The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-23 00:00:00

THE LOSS OF THE VARUNA.

From the American papers which have just arrived we
find out the manner in which the false rumour of Sir
George Jenkinson's death originated. In the list of the
drowned in the Varuna, wrecked (as already stated by
telegraph) off Jupiter Inlet, Florida, on October 20th,
there appeared the name of Jenkins, P.M. This reallY
meant P. M. Jenkins, but some imaginative AMerican
thought the letters stood for those adopted by English
members of Parliament, and hence the report that an
English member of the House of Commons, supposed to
be Sir George Jenkinson (there being no Jenkins in
Parliament) was believed to be among the lost. The
following account is given of the disaster itself :---
The vessel left New York on the 15th of October for Gal-
veston, Texas, having on board a valuable cargo of
merchandise, a crew of twenty-five persons, and
thirty-six passengers. Everything went well until
the 20th, when off the coast of Florida. When the
wind changed, Captain Spencer, who commanded the
vessel, anticipated what was in store for them;
and ordered everything to be made ready, in
preparation for a rough night. During the even•
ing the gale increased, and the vessel so laboured that it
became necessary to throw overboard the deck load. The
gale continued to increase until half past 9 o'clock, when
the wind shifted from the south-east to south-west. The
vessel was caught in the trough of the sea, and
driven backward and forward, utterly beyond control.
The water washed over her from stem to stern, so
that the sailors could scarcely keep their feet. Finally A
tremendous sea struck her amidships, and washing over
her, broke into the engine-room. The water thus
gaining an entrance, rushed into the cabins, and
soon the great ship began to settle down. The
captain, who had all along viewed the danger
with coolness and determination, saw that all was lost and
ordered the boats to be made ready. The passengers,
who had been driven from their berths by the water, were
in the cabin, in a state of apprehension and dread, and
when word reached them that the vessel must go down
they were reduced to the greatest agony of fear. When
the boats were ready, and every means taken to secure
their safety, they were unable to come on deck to avail
themselves of the efforts of their brave defenders. The
vessel at this time was so much on one side
that it was almost impossible for even
seaman to walk the slippery deck. The first boat that
was cleared away was washed off. The captain, chief
engineer, vthe second mate, and three of the crew then
endeavoured to clear the second boat, when a great
wave washed the boat and all of them overboard. Tile
captain, the mate, William Kirtland, and one of the crew
succeeded in getting back to the ship again, but the rest
of them were lost. In this struggle Captain
Spencer was badly hurt. Mr. Winter, the first
mate, placed him in one of the remaining boats,
and nothing more was seen of him by any of the
survivors. All these incidents transpired in a
few minutes, and almost as soon as the men re-
gained the vessel she sank beneath the wave,
carrying all the passengers with her. As she went down
two of the boats floated off. One containing the captain,
the chief engineer, the first mate, and four of the crew ;
the other, the second mate and six men.
The boat commanded by the second mate was a
metallic life-boat, and, though filled with water, did not
sink. The captain's boat was swamped almost imme-
diately, and all on board perished. William Kirtland,
the second mate, and six men with him were buffeted
about by the wind and waves all night, and when the
morning dawned were well nigh exhausted. Once
during the night their frail craft was up-
set, but providentially none of them were drowned. While
endeavouring to land through the breakers the boat was
capsized and all were thrown into the surf. Five of them
got back to the boat, but Samuel M'Cormack and James
Flynn were drowned. They made another attempt and
were more successful. and arrived on the beach in a coin-
plete state of exhaustion. That night they slept under
the boat, and the next morning, after numerous hardships,
reached the lighthouse. Here they were taken care of JJY
the keeper. It is probable that no vessel has sailed froth
New York for many years which contained so many valued
citizens as did the Varuna.

The Times correspondent at Versailles, writing on the
15th, says there is every sort of probability that the
French will make a tremendous effort to break out of
Paris. It is known that 100 regiments de marche have
been formed, and that standards have been distributed to
each battalion of these 100,000 men, and, in order to give
them a baptdme de feu, it is probable—so they say—that
there will be an attempt on a vast scale to break out and
through the Prussian lines.

THE UPRISING OF'FRANCE.—The correspondei*
of the Times at the Headquarters of the Crown Prince's
army before Paris, writes :—The uprising of France at
the moment when her last shaft was spent, when sword
and lance were broken, her banner in the dust, her armour
pierced, has undoubtedly surprised the German Princes
and statesmen, and caused disappointment. Nume'
rous as are the German hosts, the strain on their
powers is far greater than it was before when two
vast armies were to be beaten. Although the troops are
very healthy considering the winter work, the reductions
caused by sickness are perceptible. Much of France has
been overrun, and where the German foot has once trod-
den the impress is visible, evon in Orleans ; but the
part cf France untouched by hostile hand is larger still,
and the chivalrous Bretons and the fiery children of the
Rhone Provinces seem resolute in their determina-
tion to resist to the end. France, at least, " will die
with harness on her back." Well, to an unmilitarY
people it should be some comfort to see that trained sol-
diers may be beaten ; that all the glorious circumstances
of Imperial standing armies may vanish, and that a
people—hopeless as the contest may be—can still resist
and, in some sense, stay the march of the conqueror over,
their country. If rumour be true—which is not un-
acceptable to many Germans here—that the Treaty of 1856
has been declared null and void by Russia, and that it is
obsolete as the Treaty of 1815, we, who are still the
worse for Crimean income-tax, and but little the better
for any Crimean experiences, whose old alliances are
gone, and whose new alliances seem valueless, may not
be quite so joyful over the events of 1870 as we are
expected to be.
[ADVERTISEMENT.I—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pills.--
Healthy Complexion.—Nothing betokens feeble or failing
constitutions sooner than the skin. Its condition is the
external evidence of perfect regularity in the internal
animal machinery—which can always be safely reduced to
order by Hollou ay's specifics without doing any present
or prospective damage to the tenderest organisation.
Holloway's treatment outrivals the use of all cosemetica,
the most harmless of which hide rather than cure the
evil, whilst some are positively injurious. The Pills
assist the work by establishing healthy digestion, and
painlessly producing perfect assimilation. Under this
wholesome courss the sallow face soon gives way to
brilliant complexion, the whole skin feels soft and silky,
and renewed vigour of body and mind animate the frame.

BIRTHS.

On the 20th inst., at 50, Sloane-street, the wife of Jame°

W. Baillie, Esq., of a daughter.
On the 21st inst., at New Wandsworth, the wife of F. 0.
Brereton, Esq., of a son.

MARRIAGES.;
On the 19th inst., at Reigate, John, eldest son of the Ist°
John Hill, Esq., of Highbury-place, to Florence Janie;
son, third daughter of Alfred Jas. Waterlow, Esq., (9.
Park-crescent, Regent's-park.

On the 19th inst., at St. George's, Hanover-square,
Walter Halsted, youngest son of the late H. Frith, Esn.►
of the Ordnance, Dublin Castle, to Mary Alice, the ()la
daughter of the late Rev. H. J. G. Young, of Hollesleit
Suffolk.

DEATHS.
On the 20th inst., suddenly, Francis R. Hebden, Esq., Of
St. Peter's-square, Hammersmith, aged 62.
On the 19th inst., Mr. Alexander Lyon, aged 50.
On the 19th inst., at 3, Lower Berkeley-street, Portman
square, William Harry Surman, aged 65.

, .
London : Printed by GIDEON ACLAND BOYCE, 491
No. 112, Strand,_ Printer, and Published by hint "
THE SUN Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the
Savoy, in the County of Middlesex.
Wednesday, November 23, 187%