The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-06 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

OBITUARY.—Commander Richard D. Pritchard (1841)1
died on Thursday, at his residence at Farnham. This
gallant officer was an old Trafalgar midshipman, having
served in the Royal Sovereign in that battle. He was
pr9snnted to the rank of lieutenant in 1807, having been
seiergli wounded when sub-lieutenant of the Dexte-
rous gun-krig, in the Mediterranean, for which he was
gazetted.
The officers 'tlf the Vengeance, 84, gave r, farewell
dinner to Captain .Ltishington, ou his relinquishing the,
command at Malta. !.t4 44, trv,
The Superb, 80, Captain C. E. Purcell, ts aiongiide
the jetty, completely dismantled. .r • -7
- The Driver; 6, steain-sloop, Commander Johnson, is
in Portsmouth harbour, ready for service.
- The Sharpshooter, screw gun-vessel, Lieutenant-Com-
mander Bailey, sailed from Spithead for the coast of Sus-
sex early on Thursday morning, to protect the fishery.
The Fire Queen, Master-Commander Allen, having
,her defects completed, and touched up where necessary
with Mr. Hay's composition, will come out of dock at
Portsmouth this day. _ _ _

The Arrogant screw steam•frigate, to be commissioned
by' Captain Fitzroy, will be tried down the river on
Atonday,. after which she will proceed to Portsmouth to
be commissioned and fitted.

. For the last two days we have had easterly wind
at Portsmouth, with thick foggy weather, with rain
occasionally.
PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—The Apolline freight ship
embarked 100 prisoners yesterday at Spithead, to be
conveyed to Gibraltar under the charge of Lieutenant
Reynolds, a medical officer, and 51 men of the 97th Re-
giment. This is the only movement since Wednesday.
An order was promulgated here this morning for the
reduction of the dockyard and victualling-yard batta-
lions.

In Port and Fitting.--Victory, 22, Port Admiral's
flag-ship; Illustrious, 10, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Su-
perintendent ; Victoria and Albert, Royal yacht ; Exr
cellent, gunnery exercise ship; Superb, 10; Blenheim,
56, steam guard-ship and guardship of steamers ; and
Rolla, 6, exercise brig for naval apprentices; Centaur,
steam-frigate; Driver, steam-sloop; Fairy, Fire Queen,
and Myrtle, steam-tenders; Bee, exercise steam-tender
to Excellent; Echo, steam-tug; Fanny, Commander-in-
Chief's yacht; Portsmouth, Superintendent's yacht and
pay vessel.
In the Steam-basin.—Ajax, 56, steam guardship;
Centaur, Termagant, Retribution, steam-frigates; Bir,.
kenhead, Phoenix, Salamander, and Cormorant steam-
sloops; and Urgent, Jackal, and Otter, steam-vessels.
In the Ship-basin.—Pembroke, 72; Leander, 50;
.Defence, convict hulk; Malabar, coal depot; and Bee,
steam-tender.

In Doek.—Princess Charlotte, 104; Collingwood, 80;
Vindictive, 50; Flying Fish, 12; Devastation steam-
sloop; and Fire Queen, steam-tender.
Wooi.wicH, JAN. s.—Commodore Sir Gordon Bre.
mer, K.C.8., and K.C.H., recently Superintendent of
this dockyard, has been restored to perfect health since
he left Woolwich to take his permanent residence at
Compton, near Plymouth.

