The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-09 00:00:00

LA IL!' OF TEE ROYAL WEST INDIA MAIL
' OMPANTS STEAM-SHIP SOLENT.

The list nch of the above ship took place yesterday from
the Medina Docks, Cowes. The event had been looked
forward f, for some time by the good folks of the Isle
of Wight for the Solent is the largest vessel ever
launched 'into the waters of the Solent, being within
three feet of the length of the Great Britain. From an
early hour4n the morning the people poured into the
town, and long before the hour for launching had arrived
every shop I;vas closed, all the vessels in the harbour
were gaily decorated, and one would imagine, from the
immense quintity of bunting displayed on shore, that
her MajestO stores had been ransacked for the occa-
sion. The f)irectors of the Royal Mail Company left the
pier at Southampton at half-past ten o'clock in the
Medina, wh*h had been engaged for the purpose. This
splendid Rae steamer made the passage down the Solent
and across tcliNCowes in 51 minutes against wind and tide.
Shortly after the Medina had landed her passengers the
shores went= knocked away from the Solent, and she
glided gentlfinto the water. The launch was one of the
most beautifvl ever known. The christening ceremony
was very gallantly done by Donna Manulita, the
daughter otthe ex-Governor of Buenos Ayres. Donna
Manulita "as invited to give the ship her name, out of
complimen to the interest taken by her father to estab•
lish steantcommunication with the Rio de la Plata, and
we must give credit to the present Government of the
Republic for their good intentions towards the British
company in question.
The:aimensions of the Solent are as follows :

310 feet
36 „
28 „
2230 tons
Nominal power, 400 horses, but capable of working
up to 600.
The Solent is admitted by the most critical judges of
naval architecture to be one of the most beautifully-
modelled vessels ever turned from the stocks ; and great
credit is due to Mr. John White, the designer and
builder, for his plans and workmanship.
The Solent is constructed on the new principle. Her
outer scantling is of oak, and horizontal, but, like the
Banshee, she has layers diagonally inside. Below the
load line she has four layers, and throughout three ; that
is, the outer sheathing and two inside transverse diagonal
linings of three-inch Indian teak.
This mode of construction and the use of iron knees
throw additional space between decks, and at the same
time give strength and lightness. The Solent drew 9
feet forward and 10 feet 6 inches aft, or a mean of 9 feet
9 inches, and as she appeared moored in the river her
graceful and elegant appearance was that of a fine
clipper, and drew down the admiration of the thousands
who witnessed the launch. In a few days the Solent
will be towed up to the Thames to receive her engines,
by Messrs. Miller and Ravenhill. When ready for sea
she will make one trip to the West Indies, and then be
placed as a regular packet between St. Thomas and
Chagres.
After the launch the Messrs. White threw open their
house to the ladies and gentlemen, a most distinguished
company, invited to see the sight ; and 31 persons sat
down to a most sumptuous dejeune.
The Royal Mail Company will shortly have another
vessel launched at Northfleet, and on the Tyne a new
ship is in a forward state. These three, of about the
same tonnage, are intended to reinforce the inter-colonial
service in the West Indies, and the company will then
have a large reserve of ships. Two will always be kept
ready for sea at St. Thomas or Jamaica. Though re-
serve ships cannot prevent breaks down, still it will be
a satisfaction to the company and the public to know
there are vessels ready to supply the place of a lame
duck, for it is impossible to ensure a vessel against a
mishap to machinery. But as a proof of the attention
paid to the machinery of the company's vessels, it may
be stated that no serious accident has ever occurred to
the engines, and none whatever to their boilers, and they
have always returned home under steam (shipwrecks or
fire excepted).
Since the late arrangement of permitting their trans-
Atlantic ships to stop at St. Thomas, the detention of
passengers is remedied, and they now are carried on
rapidly by the colonial branches to their several destina-
tions. As an earnest of what the company has done
and is doing, it may be mentioned that the amount of
steam-power, in work or under construction, is more
than double what is stipulated for under their contract.
The Camilla, a new ship, just purchased for the Rio de
la Plata trade, is expected at Southampton in a few
days.
The Atrato, now receiving her engines, is in a for-
ward state, and in a few months the Royal Mail
Company will have altogether six new and powerful
steamers for the trade, in addition to the present
fleet. It is confidently anticipated that before long
the service between Southampton and Chagres, the
entrepot for Panama, will be performed regularly in
eighteen days. The last mail brought by La Plata
was landed at Southampton in less than twenty days
from its shipment at Chagres, and the new ships will
still further reduce the time on the voyage. Early in
1854 we are promised the opening of the railway across
the Isthmus of Panama. When the railway is completed
an express train may perform the transit from the Gulf
of Mexico to the Pacific in two hours ; or the whole of
the passengers by the steamer, the mail, and goods,
could be dispatched from sea to sea in 24 hours. Here,
then, we have a practical solution of a disputed nautical
question, for whilst saran: and seamen are arguing
which cape ought to be "doubled" on the outward or
, homeward voyage by sea direct to Australia, this route,
via Panama, will give both the "Horn " and " Hope "
the double by steering clear of their tempestuous heads.
From what has been here stated, it is evident the
Royal Mail Company are buckling on their armour to
compete with the other lines of steamers to Australia.

