The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-28 00:00:00

DREADFUL SHIP WRECK.

OPENING of the TRENT VALLEY
RAILWAY.—SPEECH OF SIR ROBERT PEEL.
Saturday having been appointed for the opening of
the Trent Valley Railway, the train started from the
Euston-square station at twenty-five minutes past nine
o'clock ; but for fully an hour before many persons had
arrived at the station in order to take their places in
time. At the starting of the train from Euston-square
there were fourteen or fifteen carriages, each containing
eighteen persons. At Rugby, and various other places
on the way, a great number of individuals joined the
company, and on the arrival of the train at Tamworth
there could not have been fewer than 700 or 800 persons
in the carriages. On reaching Nuneaton, the first sta-
tion after leaving the London and North Western line,
a large concourse of persons were assembled to greet the
arrival of the train, which they welcomed with loud
cheers, and with every demonstration of delight at the
opening of the new mode of conveyance to and from
their little village. The train, which left Rugby
at forty minutes past eleven, reached Nuneaton at
half-past twelve and Atherstone at ten minutes to .one.
Here the villagers were dressed in their holiday attire.
Crowds of persons came from all parts of the surround-
ing country, and all the children of the Sunday and
other schools were brought out, under the care of their
teachers, to witness the interesting
sight. The station
was decorated with flowers and evergreens, and flags
were to be seen floating in the air in various directions.
As the train arrived and departed it was greeted with
hearty cheers and waving of handkerchiefs. A similar
reception met the train on its arrival at Polesworth,
which it reached at fifteen minutes past one. But it was
on its arrival, at twenty minutes to two, at Tamworth,
that it was greeted with the greatest enthusiasm. An
excellent band of music was engaged for the occasion.
The first persons who e.,,re seen on the platform were
Sir Robert Peel and l sdy, „,411 other members of his
family. The Right Hon. Baronet went up to a number
of the gentlemen as they quitted the carriages, and cor •
dially shook them by the hand. Sir Robert appeared
in excellent health and spirits.
Shortly after the arrival of the train, the company pro-
ceeded to a commodious tent, beautifully fitted up for the
occasion, where they sat down to a cold collation. The
number of persons who partook of the collation, which
was served up in excellent style by Mr. Bacon, proprie-
tor of the Queen's Hotel, Birmingham, could not have

been less than from 1,200 to 1,306: Among the noble-
men and gentlemen present, we observed Lord Sandon,
M.P., Sir R. Peel, M.P., Lord Ingestre, M.P., Lord Anson,
Hon. Colonel Amon, M.P., Sir C. Douglas, M.P., Sir
W. S. Dugdale, M.P., Captain A'Court, M.P., Mr. Hud-
son, M.P., Captain Carnegie, M.P., Mr. G. C. Legh,
M.P., Mr. Alderman Copeland, M.P., Mr. Cardwell,
M.P., Sir P. D. Egerton, M.P., Mr. Ricardo, M.P., Mr.
George Glyn, Chairman of the London and North-
Western Company; Mr. Houldsworth, Chairman of the
Manchester and Leeds Company; Mr. Edward Tootal,
Chairman of the Trent Valley Company; Mr. Edmund
Peel, late Chairman of the Company; Mr. Yates Peel,
the Bishop of Lichfield, &c. The following engineers,
employed in the construction of the railway, were also
present :—T. L. Gooch, Esq., chief engineer, and Messrs.
Bartlett, Twining, Berkely, Peacock, Graham and
Cowley, resident engineers.
Mr. TOOTAL, chairman of the company, presided on
the occasion, and was supported by Sir Robert Peel on
the right, and by Viscount Ingestre on the left. The
company having partaken of the refreshment,
The CHAIRMAN rose and proposed the health of her
Majesty, which was drank with great applause.
The usual loyal and patriotic toasts followed, and were
received in the most enthusiastic manner.
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said, that the next
toast he had to propose was one which he was sure they
would all heartily respond to. There were times at
which all men felt themselves incapable of doing justice
to the subject in hand, and that was one of them. 'He
never felt more embarrassed in his life, and although he
might put a good face on the matter—(Laughter)—they
might believe him that the trial of that day was
one of the most severe that he had ever under-

gone. He, however, felt extreme gratitude for the
support which they had given him. When he first pro-
posed to have a formal opening of the Trent Valley line,
he never anticipated that he would be surrounded by so
much rank, talent, men of science, men of business, and
railway directors, as he then saw present. He had in
the first instance been anxious that the chair should be

