The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-06 00:00:00

S Ny

brig first striking, until the three survivors got upon the•
rock. At the moment she struck, and a little previous
to it, about half-a-dozen of the male passengers were
standing on the deck, occasionally asking the mate if
there was in reality any danger. Of the three young
ladies who were cabin passengers, one of the sisters had
been confined to bed by sea-sickness from the moment
of leaving Derry ; but at ten o'clock the other two took
their position on the companion-way, and
were seen
there when the survivors. last looked on the deck. The
ship was ground end crunched so frightfully amongst
the rocks, that she must have broken up almost instane-
misty. There was no cry from the multitude cooped up
within the hull of the ill-fated brig; or at least it was
unheard, for the commotion of the elements was so
furious that the men on the top could scarcely lit ar each
other at the top of their voices. The emigrants, there-
fore, must have perished in their berths, and the rocks
rapidly thumped the bottom out of the vessel.
The three men who had escaped to the rock, so coon
as the ship entirely disappeared, searched anxiously for
some outlet by which they might reach the mainland,
but none could be found; and they finally took shelter
in a crevice, which however did not shield them from
the rain, which fell heavily all night, and here they re-
mained until grey daylight. They then discovered an
opening, through which they scrambled to the summit,
and after day had fairly broken they observed a farm
house about half a mile distant. Thither they proceeded,
and were most hospitably nourished and put to bed.
They were thoroughly worn out by exhaustion, not one
of the crew having been in bed from the moment the
ship left Derry. They were at the same time nearly
naked, from having divested themselves of their heavy
clothing when the Exmouth struck, and lost part of that
which remained when scrambling on the rigging and
amongst the rocks. The hospitable farmer (whose name
we have not learned), and others who bad been apprised
by him, went to the scene of the catastrophe, but of
course too late to help, and only to gaze on the desola-
tion. Mr. Chiene, Islay's factor, • soon heard of the
event, and kindly furnished the men with a passage to
Glasgow by the Modern Athens steamer, where, as
already stated, they arrived on Saturday last. Here
they were consigned ito **re of 11r. Fildee,! ,ebej
Naval Rendeevous,, itsad assistant .to 'Lieutenant Forest,
agent for the Shipwieeked llariser'it Society, and by,
him they have been clothed and comfortably boarded in
the meantime. . ‘. _ _ _ •

-011ii;;;;1ay afternoon, the latest date of our advices
from Islay, about twenty of the bodies had come ashore,
They were principally females, with one little boy
amongst them; and as many of them were in their night
clothes, the probability is that they were those who had
rushed upon deck at the first alarm caused by the striking
of the ship. They were fearfully mangled by being
dashed amongst the rocks, and being jammed within the
crevices along with pieces of the wreck, few of which
were above two feet in length. Other bodies were still
floating in the surf; but the sea was still too high to per-
mit any boat venturing out to bring them in. The belief
is, however, that the great mass of the poor emigrants
went down with the " between decks" of the ship, so
that their bodies will not be recovered till this part of
the vessel breaks up.
The Exmouth had nothing on board but ballast, and
the provisions and little stocks of goods of the emi-
grants. She is the property of Mr. John Eden, of South
Shields, and, though old, is stated, by the survivors, to
have been well found in every respect. All the crew
and passengers were perfectly sober during this fearful
time, and the three seamen Aide that they never saw
drink on board at all. The captain was in the prime of
life, and has left a widow and family. All the rest of
the seamen were unmarried, with the exception of if-
man named George Ross, who is amongst those that
perished. According to the above estimate, the number
who have been thus suddenly called to their account
amounts to 248; but even leaving room for misinforma-
tion or exaggeration, the loss of life has unquestionably
been frightful.

EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING IN THE

ROYAL NAVY.
The Hazard, 16, Commander Egerton, fitted with light-
ning conductors of Smith's wire rope, after a method re-
commended by the Surveyor's chief draughtsman, Mr.
J. Edye, was twice struck by lightning during her late
service in China. On the first occasion, May, 1846, off
Diamond Point, on the north end of Sumatra, the elec-
tric fluid divided between the small wire rope and the
mast and chain sheets ; part of it came into the ship
with explosion, and split the topsail sheet bots ; the
rest of the charge went over the wire rope into the
seas and tore some of the copper off the bottom. The wire
conductor was cripplied and bulged out by the force of
the electric shock. The second time, June 12, 1846,
when lying off Cape Po, at anchor, on the coast of
Borneo, the electrical discharge again struck the ship.
In this ease the effects were more destructive ; the dis-
charge again divided between the rope and mast; the
maitatopgailant mast was splintered and carried away,
also the main topmast, part of which fell through
the quarter deck into the gun-room. The other
part of the discharge. passed down over the wire
conductor into the water. The officers on board the