A delay in getting the coals on board has prevented
the Arrogant steam-frigate, 46 guns, going down the
river to-day, but her supply will be completed to-mor-
Tow or Monday.
Mr. Atherton, chief engineer at Woolwich dockyard,
having been appointed chief engineer to the new esta-
blishment at Keyham-point, Devonport, Mr. Hum-
phries, from the firm of Messrs. George and Sir John
Rennie, is to succeed to the office of chief engineer of
the factory at Woolwich.
The vessels at present building here are the Royal
-Albert, 120 guns, the Nankin, 50. gun frigate, and the
Brisk steam-vessel to be fitted with a screw propeller.
COVE HARBOUR AND THE GANGES —A correspon-
dent, writing to the Cork Constitution on the condition
of the harbour at Cove, says—" The harbour here is in
a most eonrused.and dangerous position, in consequence
of vessels :tieing allowed to anchor wherever they think
fit; some aro moored, others are se ioging about at single
anchor, and all lying without regularity or order. The
harbour is not so full but what, with a little attention
,on the part of the authorities, the navigation of the river
would be safe. For this purpose I would suggest that
all vessels should be moored on the side of the Spit
Bank, and leave a passage towards the shore in deep
water, or that they should be partly moored on the north
shore and partly on the side of the Spit Bank, leaving a
clear channel in the middle; until this is done the au-
chorago will not be safe, nor will it be possible for
steamers to pass up after dark. It is true the Ganges
line-of-battle ship sailed up to Haulbowline, but every-
body who saw her were surprised she got up without
doing damage. She appeared to be very skilfully han-
dled, and answered her helm mere readily than a deep-
laden merchant vessel could do. Another subject re-
quires the attention of those whose business it is to in-
terfere, and that is the state of the wharfs, which, nine
times out of ten, no boat can land at without consider-
able difficulty, in consequence of the numerous warps and
hawsers laid out in all directions."

THE WRECK OF HER -MAJESTY'S

SLOOP MUTINE.

We have been favoured with a perusal of the follow-
ing particulars of the wreck of the Mutine, from a private
'source. They are written by a young officer of that ill-
fated sloop to his parents, but are so graphically ex-
pressed, and are so very interesting, that we make no
apology to our friends for giving them general pub-
licity:—

" Malancaco, Venice, Des. 23.

"My dear -, I must now relate what I know
Will at least interest you, viz., the wreck and total loss of
the poor little Mutine. Yes; she now lies about four
miles from this place a hopeless wreck, little more than
"one-half of her symmetrical frame holding together. By
the blessing of God, we wore all saved except five. But
now for the full particulars.
"We sailed from Trieste, in a dense fog, on Friday,
the lath. Calais and baffling winds so detained us that
we did not anchor at Venice until Tuesday night. The
captain, with the surgeon and purser, had left the ship
two nights previously, when about 20 miles off (with
'dispatches) and the fog continuing, they were prevented
from returning to the vessel; but on Wednesday, the
20th, it cleared, when immediately a gale of wind suc-
ceeded. The captain tried to come off in his own boat,
-but was nearly swamped three times. He then offered
501.;f0r any boat that would convey him on board his
ship, but all in vain; no one was hardy enough to
accept it. The steamers, too, tried to get out, but
-could, not.

