The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-13 00:00:00

CHANNEL ISLANDS MAILS.

EXTRACTS from the REPORT ut tilC CONIMITTEE appointed
by the Lords of the Admiralty to inquire as to the com-
parative Advantages afforded by different Ports in the
Channel as Ports for the Arrival and Departure of the
CHANNEL ISLANDS MAILS.
From the position of the Channel Islands, the selection
of a port for the most efficie.it performance of this service
is comprised within such narrow limits as to confine the
choice between Weymouth and Southampton ; and the
comparative merits of these arc not of a nature to call for
many remarks.
There can be no doubt but that the port of Southampton
is eligible for the reception of these packets, and will be
more so at a future period.
At Weymouth the depth of water at low spring tides
was, at the period of our visit, insufficient; but arrange-
ments had been made for deepening and improving the
harbour; and the authorities then pledged themselves to
obtain, within the period of eight months, an uniform
depth of twelve feet at low water spring-tides, through-
out all parts navigated and occupied by her Majesty's
packets. It is not our province to express an opinion upon
the mode in which these alterations may be best effected ;
but as they are to be conducted under the direction of Mr.
Cubist, an eminent civil engineer, we conclude they will
be properly executed.
It may be urged, that the approach to each port is
equally defined and easy of access ; and though we may
not be disposed to dispute this point, navigators generally
will do so, and in this respect decide in favour of Wey-
mouth.
The comparison is thus, in a degree, reduced, and will
appear as follows : Southampton may be reached from
London in three hours and a half ; whilst Weymouth can-
not be attained ia less than ten hours, showing a difference
of time of six hours and a half, land-carriage, favourable to
Southampton. But Southampton, in the most direct
line, is about 32 miles further from Guernsey than Wey-
mouth is, which, at the average rate of steam packet speed,
eight miles per hour, exhibits a difference of four hours,
sea passage, in favour of Weymouth, thereby giving
Southampton a balance, in general time, of only two hours
and h slf.
Having thus detailed the principal arguments that bear
upon this portion of our inquiry, it only remains for us to
report, after deliberate consideration, our belief that Wey-
mouth will be found the best port for her Majesty's packets
conveying the mails between England and the Channel
Islands.

From an official return of the time occupied by the
packets in their various passages, we learn that during a
period of twelve consecutive months, their averaged run
from Weymouth to Jersey, landing the mail at Guernsey,
was 13 hours 12 minutes, and from Jersey to Weymouth,
receiving the mails at Guernsey, was 12 hours 55 minutes.
The failures in the performance of this service have been
but few ; and when we recollect the small size and power
of the packets, the occasional turbulent seas, the rapid
tides and races to which they are subjected, it must be ad-
mitted that the passages thus exhibited, are sttong testi.
monials of the zeal and abilities of the commanders of these
vessels.

A further official return was made to us of the number
of passengers who embarked in these packets in 1839, the
total was 5.212; of these, 2,347 were cabin, and 2,865
deck-passengers, including amongst the latter 193 paupers.
The passage-money received annually must therefore be
considerable, and would seem to warrant the conclusion
that a larger class of steamers, and an acceleration of the
land conveyance would be productive of a commensursee
pecuniary return, as probably to defray the expenses attend-
ir',- a larger establishment.
The passages made by us in the Dasher, to and from the
Islands, confirmed the opinion we bad previously formed at
Weymouth, that the vessels now employed are deficient in
size and power to contend with the stront., e winds and heavy
seas they so frequently encounter. We therefore pro-
pose, that vessels of larger tonnage and superior steam
power be substituted for them ; and recommend that
thero be three steam-vessels built for this service, each of
400 tons burthen, old register measurement, and each
fitted with engines of 180 collective horse power.
In closing this report, we beg to introduce some re-
marks and recommendations relative to the transmission
of the mails by land. At present the London and western
mail-coaches reach Weymouth respectively at 8 b. 15 m.
a.m. and 7 b. 48 m. P. M,, and they leave in like order at
6b.50 m. and 6h.15m. A. M. A day-coach from London
also arrives at Weymouth between the hours of eight and
nine r. M., whose island passengers are in time to embark
with the western mails.
We have already noticed that the packets leave Wey-
mouth at 9 P. M., from which it appears that the London
correspondence is detained upwards of 12 hours ; and this
defect, we conceive, might be remedied by the despatch of
a day or an alternate daily mail, conveyed by the South-
western railroad to Southampton, and from thence for-
warded 64;1- miles by coach to Weymouth. The distance
by railroad could be performed in 3 hours, and that by
coach in 6i hours, making, as before stated, 10 hours for
the entire journey.
This mail might leave London at 2 P.M., or somewhat
earlier if required, as we propose that the packets should
start from Weymouth at midnight; and the superior qua-
lities of these vessels would always insure their return from
the islands in time to forward their respective mails at 8
P.M., thus enabling them to reach the metropolis at six
o'clock on the following morning. On referring to the
Southampton Railway Bill, we perceive that the de-
partures, of the mail and " fast trains" do not exactly
accord with our proposition. but We are of opinion that
the Directors of the railroad would, in this respect,
accede to any change, if officially represented to them as
beneficial to the public ; and we imagine that a contract
for a mail-coach to run between Southampton and Wey_
mouth would be readily undertaken, from the persuasion
that such a conveyance, in conjunction with a line of effi•
dent packets, would be preferred by the majority of par-
scegers going to and from the islands.
By the establishment of a day, or an alternate daily
mail, the Government, and those parties residing in
London connected with trade, would be enabled to reply
to communications made to them by return of post, as
we appt ebead the time would be snfficient for such pur-
poses between the hours of the early delivery and the
closing of the mail-bags.
Moreover, by this arrangement, letters posted in London
on the packet-days, would, under ordinary circumstances,
reach Jersey, the most remote island, in 24 hours, having
been conveyed about 230 miles by land and sea, at the
rate of nearly the best mail-coach travelling in the king.
dom ; and, with respect to the receipt of correspondence
three times a week, the Channel Islands would be then
placed on an equality e ith our distant towns, into whose
neighbourhood the advantages of railroad communication
have hitherto not extended.
We have, &c.
(Signed) JAMES A. GORDON, Rear-Admiral,
Chairman.