taken by the chairman of that great company, the Lon-
don and North-Western, under whose patronage this
line was that day opened, but that Hon. Gentleman,
(Mr. Glyn) declined to do so. He was next anxious
that their late chairman, Mr. Edmund Peel, should fill
the position, but he having also declined, the charge had
reverted on him (Mr. Tootal), and he trusted that their
kindness would make up for his deficiencies.—(Cheers.)
He had to acknowledge a debt of gratitude he owed to
the Right Hon. Baronet on his right (Sir R,. Peel)
for the manner, when introduced, he waited upon
him for the first time at Drayton Manor House to
request his support. The Right Hon. Gentleman
at once saw him, and listened to his explanations ;
and whether is was from the extreme kindness of
the Right Hon. Baronet, or from the honesty of the
cause he (Mr. Tootal) represented, the Right Hon.
Baronet had continued to pay the utmost attention to
him whenever he subsequently felt it necessary to call
upon the subject. They had had a hard struggle, but i
there they were at last —(Cheers.) In 1839 the Bill
was first introduced into Parliament, supported with
the utmost interest of the Right Hon. Baronet, who
continued that support until they were finally success-
ful. On the 13th of November, in the year before last,
the Right Hon. Baronet, while labouring. under a fit of
the gout, neglected his important avocations to cut the
first sod of their line.—(Cheers.) That was, under the
circumstances, considered one the most imprudent
things the Right Hon. Baronet had ever done ; but
it showed how deeply he had at heart the interests
of their line.—(Cheers.) He knew that by going
the most direct and shortest route from Rugby, the
centre of England, to Glasgow, Liverpool, Manches-
ter, and other places in the north, they would
be effecting a saving alike of time and money to the
commercial interests of the country ; but the spot where
they were then assembled (Tamworth) might now be
almost called the centre of England, with respect to time,
the mode in which they now reckoned distance.—
(Cheers.) He recollected that on a former occasion Sir
R. Peel mentioned that this was the route formerly taken
by the Romans to the north, and how correct they were
proved by the fact that Telford followed in the same
line at the short distance of 2,000 years—(Cheers)—and
by the exertions of the directors they had that day opened
that line, by which one hour would be saved in the dis-
tance between London and Liverpool—(Cheers)—the
system of miles being now out of fashion ; and when the
electric telegraph was completed, as it would be in a
short time, they would be enabled to communicate their
thoughts to John o'Groat's and back in half the time it
now took to write them. At the period of cutting the first
sod the Right Hon. Baronet expressed his opinion that
they would be enabled to travel, when this line was
opened, from London to Manchester in 6k hours. They
had, by their arrangements, improved upon that 25 or
30 per cent., and he (the Chairman) expected that they
would shortly complete the distance in 4i hours—
(Cheers)—although when, in 1839, he talked of doing
madman, but it was now proved that he was only a little
it in 7i- hours, he was looked upon as a visionary and a
before the time.—(Cheers.) The Right Hon. Baronet,
true to the support be had given to the railway through-
out, had that day, at no little personal sacrifice, honoured
them with his company; and without attempting to pass
any eulogy on the Right Hon. Baronet, which he was
sure would be out of place, he begged to propose the
health of Sir Robert Peel, nt., M.P., one of the most
ardent of our supporters.—(Cheers.)
The toast having been drunk with three times three
and one cheer more,
Sir ROBERT PEEL rose, and spoke nearly as follows :
—Mr. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen—It is with
much pleasure I rise to respond to the kind manner in
which my health has been proposed from the chair, and
the equally kind manner in which it has been received.—
(Cheers.) There is only one statement made by my
Hon. Friend, the Chairman of the day, which I will not
confirm—that in which he has informed the meeting that
I have made any sacrifice in being present to-day.—
(Cheers.) That statement is, I am sorry to say, so at
variance with the fact, that I cannot let it pass; for I
assure you, that it would have been a great disappoint-
ment to me if anything had occurred to render my absence
necessary from this assembly.—(Cheers.) I will not
forget the occasion on which we are met—that here men
of all political opinions meet upon neutral ground.
I shall not forget that on this day all political
differences ought to be forgotten—and even on this
day railway animosities ought to be suspended.—
(Cheers.) Let the memory of all former grievances be
forgotten as to the broad or the narrow gauge, if, un-
fortunately, they were doomed to be renewed to-morrow.
—(Cheers.) We have met this day to celebrate the
completion of a great work, which reflects equal credit
on the company who undertook it, the contractor who
carried it out, and, lastly, I will add the men whose
es
ht r
large u gl
e
sinews and industry have brought it to a successful issue.
—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, without having any personal
interest in it, I have given to this line my best support,
because I have always felt that it must be ultimately
completed.
might
Although
in there
suspense—andmight be a
thlongng g
before the Committees of Parliament—though the land-
owners
sums might be transferred to the pockets of those whose
genius we honour, while we have no peronal sympathy
with their gains—(Laughter)—l felt that the time must
come when the Trent Valley line would be completed.—
(Cheers.) My Hon. Friend has reminded me, that,
on a former occasion, I said that the Romans had pur-
sued the same road to the north as that of this line.
I am obliged to my Hon. Friend for so reminding
me, and I am sure it will not abate from the merits of a
Stephenson, because, 2,000 years ago, the Romans found
it necessary to open up a north-western--a great north-
western—communication, the termini being London and
Chester.—(Cheers and laughter.) That line was opened
by a celebrated engineer, who appears to have united in
his own person engineer and contractor—being the Ste-
phenson and the Brassey of his day—Julius Agricola.—
(Cheers and laughter.) Gentlemen, when that engineer
found it necessary to make a road to Chester, he deter-
mined to take the the direct line, although the gradients
were not itivourAble.—(Cheers.) He used uo tunnels,
he made no embankments or cuttings, but he went
through the valleys and up the hills.—(Cheers and
laughter.) Ms stations were not badly chosen, for leav-