'" Meantime, finding it was likely to blow hard, we
'weighed, and leaving our anchorage off Lido, the north
'entrance to the Lagoon of Venice, ran down to that of
Malamoco, some miles to the southward, trying to get a
pilot to take us inside the Lagoon, where we should have
-been all safe; but it came on to blow so hard that no
pilot could reach us; and, the wind shifting a point or
two, we were now on a dead lee shore, with a tre-
mendous sea, and no chance of being able to beat off,
'even if we made sail. By eleven o'clock that night.
two out of four cables parted, and as we were strik-
ing topmasts soon after, the third cable, a 14-inch'
.hempen one snapped in twain. We were at the mercy
of the remaining anchor, with 150 fathoms of chain
on it; and that fast coming home, there was nothing
for it but to cut away the masts. The foremast went
first, but that failing to stop our drifting, the mainmast
went too, and the little Mutine lay a hulk upon the
troubled waters. I was -- of that middle watch
(though, of course, all hands were on deck), and I shall
never forget the scene—a frightful sea and surf—the
ship surging and drifting fast, and a rocky coast astern
of us. We now with some difficulty hove overboard our
two shell guns, weighing about four tons, with a strong
hawser bent on each, and, greatly to our satisfaction, we
'then, assisted by the stream-anchor, with 100 fathoms
cable, held on for some time. We remained in this awful
position until four o'clock on Thursday morning, when
we begen firing minate guns of distress, and as soon as
day broke we hoisted the ensign jack downwards on the
stump of the mainmast. But, alas! it was a forlorn
Hope; for soon after this she began again to drift, the
ilea making clean breaches over us, and the cold so in-
tense that the icicles from the sea-water hung on all the
bows, netting, and even on our clothes.
At half-past four, sick, worn out with hard work, and
overcome with cold and wet, I went down and turned
into the first lieutenant's bed, taking off my wet clothes,
and rolling myself up in his blanket, I slept for about an
hour, when the first lieutenant sent down to say I had
better come on deck. I immediately got up, but as I
could not get into my wet clothes, I slipped on a flannel,
a shirt, a pair of drawers, and a large cloak, with an 'old
pair of stockings and shoes. When I arrived on deck,
found the ship had drifted much closer in, and the first
lieutenant observed it would be a miracle if any were
saved. At length when about a mile from the shore she
struck (about 12 30 P 31,),
and we with all possible dis-
Patch hove overboard the remaining 10 guns, with the
shot, water, &c., and about three o'clock, finding all our
efforts of no avail, and, as we all thought, certain death
awaiting as—weary, frozen, exhausted, we made one
itiore—one last dying attempt to save ourselves, so, send-
ing all hands to the forecastle to the wind, we slipped our
cables, and contriving by this means to get her head
before the gale, we ran rapidly in for the shore.
4, Bebeg very light from the loss of guns, &ce the sea
and wind ran us so rapidly over the rocks that the ship
struck with frightful violence; but at last she WAS car-
ried so close in that we were enabled to get a line on
shore,
and by means of it a hawser; not until, however,
poor whiting, one ofour mates, lost his life in attempt-
ing to
land in the jolly boat, which was.pitched over the
side; fortunately the rest of the boat's crew were saved,
but the boat having been capsized they were frightfully
knocked about. I now went down, having previously
thrown off my cloak, and having strongly tied a hand-
kerchief round my neck, fastened in one corner of it all
the stock of money I could at that moment reach; and
by means of this hawser, a bowline knot round it, and a
line from the shore, I assisted in landing the men, until
finding that at last I could not stand on my feet from the
intense cold, I was myself put into the knot, and was
hauled along the hawser. By mere instinct, I must have
held on, for I only remember betng draggod through tho
water head-foremost, being terribly knocked about upon
the rocks, nearly drowned, and being .''then seized by
half a-dozen men, who conveyed and to the nearest
hoive—that of a cobbler—and put me to bed, one
of them (as recommended by the Royal Humane
Society) turning in with me. After some time Ire
turned to consciousness, when, my attendants having
dosed me with sundry tumb!ers of hot grog, and warmed
my feet, which were very painful, and my fingers, which
are still frost- bitten, I began to feel something like my-
self. I must say I never experienced such kindness as
from these people ; the whole family vied with each
other as to who could do most—tucking me iu, making
me broth, bringing wine, grog, &c. Of the rest of my
poor shipmates, the assistant-surgeon and one of the
mates (Charlton) were frozen to death, as was also the
marine. The carpenter got out of the bowline knot,
and was drowned, but the rest all got safely ashore, more
or less injured by bruises.

THE

"Next day (Friday) we were almost all removed on
board her Majesty's steam•vessel Ardent, lying under
the Lagoon, and I am now writing this in bed with frost-
bitten fingers, and my toes so badly bitten, that the
doctor fears I shall lose one of my big tors, aad pe. haps
one or two others. I think, however, I shall" get over
it, but I fear I shall not be able to leave my bed for
some time.
" There is no-.chance~ of saving anything from' the
brig. We hive lost'al4 in het ' • the only things I have
in the world are one shift; `o'neilannel, and ono pair of
arawets.
" God bless you all, is the earnest prayer of
"Your, &c.,