RICHARD DREW,

Elder Brother of Trinity House
M. DIXON, Commander, R. N., Secretary,

ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

The following details are as strange as they are true.
In the neighbourhood of Gloucester, a young lady, of
highly respectable connections, has experienced a series
of reverses in tee cause of the heart's best affection sel-
dom equalled. A gentleman, of some station in society,
became by accident acquainted with the maiden to whom
we allude, and their affection becoming reciprocal, the
day was fixed for their union, which was to have taken
place in the city of Gloucester. Agreeably with this
arrangement, and as the match was a desirable one,
her parent parted with a lucrative business in the
country, on which she and her mother lived in respect-
ability and comfort, and went to Gloucester, intending
to settle. The day for the celebration of the wedding
arrived ; but, alas! the bridegroom came not : his pa-
rents had peremptorily forbidden the match, and he was
already, by their contrivance, on the seas, bound for
Jamaica. A letter reached the poor girl, but to con-
firm her fears ; his parents' consent had been with-
held, and he had suddenly left the seaport town in the
West of England, where he resided,not a faithless,. but
an unhappy lover. Time passed, and industry on the
part of the hapless girl but ill suppled the loss of the
comparative independence herself and family had left
when they came to the city of Gloucester, with the
views, and indulging the hopes to which we have alluded,
and though blighted in heart, she cheerfully succeeded
in helping to support her decrepit mother and aunt in
comfort. Time, the gentle softener of affliction, had
many a long day cast its dimning shadow over the great
event of her life, and nothing more had been heard of
her absent lover, till a week or two ago, when to her
astonishment and delight, she received a letter from
him, breathing the devotedness of constant attachment
and vows of unaltered affection, not the less welcome,
though wafted across the seas. Another and another fol-
lowed, begging forgiveness for the former apparent ne-
glect—and still another, the last accompanied by
the consent of the parents of the absent one. The poor
girl's hopes were at the highest point of anxiety, when
she received a still more welcome epistle, assuring her
that her lover had landed at Falmouth, and was hasten-
ing to pet form hie neglected promise. The day was
looked forward to with delight ; it came—and with it
the dark tidings of the grave—her lover had been sud-
denly seized with illness the night before his departure
for the city of Gloucester ;—he was a corpse before the
morning ! As a melancholy satisfaction to the poor
disappointed girl, the mother of the intended bridegroom
visited her immediately, when his mother confessed that
her son had been a voluntary exile, and would have re-
mained so, had not his parents, whom he loved and re-
spected, given their consent to his union ; after frequent
communications his parents assented, and he instantly
quitted Jamaica to claim the hand of his first love ;
hastening to meet her, death ruthlessly arrested his pro-
gress before he had been many hours on his native shore.
As a proof of the sincerity of his attachment, the lover,
in the hour of dissolution, bequeathed to his bride elect
2,oool.—HerefOrd Times.

There is a report in Edinburgh that the Earl of
Stair will be her Majesty's High Commissioner to the en-
suing General Assembly.
EDUCATION UNDER THE JESUlTS.—Break-
fast at a quarter past eight—milk and water with bread ;
dinner at half-past eleven—meat, except on meagre days,
and some days in the week pastry in addition ; a
_venter of
bread and beer at four o'clock ; supper at six, consisting
of bread and cheese, or potatoes, with, occasionally, meat
again. Ono hour and a-half's recreation is allowed after
dinner, one hour again after supper, and half an hour for
night prayer, and then to bed. To it the boys proceed in
regular order and in silence. At the several landing-
places on the great staircase, as well as in the dormitories,
they arc received by one of the sub-prefects, who sit up
is turn during the night, to watch over the safety and con-
duct of the pupils.—.Ciranville's Spas of England.