The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-03 00:00:00

SANGUINARY AFFRAY ON
BOARD A SLAVER.
The following is an extract from a private letter,
dated Sierra Leone, October 6, 1847 :
"On the 22d of July last her Majesty's ship
anterwitch, with her Majesty's ship Rapid in com-
, captured the Brazilian brigantine Romeo
k'rimero, which was subsequently given in
charge to Lieutenant W. G. Mansfield, R.N.,
and four seamen, to be conveyed to St. Helena
for adjudication. Owing to adverse winds, and
the unmanageable qualities of the prize,
the officer in command found ik necessary to
alter his destination, and to bear up for this place.
On the 11th of August, about mid-day, two of the
crew being engaged aloft and the others in the
bunks, where the arms were stowed, the Lieutenant
being at the moment pulling a rope which had been
recently spliced, was murderously assailed from behind
by one of the prisoners (who were four in number, and
during the day time allowed the liberty of the vessel)
with an axe used fer chopping firewood. At the same
moment the other prisoners furiously attacked *le
sailors in the bunks, who, from the unexpected na-
ture of the assault, were driven from their post
wounded and unarmed. Lieutenant Mansfield, laying
hold of a piece of firewood, gallantly, but unequally,
contended with a Brazilian armed with a cutlass
the course of a desperate struggle the officer received
no fewer than nine wounds, more or less severe, in the
head, arms, and abdomen; a great coat which he
wore being, under Providence, the means of saving
him from instant death. The two sailors who
had been occupied in the shrouds having reached the
deck, of course unarmed, the lieutenant, nearly
exhausted by profuse hcemorrhage, made a violent
effort to join them, in which he fortunately proved
successful, though in his progress one of the prisoners
discharged at him a marine's musket, the contents of
which took effect, inflicting a most dangerous wound
on his head, and bringing him for an instant to the
ground. Having succeeded in recovering his feet,
and gaining his men, he encouraged them to rush aft
upon their armed antagonists, a piece of service which
three of their number performed in the most daring
manner ; the fourth seaman (since dead) being heft
de combat by his wounds, and the lieutenant himself
fainting at the instant from loss of blood. The intre-
pidity of the three British tars rendered them more
than a match for their armed antagonists, whom
they speedily overpowered, one of the prisoners leap-
ing overboard, and perishing in the waves. Believing
their officer to be killed, the seamen, in the excite-
ment of the moment, were about to hurl the surviving
prisoners over the gangway, when Lieutenant Mans-
field, partially reviving, ordered them to be im-
prisoned, that their wounds should be washed, and
that they should be reserved to be dealt with by
the authorities here. On the Ist Sept., the Romeo
Primero, the scene of this bloody encounter, entered
our port. Lieut. Mansfield, who since the day of con-
flict had scarcely been able to stir hand or foot, was
promptly conveyed to sick quarters, and for many
days his life was entirely despaired of by his medical
attendants. The gallant little crew, all wounded,
were also looked after in the best manner which
skill and sympathy could suggest; but, alas ! two
of them were soon removed beyond the reach of human
succour, one dying of the direct consequences of his
wounds, and the second of fever induced by them.
After a fortnight of extreme danger on shore, Lieu-
tenant Mansfield's powerful constitution showed symp-
toms of triumphing over his injuries, and he
is now so far convalescent as to justify sanguine
hopes of his complete restoration. Yester-
day the Brazilian prisoners were brought to
trial before the Chief Justice, his honour Chief Jus-
tice Pine, and assistant-judges Heddle and Lennon,
on charges of piracy, and attempt to murder Lieu-
tenant W. G. Mansfield, R.N. and others. On
the indictment being read, several preliminary: ob-
jections were' taken •on the; part of the prisoners
by the Spanish Consul, as the only representative of a
foreign country in the colony. The Court, after
some consultation, declared the following objection
fatal to the proceedings That the alleged crime
had been committed in an attempt to recapture their
own vessel, then under the Brazilian flag, and not
amenable to British jurisdiction, the sentence of a
Court of Admiralty not having been then pronounced.'
His Honour, in announcing the decision of the
Court, said, that the case being thus shut out from
an investigation on its merits, he felt called upon to
state that, having read attentively all the depositions
connected with it, he considered the conduct of the
prize officer to have been marked throughout the
trying circumstances by most praiseworthy courage
and forbearance. The prisoners were then discharged.
The brigantine has been condemned by the Admiralty
Court as a slaver."

---- -
COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a court was held for the dispatch of public
business, The greater part of the day was occupied
with discussions relative to the purchase of a small piece
of ground belonging to Messrs Morley, of Wood-street,
about which there had been some negotiation. After a
variety of amendments, it was determined to keep open
the negotiation. It appeared to be the opinion of some
of the members, that the traffic of Cheapside would be
considerably eased by the appropriation of the ground
to the purposes of widening the thoroughfare of Wood-
street, while others thought that the advantage to the
public would not be proportioned to the sum required
by the proprietors.
Upon the motion of Mr. R. L. JONES, the committee
appointed respecting the city's right to the soil and bed
of the river Thames, was dissolved, and the business of
that committee was transferred to the consolidated com-
mittee.

