The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-27 00:00:00

11 Pau., it moderated to 9, and then gradually lessened.
December 8, it was again blowing very strong, and
the ship was fast making water; she had from 9 to 13
inches and at one time up to 17 inches in her hold.
December 11, in lat. 49 13, long. 17 30, she re-s'aipped
her paddle floats. There were light winds until
evening, when they opened the boiler cocks, and found
the blow-off pipes choked. December 12, at; 4r. m.,
another gale commenced—the sky overcast, squ ails, and
heavy rains ; they were obliged to shut the communica-
tion valve of the starboard boiler, engines working at
reduced speed. At this time they found considerable
leakage in the starboard boiler, and stopped them with
wooden plugs. Dec. 13, the force of the wind 'was 8 ;
and at 4.30 they were obliged to cut away the wreck
of the boat which was stove in on the Ist. At 7.30
the sea stove in the larboard bow ; the ports had been
several times stove in. At 1.40 P.M., they found the
foremast badly sprung under the futtock hook ;
shortened all sail, and at five o'clock in striking the
topinat the foremast gave way and went over the
side, carrying two men who were on the cross trees
looking out for the fid, with the wreck. the lives of
these men were almost miraculously preserved ; they
had just time to stop the engines, but not before one
man was struck and his jaw broken ; the other man
was not hurt at all. Dec. 13, they were obliged to
shut the communication valves of the port boiler,
to clear the cock, they having become choked in
the same degree as those of the other boiler.
The crew were then employed in rigging a jury
foremast and making paddle-floats, and they suc-
ceeded on Thursday, the 16th, at 2.10 P.st., in
making the Lizard; and on the following day anchored
in Plymouth Sound. The gun-room was flooded
during the entire passage, and not a man in the ship
was dry for an hour. • The stern-posts were caulked
in and battened. The decks were cleared of every-
thing ; the paddle-wheels themselves were defective
from old age, and by the washing away of the outsides
of the boxes, they were exhibited in all their skeleton
wretchedness. The compasses, in consequence of their
great vibration, were next to useless.—Herald.
We have already stated that the surveying opera-
tions of the officers and crew of the Columbia, under
the direction of Captain Owen, have been in the Bay
of Fundy, including from Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, to
the West Quoddy Light on the American shore,
embraced in 43 to 47 lat. and 63 30 to 68 long. The
portion which is finished is from West Quoddy Head
to St. John's, New Brunswick, the Island of Campo-
bello, a portion of Gran Manan, river of Annapolis,
and the whole of the river of St. John to Frederick
Town. The first year of the expedition was spent in
determining the meridian distances of the various
points as a basis for the subsequent survey between
Bo,ton, Halifax, Campobello, and the adjacent points.
We may remark that the difference in the rise of tide
between the head of the Bay of Fundy, Cumberland
basin, and the Bay of Verte, in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, has been laid down in the charts as 60
feet. It is worthy of notice that in the survey made by
the officers of the Columbia, they have found that the
highest tides at Cumberland basin were only 44 feet,
and extraordinary tides 50 feet, whereas at the Bay
of Verte, the rise was only 8 feet, making a difference
in regular tides of only 36 feet, instead of 60. The
officers who have returned to England, belonging to
the Columbia, are Captain (now Rear-Admiral) W.
F. Owen; Lieutenant P. F. Shortland, who has
commanded her since December, 1844; Lieutenant
Melville G. H. W. Ross, who has belonged to her
since June, 1842 ; Lieutenant Peter A. Scott, since
July, 1845 ; Lieutenant W. J. S. Pullen (additional)
since February, 1847; Master T. W. R. Pike; ..!_-ur-
geon, Dr. J. M. Deas, who have been in her during
the whole term of commission ; and Clerk in Charge,
W. F. Huyghue, since March last. Lieutenant
Kortwright first commanded the Columbia for this
service, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Harding,
who was succeeded on promotion by her present
commander.