The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH s, 1841.

THE PROVISION SQUADRON-

Searlett, has landed meal at Skilebereen, and is on her
way ti

MINT.

The Goveromen:, it would atipear from ea: folluising
list, have not decreased the number of vessels of her
Majesty's navy engaged in conveying provisions to the
destitute parts of Ireland, and the west coast of Scot-
land, but we believe that the steam-frigates will now he
principally employed in conveying seed to the distressed
population of the above districts.
The officers and crews of our navy have performed
this service in a manner which reflects the greatest
credit on them as sailors—and the highest honour
on them as men. By day and by night—in :mouth
weather and rough gales, they have carried out the
judicious and well-timed orders of the Admiralty and
the intentions of the Government, with as much
interest as celerity in their humane task. Their
praiseworthy conduct deserves especial notice ; for
they have made great sacrifices in this service, which we
are sure requires only to be known to the public to be
duly appreciated. Vessels of very large tonnage have
been worked by one-half their usual complements, and
with double the work they have been receiving only the
same pay. The royal naval officers and seamen have
been doing the drudgery of merchant colliers without
the advantages of merchant seamen's wages, and without
complaint or murmur ; but on the contrary, with cheer-
fulness and alacrity they have submitted to hard toil, and
in many cases severe privations, in the good service on
which they have been employed. We should not omit to
notice another gratifying circumstance in connexion with
this service. Although the crews have suffered so much
inconvenience by being drafted from the particular ves-
sels tor which they entered, the number of desertions has
been very few, and those which have taken place has
been of worthless wretches, whose continuance in the
service was an annoyance to the officers and only an ex-
pense to the Crown.
Again, in speaking of those actually engaged in the
ships conveying provisoes, we are led to notice the assis-
tance of the officers and crews of the guardships at the
outports. Large numbers of the provision squadron
have been officered and manned from the Poictiers and
Ocean, ordinary guardships at Chatham and Sheerness;
from the St. Vincent 120, and Victory, 104, port and
ordinary guardships at Portsmouth; and from the Queen.
110, and Caledonia, 120, port and ordinary guardships
at Devonport; and from other ships in commission at the
above ports. Thus we have Captain Williams and a
portion of the officers and crew of the Amphion. at
Woolwich, away in the Odin; Captain Ramsay, Lieut.
'veed, and a portion of the officers and crew of the Ter-
rible, during her repair at Woolwich, in the Dragon;
Lieut. Coles, with a party from the St. Vincent, is away
in the Tartarus; Mr. Macdonald, master of the Royal
Yacht, with another party. is in the Dauntless; Com-
mander Schomberg, and a party from the Queen,
is in the Portland; Mr. Davey, supernumerary assis-
tant master attendant, and party from the Caledonia, are
in the Centaur; and Mr. Brown, Master of the Cale-
donia, and party from the Queen, are in the Tyne.
Whilst these officers and men are absent from their re-
spective ships, of course, the duty falls heavier on those
remaining ; but Captain Milne, of the St. Vincent, and
Captain Sir Henry Leeke, of the Queen, with other gal-
lant officers, not only carry on their duties efficiently
with the diminished crews, but on every occasion where
help is required in fitting or navigating they are always
ready to afford it, proofs of which have been given in
getting ready in a very short space of time several ves-
sels whose services have been most urgently required.
Nor should the services of the officers and men of the
dockyard and victualling be forgotten. With respect
to the former, at Portsmouth and Woolwich, they have
exerted themselves in a manner not rivalled even by
the extraordinary efforts made during the war. At
Devonport, too, in the store department, they seconded
the exertions of the men of the flagship with the
best possible effect ; but little could be expected from
the shipwrights when the building of the 80-gun ships
absorbed so much the strength of that department.
The exertions made at Woolwich Dockyard we are
bound especially to commend ; for, in fitting the Odin
steam frigate from a mere shell to a sea-going ship in
comparatively a few hours, they earned the highest praise
Icons the Admiralty, and the warmest thanks of the
Government. The officers and nn nof the victualling
department have richly merited the great credit which
has been given to them. Day and night they have
kept the machinery going, baking biscuit and grinding
wheat, barley, and meal ; rind while they have been fil-
hug the provision ship in the most expeditious manner,
the quality of the biscuit made at the Clarence and the
Royal William establishments is of the first description.
Upon carefully reviewing, then, the whole service in
connexion with the succours provided for and conveyed
to the destitute population of Ireland end Scotland,
whether we regard the chief direction of that service by
the Admiralty, or the appropriation of the vessels and
the arrangement of their stations—the commanding and
navigating the various vessels engaged—the repairing,
fitting, and storing th,m, or the preparation of the pro-
vis•ons for their shipment—to the Admiralty first, and
secondly to their efficient departments, a deep debt of
gratitude from the public is owing :
STEAM-VESSELS.
The Terrible, steam frigate, Captain W. H. Hall in
charge, is at Woolwich preparing to receive seed for
cenveyance and distribution to Ireland.

