The Sun.
London, England, 1840-10-01 00:00:00

As may naturally be supposed, multifarious reports
are afloat. It is said that men were seen coming from
the ship on Saturday evening by the sentinel, and a local
paper of mean repute publishes a rumour that a person
who was early on board the Talavera " saw marks on
the deck as if discoloured by the explosion of a train of
gunpowder." We discredit these reports entirely. The
sentinel on guard positively denies the truth of the
statement ; the second carries its own refutation; for
no mortal man entered the Talavera after the fire was
discovered. And while supposition is without effect, it
it is unfair to jump at the conclusion that, mystery
existing, it is an evidence of wickedness. We repeat
the calamity may have been accidentally or wilfully ori-
ginated ; but the unravelling of the tangled-skein must
be left to time and that Providence—
Which shape our ends,
Rough hew them as we may.".
The damage done, though very large, is not so great
as was first imagined. The Talavera being an old
ship, is valued only at 20,0001., and the Imogene at
10,000/. The roofs of the two docks and Adelaide
Gallery, from the same circumstance are considered of
comparatively small value. The timber :constitutes
much of the loss ; a large amount, consisting of 800
deck deals belonging to the contractors, which bad not
been surveyed for purchase by the Government, a
small portico of Italian timber, a considerable quan-
tity of the most valuable compass timber, and nearly
all the timber of the Malta, 74, a ship lately broken
up—were destroyed. In Adelaide Gallery there were
deposited nearly three hundred of the workmens' tool
chests, worth, on an average, 71. each ; not a tithe of
them was saved. The loss is roughly estimated at
IGO,OOO/.
The damage done to the Minden is not so extensive
as was apprehended. The flames entered the bows of
the ship, crept along the main deck, run under the
forecastle, which is burnt through, destroyed the round-
house, sick bay, bulkheads, water way, quick work
clamps, and shelf pieces, then went through the foremast
mast hole, and penetrated the mast-room below, the
bulkheads of which arc slightly burnt. The ship sus-
tained the greatest injury on the main-deck and
forecastle ; on the former the sampson posts are
burnt through, and the capstan is considerably
damaged. The fire extended aft, to the second
port on the larborid side, and the third port
on the starboard side ; bath catheads are de-
stroyed. 'We have already noticed. the almost
superhuman exertions by which the vessel was
saved. Singularly enough the pumps which stayed the
fire so efficiently, by flooding the main deck, were to
have been removed on Saturday, the sheers being
actually fixed for the purpose. The Minden was
built at Bombay, from whence she was brought by Sir
Samuel Hood, in 1808. She is a fine ship and us dto
weather like a frigate, before she was " improved " on
the modern plan, which we are told has destroyed some
of her best points. This ship was repaired in the acre
dock where she was lying at the time of the fire in
182:3, and then, too, she narrowly escaped burning, foi
a lighted candle was discovered in her hold. The Mm-
den was in the battle of Algiers.
In the Adelaide gallery were deposited the figure
heads of many of the ships which bore the flsg of Erg
land triumphantly through the world, and a vast num-
ber of trophies and interesting relics. To the most re-
nowned of them, Rear Admiral Ross, while superin-
tendent at this port., of tablets descriptive of the
actions in which they had been engaged. Many of the
heads were rudely done, but about all there was a de-
gree of fidelity and character which plainly told that
the tools which fashioned thean:were guided by men alto
loved their country ardently, who honoured her great-
ness, and gloried in her matchless achievements- But
the gallery contained other relics to which transcen-
dently greater interest was attached. A t the western end
were placed de fl tg beneath the folds of which
' the immortal Nelson fought and fell in the
ever memorable hatt"e of Trafalgar ; and, also, that
borne by Lord Exmouth's ship at the bombardment of
Algiers. It is said that they are saved, but we have
no reason to suppose it is true. We know that, among
a party of that gallant corps, the Royal Marines, there
was a universal resolve to preserve the flags even at the
risk of life. One of the, officers of the Yard patheti-
cally observed, " the flags seemed to droop sadly as the
fire extended to them, and the flag which flapped in
my face at Algiers,• again flapped mournfully in my
face, as if instinct with life and shrinking from de-
struction." This is certainly wholly imaginary; but
while it shows with what veneration the relics of the
days " when Blake and mighty Nelson fell," are re-
garded by all grades of her Majesty's service ; it de-
monstrates also the intense love which is cherished fol
the country whose flag has ever floated supreme.
LATEST PARTICULARS.
IV

est of England Conservative Office, Tuesday Evenig

10 o'clock.

We have this day conversed with Quick, the Dock-
yard policeman, who first discovered the fire, He was
at North Corner jetty aimut 4 o'clock, from whence lit
I saw smoke issuing apparently from the head of the Min-
den. He immediately ran to the sentry on duty on the
jetty, astern of the Minden, and told him to fire. The
.sentry had not perceived the smoke, neither had the
policeman at the joiner's range, which is the nearest
point to the TalaVera.
,i 4 The investigation has proceeded _during the clay. It
pertwuLare have transpired, not only affirmins
that the fire was wilful, but also affording a clue to
• the detection of- the perpetrators. We understand that
To boyinamed,Gilbert .Green,haa been eixamined, and it
is reported that his evidence goes to this effect—that he
overheard some men at Torpoint planning the destruc-

. .
tion of the Dockyard and other buildings. \Ve understand
also that a gentleman of Torpoint is to be examined to-
morrow, who, it is believed will depose to the
Court, that a letter was sent to a highly respectable
gentleman residing near Torpoint, a short time since, by
the wife of a labouring man, warning him that her hus-
band and others who were Chartists, enraud at the
annihilation of their political hopes, had resolved on
firing the dock-yard, the gun-wharf, the house of the
gentleman addressed, and to perpetrate other misehiel.
We do not vouch for the truth of these repo: ts, though
they have r,:ached us from a quarter on which we
should implicitly rely in a less momentous matter.
But we are fully aware that something of a very serious
nature has transpired in the course of the investigation.
Mr. Partridge, the Admiralty messenger, arrived here
from London this evening by the mail ; he returned at
eleven o'clock tonight.

One of the oakum boys of the Dock-yard, named
Fouraeve, was detected en Monday evening coming out
of the St. George with some tools in his possession.
He was confined during the night, and the case was
brought before the Queen's solicitor on Tuesday, when
he eves sentenced to the treadmill for three months.