The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-28 00:00:00

THE

The noble behaviour of my brother senior officer, Captain
Traiouart, excited the admiration of all on board ; it was
evident that his brig was especially selected for the enemy's
ire, and I consider myself fortunate in having such an officer
for my colleague.
I have great reason to be satisfied with the goodconduct of
all the officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron you did
me the honour to place under my orders.
I have already meationed the services rendered by Cap-
tain Hope in cutting the chain, and I have to thank him for
acting as my aide-de-camp when on shore. I should be un-
mindfal of the ability and continued zeal of Commander B.
Sulivan, did I not bring him particularly to your notice ; by
his exertions we were furnished with a chart, which enabled
us to complete our arrangements for the attack.
First Lieutenant J. E. W. Lawrence, R.M.A., also acted
as my aide-de-camp, and has a strong claim on my gratitude ;
principally through his instrumentality- a brigade of seamen
has been formed capable, I am quite satisfied, of resisting
cavalry.
It is impossible to conclude this dispatch without recom-
mending to your favourable consideration Lieut. Reginald
Levinge ; his little schooner occupied the berth better suited
to a frigate, and I sometimes trembled when I saw the
shower of shot, shell, grape, and rockets flying over her.
As soon as the damage sustained by the combined squa-
dron shall have been repaired, Captain Trehouart and myself
intend to proceed in the execution of our instructions, leav-
ing two vessels of war here to prevent the enemy offering
any further obstructil n to the free navigation of the Parana.
have, &e.
(Signed) CHAS. HOTHAM,
Captain and Senior Officer.
Rear-Admiral S. H. Inglefield, C. 8.,
Commander-in-Chief, &c.

Report of casualties that occurred in the Squadron under the
command of Captain Charles Hotham, while taking and
destroying the batteries, &c., at Point Obligado, in the
River Parana, on the 20th November, 1845.
Officers' Names.
Lieut. C. Brickdale, H.M. sloop Comus, killed.
Mr. G. Andrews, Clerk-in-charge, H.M. brigantine Dolphin,
killed.
Lieut. C. Doyle, H.M. ship Philomel, very severely wounded.
Mr. R. Warren, Second Master, H.M. brigantine Dolphin,
slightly wounded.
Mr. J. Gallagher, Assistant-Surgeon, H.M. brigantine Dol-
phin, slightly wounded.
Mr. T. Ellstob, Assistant-Clerk, H.M. brigantine Dolphin,
slightly wounded.
Lieutenant A. C. Key, Fanny tender, slightly wounded.
Gorgon-1 seaman, 1 marine, 1 boy Ist class, slightly
wounded.
Firebrand-1 seaman, killed; 1 seaman, severely wounded.
Philomel-1 seaman, killed ; 2 seamen and 1 boy, severely
wounded; 2 seamen, slightly wounded.
Comus-1 boy, killed ; 2 seamen, slightly wounded.
Dclphin-3 seamen and I boy killed ; 6 seamen, severely
wounded ; and 2 seamen, slightly wounded.

Her Majesty's ship Vernon, Monte Video. Dec. 19, 1845'
Sir,—l inclose for the information of the Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty a further report from Capt. Hotham,
detailing the proceedings of the squadron under his orders,
since the destruction of the batteries at Obligado, by which
their Lordships will learn that the Chacabuco has been
blown up, and the probability of our expedition meeting
no further resistance on its passage up the Parana.—l have
the honour to be, &c.

S. H. INGLEFIELD.
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
To the Right Honourable H. T. L. Corry,
M. P., Secretary of the Admiralty.