The success which has been obtained by Made-
moiselle P. Annato has been complete, and most of the
leading journals have spoken in the highest terms of
her great and rare talent. To crown the merit of this
Taglioni of the Cirque National de Paris, M. Jullien has
composed, expressly for her, a quadrille, and from the
known talent of M. Jullien we venture to predict that the
" Palmira Quadrille" will be the most charming of his
compositions of this season.
LISXBARD ELECTION.—The election of a represen-
tative for the borough of Liskeard, in the room of the
late lamented Member, Mr. Charles Buller, took place
yesterday. The Tories had previously trade great
efforts to induce some advocate of Conservative opinions
to take the field and spend his money, but had been un-
successful, and the only candidate was Mr. Crowder, the
eminent Queen's Counsel, who has for many years past
been one of the leaders of the western bar. That
gentleman was proposed by Mr. John Allen, in a speech
remarkable for the liberality of its ♦iews, and the exten-
sive range which it embraced, the Hon. Gentleman touch-
ing upon almost every question which interests the pub •
lic mind at the-present time. Mr. Anstis seconded the
nomination in a brief and hearty address, and, there
being'no other candidate, Mr. Crowder was declared to
fie duly elected. The Learned Gentleman then addressed
his constituents in a frank and eloquent speech, in which
he entered into the consideration of many questions
of great public importance. He dwelt upon
the fact that he had been always in favour of pro-
gressive reforms, and was a supporter of the extension
of tho suffrage in proportion as the people progress in
education. On the subject of retrenchment the Hon.
Gentleman placed before the meeting, in a very lucid
manner, the views of Professor Newman, Mr. Cobden,
and Mr. Macgregor, giving his cordial adherence to the
general principles of retrenchment, reserving to himself
the adoption of that course which, on a discussion of
the various measures before Parliament, he might think
most conducive to the general welfare of the country.
The Honourable and Learned Gentleman's speech was
received with great satisfaction by a crowded audience
amongst whom was a very large number of ladies, and
at its close he was hailed with a burst of hearty applause.
The electors of Liskeard are men of stern political in-
tegrity. Mr. Crowder expressed his firm belief—a be-
lief in which from many years' knowledge of them we
most cordially concur—that every man who had given
him a promise would, if there had been a poll, have
voted for him . This firm adherence to principle in so
small a constituency is a remarkable circumstance, and
one which gives to its representative a high position in
the great councils of the nation.—Plymouth Journal
RAILWAY ARCHES AT LAMBETH.—If these arches
were floored, and boarded on the sides, they would form
a refuge for the houseless to sufficient extent that no un-
fortunate person in London would want a dry covering in
the inclement season. A merely raised flooring on each
side, like those in the military guard-rooms, would afford
the worn and weary a better repose than a heap of.
stones, or dry trenches in the parks. Other details
would be readily suggested by the philanthropic; but
even for baths and washhouses for the poor, as well as
soup-kitchens, these arches are well adapted. For the
latter purpose an enormous and constant supply of hot
water could be obtained from the wasted heat co the ex-
tensive coke-ovens at Nine Elms, if boilers were erected
there, from whence it could be conveyed in pipes—and
the heated pipes, by passing through those arches fitted
up as receptacles for night refuge, would keep them
healthily dry, and give genial warmth to the emaciated
and distressed denizens.—The Builder.

