The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-11 00:00:00

BANKiNG D 1

Proprietors' capital.. 14,553,000
Beat . ...... ....... 3,416,516
Pubic deposits (in-
cluding Exchequer,
Commissioners of

National Debt, Sav-
ings-banks, and Di-

vidend accounts).. 2,615,61 Y
Other deposits ...... 10,795,395
Seven day and other

bllls. •:.

£32,42041

Dated the 9th day of November,

TOTAL DESTRUCTION of a SHIP

BY FIRE.

From intelligence which has been received from
Annotta Bay, Jamaica, we learn that the barque
Captain Ross, Williamson, loading at Port Maria, for
Greenock, was totally destroyed by fire on the night
of the 22d of September, and one man and a lad
seriously injured. It appears that a few minutes
after ten o'clock on Friday night an alarm of fire
was heard to proceed from the above vessel, and it
was soon seen that the cabin, or somewhere
near it below deck was on fire, from the light
which showed itself through the cabin window, and
soon after a blaze of fire issued through the com-
panion door which continued with increased violence,
taking the main-rigging and mizenmast, which soon
fell over the vessel's stern, and then proceeded on to
the mainrigging and mainmast, and thence to the
forerigging and foremast, both of which fell over her
starboard side. The vessel at this time was in one
blaze of fire from stem to stern, and con-
tinued to burn all night until Saturday morning,
by which time she bad burnt to the copper s
edge. She was then towed down to the western end
of the harbour, and left to burn away ; she was
blazing, or rather the coals, of which she had about
100 tons on board, until Monday morning ; all that
remains to be seen now is her copper to the water's
edge, and a heap of burnt coals and wood. The
fire, it appears, originated from the conduct of the
chief mate, who went down the after-deck to steal
rum, and had filled two demijohns and a bucket out
of the cargo, when the candle fell off the puncheon into
the bucket, which immediately blazed and set fire to
the sails and other combustible matter. He is dread-
fully burnt, as also the steward, a black lad
whom he compelled to assist him in the robbery.,
Their lives are not out of danger, particularly ,the
latter, whose depositions have been taken, in which
he mentions that when the vessel first took fire the
mate would not allow him to give any alarm, or to
get upon deck, and the only way he saved himself
was by rushing through the cabin window overboard,
and swimming to the boat, whence he was brought
on shore. The crew have all (except those two)
saved their clothing. The master has not saved a
stitch of anything; his chronometers, maps, a large
amount in money, and some very valuable papers are
all gone.—Liverpool lifercltry.

Tux WRATRER.—During the last few days we
have had alternations of wind, rain, and cold. Wednes-
day night was a regular soaker, but yesterday morning
the house-tops and the streets had a coating of snow and
sleet, and the latter having frozen after its fall, the foot-
paths and roads presented difficulties to biped and qua-
drupeds, not often seen at so early a period. In many
parts England, Scotland, and Ireland, there have been
heavy falls of snow and severe frosts, but whether this
very early setting in of winter predicates a long and
severe, or a short and mild one, is a matter best left to
the weather prophets, between whom experience will
decide.—Liverpool Mercury of Friday.
TITS TRANSIT OF MERCURY ON THURSDAY.—The
announcement in the newspapers of the approach of the
transit of Mercury over the disc of the sun, has excited
more interest in the public mind than could well have
been expected in a time of such a pressure of momentous
events in politics and commerce. The interest taken
in astronomy is evidently great, and only waits s
favourable opportunity for its full development. The
transit began at eleven o'clock, and had not finished at
sunset. The day was highly favourable, and, with the
help of weak telescopes, the planet was seen distinctly to
traverse from the eastern to the western limb of the
sun's disc, passing, in its course, one very large dark
spot, and another less extensive on the sun's surface. It
is a memorable astronomical event, and will serve to give
greater correctness to the theory of the motions of the
planets. Although another transit of Mercury will take
place in 1861, still the uncertainty of the weather may
make this the last that will be seen here for many years.
—Liverpool Mercury.
It is calculated that within the next five years there
will be upwards of 10,000 miles of railway open in Great
' Britain.—Woolmer's Exeter Gazette.