The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-28 00:00:00

THE BAL TIC.

The weather in the Baltic is unusually had and
stormy for the season of the year. Even the
Swedish packet steamer Nordstern, which reached
Stettin on the 22d, was compelled to take refuge on
its passage in a Swedish port. The usual period,
in ordinary times, for closing packet navigation be-
tween Stettin and Cronstadt, is the last Saturday in
October. After that time it is considered perilous to
continue the intercourse. In ordinary times also the
Russian fleets are dismantled and laid up for the
winter about the middle of this month. None
of their large ships would risk a cruise after the
15th of October.
According to commercial statements from Memel
the destructive fire has had no influence upon com-
mercial traffic. The place is crowded with Russian
produce, which it may be observed does not even
go through the form of changing hands before
shipment. Navigation, although attended with
risk, may remain open for a month, or perhaps
more ; and every effort will be made to get off the
vast quantities of hemp, flax, lineed, and so forth,
which daily arrive from Russia for shipment.

UN,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SIIN.

SIR,—I share in the interest expressed by your cor-
respondent, Mr. Samuel Haughton, of Trinity College,
Dublin, respecting Lancaster's guns ; but, with great
deference to that gentlemen, I venture to question whe-
ther, in his letter in your columns of the 24th inst., he
has satisfactorily accounted for their bursting.
In investigating the cause he seems to have wholly
overlooked a very important element in the ease—viz.,
the quality of the gunpowder employed ; and I venture
to submit whether the bursting of these guns may not
have arisen from the whole charge having ignited too
rapidly, and whether the evil might not be prevented by
an increase of the size of the granulation of the powder,
or by diminishing its explosive force and making up the
difference by an addition to the charge.
In the degree of the weight of the bullet is the inertia
to be overcome, and if the charge of powder att,iins its
maximum force befora the bullet reaches the muzzle, in
addition to the effect of the weight of the bullet, the
metal has to contend against the resistance afforded by
the unexpehed condensed column of air between the
bullet and the muzzle.

If I have stumbled on the cause of the evil adverted to,
'as well as the remedy, I gladly offer them as my mite
towards humbling the monster of the north.—l remain,
your obedient eervant,

Oct. 28, 1854.

J. BENTHAM,
Lieut.-Col. 3,1 Royal Lan. Mil.

BOATS FOR OCEAN SKIPS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUL

Sin,—llaving recently returned from America, I am
desirous of drawing attention, through your columns, to
the sadly deficient amount of boat accommodation in
ocean a earners.
My two voyages across the Atlantic were made in the
America steamer, which is one of the magnificent
ships forming the Cunard line, and it is due to the
captain and officers of that fine vessel to state that they
exercise the greatest nautical skill and care in navigating
their ship, and that the comfort of the passengers is
especially studied. But, while an almost lavish expendi-
ture obtains in the domestic arrangements, it is positively
startling to find that the safety of the passengers, with
respect to boat accomodation, is apparently of very
secondary consideration ; for the alarming fact was early
impressed upon us that the boats could not have saved
those on board. These consisted of 120 cabin and 50
fore cabin passengers, and 103 officers, stewards, and
crew, forming a total of 273 human beings. To accom-
modate this number we had two boats, which, by close
packing, might be made to contain 100 persons ; two
others which, similarly packed, would hold 60 ; and
two smaller, which could contain, under the same pres-
sure, 30—giving accomm tdation, with, be it remem-
bered, the closest stowage, to 210 persons, and thus
leaving 63 entirely unprovided for.
Nor does my complaint end here ; for, with that extra.*
ordinary perversity which it would appear is common to
all ocean-going ships, two of the above boats were, and
are, I doubt not to this hour, so ingeniously wedged in
within the shrouds, that I have the authority of the chief
officer for stating that, under the most favourable mount-
stances, in broad daylight, and in the tranquil waters of
the river Mersey, it takes three quarters of an hour
to launch each of these boats, which I may mention are
used as storehouses for vegetables during the voyage.
Now, when it is borne in mind that the Cunard steam-
ers are realising large profits from carryingthe mails, pas-
sengers, and merchandise, it is truly extraordinary that
proper provision is not made for the safety of the pas-
sengers and crew ; and, as the company are apparently
indifferent to this important consideration, it surely
should be the business of Parliament, when the next
annual grant for carrying the mails is before them, to
insist en all the ships being provided with not only a
sufficient number of boats to contain the greatest possi-
ble number of passengers and crew, but also to compel
the company to stow the boats in such a manner that
they may be launched instantaneously and safely.
The last intelligence of the unfortunate Arctic, which
you publish this day, informs us that, as usual, the
tackle of one of the boats became entangled, and the
boat was precipitated perpendicularly into the sea, and
I feel certain that, had any sudden calamity overtaken
the America during my voyages, the launch of the boats
would have been attended by many casualties.
Experience has now shown that the great danger of
Atlantic navigation is collision, particularly in the re-
gion of the Banks of Newfoundland, where dense fogs
render a look-out almost useless. On my voyage out
we very narrowly escaped coming into collision with a
schooner, under circumstances precisely similar to those
which caused the loss of the Arctic ; and it, should be
borne iu mind that the reciprocity treaty between the
United States and Canada will throw many hundred
additional ships upon the very waters where the dan-
ger of a collision is greatest. It is all very well to sug-
gest modes of navigating ships safely through dense
fogs, but common sense points out that no ship bearing
passengers and valuable mails should be permitted to
leave port without the most ample and efficient boat
accommodation.—l am, sir, your humble servant,
Somerset house, Oot. 27. C. R. WELD.