The Adventure, naval transport, Tozer, master, is at
Kenmare, as a floating depot.
The Lively, lighter, Ilartfleld, mister, having landed
meal at Dingle, put in at Skibbereen on her return to
Cork.

The Devon, lighter, Hicks, master, is on her way
from Baltimore to Cork, for further supplies.
The Ant, lighter, having discharged 450 sacks of
meal at Kilrush, was towed to Limerick by the Swallow.
The Sinbad, lighter, Follett, is conveying provhions
to the depot in the Shannon.
The Gipsy, tender, North, master, has landed meal at
Skibbereen, and is on her way to Cork. -
Th 2 Gossamer, Munchi, master, tender to the Croco-
dile, at Cork.

The Badger, tender, has taken supplies on account of
the British Relief Association to Cape Clear, Kinsale,
and Skull.

The Postboy, merchant schooner, arrived at Baltimore
on the 18th instant, on her way to Bantry, with 750 bags
of meal and above 400 bags of rice, supplied by the
British Relief Association. .

The Queen- ,;17;t1;IMerchant schooner, arrived a
Galway on the 17th, with a cargo of meal, on account o
the British Relief Association.

LOLA MONTEZ.

The National publishes the following strange epistle,
which it has received from Mdlle. Lola Montez. It is
dated Munich, 16th. A portion of it is very similar to
what is stated in her letter to the Times, but as oaers
are new, we give the article as we find it in the
National:

"Sir,--I have read in your journal infamous articles
against my person, and against one of the most just and
most noble of Kings. Far from complaining of them, I
rather congratulate myself on an aggression which gives
me the opportunity of enlightening you with respect to
me. Knowing so well your fairness as to be assured
that you will consider it a duty to defend a woman, (
posed to the infernal intrigues of the Jesuits, and of
their blind partisans, I hope that you will also be kind
enough to insert the present letter in one of the
earliest numbers of your journal. Arrived at Munich
towards the commencement of the month of October of
last year, I soon saw with astonishment the Jesuits exer-
cised a fatal and immense influence in the city, as well as
in all Bavaria. Having loudly declared myself against
such an abuse, and being ignorant that the last Ministry
conformed itself to their principles, I saw myself imper-
ceptibly and adroitly exposed to the cruel intrigues
of *hick the disciples of Loyola are capable, without
having given cause for them by my own conduct. Since
then every day brought new attempts ; calumny in
all its forms was employed; I received menaces of
being poisoned, assassinated ; every day insulting
letters, bearing my signature, were addressed to the
most respectable persons of the capital, in order to
excite them against me. Even an offer of a life income
of 50,000 f. was made to me if I would consent to disap-
pear without noise, but I refused the proposition with
indignation. His Majesty the King having, of his own
free will, dismissed a professor of the University belong-
ing to the Jesuits' party, I was assailed in the house I
inhabit by a mob which was paid by them, and though I
had never meddled in any matter which concerned the
Government, I saw myself exposed to the danger of
being stoned to death. Happily the good sense of the
inhabitants of Munich, and the Wise measures of the
authorities, soon reduced the mob to order. This state
ment of facts proves sufficiently the injustice that the
newspapers have done me. If I had had any influence,
and if I had consented to use it on behalf of my enemies,
instead of being persecuted as I am now, they would not
have failed to declare me the heroine of their patron,
and then there would have been not only a Saint Igna-
tius Loyola, but, according to their proverb that' the end
sanctifies the means,' they would have proclaimed a
Sancta Lola ! " I have, &c.,
(Signed) " OLA MONTEZ."

