The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-07 00:00:00

A STEAMER ON FIRE.

PLYMOUTH, DEC. 5.--The Shannon steam packet,
Captain Moppett, belonging to the British and Irish
Steam Packet Company, left the Thames on Wednesday
morning at nine o'clock, with passengers and goods for
Southampton, Plymouth, Falmouth, and Dublin. After
riding a tide on the Flats, she reached Southampton at
six o'clock on Thursday morning, left at noon, and
arrived at her moorings in Catwater, Plymouth, at half-
past two on Saturday morning. Being a very thick,
foggy night, the passengers remained in their berths ;
but at half-past five were alarmed by the sudden orders
of Captain Moppett, who, observing smoke issuing
through the cabin floor, rushed on deck, and ordered a!1
hands to lie out and clear the main ho!d. There were
upwards of 120 passengers on board, and many of them
rushed to the sides of the vessel with such eagerness
that two women fell into the water, and were with some
difficulty rescued by a seaman passenger named Thirsty,
lately paid off at Woolwich from her Majesty's steamer
Avon. A foolish report, that there was gunpowder
on board, operated so forcibly on the mind of an
elderly gentleman named Bennett, that, although very
ill, the crew were compelled, by his importunities,
to convey him immediately on board the coal hulk
alongside. At a quarter past six o'clock her moor
ings were cast off; and she was run ashore to the
east of Mr. Hill's ship-building yard, Cattedown.
About seven o'clock she was scuttled, and about the
same time the flames first began to ascend from the
hold; but shortly after this the County and West of
England engines arrived by land, and the engine belong-
ing to her Majesty's Customs by water, in a barge, from
which most effectual assistance was derived. Very great
difficulty was experienced in getting at the fire, from the
confined place in which it originated, and, notwithstand-
ing all efforts, it could not be immediately suppressed.
At ten o'clock the flames issued from the circular cabin
window aft. About eleven o'clock the dockyard engine
arrived, under the orders of Lieutenants J. B. Dixon and
H. T. Veitch, with a party of blue jackets from her Ma-
jesty's ship Queen, and was shortly followed by the en-
gine from the Plymouth citadel, with a company of the
14th, headed by Colonel Barlow and Adjutant Blunden.
The addition of these forces in the course of two or three
hours effectually put down the fire. The Mayor, Mr.
Bulteel, with Lieutenant Holman, superintendent, and a
body of the Plymouth police, were early on the spot,
protecting Mr. Clark, the company's agent here. Lieu-
tenant Cornish and a party of the preventive service men
assisted in protecting the loose cargo. Colonel Rudyerd,
Royal engineer, Brigade-Major Maxwell, and Lieute-
nant Protheroe, 14th, were also present. To all these
gentlemen very great praise is due, but particular notice
deservedly falls on the indefatigable conduct of Mr.
T. Shaw, chief officer of the American barque Columbus,
lying in Mr. Hill's yard. Mr. Shaw was to be seen
in every direction where the skill of a seaman
or the efforts of a bold spirit were required, and, by
his untiring exertions, rendered valuable assistance to the
owners of the Shannon. Among the cabin passengers
were Captain Gennyw, R.N., and Lieutenant Nelson, of
the 40th Regiment. Very little of the effects, carried
into the after-cabins by the passengers, was saved. The
fore cabin and deck passengers did not lose any of their
luggage. There was a staff-sergeant on board, belong-
ing to head-quarters at Dublin, one artilleryman, two
riflemen, one belonging to the 13th Light Infantry, two
of the 27th, four of the 4th, two of the 60th, two of the
61st, four of the 68th, three of the 98th Regiment, and
one deserter of the 7th Hussars.