H. M. S. Gorgon, Rosario, December 4, 1845.
Sir,—Having received intelligence on which I could de-
pend, that the Chacabuco schooner and two gun-boats were
at anchor in the Arroyodel Pabou, I have the honour to in-
form you that Captain Trehouart and myself determined to
dispatch two vessels to destroy them; but, owing to there
being no French man-of-war at that moment ready for sea,
Lhe execution of our plan was postponed until the 24th, when
the Firebrand took the Fulton in tow, and proceeded on that
service.
On arriving at the mouth of the Pabou, Captain Hope dis
covered that there was not sufficient water tbr his ship, so,
taking three boats and forty men, he started in pursuit ; most
rortunately they obtained more information from an intel-
ligent native, and learnt that the whole force accumulated
amounted to 250 men, that a chain was stretched across the
river, placing surprise out of the question. As any further
attempt would have been madness, he most properly re-
turned; acting, however, on his suggestion, I had previously
dispatched Firebrand by another channel, to intercept the
schooner, and this manoeuvre had its desired effect.
The windings of the river enabled the enemy to descry
the approach of the Firebrand at a considerable distance.
Accordingly, they commenced hauling the Chacabuco up a
narrow creek, by means of warps, manual labour, and horses,
closely pursued by Firebrind. At the end of a chase of
sixty miles the steamer grounded, but the enemy had seen
enough : in the night a fire and explosion took place, and in
the morning no Chacabuco was visible.
The squadron re-assembled at Punta de las Siedras ; during
the night of the 2d the enemy brought down four field pieces,
which however did no injury, and on the 3d instant the
squadron passed the strong point of the Rosario unmolested
by the enemy; a number of women and country people col-
lected on the beach to see the ships pass, not an armed man
was to be seen, hence it would appear that orders had been
given to offer no further resistance to our passage up the
Parana.—l have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES HOTHAM, Capt.
To Rear Admiral S. H. Inglefield, C. 8.,
Commander-in-Chief.