BAPTISM OF A JEW.—Wednesday morning, between
2,000 and 3,000 persons attended at Craven Chapel, Regent-
street, to witness the interesting ceremony of a converted
Israelite being publicly baptised. A devotional service hay-
ing been held, the convert, a young man, named Joseph
Bremner, was led into the pulpit, where he was interrogated
by the Rev. Dr. Liefcbild as to his views of the Christian
religion, to which he gave the most satisfactory answers
He stated that his father and mother were both of the Jewish
persuasion, and that he had been brought up in the strictest
forms of that religion. When he was sixteen years of ag,
his father died, and two years after his mother also died.

He and his two brothers were then left in the care of sonni•
relatives until they became of age, when they came into.
possession of their property left them by their parents.
Atter some time the three separated, each taking a different
route. The elder brother came to England, and, under e
clergyman, conviction was brought home to him that UN
religion he had been following was not right, and he embraced
Christianity. The convert was then baptised by the Doctor
in the name of the Trinity.
FIRE AT THE WESTMINSTER FRENCH PROTESTANT
CHuncir.—WednEslay forenoon, shortly after the commence-
ment of divine service in the Westminster French Protes-
tant Church, Bloomsbury-street, St. Giles's, the congregation
was thrown into a state of considerable alarm, by a report
being raised that the sacred edifice had taken fire. It ap-
pears that for some few minutes a strong smell of burning
wood was experienced, but nothing particular was thought
of that circumstance, until dense bodies cf smoke commenced
issuing from under the flooring boards. It then became ap-
parent that a fire was burning under the floor of the building
The service was immediately stopped, and several persons
having procured buckets of water, they were discharged upon
that portion of the church on fire. At the same time intel-
ligence of the outbreak was sent to the engine stations.
Numerous engines of the brigade quickly attended, and the
firemen, upon removing some of the flooring boards, found
that the jointing, &c., had become ignited, owing to a defect
in the hot air flue used for warming the building, and there
is no doubt that had the outbreak taken place at night, after
the church was closed, that it would have been destroyed.
As it is the damage is not very considerable. One of the fire-
men was left to watch the spot and the service was resumed.
THII ARMY.—DEATH OF COLONEL LINDSAY, LATS
OF THE 78TH HIGHLANDERS. —lntelligence has been re-
ceived of the death of this distinguished officer, which took
place a short time before the departure of the last mail at
Kandy, in the island of Ceylon. He entered the service as
Ensign in 1794, but was for some years subsequently em-
ployed in home and minor services. In 1811 he proceeded
to Java, and was present in the actions of the 22d of August
and 16th of September. In the latter he commanded eight
companies of the 78th Highlanders, and for his conduct on
the field received a medal. In 1814 he served during the
campaign of Holland, and took part in the bombardment of
Antwerp. His commissions were thus dated—Ensign, July
3, 1794; Lieutenant, August 22, 1794; Captain, November
22, 1801; Major, January 4, 1810; Lieut.-Colonel, Nov. 25,
1813; and Colonel, July 22, 1830. Although retired from
the army for some years, he was specially allowed to retain
his rank.

The Dragon. steam-frigate, Captain Ramsay, an-
chored in Plymouth Sound, on Monday, from Ireland,
for sevvn hours, and left at five p m. for Portsmouth, and
arrived at that port the following morning to ship seed
for Ireland.

The Odin, steam-frigate, Captain Williams, left
Dr,vonport on Tuesday evening for Portsmouth, to ship
seed for Ireland.

The Avenger, steam-frigate, Commander Potbury,
arrived at Portsmouth on Tuesday morning from Devon-
port and Ireland to load with seed.
The Dauntless, screw steam-frigate, Master-Com-
mander M'Donald, is at Tobermory discharging her
cargo.
The Centaur, steam-frigate, Master Commander
Davey, put into Cork at eight a.m. on. Saturday, from
Portsmouth, from stress of weather. She is on her
way to Kenmare with 50 tons of seed, for distribution
by Dr. Sullivan. From Kenmare she proceeds to
Galway.
The Geyser, steam sloop, Commander Brown, was at
Cork on Saturday, and was to proceed to the west coast
and the river Shannon, with a cargo of provision, and
100 boilers, for distribution ; she is then to be detached
to Portsmouth.