Within the last two or three days the following serious
losses, involving a frightful sacrifice of life, have been
made known at Lloyd's. The first, and certainly most
distressing, is that of the wreck of another emigrant
ship, with between sixty and seventy persons killed and
drowned. The unfortunate vessel was the Miracle, 627
tons burden (Captain Elliott, master), which sailed from
the port of Liverpool in the latter part of March last
for Quebec. Besides her crew, she bad on board no
fewer than 400 emigrants. The particulars received,
which are very brief, state that the vessel, in a gale of
wind, on the night of the 9th of May, was driven ashore
on a reef of rocks off the Magdalen Islands, where, in
a few hours, she became a complete wreck. The mo-
ment she struck her masts fell overboard, and the cap-
tain of the ship, seeing that the loss of his ship was
inevitable, had the boats lowered, and, with his crew,
exerted all possible means to preserve the lives of the
emigrants, who crowded the decks in the greatest state
of excitement. After incessant zeal, the greater bulk of
the poor creatures were got ashore safe on the island,
but in two instances the boats struck against the rock,
and were shattered to atoms; and their living freight,
amounting to nearly seventy persons, met with a watery
grave. Before the vessel arrived off Magdalen Islands a
fever had broken out among the which carried
off no fewer than twenty. The names of those who pe-
rished are not mentioned in the particulars; the survivors
are said to have been conveyed to Pictou, where they
arrived on the 29th. The vessel had been properly sur-
veyed before her sailing from Liverpool ; she was a
strong- built vessel, and registered at Lloyd's as 627 tons,
having been built at St. Johns, New Brunswick, in 1841.
It is not known whether she was insured or not. Two
English vessels were lost on the same night, sixty miles
southward of Magdalen Island. One was from London
to Quebec, called the Brothers, the property of Messrs.
Brooks and Co., of High-street, Southwark. All hands,
it is supposed, were lost. Letters from Suez, dated Bth
June, received by the late overland mail, announce the
total loss of the barque Welcome, belonging to Greenock,
on a coral rock, off the island of Yambo, in the Red Sea.
It was attended with melancholy loss of life. The chief
mate, an Arab pilot, and also twelve of the seamen were
drowned. The accident occurred at ten o'clock on the
night of the 14th of April, the vessel being on her home-
ward passage. No sooner did she strike, than the vessel
turned over on her beam-ends, and shortly sunk in
seventy fathoms water. The master and remainder of
the crew, after being in the water some time, succeeded
in getting hold of the long boat, which floated, and gained
the village of Yambo on the 16th. The loss of the ship
is estimated at 20,000/. Another loss, that of a whaler,
off the coast of New Zealand, is also reported at Lloyd's.
It is that of the Delphos, 500 tons burden, commanded by
Capt. West. On the morning of the 27th December last, in
the midst of h violent squall of wind and rain, breakers
were discovered a short distance on the lee bow. The
order was instantly given to veer ship, the helm placed
hard up, the raison topsail halyards let go, and yards
trimmed, and she had already got the wind on her quar-
ter, and had begun to break the waves, when she
touched lightly aft. Her fate was sealed--in a moment
more she struck heavily midships, and in five minutes
she was shattered in a thousand fragments. By almost
a miracle all but six of the crew were saved. When she
struck she rolled, bulwarks under, towards the reef.
By the returning wave, she rolled outwards with her
masts under water, and so remained, when the crew
clambered over upon the aide which lay out of water,
which offered some protection from the waves. The

next sea that struck her stove in her decks, and

partially broke up her stern, and the succeeding
one detached the side centre on which they were cling-
ing, and threw it, with the unfortunate sufferers, upon
the reef. No land was to be seen, and there was
much reason to suppose they were on a simple reef on
the wide ocean. The morning light, however, dissi-
pated their fears, in revealing the land at a distance of
four miles, to which they were able to proceed on the
reef. It proved to be Palmerston Island near New
Zealand. There they remained several days, and were
eventually taken off by the American ship Alert. The
loss of this vessel, with its contents, is reported to be
'about 10,0001.

Father Mathew had an interview with Lord John
Russell, on Saturday, at his official residence in Down,
ing-street, ,

ing Wolverton about a mile to the right, he went to
Weedon ; from thence, between Hinckley and Nuneaton,
to Atherstone, and on to Fazeley, one mile from Tam-
worth ; from thence he proceeded by Lichfield, on to
Chester.—(Cheers.) I take it that if Mr. Stephenson has
not taken quite so direct a lino by the Trent Valley,
that he has improved on the gradients of Julius Agricola,
while it must be admitted that this lino is as good and
his stations as well chosen.—(Cheers.) I thought that
if, 2,000 years ago, the Romans thought it necessary to
have a direct line, when probably their passenger trains
only carried a few recruits for the 20th legion, and
goods trains were. unknown, I knew enough of Man-
chester men to know that in the nineteenth century they '
would not long consent to be carried ten miles round,
even though they were thereby enabled to exchange com-
pliments with the men of Birmingham. I may now,
on the part of myself and the great body of the landed
proprietors of this line, return thanks to the company
for the spirit, liberality, and justice, which has distin-
guished all their transactions.—(Cheers.) I think, also,
that I am bound to return- thanks to those who have had
the carrying out the works, for the manner in which
they have become the protectors of the property
through which they have gone, and for the ex-
amples of steadiness, industry, and obedience to
the laws which they have met, and which all similarly
engaged ought to imitate.—(Cheers.) Many gentlemen
present are probably struck with the contrast which this
ancient town presents to its former position—its origin
being lost in remote antiquity. Gentlemen, on the east
of our town stands a monument to Ethelfrida, the
daughter of Alfred the Great ; and on the west we have
met to inaugurate a monument of the reign of Queen
Victoria.—(Cheers.) That mound was raised by Ethel-
frida for the purpose of protecting the town from the
incursions of Pagan barbarians, who were in the habit
laying it waste, while this any wo are met to eele--
brate the completion of a work which presents in itself
the triumph of science, of knowledge, of civilization.
The period that has passed between the time when
Ethelfrida flourished and the reign of Victoria is not less
than ten centuries.