HER MAJESTY'S TWELFTH CAKE.—A numerous
and distinguished party, who have been honoured with
invitations to Windsor Castle to-day, will be entertained
by her Majesty at a grand banquet which will be given
in the large dining-room this evenine. (Saturday). The
twelfth-cake, which will be exhibited in the green draw-
ing room, to which the royal and illustrious guests will
retire at the conclusion of the banquet, has been manu-
factured by Mr. Mawditt, her Majesty's first yeoman
confectioner, expressly for the occasion. It is a most
elaborately executed specimen of l'art de confiseur. On
the summit are a vast number of figures exquisitely
finished, the subject represented being a fete champetre,
with the figures beautifully grouped in the style of the
well-known productions of Watteau. The drawing for
Twelfth-night characters by her Majesty and the Prince,
and their Royal and illustrious visitors, will take place
in the evening, as has been usual on all former similar
occasions on this day since her Majesty's accession.
CITY OF LONDON AND EAST LONDON DISPENSARY
AND BENEVOLENT INSTITIITION.—A public meeting was
held at the London Tavern, on Thursday, the 4th inst.;
Charles Curling, Esq., was called to the chair, and was
supported by several gentlemen of influence. The
minutes of a former meeting, establishing this institu-
tion, were read by Mr. Whyte (the secretary), and con-
firmed. The proposed objects of this charity are novel,
but likely to be highly beneficial to the poor. It contem.
plates (in addition to rendering medical aid), providing
grataitously,:in cases where it is absolutely required—
nutritive food, and also granting of small pecuniary gifts
to operatives on their recovery to enable them again to
obtain employment, thus restoring them from indigence
and disease to a position of comparative comfort. It may,
indeed, be said, that this is a perfect measure of charity.
The meeting was addressed by Henry F. Richardson.
Esq., George Curling, Esq., and other gentlemen, and a
very handsome amount immediately subscribed, amongst
which may be named Charles Hoare, Esq., 1001.: R. R.
Wood, Esq., 201., &c., &c. The surgeons w ere appointed,
namely, W. G. Carpenter, Esq., F.R.C.S.L., and Henry
Shaw, Esq., M.R.C.S. It was then resolved that the
foundation festival be held in the spring. Thanks were
then voted to the chairman, and the meeting broke up.
The committee meet at the London Tavern until the
first Dispensary is opened.
FATAL ACOIDENT ON THE BLACIWALL RAILWAY.
—An accident, which terminated fatally, occurred on
this line on Thursday morning, owing to the carriage
door not being properly fastened. A seaman was pro-
ceeding to the West India Dock, and entered the second
class compartment of one of the carriages, and had pro-
ceeded with the quarter to 11 o'clock down train as far
as Gun-lane, Limehouse, when he leaned against the
carriage door, which flew open, and he was precipitated
on to the line. All the remaining carriages of the train
passed over his body, the wheels mutilating him in a
frightful manner. When he was taken up he was quite
dead, and the body was conveyed to the Limehouse
Railway station, where it now awaits a coroner's in-
quest. Two foreign seamen, shipmates of the unfortu-
nate deceased, and William Wright, a carman, of Ep-
ping, in Essex, were in the same carriage. The occur-
rence was so very sudden that it was impossible for them
to save him. • Several witnesses have been summoned
by Mr. Coningham, the beadle of St, Anne, Limehouse,
and the affair will undergo a rigid inquiry.
DEATH FROM EXCESSIVE DRINKING.—A circum-
stance occurred at the Masbrough railway station, forty
miles from Derby, on Tuesday last, which has resulted
in the death of one man, and a second lies in a very
dangerous state. A cask of gin, having been sent by
railway, was about to be put into a waggon, when it
unexpectedly rolled from the truck, and ono end of the
cask was broken. Joseph Austen and a man of the
name of Longden, two plate layers, instantly fell to
work, not to preserve, but to drink the gin, and they
were joined by a pointaman of the name of Scott. Austin
drank so freely that he died the same night, and Long-
den was with great difficulty prevented sharing the same
fate. On Wednesday an inquest was held before Mr.
Badger upon the body of Austin, when the circumstances
being related, the jury returned a verdict of "Died from
apoplexy produced by drinking ardent spirits." Scott
was taken before the magistrates at Rotherham and
fined 51. for neglect of duty, and Longden remains
a'inest without hope of surviving the effects of his rash
proceedings, but should he recover, he will most likely
be prosecuted and fined for neglect of duty.

