The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-12 00:00:00

LAUNCH AT PARTICK.

On Saturday afternoon a large iron steamer, named
the Trafalgar, built for the City of Dublin Steam
Navigation Company, was launched from the
building yard of Messrs. Tod and li‘Gregov,
Partick. The circumstance having been previously
made public, and the day being fine, the banks of the
river were lined with spectators, eager to witness the
interesting spectacle ; and the masts of all the vessels
in the vicinity were decorated with a profusion of
flags. The scene altogether had a very gay and ani-
mated appearance. In the building-yard there were
a number of ladies, as also Captain Sarsfield, marine
superintendent of the City of Dublin Steam Naviga-
tion Company, and other gentlemen interested in
steam navigation.
The necessary preparations having been completed,
about twenty minutes past two o'clock the signal was
given, and the ceremony of naming the vessel having
been efficiently performed by Miss Mackinlay, the
Trafalgar glided gracefully into the water, and the
firing of cannon- amid the hearty acclamrtions
of all present. Ample precautions having been
taken, not the slightest accident occurred during
the launch ; and it may be mentioned, as reflect-
ing no small credit on the vigilance of the builders,
that the same thing can be said with respect to the
whole of the numerous launches which have taken
place from theiryards. The,Trafalgar has been built for
the City of Dublin Steam Navigation Company, and
is intended, w e understand, to carry the mail be-
tween Liverpool and. Dublin. She is 800 tons
burthen, and her engines, of 350 horse-power, are
constructed on the oscillating principle. It is
expected, from her beautiful mould, that a high
rate of speed will be attained ; while at the same
time, to fit her for making the passage in all
weathers, she has been built in the strongest possible
manner, and may be safely classed as the strongest
steamer .that has yet been launched on the Clyde. She
has excellent cabin accommodation, and is intended
to be fitted up in a very superior style. We under-
stand the vessel will be immediately towed up to the
harbour, for the purpose of receiving her engines,
which are all ready, and she will, in all probability,
be finally completed and at sea in.the course of two
months.

After the launch had taken place, a numerous party
adjourned for the purpose of dedicating a bumper
to the Trafalgar. Health and prosperity to Messrs.
Tod and M'Gregor having also been proposed, Mr.
M'Gregor acknowledged the compliment, and begged
to propose " Success to the City of Dublin Steam
Navigation Company," Which having been in existence,
he observed, for twenty-four years, had at length
thought of coming north for the purpose of
getting
a vessel built for themselves. They had sent their
marine superintendent, Captain Sarsfield, to inspect the
steamer, and he also begged to propose the health of
that gentleman. Captain Sarsfield replied, observing
that he had witnessed the proceedings of that day with
much gratification, for a filter vessel he had never
seen launched ; and he had no doubt that the company
with which he had the honour of being connected
fwo
ro u 1
ad srooopleitbite induced
ionof c
the dose.
d a soem. e to,h et he same
healthqrte
of
quarter
Mackinlay and the other ladies present was also duly
honoured.

We may add, that in the yard from where the
Trafalgar was launched we observed other two iron
steamers on the stocks, one of which, belonging to
the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company, is in-
tended for China, and the other, a larger vessel than
the Trafalgar, to sail between Liverpool and Belfast.
We cannot but rejoice at the celebrity which our
Clyde ship-builders have obtained, were it for no
other reason than the amount of employment which
it enables them to give to builders and workmen.—
North Briii.vit Mail of Monday.

COMMUTATLON OF SENTENCE.—The sentence of
Pilkington, as well as that of Speed, has, we are glad
to find, been commuted to transportation for life.--
Liverpool Mercury.
'CORONER'S INQUEST AT CROYDONo--ALLEGED ME
DECAL NEGLECT.—The inquiry touching the death of
Elizabeth Hopkins,: alias Howard, whose death was
alleged to have been occasioned by the neglectof
Dr. Berncastle, one of the medical officers of
Gun,
Croy-
-Croy
don Union, was resumed yesterday at the
not conclude
G
don. After a long inquiry, which di
until nearly twelve o'clock last night,
the following verdict:—" That Elizabeth
op ins, alias
thehiJitiryk• returned
Elizabeth Howard, died from exhaustion, resulting upon
we, in leaving
6h°wli
eeacset
tprotractedhegreatestlaibnuhuurro,
inhumanity
thatt
y
her when in labour, and that the Jury, consider
o. at ds Brn
acalseedh
Dr.
the
him a very unfit person to get as a medical ullicer."
ORIGIN or INF'LUEtvzA.— A.ttempty have been made
to date the existence of influenza at a very remote pe-
riod. Dr. Most has extracted from the writings of Hip-
pocrates an account of a disease which he regarded as
influenza, but which differed from it hi r.everal important
particulars. Some epidemic catarrhs which prevailed in
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries are recorded; but
these can scarcely be regarded as influenza, of the exist-
ence of which we have no credible accounts previous to
the year 1510. Such is the opinion of Dr. Schweich,
and the instances brought forward by Dr. Gludge of the
curlier existence of this epidemic are nut satisfactory.
Sham the sixteenth century it has frequently occurred,
trod the extent of country over which it has passed, as
well as the large number of individuals whom it has
elected, has afforded ample opportunity for local de-
scriptions of the disease, of which medical authors havo
caasiderably availed themselves. According to Dr.
Schweich, the disease has most frequently had its origin
ira the north, whence it has extended in a south-westerly
direction that it has frequently passed from south to
n arth, or from north east to north-west, and never from
west to east, or from north to south.—British and Fo-
r, fign Medical

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