NATAL INTEL LIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 27.—The Commander-in-Chief,
Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., hoisted his flag in the
Ondine steam-vessel this morning, and proceeded, soon
after seven o'clock, on his visit to the Channel Islands.
The command of the port now devolves upon Rear-
Admiral Hyde Parker, C. 8., superintendent of the
dockyard.
The Howe, 120, Captain Sir James Stirling, was
placed under the orders of Rear-Admiral Sir Charles
Nalptiies rer,l:o.Crt.eßd., t and
h at tchhea changed
Admiraltyhe
renisnigtenndfroormdewrihnigtethtoe
blue. She wants hands sadly.
construction of several line-of-battle ships of 80 guns,
with steam power of 700 horse.
Mr. J. Newey, master of the metal mills and foundry
in this dockyard, has been superannuated on 1251. per
annum. Ten of the working men in the same depart-
ment have also been superannuated, and the remainder
have been transferred with the establishment to the new
metal mills at Chatham, under the direction of Mr.
Jeremiah Owen, formerly of this dockyard.
A contract for 850 sacks of dressed biscuit meal was
taken at the Royal Clarence Victualling Establishment,
Gosport, on Thursday, at 565. 6d. and 58s. 6d. per sack
of 2801 b., being about ss. less than on the 13th ult.
The Orestes, 18, in dock here, is ordered to be fitted
as adepOt, to be stationed at Cove.

"A thousand years their clouded wings expand."
And, gentlemen, we cannot contemplate without ad-
miration the wonderful contrast presented to us.—
(Cheers.) This day we are met to celebrate the com-
pletion of a work as part of.a system which is probably
destined to effect a greater social revolution than any
invention since the art of printing was discovered.—
(Cheers.) I believe that the effect of railways must be
for good, and that they will promote the moral and
social welfare and political security of the country.—
(Cheers.) Within a few months our bodies will be
carried along this railway with the fleetness of the wind,
and our thoughts, by the agency of the telegraph, with
the fleetness of lightning.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, let
us hope that these combined influences will be for our
good, by drawing closer family affections, and facilitating
the intercourse of life—(Cheers)—while they tend to
promote civilization and the advancement of knowledge.
—(Cheers.) As regards their political security,
I believe that we shall not have cause to regret
their construction. In a country like this it is
impossible to do more than support a limited
army ; and, in the event of war, which may God
in his mercy avert, we might be exposed to the most
fearful consequences, for it is difficult to say what
effect steam navigation may have on maritime warfare.
Of this, however, I am sure, that railways would enable
us to concentrate our limited forces on any point that might
be required ; and I have no doubt, then, that the spirit
of Englishmen would enable them to combat successfully
against any enemy, even if numerically superior, by
being conveyed by this new element of transport without
fatigue. Gentlemen, it is only by drawing closer the
" great metropolis" of the empire with the great towns,
each of which may be said to form a metropolis of their
districts, and getting a cheap conveyance, if we are ex-
posed to the rivalry of other countries, that we shall be
enabled successfully to compete with them ; but I have
no fear but by the means of railways, and the increased
facilities of intercourse, that we shall continue suc•
cessfully to compete with them, and add to the
prosperity of agriculture and manufactures.—(Cheers.)
I also hope that the result of bringing closer the
sister country to us will be to increase its prosperity,
and unite us in bonds of mutual good feeling, and
strengthen in us all the loyalty and affection to our
gracious Sovereign, who, if zeal for the interests of her
country and examples of domestic virtue constitute claims
upon the affections of her subjects, has at least as strong
a claim on those affections as any Sovereign that ever
sat upon the throne. The Right Hon. Baronet sat down
amid loud applause, which lasted some minutes. On its
subsiding,
Sir R. PEEL again rose, and said—Gentlemen, I am
happy in being permitted to give a toast by the Chairman
of the meeting. It is a matter of pride and gratification
to me that 1 am allowed to propose " Success to the
Trent—Valley "'Railway," and with that toast I should
wish to associate the names of George Carr Glyn
Esq., the chairman ; Charles Lawrence, Esq.,
the Deputy Chairman ; and the rest of the Directors
of the London and North-Western Company. Gentlemen,
these names of themselves afford a tower of strength to
the railway, and are calculated to afford a guarantee that
they will properly carry out the affairs of the company,
and that they will attend to the interests of the public
with industry, zeal, and integrity.—(Cheers.) The pe-
culiar feature of railways is, that they unite in their
management merchants of the highest station and inte-
grity, who are influenced not by a desire of pecuniary
aggrandisement by means of the direction, but to serve
the interests of the shareholders and the public,—
(Cheers.) That their motives are not influenced by pe-
cuniary considerations is proved by the fact that they
could easily the better promote them in other pursuits ;
and I refer with confidence to the means which are taken
since religious subjects have been mentioned, to attend to
the wants and interests of those employed such as we do
not witness in other employers. I most unfeignedly hope
that while the interests of the public are attended to in
the way they now are, that Parliament will never
consent to interfere with them—(Cheers)—in a vex-
atious spirit, or under any circumstances adopt regu-
lations which shall have the effect of driving from the
management such men as a Glyn or a Lawrence into
other pursuits more profitable to themselves, but by
which others would be introduced who could not give to
to the public, by their position and well-known integrity,
such guarantees for good management and the safety of
the passengers. All the advantages supposed to be likely
to arise from diminished fares, or the interference of Go-
vernment, would be entirely neutralised if they tended to
throw the management into inferior hands in the place
of the gentlemen I have named, who, as I have before
said, would more profitably employ their time and
money. In conclusion, I beg to propose " Success to the
Trent Valley Railway," coupling with it the names of
George Carr Glyn, Esq., Charles Lawrence, Esq., and
the Directors of the London and North-Western Rail-
way.—(Loud cheers.)
The toast having been drunk with due honours.

The Committee of reference on ship building, sitting
in this dockyard, having submitted to the Admiralty plans
and drawings for the construction of a 90-gun ship,they
have been approved of by the Board, and orders were re-
ceived on Friday for a ship of that class, to be called the
Caesar, to be built on the slip on which the Royal
Frederick, 110, is now building.
The Mediator, American line of packet ship, Captain
Stark, arrived at this port yesterday from New York in
16 days, bringing dates to the Bth inst. She landed

passengers and a, file of papers and passed on for the

river.

