The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-06 00:00:00

ARDROSSA.N and TROON HARBOURS.

LETTER H.
To the Editor of the Ayr and Wigtonahire Courier.

Six—ln your paper of the 3d instant, I ob-
served an extract of a letter which had appeared in The Sun
Newspaper, from a person subscribing himself " H. Campbell"
on " Modern Improvements in Ayrshire," in which be gives
a comparative description of the Harbours of Troon and Ar-
drossan. He states that the former harbour, being now com-
plated, " admits ships of from 14 to 16 feet water ; and whilst
the Duke of Portland had the satisfaction of knowing the value
of the habour to his large estates, he has the nobler satisfaction
of knowing that his fortune so employed, has saved many a
brave fellow from a watery grave." He then proceeds to give a
description of Ardrossan harbour, and to contrast it with Troon
in the following manner :—" Lord Ellington was not so for.
tunate as his Noble Neighbour. The small rocky inlet of Ar-
drossan was much more disposed by nature to resist the engi-
neer, and the power of a private fortune than was Troon ; but
all that could be done was effected, and the result is, that
coasters of 10 or 12 feet draught may find an indifferent shelter
in Ardrossan. His Lordship died whilst following up his plan
to an intended extent of greater utility."

• Now, Sir. Editor, will any unbiassed individual, who knows
any thing of the merits of these harbours, say that this Mr. H.
Campbell, has, in his, description of the ".Modern Improve-
ments of Ayrshire," given a correct and faithful description
of these two harbours ? Few, if any, will be found to
answer in the affirmative. For my own part, I give it as my
opinion, and I do so without the fear of contradiction from any
such official gentleman as Mr. 11. Campbell, that such invidious
comparisons have a direct tendency to produe disagreeable con-
sequences-; and are therefore in a high degree deserving of cen-
sure. What object he had in view when he wrote that letter to
the Editor of THE Sill!, is not easily seen ; a letter which 1
am persuaded cannot fail to be equally offensive to those who
are immediately interested in the harbour which he recommends,
as it must be to those concerned in the one which ha is pleased
to condemn. Surely the noble founders of the harbours of
Troon and Ardrossan, do not deserve so little gratitude from
their country, that their disinterested and patriotic exertions,
which have contributed so much to the advantage of the public,
should thus be contrasted together; in a manner which must
produce upon the public mind, impressions so unjust of either
the positive or comparative utility of any one of them.
In replying, therefore, to Mr. 11. Campbell's letter, I am
sorry that, in order to remove the impressions which that letter
is calculated to produce, I shall be obliged to have recourse to
the same mode of comparative description, which he has thought
proper to adopt ; and I make no doubt I shall be able to
show that all lie_ has said, with regard to Ardrossan, is wholly
erroneous.
In the first place, Mr. H. Campbell is mistaken as to the
depth of Teeter in Ardrossan harbour. To convince him of
which, I need only give the following names of vessels, with
their respective draughts, which have been known to enter
Ardrossan harbour, namely,—His Majesty's sloop of war,
Driver, drawing lsi feet water ; the brig, Ekanora, off and
from Quebec, bound for Liverpool, was driven into Ardrossan
—wind S.W. blowing strong—at three hours ebb-tide, drawing
15 feet water ; and the Royal Union brig of Newcastle, which
was loaded with coals in Ardrossan -harbour, and sailed for
Dublin, drawing 15 feet water. Will Mr. H. C. call these
vessels coasters of 10 or 13 feet water ? or will he dare to affirm
that vessels could not enter Ardrossan harbour, whilst they
could find sufficient depth of water to admit of their entrance
at Troon ? It is a fact which will admit of no denial, that the
former station is the rendezvous to which all his Majesty's
first class preventive cruizers come for coals. The depth of
water at Ardrossan pier is from 22 to 24 feet.
In the second place, I will show that Mr. 11. Campbell has
also completely misrepresented Ardrossan harbour, in respect
to the shelter which it affords to vessels. For instance, the brig
Mary, Millar, from Dublin, came too in Troon harbour
(March 15,' 1822) wind S.S.W. blowing strong, but it was
found impossible to get her safely moored. The master was
obliged to slip her cables, and make sail for Ardrossan, which
she reached with ease, and where the vessel lay in safety. The
Hillsborough, royal-mail packet, between Donaghadee and
Port-Patrick, could not take the latter port, (April, 22, 18220
but she effected the landing of the mail and passengers at
Corsewal-point, where she anchored. The wind, however, con-
tinued to blow with increased fury from SS.W. which obliged.
her to slip her cables and run for Troon' which she found as
unsheltered as the place she had left, for she was literally
blown out of it, and was obliged to run for Ardrossan,
which she made easily, although it was nearly dark—and where
she lay perfectly sheltered for nearly eight days, until the storm
abated.—The Belisle English brig, M‘Kay, master, made.
Troon harbour (Feb. 13, 1822), and drops anchor—wind S.S.W
blowing strong; but, like the two vessels 1 have just mention-
ed, she too was obliged to slip her cables and run for Ardross-
an, where she lay until the storm abated, when she went round
to Troon to search for her cables and anchors. To sum up all,
I would ask one question of ;qr. H. Campbell .:—ls he aware
of the fate of the'brig Eliza, of Londonderry, while lying at
anchor in Troon harbour, in the month of December, 1814 ?
Had he been in the knowledge of the circumstance to which
I allude, lie would have been less lavish in his recommendation
of a port, which, as regards both water and shelter, will be
found, if not inferior, certainly not superior to that of Ar-
drossan.
The Steam-boats which ply upon the Clyde, and which came.
down along the coast during summer, as 'far as Troon, upon
Saturdays, would find it much to 'their advantage to lie at
Troon till the following Monday, •for the sake of passengers ;
yet, upon the least appearance of a gale, they will not remain
there even for one 'night, lest from the violent pitching they
would be subject to, they should sustain injury. How different
from this is the shelter which the other harbour -affords to the
shipping ? During the violent storms of February and March,
1823; there were above 40 vessels lying in Ardreasan harbour
at one •time 'and' the fact Of these'vessels-coroing from Ayr,
Troon; Irviae, from Belfast Loch, the Road-steads of Lamlash
and' eamotii:on, and from the north and south channel, prove
; it to be,- not •-ontra 'Winder 'and safe harbour, but. abio 'the