The Bulldog, steam sloop, Commander Davis, was at
Cork on the 20th instant, and was to proceed to Dingle
with 820 sacks of meal for the relief committee, and with
150 packages of clothes, &c., on account of the British
Relief Association.

The Scourge, steam sloop, Commander Caffin, was
detained at Tarbert for a short time by the violent wea-
ther. he is now on her way to the Clyde, her previous
orders to proceed to Liverpool having been counter-
manded.

REPORTED CONFESSION OF PLATTS, THE MURDERER.
—During Monday it was currently reported that Platte, who
was on Saturday last convicted of the murder of Collie, at
Chesterfield, had freely and unreservedly confessed to having
been a direct party in that horrible tragedy. It will be re-
collected that there were three individuals concerned in it,
Platts, Morley, and a person at present unknown ; and that
Morley died before the body of Collis was discovered, and, of
course, before Platts was taken into custody; no clue having
yet been obtained as to the name of the third man. We
immediately instituted an inquiry into the truth of the
statement respecting Platts' reported confession, and we are
informed that, in the pfesence of several magistrates, Platts
made a statement which, although of a very rambling de-
scription, left on their minds no doubt whatever of his guilt.
We are not enabled to say more at present; but it must be
the jury has been so early admitted to be just. Platts' con-
ductvery satisfactory to the public to know that the verdict of
during his trial showed an almost entire insensibility to
the position in which he was placed; and we understand that
since then his behaviour has not materially improved. We
believe the execution is fixed to take place on Thursday
week, April I.—. Derby Mercury of yesterday.
THE IRON TRADE.—We are happy to learn that
there exists no falling off in the arrival of orders, such
as generally is the case towards the close of each
quarter, and more particularly might have been
ex-
pected from the drooping condition of many other trades,
combined with the adverse state of the money- market.
On the other hand, we are informed that the order-books
at some of the first houses are now better filled than they
were at the commencement, and the specifications are in
most instances for immediate delivery: That there is
no lack of money, or disposition to invest it where
reasonable and secure remuneration presents, may be ga-
thered from the ease with which the various railway calls i
are paid up—the extraordinary outlay now going on in ,
new erections for mining and manufacturing operations
—and the reported fact, that for the Government Irish
kan one party was commissioned to tender more than
double the whole amount required. It is, therefore,
beyond a doubt that the aggregate of the railways now
in progress, and for which Bills have been obtained,
must and will be carried out; as also that this system
of transit will be g ,nerally introduced into India, and
all the other British dependencies, and by its vast con-
sumption of iron, both in the construction and the con-
con-
tinual requisitions fur machinery, and other contingencies,
it will exert a powerful and permanent influence on the
prospects of the trade. It may also reasonably be ex-
r wants progress of
populationcreated
eivpeeted that railways will in due time find their way to
every nation under the sun, should the absence of any
pn, under the increased
facilities of commerce, to prevent that dreadful serious commotion allow the energies of mankind to
i l iizn, a ti
these
course aw ni dl i
afford clheavte lwo pi t
ht hme rannsye I
thousands
o
and by a
su
by the
ffigeeinenertalcoinnscuremtio
increase of
depres-
sion which seems to be universally dreaded by our
of railways manufacturers upon the completion
in our
own country.—Birmingham Gazette.
THE FLORES EXPEDITION.--The following is a
translation of an extract of a letter dated Chili, Dec. 27:
~ Since October last we have had the news here of the dis-
concerted and mad expedition preparing in Spain under
Ge-
neral Flores against these states, and by the present steam-
packet, which brings us news from Europe
11
p to the 18th of
October last, we have received the confirmation of that un-
dertaking; consequently, the Governments of these republics
are very seriously occupied in preparing the most strenuous
means of repulsing that invasion: Peru
cularly alarmed, to such an extreme seems more parti-
that every man will
shortly be under arms, if one may •
Judge from the decrees of
that Government, and the periodical
Although the expedition should never
rzeit)tes of that country.
e. realised, arising
from embarrassments met with in its o •
cause excessive prejudices to these countries,ngl?, it will always
cf the enormous expenses they labour on account.e
the necessary preparations of defence.under in.m i g
Spain her-
selr, from her imprudent protection of the -
and Santa Cruz, will have to suffer ye e ex-Generals Flores
mercial intercourse with these new stra3;eseverely in her corn-
reflect, that by her perfidious proceedings, a she ought to
paring a rod for herself by renewing an • she is only pr.e-
which the lapse of time had nearly obliteratedcient animosities
memories; bat now God only knows to extremeswhat
t from sus
impolitic nation may drive these Governments, w fear
there would be no bounds to their des • as is 43 fear
there
desperation. It well
known that British commerce has nearly 50,000,000 of dol-
lars disseminated on these extended coasts, and the whole
body of our merchants established in those countries fully
rely that the British Government will never consent to that
expedition going round the Horn after twenty-five years'
acknowledgment of the independence of these states, as if;
such a measure is once tolerated, our commerce on this coast
will indirectly feel the keen effects of the invasion, even more
than the natives themselves." .