The Larne, 18, Captain Brisbane, arrived at Spithead
this morning, at five o'clock, bringing news from

the coast of Africa, to the 18th of Xray.7. She left As-

cension on the sth, and the Banana Islands on the first-
named date.

The Commodore, Sir C. Hotham, K.C.8., in the
steam-frigate Penelope, 22, Captain Giffard, and the
Actaeon, 26, Captain Mansel, were at Ascension. Two

Al
courts-martial had been held on board the latter ship, of
which her captain was President, to try Lieutenant
Alston, late of the Pantaloon, for unbecoming conduct,
and Mr. John Wilson, acting purser of the Favorite, for
drunkenness. Both officers were adjudged guilty and
dismissed from her Majesty's service.
The Courts were composed of Captain Mansel, Pre-
sident ; Captain Hutton of the Tortoise ; Captain
Brisbane, of the Larne ; Commander Newton, of the
Lily • Commander Murray, of the Favourite •, Com-
mander Douglas, of the Pantaloon ; and Mr. George
Hickman, acting Paymaster and Purser of the Panta-
loon, acting Judge-Advocate ; neither of the prisoners
were defended.
The Actmon.was about to sail for St. Helena.

The following was the disposition of the squadron at
the last dates:—
At Ascension—The Penelope (Commodore), Actmon,
and Tortoise.
At the Bights of Benin (northern division)—The
Favourite, 18, Commander Murray (spoken off Sierra
Leone, by the Larne) ; the Albatross, 12, Commander
Farquhar ; the Wanderer, 16, Commander Montresor ;
Rolla, 10, Commander Ellicombe ; the Contest, 12,
Commander M‘Murdo ; the Syren, 16, Commander
Chaloner ; the Bittern, 16, Commander Hope • the De-
vastation steam sloop, Commander Crouch ; the Hound,
10, Commander Wood ; and the Grappler iron steamer,
Lieutenant• Commander Lysaught.
Congo Division—The Heroine, 6, Commander Ed-
munds ; the Sealark, 10, Acting-Commander Whyte ;
the Waterwitch, 8, Commander Birch ; the Ferret, 8,
Commander Sprigg ; the Rapid, 8, Acting-Commander
Hill ; the Flying Fish, 12, Commander Dyke ; and the
Styx steam sloop, Commander Chads.
At Benguela—The Kingfisher, 12, Commander Hor-
ton.

The Prometheus steam-sloop, Commander Hay; the
Kingfisher and Ranger were daily expected at As-
cension.

The Pantaloon, 10, Commander Douglas, had sailed
on the 3d of May for Bermuda, to join the squadron on
the West India station.

The Island of Ascension was very healthy, water was
not scarce, and there were 500 turtle in the pounds when
the Larne left.

The French were very sickly at the Prince's Islands.
Mr. M'Crae, surgeon of the Actaeon, at the request of
the Freneh squadron, went on shore, with permission of
Captain Mansel, and administered to the sick, and also
supplied them with medicines, they only having an
assistant-surgeon of their own to attend upon them.
The slave trade was very brisk, nor is it considered
possible to repress it until that traffic is treated as piracy.
The high priest of the Bonny had been taken prisoner
by the Waterwitch for the murder of three British sub-
jects belonging to a palm oil trader in that river, and at
the date of our advices was on board the Tortoise store
and guard ship at Ascension, awaiting orders from the
Admiralty as to his disposal.
Trestles have been effected by Captain Murray of the
Favourite, in the river Nunez and Rio Grande, for the
suppression of the slave trade.
Lieutenant Vesey, and Mr. Spain, master of the He-
roine; Lieutenant Strangways, of the Favourite; Captain
M'Killop, R.M., of the Actaeon, on promotion; Dr. Gil-
bert King, inspector of hospitals and fleets, ad the late
acting purser of the Favourite, dismissed by court-mar-
tial, have come home in the Larne.
Mr. Eversfield, clerk of the Promothens, is appointed
acting paymaster and purser of the Favourite, vice
Wilson.
Lieutenant L. W. Peyton had joined the Favourite
from the Penelope.
Lieutenant Whyte, senior lieutenant of the Sealark,
had been confirmed in the command of that brig by the
Commodore, for the very efficient manner in which she
was found on inspection, after Commander Gooch had
invalided.
Lieutenant rowel, formerly in command of the King-
fisher, has remained out on the coast and joined the Styx
as senior lieutenant.
The Lame has been employed upon the coast upwards
of three years, and has been very healthy, having only
lost one surgeon and one man from fever, and invalided
two lieutenants and a few seamen.
Commodore Sir Charles Hotham had inspected all his
divisions, and on visiting the southern subdivision, under
Captain Brisbane's command, was pleased to express to
that gallant officer in the most gratifying terms his
highest approbation of the state of the Larne and the
other vessels under his command generally.
The Philomel, 6, Commander W. C. Wood, bas not
arrived on the station.
The Lily, 16, Commander Newton, arrived at Spithead
on Saturday afternoon from the above station, bringing
dispatches for the Admiralty from the Commodore and
numerous invalids. She has been ordered home some
time since (upwards of twelve months), in order that
sundry courts-martial may be held on her officers. The
first trial on the roster is Lieutenant Branch, second
lieutenant, whom we are informed has already been
under arrest seventeen months. The day she left
Sierra Leone the Hound sent in a slave felucca taken
• in the Bights, fitted for the traffic, but with no slaves
t on board. .