THE ROYAL HOSPITALS.
Mr. LOTT brought up the report of the Charity Com-
missioners and the privileges of the corporation respect-
ing the Royal hospitals, &c., to which he particularly
called the attention of the Court.
The report was ordered to be printed. Adjourned.

COTTON FROM SOUTH AFRICA.—We have been
favoured with the subjoined extract of a letter just re-
ceived from Port Natal, giving a favourable account of
the soil and climate of that colony for the growth of
cotton. Tho great difficulty in the way of an extension
of the cultivation will be a deficiency of laboar:—" I am
sorry to say, that in coasequence of the unprecedented
wet weather last season, the cotton crop from the young
trees is small, and much damaged; that from the old
and transplanted trees, from its ripening much earlier, is
very good. Late last season I planted a small quantity
of imported American black seed, the produce of which
appears very superior in colour, fineness, and length of
staple. This season I shall plant about five acres of it,
to give it a fair trial; but I fear the seed is almost too
old. One great advantage we have over the Ameri-
cans,—the cotton plant here produces several years
in succession. The other day I compared the produce
of a six-year old tree with that of a ono-year old, and
could not distinguish between them. I have lately pur-
chased 3,000 acres of land on the Omgani River (adjoin-
ing the upper part of my old farm) another near Mau-
ritzberg of 9,000 acres. The latter contains abundance
of water and valuable timber. I have lots of labourers
just now, but they are not to be depended upon, as many
of them hire themselves for six or twelve months, and
bolt at the end of the first; so that until the Masters'
and Servants' Ordinance' is passed, and proper laws esta-
blished, little can be done."—Manchester Guardian.
PA CTORIES.—The following statement of mills
working and stopped, &c., may be relied on as correct.
In the power-loom weaving department only four mills
are working full time, thirty-six are working from four
to eight hours per day, and not less than sixteen are
entirely closed. 2,200 power-loom weavers, and 200
dressers and tenters, are at present on the unemployed
list. In the cotton-spinning department two mills are
stopped, four are on full time, while all the others—a
very large number in Glasgow and neighbourhood, and
employing numerous hands—are working short lame.—
Glasgow Argus.
THE LATE MURDER IN MADRID.—A correspon-
dent in Madrid, in his letter of the 25th ult., writes—
"lt seems, that a native of Valencia was arrested tho
day before yesterday, as he was leaving for that place
in the Madrid diligence. Some suspicion,
it is impos-
sible to say how well or ill-founded, is said to attach
to him respecting the murder of the unhappy woman
in the house of Maria Christina. There
impossible to ar various
stories afloat which it is
recon-
cile with reference to thatevent
appears uppermost,the deed wim°"as committed by some
one most familiar with the house. In whatever way
Yet one feeling
:
that
it is thatis going on, terminates,
one thing is
notquite clear,very
different
that
the inquiry, such as
steps are
being taken from
murder had occurred in th
m what would be adopted in case
even murder but in case of sudden p
the house of any other
person ;
and
death. The first act of the authorities would be to place
under the strictest surveillance of the police the whole
of the persons—servants, children, and
all in the house;
because the Spanish law
guilt until inno-
cencepresupposes
be proved ; the second step, to
lay
an embargo
on the property of the persons arrested,
ex-
penses of the tedious law r oceedi to meet the
pngs that may follow.
This occurs in every instance, to the great benefit of
the harpies of the law, for whom a case of the kind is
a rich harvest, though
it may lead to the ruin of many
innocent persons. In the present re t case, however, no- one
.
in the house has been in the slightest degree incon-
venienced; nor, as far
as can be learned, has any article
of furniture been marked to answer the expenses of law
proceedings—if, indeed, any are to follow. Much dis-
satisfaction is felt at such deference being shown to the
household of the wealthy Duke of Rianzares."
BRISTOL, DEC. I.—Our sugar market has been
quiet to-day, influenced by the flat accounts from Lon-
don, but there is no alteration in prices. A few lots of
chrystalised Demeraras have been sold at from 378. to
50s. per cwt.
DENIISE OF " TUE GLASGOW ARGVS."—W e are
sincerely sorry to state that this journal, in which we
have often found an able its fellow-labourer, ceased i ex-
istence on Monday.—Scotsman.

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nsedicine, after every other means had failed. See extract fronx.hia
Lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 15345.
l'rofessor Holloway—Sir : I beg to acquaint you that your pills have
effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach all the men
eminent of the facnity, at borne and all over the continent, had not
been able to effect ; nay, net even thd waters of Carlsbad or Ma-
rienbad. (Signed) " ALDBOYOUGR." These wonderful pill& will
cure any disease of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also Ilellocrars
Ointment) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Straw; and
i))), ell medicine vendors throughout the civilised world.