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR, —Can any practical mind read the clear views
taken by Dr. King, and on calm reflection deny the
guilt that lies at the Admiralty door, under the reign of
the Admiral of the Black Sea ?—for it was under his
regime that the cold, apalietic -neglect took place ; and
many that heard those lectures which "Pro Bono Pub•

lico" has alluded to, will remember the many predic-
tions that since 1849 have come true respecting the fate
of Franklin ; and that by the jobbing selfishness, the
fighting for honours—i. e., the "loaves and fishes"—
poor Sir John would be left in the lurch in the long run
to his fate, to die of starvation. In the " annals of the
Admira*ty culpability" this is the blackest picture.
The lecturer pointed out the ease with which communi-
cation could be made to those going out in search of Sir
John ; and all these were so simple in the using, so in-
expensive, that no barrier could have been made, but
the dire jealousy of a self-conceited body of men, who,
"dressed in a little brief authority," &c., must have
their own ways and ignorant theories against the ener-
getic and practical views of men of expanded mind, such
as Dr. King. His writings now will be valued by every
good, unprejudiced mind who reads; but, alas ! like the
" rotten food" under the same rule, it will be quashed,
and " dead men tell no tales," or woe betide those who
were in power when Sir John left on his ill-fated trip.
" The tin cases of carrion," like the knife of the slayer,

lying in hundreds, and the thousands sunk since in-the
ocean, to thinking minds is quite enough. But, , sir,
allow me to point out that those men appear only, as
described, to be but a portion of Franklin's crews ; for
there cannot be a doubt in my mind but they had' divided

the body, some going one way and some another, so
that, if one party was successful, it would send relief to
the others ; and that should stimulate us. Whatever
he may do now, cost what it may, though millions, it
will never, never wash off the cruel stain that now
blackens the Admiralty of Lord John. Ido not wish
to speak harshly of men in office ; but I cannot
hide the truth now, or be afraid to speak out against
those who have so recklessly disregarded a solemn duty
to the public, as they have done, and allowed parties
to interfere for private jobbing, which I know was done
(and the Blue Books can show several matters in
corroboration of Dr. King's assertions, as well as other
cases of gross and culpale negligence in not sending
odt proper men earlier than was done), and the rejection
of means and plans offered to the Admiralty ; but with
cold, insulting, official buffoonery, these practical philan-
thropic men were coolly insulted and derided. How
long conduct such as this the British nation will submit
to remains to be seen. Our country is falling to pieces by
party jobbing—filling places and appointing officers from
" incapables" anti "old worn-out men," kept on the
staff when they ought to have retired even on a pension
—for, truly, the pension is but the first and last ex-
pense ; but, when in office, the cost of bungling work
pulling down and building up again, would make the
public stare sorrowfully, did they see, as I have often
seen, the consequence of ignorant Jacks in office, who
can eat the salary, but unable to do the work. But more
anon.—Yours truly,
ONE WHO HAS SEEN BEHIND
THE CURTAIN.
N.B.- —Some of Franklin's crews may be now languish-
ing in starvation.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE STRAITS AND CHINA BY
THE OVERLAND ROUTE.—The Peninsular and Oriental
Company having deemed it necessary to effect some
alterations in their arrangements for the conveyance
of mails and passengers from England to the Straits
and China, via Egypt, and vice versa, until further notice,
have, for the purpose of preventing misunderstanding on
the part of the public, issued the following particulars
respecting the present route :—"1. The mails and pas-
sengers leaving England on the 4th, and Marseilles on
the 11th of the month, will be conveyed to Ceylon, and
teo a
coursest ea m eerffopr
etehte
tSet r
Ca ihtsi
eaen, dbCyh nhais, tehserieletrreatu,fsefererr.edTinh
route, will be, under ordinary circumstances, fifty days
via Southampton, and forty-five days via Marseilles.
2. The mails leaving England on the 20th, and
Marseilles on the 27th of the month, will proceed
to Ceylon, as in the case of the foregoing ; but,
instead of being transferred there for conveyance to
China, will go on to Calcutta, and be transferred at that
port into a steamer for Penang, Singapore; and Hong
Kong. The course of post to China by this route will
be about 57 days via Southampton, and 52 days via
Marseilles. During the continuance of these arrange-
ments passengers and cargo for the Straits and China
will be conveyed by the steamers of the 4th only, and
not by those leaving Southampton on the 20th of the
month. The homeward mails will follow the same
routes, namely—those leaving Hong Kong on the 11th
of the month will be conveyed via Ceylon, and those
of about the 24th of the month will be despatched for
England via Calcutta."
BATHS AND WAHHHOUSES IN ISLINGTON.—A meet-
ing of the parishioners of Ilington was held last night
for the purpose of considering the propriety of adopting
the act for the establishment of baths and wasbhouses.
Mr. Churchwarden Wagstaff having been elected to the
chair, Mr. Fuller moved that the act for the establish-
ment of baths and washhouses be adopted. After a
discussion, which lasted five hours, the motion was re-
jected by a small majority. This is the-third time this
proposal has been rejected.
THE TREATMENT OF THE POOR IN LAMBETH
WORKHOUSE.—Yesterday, Messrs. Austin and Carre,
the poor - law commissioners, attended at Lambeth
Workhouse for the purpose of further proceeding with
this important inquiry respecting the treatment of the
poor in the house. The inquiry having lasted nearly six
i hours, the further proceedings were adjourned for
ditional evidence.

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