Mr. GLYN returned thanks, and briefly alluding to
the position in which the London and North-Western
and Trent Valley Lines formerly stood to each other,
passed a high eulogium on the promoters of the latter
company for their perseverance i, bringing the line to
a successful issue.
The next toast, which was proposed by Colonel Car-
negie, M.P., was that of " The Mayors and Corpora-
tions present and represented at the meeting." The
Mayor of Manchester returned thanks.
" The Members for the counties and boroughs of
Staffordshire and Warwickshire," were then proposed
by the Chairman, and responded to by the Hon. Colonel
Anson.
Mr. W. YATES PEEL then proposed " The health of
Mr. George Stephenson," whom the Hon. Gentleman
warmly eulogised for his distinguished professional at -
tainments.
Mr. STEMENSON, in returning thanks, characterised
the atmospheric system as very good in theory, but as a
gross delusion and humbug in practice. With regard
to the broad gauge, he had no hesitation in saying that
it would have been foundca
sa
tsel
eqfuo forua equally ydh
simmepnprg
engines
impossible
iei
bcs
la
aeb
nitedo
receivedwbuo but
r for
iit,
the
his (Mr. Stephenson's) engines. When the broad gauge
was first laid
sentdownotNw
Newcastle w
una
aid
tsilthey
of the " Star of the North."—(Laughter.)
The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The Directors of
other Railway Companies who were present on the
occasion."
Mr. HUDSON returned thanks on behalf of himself and
his brother directors. He could assure those present
that they always had the interests of the public as well
as their proprietors in view in all the measures they
adopted. He was happy to see that meeting graced by
the presence of so many ladies, for whom they (the di.
rectors) considered themselves trustees, especially as
many of their number had invested their little all in rail-
ways.—(Cheers.)
" The Chairman," " The Engineer," " The Officers
of the Company," " The Contractors," and " The Vice-
Chairman,' were then successively given and duly
acknowledged.
Five o'clock, the time for starting, having struck, the
company, with the exception of those who reside in the
locality, took their seats in the carriages, and the
train started amidst the cheers of the assembled specta-
tors, reaching the Euston-square station at a quarter past
ten o'clock.
The length of the Trent Valley Railway is about
fifty miles, and runs through a singularly rich and
beautiful district of country, which is nearly a dead
level throughout. In an interesting article in the
current number of the Monthly Railway Record, there
is a history of the circumstances under which the
line originated and has been brought to the successful
issue which was this day celebrated at Tamworth.
" The company, says that able journal, " which pro-
,jected this line, was originally formed in 1838, as
the Manchester and Birmingham Extension, its ob-
ject being to shorten the distance between Man-
chester and London, by avoiding the circuitous
route of Birmingham. The line then proposed was
from Stone to Rugby, with a branch uniting the
Derby and Birmingham Railway—the total length being
a:little better than 62i miles, and the estimated cost
1,045,0001., the saving in distance being twelve miles.
In 1839 the Bill was brought into Parliament, and not-
withstanding a most strenuous opposition on the part of
the London and Birmingham Company, was read a
socond time by a majority of forty-eight—Sir Robert
Peel giving it his support, which he continued until
finally successful. The Bill then went into Committee;
but its inquiry having been protracted, by opposition,

The Grappler also took a prize the same time as the
Devastation (an account of which we gave on Saturday)
—a fine schooner fitted for slaves, but with none on
board—which was also sent into Sierra Leone for adju-
dication.

of
f tthhee m,
adaxart dated the
r nd
su.
We have letters from the squadron under Rear-Ad-
miral Dacres, Commander-in-Chief on the Cape station,
to h
newl
elxBptrhe
sosfe
sAfperairlsi
on
fc ltuhsei
renewal
Onea
rection, and says:—
" The Pottinger arrived yesterday, and also two
l 0 10th,
Spanish steam-vessels. They bring no news.
~ The Rattlesnake, 26, surveying vessel, Captain
Owen Stanley, having refitted, sailed yesterday for the
Mauritius and Sydney,
" The Nimrod, 20, Commander Dacres, sailed this
day for Table Bay, to embark the new Lieutenant-
Governor, and then she proceeds to AIWA
is doing the duty of the late Thunderbolt. s
to replace her is very much wanted.
Bay.
The Rosamond steam-slodp, Commander Foote,
arrived in Simon's
_Bay
England.
in Sir C. Ricketts, Bart., ar-
rived The Helena, 16, Captain
rived at Simon's Bay on the 12th of Apra, from
the Mozambique on the 17th
, of April, en. route to England.

,

)p, Commander Mason, arrived
Bth of April, from Spithead.
stain Kelly, having been relieved
the Eurydice, 26, Captain T.
th of April for Spithead, to be

- The Brilliant, 22, Captain Watson, was, at the last
dates, oruizing in the Mozambique, as was the Snake,
16; Commander Brown.
The squadron generally is reported " all well." No
prizes had been taken since the capture made by the
)3rilliant.
The following are the promotions and appointments
for the past week :

PROMOTIONS.
Mate—Henry John Bloomfield, for proficiency in his
studies at the Royal Naval College, to the rank of lieu-
tenant.