only rendezvous of safety on the west coast for vessels tO fll t°
from all the different ports of the Clyde during violent storms..
The breadth of the channel leading into this harbour, De far
from being a " small rocky inlet," as the writer of "Modern
Improvements in Ayrshire," is pleased to term it, is moot
ample--so much so, the vessels of every description, with the
mad a-head, can beat out with the greatest facility ; hence
the possibility of a vessel taking the harbour with almost
every wind.
The above are only a few of many facts which I could ad
duce, equally illustrative, not only of the glaring mit-statF—
ments which this " Wanderer in Ayrshire" has thought fit, 1,11
the amplitude of his wisdom, to trumpet forth to the world
through the medium of a London Newspaper; but also of
what I have here asserted in regard to the superiority of Ard
drossan as a harbour of safety ; and were further illustration on
this head necessary, we need only appeal to the knowledge of
the numerous and experienced seamen who are acquainted with
the coast, whose testimony, I make no doubt, will bear me out
in every particular which I have herein detailed. I am, Sat
your obedient servant,
Saltcoats, Feb. 23, 1824.

WILLIAM AULD.

DEATH OF MR. BOWDITCH.

It is with feelings of the deepest regret that-
we have to announce the death of the enterpris-
ing traveller Mr. BOWDITCU. He had been em-
ployed in surveying the river Gambia, and after
exposing himself to the heat of the sun during
the day, he became excessively chilled by the
land breezes in the evening, whilst making astro-
nomical observations, and caught the fever of the
country. His youth and temperate habits %%ere
so much in his favour, that he revived two or
three times in a surprising manner, but his ex'
treme impatience under the interruption of hi's'
pursuits constantly threw him back again, and he
expired, after great sufferings, on the 10th of
January, a victim to the cause of African dis-
covery. His widow and three young children
are left entirely unprovided for ; she accompani-
ed him to Africa, and entered with the utmost
zeal and enthusiasm into all his views and pur-
-1 suits, which she was eminently qualified to pro.-
mote by her fine talents as an artist, and
her extensive knowledge of several branches Of
natural history. Mr. Bowditch was well known
to the public by his interesting account of the
Mission to Ashantee, and by several other pub-
lications : he had devoted himself during the
interval between his two journeys to Africa, to
a most laborious course of preparatory studies in
natural history, geology, and astronomy : and
few travellers iu modern times have left their
country equally qualified with himself, to make
observations of such extent and accuracy, and
consequently so important for the interests of
science.—(Cambridge Chronicle.)