Ilazsrd state that conductors of this kind are totally
unfit for carrying 9ff the hsayy strokes of lightning ex-
perienced in thiS parrtifihe world. These are very ins
portant facts. They are the results of experiments •
on
the great scale of nature, deduced by means of the
gigantic electrical machinery of the thunderstorm, and
which go directly to show that nothing short of a general
and extended system of conduction throughout the masts
and hull of a ship will ever afford 'perfect security
from lightning. It will be remembered that about
seven years since a naval commission,
appointed by the
Admiralty, inquired and reported to the House of Com-
mons on the merits of various plans of lightning con-
ductors, and they terminated their report by earnestly
and unanimously recommendin_
g the system proposed
by Mr. (now Sir William) Harris to be carried out
fully in the Royal Navy, , Notwithstanding, how.
ever, that this recommendation stood supported
by the most profound men in this department of
science, such as the late Dr: Wollaston, Sir IL Davy,
Daniell, Wheatstone, and others, y
through Sir W. Sy-
et, in the very teeth
of all this, the Navy office '• sub,"
rnond's interest with the First Lord of the-Admiralty,
contrived to have these wire ropes introduced into the
navy, which the Commission had declared not only an
inadequate defence, but absolutely dangerous. Of
course the Surveyor's draughtsman was better authority
than the best scientific and naval men in the country, he
possessing the usual requisite qualification for the
Somerset House officials—viz that of being totally
ignorant of the subject he was professing to
understand. These small wire ropes were served
into the dockyards in,
considerable quantities
at a very great cost, and several ships were
supplied with them. Now behold the consequence.
Here is a ship struck by lightning and the predicted
inefficiency of these small wires is 'completely (verified.
It must be admitted that the result is at least favourable
to the view Mr. Harrid took of this most interesting
question, and we do not hesitate to avow that had any of
the ship's company lost their lives from the inefficiency
of this iccornplete plan of lightninge
best talent of the
conductors, in direct
opposi'ion to the opinions of th
country, the party who ordered, and the authorities who
sanctioned, its application, would be guilty of nothing
less than the crime of manslaughter.
—.—__.....-- r•

FASHIONS. FOR MAY.
(From the London and Paris Ladies' Magazine of Fashion.)
Taffetas noires, pekins foutanges, popelines, India muslins,
toiles de Nankin of silk, taffetas chines with wide stripes,
glaces silks checked or striped, intermixed with bouquets
broches, toulards de laine, pekins de rois, are all fashionable
materials at this moment ; many plairLand glace silks are em-
broidered au passé, commencing at the bottom of the skirt,
and diminishing gradually to the corsage. Slighter mate-
rials are trimmed with several rows of flounces, the corsages
full and demi-large sleeves. For redingotes, fancy buttons,
or nosuds of ribbon, or of the same material; are the only
trimmings used. They are sometimes embroidered with
'narrow ' 'imp. Y7'' lards are much' risked for peigdoire
ornament with dentlietle sole, the colour of the dress. Velvet,
will continue in fneotti te-ornantenrclreteee, as well as &ingot
mud gimps of. evelik ararietycAleumoste are indispeutable
for full dress : dipfly „,i)nghtisspoipws,...• are fashl9,llolf,
Tight bodies her), the backs_: forming rognded point
at the waist, but not in front for redingotes, which finish
with ceinture and buckle ; the ceinture cannot take the
form of the point behind, and therefore only commences at
the sides, not being seen at all behind. Muslin dresses of the
redingote form are ornamented with tulle and lace; the cor-
partakes
,
' sages high and full, as well as the sleeves, which have coulis•
sea from top to bottom, placed a little apart. The mante mar.
guise, and the- mantelet Andalouse will be the pardesuus
most in favour this season. The manta marquise
a little .of the visite, but is larger and fuller, without
being so heavy ; there are three different styles of trim-
ming. For demi-toilette the frills are the same material,
that
When required handsomer, they are embroidered
all over, as well as on the frills. Still handsomer are those
giismop f.
out taffetas plain or glace of dark colour, with or with-
trimmed with two frills of lace, the lower one
very deep headed by one about a third the width
of the first. The inantelets for demi-toilette are of
plain dark taffetas, trimmed with the same material ;
the form will vary but little from those of preceding years,
but they are shorter in front. Black is less worn for all par-
dessus this season; pale colour glaces are preferred. The
spring bonnets and capotes are little more open in form ; the
crowns round, and the fronts not very deep ; lilac, pink, and
light green are the favourite colours. Flowers are the usual
ornaments, or foliage. The materials as usual at this season
paille de riz, crape, tulle lace, fancy straws, Ike. ,

of the Sun-
derlandrewith the owners for the
.--The directors
purchase of all the property thiaht will be required for the
SuN
dock and its approaches, and w t out
seaecessity of having
the value of any portion thereof asse by
DDEonc Lk ANp
Company D o cht v e
agreed
a jury. The
contract for excavating the clay and other soil from part of
the town moor and the battery adjoining, required for the
site of the new dock, will be let by tond,:r in the course of a
few days. The breach made_ in two of the groynes by the
sea, during the tremendous gale a month ago, has been filled
up with solid masonry; and in order to guard against any
similar accident, workmen are now: employed in strengthening
the three groynes by reconstructing parts thereof with solid
masonry. The old fort,;whichicommands the entrance to the
river Wear, is to be immediate y pulled down, the site being
required for the dock. It has long ceased to be fortified, but
has been occupied by the Coast Guard.
Mr, Rice had an interview with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer yesterday at his official residence in Down-
ing-street. of
A deputation consisting Messrs. Horseley, Davies,
and Fearon, had an interview yesterday, With the Right
lion, E. Strutt.