Length over all
Beam ...
!' Depth of hold .
Burthen

NEW FACILITIES YOR CONTINENTAL TRAVELLERS.—
The Customs authorities now allow the luggage of pas-

sengers from Paris by the mail train to be brought to
London without examination at Dover, in order to pre-
vent detention in the latter place. The new system came
into operation yesterday morning. The passengers by
the mail packet have merely to point out their luggage
at the railway station after landing at'Dover and take
their places in the train for town. On arrival in Lon-
don the luggage van is run into the new Custom-house
built by the South-Eastern Company on their London-
bridge station, where officers from the Customs are in
attendance, and where the examination is made. At
present this facility is confined to the train leaving Paris
at 7.30 p.m., the passengers by which arrive London
at 8.6 a.m., the following morning.
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY AT BROM RECTORY.-A bold
but unsuccessful attempt was made to commit a burglary
at the rectory house, Brome, the residence of the Rev.
Mr. Patersqn, between the hours of 10 and 12 on the
night of Wednesday, the let of June. It appeare that
the rev. gentleman was absent from home, and was on
his return when he heard the alarm-bell of his house
rung violently. The noise had aroused some of the vil-
lagers, and upon his reaching home he discovered that
the attempt had been defeated by the alarm. It is sup-
posed that two or three men were concerned in the
affair, judging from the number of foot falls heard in
their retreat. Upon examining the premises, it was
found that an attempt had been made to force several of
the windows on the ground floor with a chisel and ham-
mer, and the men seem to have been at no pains to con-
conceal their intentions. It is conjectured that the fel-
lows were well acquainted with the premises, and that
they also knew that there was no man in the house at
the time, having no doubt watched Mr. Paterson and
his male servant drive out in the afternoon. Suspicion
has alighted upon some parties, and the police are
actively engaged in making inquiries.--Ipswich, Express.
EXTRAORDINARY EFFECT OF ELECTRICITY.—A most
extraordinary effect, produced by electricity, has just hap-
pened in one of the electric telegraph offices in France. A
gentleman employed in one of the principal offices was in
communication with one of his colleagues, when the elec-
tric wire for the purpose of transmitting intelligence hap-
pened to relax, and to come in contact with his arm. The
electric current was passing through it, and the employe
sustained a violent shock, which, raising him from his
chair, violently threw him through a window opening on a
garden. When he recovered his senses, he could not
recollect his adventure, and could only be convinced of
it by perceiving that his hair and beard, which were
previously of a beautiful jet-black, had become in various
places as white as snow. It devolves on scientific men
to explain this phenomenon, which will form an epoch
in the..history of electricity.—Courrier de l'Europe.
DISCOVERY OF OLD COINS.—A few days ago, in
makinc, some excavations on Castle-hill and in the
churchyard, several old coins were discovered. Among
them were a Roman coin of the Emperor Domitian, who
began to reign A.D. 81. The coin will consequently be
about 1770 years old. There was also a copper coin of
the Emperor Trojan, who began to reign A.D. 99 ; a
small copper coin of Tetichus, one of the thirty tyrants ;
and a silver twopence of Queen Elizabeth, date 1580.
The coins are now in the possession of Mr. Peter Roger-
son, and may be seen at his antiquarian depository,
Bridge-lane.—Lancaster auardian.
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.-A discovery which may
prove of some commercial importance appears to have
been made by a British resident in Russia—namely,
that the seed of the tobacco plant contains about 15 per
cent. of an oil possessing peculiar drying properties,
calculated to render it a superior meditnr, especially for
paints and varnishes. The mode of its extraction is de-
scribed in the following communication:--"Sir,—Having
been fortunate enough to discover that the seed of to-
bacco contains above 15 per cent. of its weight of drying
oil, of superior quality and of easy extraction, I
take the liberty of communicating this discovery to you,
as one which, if published in England, may be of great
advantage to those of the British colonies where that
plant is cultivated. The process employed by me for
the extraction of the oil is to reduce the seed to powder,
and knead it into a stiff paste with quantum sulfide of
hot water, and then submit it to the action of a very
strong press. I then expose the oil thus obtained to a
moderate heat, which, by coagulating the vegetable
albumen
fooftmot h ea
esaeke de ,a
at
the
causes o at
tl
ol impuritiesoiof
th e
vessel contained
epl o y in
employed,
oil
leaving
ttohbteahedeer
oyoi oil perfectlyageed,quality
thought loi limpid pmiedux
much
ahr ne
extremely
ieglcyhl
ee
ralrid.me
degree
Tde he
tphoo:in-1
saensmyseosther oil known to me—a circumstance which will
render it of great value to painters and varnish-makers.
The only object I have in mPtfoak;
to you is my desire to be
fellowlshog
itsubjects,
myself ained
England.—Hoping
annood ethrvgietelitso dmisyoevoeuryntkryn known
—aHving;tgrhveaynomtu,eans of pub-
the honour to be, sir, your humbloeli
will kindly
Alfred Hall-
Tredinnick, Member of the Imperial Russian condescend to pardon the liberty taken,
Gle
Geogra-
phical phical Society, and Gardener to Excellency General
Alexander Vsevolodjsky, at Tchern
Kialiar.—Tcherny Rinoke, near s 11* " Rinoke, near
ar, April 1."