CAmnn MOE, MARCH 4.—During the high wind of Wed'
nesday afternoon, between four and five o'clock, two stacksof chimnies on the north side of the middle court of Swot
John's College fell in with a loud crash; one stack broke
through the roof on to the floor of the Reverend R. Dili
field's keeping room, with such force as to beat through into
a bed-chamber in the Master's lodge. The other fell into 1;
room where a student was sitting, who providentially esaaPe`"
unhurt, and Mr. Duffield being fortunately absent at the 0T;
ment, no personal injury whatever was sustained. ---
the same time four of the fine elm trees in the be".
tiful walks of the College were torn up by the roots.!
On the same afternoon, one of the very tall elms In Queen A
College grove, which was remarkable from being surrounded
with a large quantity of ivy nearly to its top, came down vat,ll „I`
ssocmraesh
of
the happilybranwchi tells oouft
tdghoei doing
neighbouringanther injurytreea . t
tremendous crash, happily without doing any other in}urf ti
f rr ea
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idnogu

WONDERFUL RECOVERY OF REASON.—°°6
day last week a poor itinerant lunatic worriaT
near Swanden, in Kent, threw herself into a well,
near 50 feet deep, at the bottom of which was about
five feet of water; she no sooner found her situtv
tion wet, watery, and painful, than she began t°
cry out for help. A ladder being put down, Al
ascended it of her own accord, to the astonishrae°,
of those who witnessed the occurrence, withal''
having received the least injury. What ma)ce,
this singular accident the more extraordinary
that she has regained the entire use of her me"'
tul faculties.

COAL-MARKET, MAR CU 5.
Ships at Market. Ships sold Prise-
-64 Newcastle -46 A - 3hOd to 401
31 Sunderland 26i -33 s Od to 431

COURSE OF EXCHANGE, March 5.
A mite) dam
Ditto, at Sight
Rotterdam l2 3
Antwerp
at Lib
Hamburg')
_, L 4,
Altonn
Paris,3 Day's sight
Ditto
Bons dertux, ditto
Berlin
Frankfort on the Main
Petersburg') . 9
Vienna lO 10
Trieste lO 10
_,___Aio
Madrid
Cadiz
Bilboa 93 liffiG"
Barcelona
ieville
Gibraltal
Leghorn
Gehiga 43f--Venice, Ital. Liv. 27 0
Malta 45 -Naples ...... .... 38i
Palermo • 115 f •per 01'
Lisbon .
Oporto
Rio Janeiro
Bahia . 60
Dublin .... 9f Cork 9f pet Cent.
BULLION.

'ortngal Gold,in Coin 1.0 0 0 Pe',
AP
Foreign Gold, in Bars 3 17

New Doubloons

.... 0 0 0

New Dollars
Silver in Bars, Standard

. 0 4 gi
.(1 4 Ili

BIRTHS.
At Edinburgh, on the Ist of March, the Duchesse de
of a daughter. the
On Thursday, at his father's house, Old Palace-I';,r, ''0•1
mv.
lady of Thomas Jervis, Esq., Carabineers, of twin d's
At Cecil-lodge, Herts, the lady of Colonel H. S. osl.),Y°l
a daughter.

MAR.
On the 4th inst., at StreathaßmlED church, Nathaniel 1;'o ti 14't
second son of Robert Smith, Esq., of Brokenhurst,
Emily Mary, youngest daughter of the late John R. 8 r
Esq., of Clapham-common, Surrey.
phut osc
()n Thursday, the 4th instant, at Mary'chant Dew og
William Delamain, Esq., of Wood-place, to Susas, rimfoo'
daughter of the late Daniel Cherin Bullock, .Esq., of ,
.shire-street, Queen-square.