The Duke of Cornwall steam packet, Captain Kemp-
ston, belonging to the same company, will take on the
passengers on Monday, the 7th. The Shannon has a
list to larboard, and lies with her bow to the northward,
on a hard rubble beach, which being rather steep will
strain her. She had a valuable lading on board. The
Plymouth goods, from London, were in the upper part
of the fore hold, and are all saved. Those in the lower
part were for Dublin, and are partly damaged by water.
The goods from Plymouth (sugar, were not
shipped. The Falmouth and Dublin goods were in the
main hold, and are, of course, seriously injured. Three
casks of spirits, near the main-mast, and other goods,
were covered with water before the fire reached them.
Some pockets of hops were fished up about twelve
o'clock, damaged both by fire and water, and several
military chests were rescued in a half calcined state.
The cause of the fire cannot be ascertained, but it is sup-
posed to have originated from the spontaneous combus-
tion of some material in the cargo in the main hold.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE
OXFORD, DEC, 5.
CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE.

The Rev. Charles Balston, 8.D., Fellow of this Col-
lege, has been appointed to the rectory of Stoke Charity,
near Whitechurch, Hants.
EXETER COLLEGE.

The Rev. Joseph Henry Butterworth, M.A., of Exeter
College, has been licensed to the perpetual curacy of
Stapleton, Gloucestershire.
BALL.tot, COLLEGE,

Mr. Henry M. Oxendhame, from Harrow School, and
Mr. Henry Gordon, from Shrewsbury, have been elected
scholars on the open foundation of this College. At the
same time, Mr. E. J. Riddell, 8.A., and the Rev. Edwin
Palmer, were made actual Fellows; and exhibitions were
given to Mr. Firm and Mr. Pindar, on the Worcester and
Somersetshire foundations.
There are still 14 vacant niches for statues in the
sculpture gallery in Beaumont-street, and it is to be
hoped that their places will be speedily supplied, either
by donations or a general subscriptiol. A new statute is
said to be in preparation relative to the mode of teaching
to ba adopted for the modern languages in Sir Robert
Taylor's institution.

CAMBRIDGE, DEc. 5.
CHRIST'S COLLEGE.
Albert Henry Wratislaw, 8.A., has been elected a
Foundation Fellow of this society.
MAGDALENE COLLEGE.
The Rev. Mynors Bright, M.A., has been elected from
a Wray Fellowship to a Foundation Fellowship.
Robert Edgar Hughes, 8.A., has been elected a Fellow
of this society, on the Wray Foundation.
THE CHURCH.
The following appointment has taken place :—The
Rev. James Goodwin, 8.D., of Corpus Christi College,
to the rectory of Lambourne, Essex. Patron, the Col-
lege. Value, 4761.

• A rumour, says the Observer, has been in eireula•
lion for the lust few days that Louis Philippe has de-
manded a congress of the Powers of Europe, with a view
to his laying before them the whole of the circumstances
Montpensier marriage, and also the
position in h
connected with hieth7
in consequence of that marriage, he
finds himself placed with the other Courts of Europe, and
ally the Court of St. James's. The King of the
French,eseeiP it is added, repudiates the idea of having acted
with bad faith to England, or in any way which would
utly the cessation of that friendship which has so long
justify
between France and this country, and in the
perpetuation of which there will be found the best, if
not the only, guarantee for the preservation of a Euro-
pean pease. He expresses himself as both pained and
surprised at the circumstance of so grave an accusation
as that of pursuing a perfidious course in reference to
the Spanish marriages being preferred against him by
the Government of Queen Victoria. But, even was the
accusation just, he maintains his right to demand a con
press, in order that measures may be devised to prevent
the possibility of a war in Europe, in consequence of the
estrangement of England. He represents the existing
state of affairs as very unsatisfactory, and intimates that
he deems it his duty, not only to France, but to Europe
generally, to lay before a congress of the European
Powers the precise position in which matters stand be-
tween himself and the English Government.
ANOTHER TESTIMONIAL TO MR. COBDEN.—We
are glad to learn that another testimonial is intended to
be presented to our distinguished townsman, Mr. Cobden,
in acknowledgment of his eminent services in the cause
of free trade. This tribute of respect will emanate from
the numerous and respectable body of commercial tra-
vellers, representing most of the leading mercantile
hous:-s in London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham,
Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, &c. The subscriptions,
thiiugh not large, are expected to amount to a sum large
enough to purchase a piece of plate worthy of Mr. Cob-
den's acceptance, and of being handed down as an heir-
loom in his family.—Manchester Times.