' over a period of nearly five months, although it ob-
tained a favourable verdict, it dropped in consequence' of
the session coming to a close. In the following
year no steps were taken in Parliament ; bu,';
negotiations were carried on with other corn- j APPOINTMENTS.
panics to see whether any arrangements could ' Commander—C. F. A. Shadwell, to study steam at the
be effected to carry out the line. They only resulted, factory, Woolwich.
however, in an offer which was meek to the promoters by Lieutenants—Wm. R. Brooman, and James R. R.
the London and Birmingham Cvmpury to pay them Lilburn, to command revenue cruisers.
twenty thousand pounds, on coiditiets sheet they Acting Second Master James S. Collins, to the
would abandon the scheme. Thi6 propteilion was Vengeance.
submitted to a meeting of the proprietors, when, rip- Assistant-Surgeon—Dr. Denholm, to the Ocean.
cipally through the exertions of Mr. E. Toota?, i Clerks—Eusten J. Gray, to the Vengeance ; John
putt'-chairman—one of the first and firmest supportemes ' Shepherd, to the Fearless.
the line—the offer was unanimously rejected. Arrange— Midshipman—Edmund Walsh, to the Howe.
ments having shortly afterwards been made for the line Naval Cadet—Walter T. Arnold, to the Avenger.
to commence at Stafford, and come into connexion Masters' Assistants—H. V. Beatson, to the Odin ;
with the Grand Junction, instead of with the 11;dward Wilds, to the Seringapatam ; William Pearce,
Manchester and Birmingham, as had been originally to the Caledonia ; R. D. Spear, to the Vixen.
proposed, the company was formally dissolved, PLYMOUTH, JUNE 25.—Her Majesty's ships Queen
and re-organized under the title of ' The Stafford and Caledonia went off the harbour on the 22d i nst. to
and Rugby Railway Company.' In 1841 a Bill was exercise shot and perform evolutions. They sailed
introduced into the House of Commons for the company, a even or eight miles to the south-west of the break-
but was rejected in the second reading by a majority of s rater, and each ship fired about 200 shot from brass 6-
154 to 94. In 1844 the company, which had been pounders. The targets were fixed in ballasted barrels,
virtually dissolved, was resuscitated under the and after they were thrown overboard, the ships sailed
title of The Trent Valley Railway Company.' to a distance of half a mile, and then fired. The mark
In the following year the Bill was obtained, was hit on most of the trials with very great precision,
the capital being 900,0001. The first sod was and it is said that from that distance a bottle or a hat
turned by Sir Robert Peel in November, 1845, so that could have been skilfully struck by a ball from a six-
the whole has been completed in less than twenty pounder on board either ship. The bottom of the Cale-
months. The entire construction has cost 1,050,000/., donia is foul; she was ontsailed by the Queen on all
being about 21,0001. per mile. By means of the Trent trials.
Valley Railway the distance between Manchester and WOOLWICH, JUNE 26.—The Garland steam-vessel,
Liverpool and the metropolis is shortened rather more Captain Smithett, left Woolwich on Thursday morning
than one hour's travelling." to resume her duty.
The Monkey steam-vessel returned from Harwich on
Thursday, having towed the old Dover packet, the
Charon, to that port to be sunk at the mouth of the
Barbour to serve as a breakwater.
The Triton steam-vessel, of the same class as the
Oberon iron steam-vessel, is to be taken down the river
from Blackwell to Woolwich to-day, to be fitted for
sea.

The Riflleman wooden steam-vessel and the Sharp-
shooter iron steam-vessel, both fitted with screw propel..
lers, are ordered to Portsmouth to be fitted for service
on the coast of Africa.
The Minx and Teazer s team-vessels, fitted with screw
propellers, are ordered to Chatham to be fitted at that
port for similar service.
A Russian frigate and war steamer, with two other
vessels, are expected at the Nore, to embark the Grand
Duke Constantine, Lord high Admiral of the Russian
navy, on his return to the continent.
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty ordered a
trial to be made yesterday of a portable smith's forge,
submitted by Mr. Haig, the blast of air being caused by
a fan-wheel, worked by hand, and dispensing with the
use of a bellows. The fire was lighted, and a good weld-
ing heat produced on a piece of round iron 2i inches in
diameter, and 12 inches long, in seventeen minutes. The
apparent simplicity, and the great power and utility of
the invention, surprised the workmen in the blacksmiths'
shop where the trial was made. The forge is very com-
pact, being only three feet long, by two feet six inches
wide, and two feet four inches in height, and gave great
satisfaction to the scientific gentlemen present to witness
the effects produced by it. Tho fan-wheel is 15 inches
in diameter, and revolves with a rapidity of 1,000 turns
in one minute. The blast is uniform, and the introduc-
tion of the invention on board vessels of war and others
would be of great advantage, as it is so portable and not
liable to get out of order, while it gives a great welding
heat in a very limited time, and is capable of heating
larger bodies of iron than could be effected with the usual
portable bellows forge.
Rear-Admiral Dundas, C. 8., one of the Lords of the
Admiralty, Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, G.C.H.,
commander of the Royal Victoria and Albert steam-
yacht, the Hon. H. G. Ward, secretary to the Admiralty,
and a party of friends, arrived at 9 o'clock A.M., in the
Woolwich Company's steam-vessel Dryad, and without
landing at the Dockyard, went on board the Black Eagle
Admiralty steam-yacht, for a passage down the river to
Sheerness.
Ships in Harbour—William and Mary yacht, carrying
the broad pendant of Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer,
K.C.B. and K.C.H., Superintendent of the Dockyard;
the Dee steam-troop ship, Master Commander T.
Driver ; the Acheron steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Com-
mander Dunlop, and Ceres tender. The Rifleman, Sharp.
shooter, Oberon, Triton, Minx, and Teazer ateam-vessels
not in commission.
In the Basin.—Dragon steam-frigate, Captain Hall;
Vixen steam-sloop, Commander Ryder; Kite steam.
vessel, Master Commander Filmer; the Gorgon, Hecate,
Dwarf, and Aiiel not in commission.
In the Docks.—Hydra and Niger steam-vessels.
CHA.TEAM, JUNE 26.—The Antelope steam-packet, is
dock, fitting for the lonian Isles, is ordered to be paid
over with a coat oflinseed oil and red lead, and the port
side with a mixture of coal tar, tallow, and arsenic, by
way of experiment. Previous to this vessel arriving at
this yard it was paid over with a composition not
approved of, and on Thursday last several labourers
were employed in getting it off. The method adopted
was the application of fire in pans, which they applied
to the bottom and sides of the ship; and as the vessel is
of iron, and cased withinside with wood, the fires over-
heated the iron and ignited the interior, and the whole
of the vessel, particularly the fore part, was densely
filled with smoke, which was not discovered until Mr.
Scott, a leading man of shipwrights, went round the ship
to see that the candles were extinguished previous to the
men leaving the yard for dinner. Mr. Scott immediately
made the circumstance known to the proper authorities,
and the master shipwright and other officers were prompt
in their attendance. The engines were soon put into
play, and by the exertion of the shipwrights the fire was
safely extinguished in half an hour. The damage
sustained was made good the following day.
The Rochester sailed on the 24th for Portsmouth,
Plymouth, and Pembroke yards, with stores; and the
Batt arrived from Portsmouth with stores.
The Black Eagle steam-yacht, Commander Wood, ar-
rived this afternoon opposite the Queen's stairs, and dis-
embarked the Lords of the Admiralty, consisting of
Admiral Dundas, Captain W. F. Berkeley, Captain H.
Eden, Private Secretary of the First Lord, Lord A. Fitz-,
clarence, G.C.H., and other officers, with several ladies.
A guard of honour, consisting of the Grenadier corps of
infantry, under the command of Captain Moore, of the
dockyard battalion, saluted their Lordships on landing.
Their Lordships proceeded in front of the Captain-
Superintendent s residence and inspected the battalion,
drawn up in line, consisting of 15 companies—viz., 4 of
artillery, 8 infantry, and 3 boat brigade, under Lieute-
nant-Colonel barley, Master Attendant. The Adjutant
then put the battalion through their manual exercise,
forming quarter distance, deploying into line again, and
other manoeuvres. The able and steady manner in
which these men performed their duty called forth some
Their
rplLoimrednstahryips
tohbesneriveafttiotnhse
yard
md
by
ythtehter
vLordships.very
g
h h
Lower-gate for the purpose of witnessing the siege
operations under Sir Frederick Smith.

