at Woolwich, previous to being placed
on board the Prince.
THE Giourr BRITAIN STRAUER.—The Government
have entered into arrangements with Messrs. Gibbs,
Bright and Co., of Liverpool, to charter this vessel as a
regular transport for six months, ou her arrival in this
is 2ount36r from Melbourne, which is daily expected. She
,9y tons, mull will afford accommodation for about
2,000 troops.