The Stromboli, steam sloop, Commander Fisher, was
at Oban last week, and was to receive meal from the

---
Dauntless, and to proceed with it to Long Island and
Boisdale.

The Avon, steam vessel, Commander Otter (Com-
minder Smith in charge) has returned to Oben from
Holyhead, and is ready at the requisition of the Com-
missary-General, Sir E. Coffin.
The Blazer, steam vessel, Commander Wingrove, is
on her way to Cork from Dingle, having assisted the
Cockatrice thither to land her cargo.
The Zephyr, steam vessel, Lieut. Commander Ladd,
has latidiid supplies on account of the British Relief As-
sociation a', ixiettgariti, and is on her return to Cork.
The Pluto, Lieut. Commander Lowe, has coaled and
completed provisions at Tarbert, and has returned to

.ysart, near Fergus, to afford ptotecticn to the meal
vt:ssels passing between Limerick and the river Fergus.
She is ready to attend to the requisition of the Commis-
sary General.
The Coui2t, Lieut. Commander Johnstone, is carrying
provisions in the neighbourhood of Limerick. She ar-
rived at Tralee, on the 7th, with 20 tons of meal.
The ,yrmidon, Lieut. Commander Roberts, is at
Waterford, to afford protection to the meal boats from
hoing plund-red bi-tween Carrick, Clonmel, and Ross.
The Urgent. Liverpool mail steam packet, Lieut.
r Symes, when the Tyne has discharged her
e.i.rgo, is to tow her to the southward of Cape Clear.
The Lucifer, Lieut. Commander Smith, is attached to
the depot at Sligo.
To. Porrupin,-, Lieut. Commander Tumour, has pro-
ceeded to Kiutuil (Scotland), with Commander Maclean
ano meat ihstr,botiou.

Tim Shearwater, Lieutenant Commander Sir Godfr,y
Webstc.r, Bart., ix at On,n, at the disposition of tbe
Commissary Gerwrai, Sir E. Coffin, and to convey
C.tonel 1-lope to any place.
Tim Firefly, Lieutenant Commander Buchan, is at
Tol!erm, ry, wasting ouders.
Tie Torch, Lieutenant Commander Morris, is also nt
the r; quisition of the Commis.ary General, at Oban.
The atsher, Lo Commander French, received
the suppli,s from the Scourge, and proceeded with them
for distribution.

The Acheron, Lieutenant Commander Dunlap, hus
proceeded to Black Sod Bay, for the protection of meal
vessels posing that way from plunder.
Tip. Tartarus, Lieutenant Commander S. Coles, is at
Gal way, convey ing provisions.
The Cuckoo, Lieutenant Commander Parks, is also at
the requisition of the Commissary General, at Oban.
The Fearless has left Cork with 130 sacks of seed,
oats and barley, to Skull.

The Dee, transport, Master Commander Driver, is at
Cork making good defects in her machinery, and will
then be ready for further service.
The Rhadamantbus, transport, Master Commander
Aylen, was at Oban last week, from Liverpool, with
supplies.
The Alban, steam-vessel, Master Commander Brad-
shaw, was on her way to Skibbereen with supplies.
The Swallow, Second Master Commander Bryant, is
at Limerick, under the orders of Commissary General
Bev. itson.