In addition to the pension of 1001. a year, so gra-
ciously conferred by the Queen from the Civil List upon
the children of the late lamented Thomas Hood, her
Majesty has granted a pension of 2001. per artnum for
his life, to Mr. Leigh Hunt, from the same fund, in con-
sideration of his many brilliant contributions to English
literature. The decision of her Majesty has been no-
tified to the veteran writer by Lord J. Russell in terms
of kindness and cordiality, and will be appreciated by
the republic of letters, to whom Mr. Leigh Hunt's ser-
vices and sufferings are so well known. The public is
already aware that the amount of annuities from this
fund for literary, scientific, and public services is limited
to the grant of 1,2001. in each year, on the responsibility
of the first Minister of the Crown, the returns of which
are to be regularly laid before Parliament. The appro-
priation commences on the 20th of June. In the amount
already granted, we feel assured that the public voice will
recognise the taste and the consideration which have in,
fluenced the selection.—Observer.

Harriet Martineau has returned from her travels
in the East ; she arrived on a visit to her relatives, Mrs.
and Miss Martineau, at Beacondale, Norwich, on Tues-
day last. We understand she made daily copious notes,
which it is her intention of publishing. She was absent
above eight months. The work will be looked for with
much interest.

The Hon. Wm. Temple, her Britannic Majesty's
Ambassador at Naples, has arrived in London on leave

from the Queen, after an uninterrupted absence of eight
years in discharge of his diplomatic duties at the Court
of the Two Sicilies.

Her Majesty has conferred upon that pious and
good man, the Rev. Theobald Mathew, better
Lordtterkno John
known as
Father Mathew, a pension of 3001. a*ye
Russell, who communicated the factto the Reverend
Gentleman, stated that her Majesty ar conferred that mink
of her royal bounty upon him in consideration of the
sacrifices he had madeforthe promotion of morals and
rendered the services he had thereby to the poorere
classes—indeed to all classes—of_ his fell Lordow-
t
The greatest credit is due to the Nobleriolin• the
handsome manner in which this well-earned tribute has
been paid to the public and private virtues of that worthy
man ; and all honour must be accorded to her Majesty
for acquiescing in the arrangement of her Ministers in
respect of these matters,. and sanctioning with this fiat
of her approbation his labours in the cause of temper-
ance and humanity.--
Observer.
ADVERTMEMENT.]—THE E. ARL OF ALDBOROUGH
AND HOLLOWAY'ti PILLS.—An astounding cure by this miraculetes
medicine, after every other means had failed. See extract from kis
Lordship's letter, dated Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845.
Professor Holloway—Sir : I beg to acquaint you that your pills have
effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach all the most
eminent of the faculty, at home and all over the continent, had not
been able to effect ; nay, not ever the waters of Carlsbad or Ma-
rienbad. (Signed) " ALDBOROUGR." These wonderfttl pills will
cure any disease of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also Holloway*
Ointment) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, and
by all medicine vendors throughout the civilised world.
BALL FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ROYAL ORTHO•
PSI:go HOSPITAL.—A grand full-dress ball for the,
benefit of this excellent institution willEbe given this
, evening at Willis's Rooms, under the patronage of her
Majesty and Prince Albert, and of their Royal High-
nesses the Duke and Duches of Cambridge. Julhen,
with his band, will be there, and there cannot be *
doubt but that this will be one of the most fe‘hionablg
riwsions of the season,

./