ISLE OF PURDECK.--DISASTROUS STORM.—A more
disastrous night of weather than that of Wednesday last
is scarcely in our remembrance. The rain commenced
about seven, and continued without intermission through-
out the whole of the night. In Wareham the north and
south causeways were rendered impassable, and, for
several days the meadows remained one unbroken sheet
of water. At Corfe Castle, the two diminutive streams
which join their water just below the castle, became
furious torrents, tearing up the roads, and carrying the
debris and loose soil before them. The steam-mills, as
well as the old grist mill at Arfleet, suffered consider-
able damage, and many stacks of pollard and other ar-
ticles were swept away. The effects of the storm were
attended with fatal consequences at Swanwich, where,
from the great rush of fresh water uniting with the
sea, a house, standing close to the sea, in•
It abited by Mr. Soper, an officer of the
Coast Guard, was undermined, and the whole
front carried away ; Mrs. Soper, bearing aac
out of bed and lighted a candle, and at that instant the
walls fell with a tremendous crash, and the unfortunate
woman was precipitated into the water. her daughters
after much anxiety were extricated from their perilous
situation. Mr. Soper was at Studland with the tender
when the melancholy event took place. Towards.day-
lieht the body was picked up on the beach, and on Fri-
day an inquest was held before C. Baskett, Esq., coroner,
when the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental
Death," and strongly recommended the coroner to lay
before the commissioners of the Wareham turnpike, the
state of the bridge, near the house, the archway being
too narrow for the stream running through it. The
county is by the common law chargeable with the repairs
of all public bridges,
and as Sandwich is a place of gene-
ral resort, besides containing apopulation of about 3,000,
it especially behoves the county of Dorset to take this
bridge in hand and render
It secure to the public.—
Poole and Dorsetshire Herald.
MR. GEORGE OWEN, TEE ADMIRED TRAGEDIAN:
This highly talented young man concluded two engage
reents with Mr. Rogers at the Liver Theatre, Liverpool,
tho week before last. So satisfied was the manager with
the good houses drawn by Mr. George Owen's persona-
tion of Hamlet twice, Richelieu twice, King Lear,Scc ~See
that he engaged him for Stafford, on Tuesday, the 2fiti;
Decembor. Mr. George Owen appeared in Richard the
Third, Othello, Hamlet, and Macbeth, to good audiences,
and was loudly called on the stage each evening. That
once favourite of Covent-garden Theatre, Miss Beau-
m9nt, appeared on the benefit night, as Lady Macbeth,
and in the farce sang some beautiful songs; and was
rapturously received and cheered.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
THAMES.

Thomas Arment, scm, aged 67. a greengrocer, of No.
10, Tenter-street, Whitechapel, Thomas Arment, his son,
formerly a dock labourer, and Henry Samuel Chester, a
porter, were brought up for final examination before
Mr. Yardley, charged with stealing 10,1 yards of silk
damask and silk and worsted damask, value 401, two
carpets, a hearthrug, and other property, belonging to
Messrs. Druce and Broadhurst, extensive upholsterers, of
No. 200, Regent-street, and the Baker-street Bazaar,
near Portman-square.
. _

Mr. YARDLEY said he should commit all the prisoners
to Newgate for trial at the next session of the Central
Criminal Court.

LAMBETH.

Mr. Daniel Harling, a master butcher, carrying on
business in..= extensive way in Park-road, Clapham,
was placed at the bar before Mr. Elliott, on a charge of
attempting to violate the person of his servant, Emma
Clark, 'a girl of 14 years of age.
From the statement of the complainant, who appeared
to be at least 18 years of age, it appeared that on the
pieceding afternoon her mistress went out, and some
time after her master, the prisoner, directed her to close
the parlour windows, which she did. Her master then
closed the shop and parlour doors, threw her down on
the parlour sofa, and committed the assault complained
of. She struggled, screamed, and did her best to get
away from him, and as soon as she could get away she
went to her mother, and informed her of what had
happened.
The mother of the prosecutrix said, that soon after
her daughter had informed her of the treatment she
had experienced from her master, Mr. Harling came
-to her house, said he had acted very foolishly, and
offered to'pay 51. to settle the matter rather than his
wife should know anything about it. She told him she
was surprised he should have the impudence to come to
her house after what had happened, and refused to make
any compromise.
The prisoner was admitted to bail.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
PROGRESS OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

The traffic returns of railways in the United Kingdom
amounted in the year 1842 to 4,400,000/., miles open
1,530; in 1843, to 4,850,0001., miles open 1,590; in 1844,
to 5,611,0001., miles open, 1.780; in 1845, to 6,670,000/,,
miles open 2,050; in 1846, to 7,690,0001., miles open
2,650; in 1847. to 8,976,0001., miles open 3,450; and in
1848, the traffic amounted to 10,092,0001., miles open
4,420. The total sum expended on the railways to
which these returns refer amounted in July, 1848, to
131,000,0001. The average receipts per mile per annum
were in 1842, 3,1201.; in 1843, 3,080[; in 1844, 3,33014
in 1845, 3,470/4 in 1846, 3,3001.; in 1847, 2,870/ ; and
in 1848, 2,5501; showing a decrease, which partly arises
from the depression in trade, and from the great extent
of new railways opened during the past two years.