APPALLING EXPLOSION ON THE
SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.
Doves, THURSDAY NIGHT.—The Coroner's investigation relative
to this sad catastrophe was commenced this day, at twelve o'clock,
before Mr. G. T. Thompson, the borough Coroner, and a jury of
thirteen householders, in the Guards'-roam attached to the town ter-
minus of the railway.
The names of the sufferem and their respective ages, as handed
to the Coroner, by Mr. Way, the station-master, are as follows :
Joseph Hambrook, aged 24, left a widow and one child ; William
Gordon, aged 23, a widow ; Thomas Hutton, 52, a widow, and no
family ; James Cooke, 56, left two children ; John Russell, single
man ; John Payne, 39, a widow and seven children ' • Isaac Hughes,
28, single man ; John Wilson, 28, a widow ; Edward Ruck, 38,
widow and two children ; John Kendall, 24, single man ; William
Richards, 39, widely ; and Joseph Willis, 30, widow and two chil-
dren ; the last-named deceased survived the accident some hours.
He died in shocking agony at nine o'clock last evening.
The jury having been duly empannelled on the twelve bodies,
Mr. Sims, the foreman, observed that before the investigation was
proceeded with, he should wish to ask the Coroner whether he really
had any power to deal with the case, as the accident took place in
the county, and, therefore, he thought, out of the jurisdiction of the
borough Coroner.
The CORONER remarked, that knowing an opinion had gone abroad
questioning the legality of his going into the inquiry, he had sub-
mitted it to the consideration of Mr. Sergeant Manning, who was
clearly of opinion that he (the Coroner) had jurisdiction in the
matter, and was bound to proceed with it.
The inquiry was then resumed.
Henry Moore said he last saw them alive at half-past eleven o'clock
on Tuesday forenoon. They were engaged on the line near the cave.
Never saw them enter the cave. Did not know that it contained
powder, or even that a cave existed there.
Mr. sash said that, after the Coroner had taken the evidence as to
the identity of the deceased, he would call witnesses who would mi-
nutely describe the formation and character of the cave.
Mr. Nash here addressed the jury, and said, it would be found that
the deceased were aware of the existence of gunpowder in the cave ;
and, according to a statement, which he had reduced to writing, of
one of the sufferers, since dead, which he was desirous to put in as
eviden-ce, the explosion was occasioned by one of the deceased incau-
tiously smoking a pipe in the cave, and a spark falling on to:the
powder led to the deplorable result.
The CORONER replied that he could not accept it as evidence.
Francis Barnes, on being sworn, then said, I am a commission boat-
man, in the service of the Coast-guard. On Tuesday last I left our
station at Lydden Spout, near Dover, and proceeded on duty along
the railway towards Folkstone. Having spoken with a policeman
and a plate-layer, who were on the line, respecting some particular
duty, I returned towards Dover, and while walking on the sea-
wall, near the Shakspeare tunnel, I saw the explosion take place
at the foot of the cliff, about 50 yards in advance of me. I felt
the shock very greatly, and ran back as it shook me. There was
a dense body of smoke, and I noticed dark figures being hurled Into
the air, which I have no doubt were the bodies of the deceased.
Thinking at first that they were blasting the cliff,' ran back to the police-
man to blame him for not warning me. lie told me that he knew
nothing of the circumstance. I then returned, and met an old man,
who was holding up and grasping his hands in apparently deep agony.
I said to him, "What are they doing—are they blowing up the
cliff ?" lie replied, "oh, no, there has been an accident; several
persons are killed." I then made my way to the mouth of the cave,
and saw bodies lying about in all directions, with their clothes on
fire. I noticed three or four men alive in great suffering. Two were
lying in a ditch fronting the mouth of the cave. They were sensible,
and praying Clod to let them die. I afterwards discovered the other
under the sea-wall. The remainder were scattered on the line and
about the rocks. As soon as I had recovered myself, for I was much
conflised by the scene, I ran to the policeman, told him the occur-
rence, and bade him go to the spot. I then went further up the line
and fired my pistol, the usual signal to alarm my comrades at the
station to render assistance. On returning to the cave a pilot en-
gine and some carriages came up from the Dover station, and I
assisted those present in placing the sufferere in them. A
Thomas Dingley, a plate-layer, in the service of the company, was
also examined, and spoke to the foregoing facts.
Henry Hunter, a labourer in the employ of Messrs. Griesell and
Pete, deposed, on Saturday last I was breakfasting in the toll cave
labourers. erTili.heyltwarres
uarnidngtfhoer lwabaenutroefrsr,ootmhe,
dweictielasseedve,rma'alnotethdetro
one
ed
osfaitdhetOcaDviensg,leT,
would hhe
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i n t
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Way, the station-master, when he would remove and bury
the powder? He refused, unless they got the sanction of Mr.
the powder. On Tuesday morning, between eight and nine
o'clock, I saw the door of the cave open, and went in with
several fellow-labourers, and drank some beer. There were two
small beer-casks in the cave, one was empty and the other had two
gallons of beer in it. They were placed in the cave on Monday, and
were taken away only twenty minutes before the explosion. When
I went in I saw the powder on the floor ; did not think there was
much danger in wandering about such a place.
Some interruptions occurred here In the investigation from Mr. De
Lassoux, coroner for the Canterbury division of the county claiming
the right of holding the inquest.
Mr. Do Lassoux again repeated his determination to proceed
with his inquiry on the following day, and left, evidently much
excited.
The investigation was then resumed ; the witnesses who were
examined corroborating the evidence previously adduced, and. at a
late hour the inquiry was adjourned, with a view of obtaining further
evidence.
The dying declaration of the deceased, Joseph Willis, which was
rejected by the Coroner, as it could not be received in evidence, but
which gives the cause of the explosion, is to the following effect :
" I, Joseph Willis, make a statement, as far as I can recollect, of
the cause of the accident. At a quarter-before one o'clock P.M., on
Tuesday, I, in company with others, entered a cave situate close to
where we were at work. We did so in consequence of its raining,
and wanting to finish our dinner. Afterwards one of my mates—l
do not know his name—took a lucifer-match to light his pipe of
tobacco. Having done so, he accidental let it fall upon the ground,
close to something black, which immediately began to hiss, and we
all became ala•med, and endeavoured to make our escape, during
which time it communicated with two barrels which were in the
cave, containing gunpowder. I did not at the time know that they
contained powder, but judged they did in consequence of the explo-
sion which followed directly after. I recollect nothing further."

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remedies. Sold by all medicineesthe power of these far-famed
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possesses a charm not always
" Peers and Parvenus "
pages of Mrs. Gore.
g asstitchelecrory is amusing.
Strand, London.
on to a startling,
of the most
to be found in the lively but
The characters are as interesting
Tlie attention of the reader is insensibly led
is
though not unnatural surprise,
potent arts of novel writing. London anTilethe country,
' Brighton, Baden, Naples, afford a succession of lively
sketches
of fashionable society. But the great merit of the book lies
in its moral, and on that account it deserves high recom.
mendation.
RAILWAY SEDUCTION._We regret to state that many
farmers, in vicinities where railroads are in the course of
being constructed, have suffered serious inconvenience during
the past winter in consequence of their servants leaving
their employment to work upon those lines, which they are
tempted to do on account of their earning better wages than
they can procure as farm servants. Several of these delin-
quents have been called to account for their conduct, and
have been very properly committed to prison AS a warning to
otters.— Cumberland racquet.