The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-18 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sia,—Observing in your paper an account of the
wreck of two emigrant ships, attended with loss of life,
it would appear to those conversant with such matters
that due precautions are not used. The season of the
year, in the first place is very objectionable for vessels
crowded with inexperienced voyagers, to be exposed, not
only to the chances of shipwreck on the dangerous sands
that surround our eastern coast, but to others of a more
terrific character on the coast of America during winter,
of which there are abundant melancholy proofs in the
sufferings and extensive loss of life among poor emi-
grants who have been induced to adventure, at the incle-
ment seasons of the year, when the cold is intense, and
the gales of a character to bid defiance to the skill and
hardihood of the most experienced mariners or the best
constructed and soundest framed vessels.

vv
Again, it appears, that such was the heavy sea that
rolled around the wrecks that the boats could not ap-
proach them, and that they were unprepared with other
means of rescue—hence the loss of life.

I would invite you or any other gentleman, to inspect
a simple invention of mine, having this object in view,
viz., to rescue the crew and passengers from wrecked
vessels when it is found impracticable for a boat, with a
boat's crew on board, to approach the wreck, from the
causes you have stated.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
EDWARD SMITH, It.N.
Surveyor of Steam Vessels.
United Patent Marine Model and Surveyor

of Steam-Vessels Offices, Garden-stairs,
Greenwich, Nov. 17, 1848.

P.S. The plan alluded to may be seen at the above-
named offices.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, FRIDAY.

The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert,
attended by the Marchioness of Douro, Hon. Miss
Kerr, Lord Waterpark, Colonel Buckley and Colonel
F. H. Seymour, arrived at Windsor Castle, at half-
past four o'clock this afternoon from her Majesty and
his Royal Highness's visit to the Queen Dowager, at
the Priory, Stanmore. The royal party occupied
two carriages and four, the escort being of the 2d Life
Guards.

Her Majesty and the Prince were received at the
grand entrance by the Hon. Miss Dawson, Maid of
Honour in Waiting, Major-General Bowles, and Mr.
Ormsby Gore.
The Hon. Miss Caroline Dawson arrived at the
Castle to-day to take her duty as Maid of Honour in
Waiting.

The Judge Advocate General and Sir Thomas Fre-
mantle, Chairman of the Customs, had an interview
with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at
his official residence in Downing-street.
A deputation from the Mauritius Association, con-
sisting of Mr. D. Barclay (Chairman), Mr. Guthrie,
Mr. Steele, Mr. Gower, Mr. A. L. Gower, Mr. 0.
Milligar, and Mr. Clifford, had an interview with
Earl Grey yesterday, at the Colonial-office.
Mr. John Reynolds and Mr. Tidd Pratt had inter-
vievc s yesterday with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening, from
the Colonial-office, for the Governor of Canada, and
also for the Governors of the other North American
Colonies.

ThEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LA/IR.—There were
present last evening his Royal Highness the Condo de
Montemolin, the Duke of Devonshire, the Duchess of
Inverness, Earl of Cardigan, Countess of Jersey, Lord
Suffield, Lord A. Fitzclarence, Earl and Countess of
II arrington, Earl of Chesterfield, Earl of Munster, Lord
Ward, the Swedish Minister, Viscount Dillon, Lord
Fitzroy Somerset, Lord Ducie, Sir Peregrine Acland, Sir
William do Bathe, Sir H. Lushington. Sir J. Flower.
SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY, EXETER HALL.—
The Elijah was performed last night, for the second
time, tinder the direction of Mr. Costa. The oratorio
was splendidly rendered; the principal parts were given
with true religious fervour; the choruses were executed
with power, delicacy, and precision, and the orchestra
was in admirable training. The entire performance re-
flects high honour on the musical intelligence of the na-
tion. The ball was crowded. On Friday next the
Messiah is to be given, with the combined attraction of
the first appearance in London of Mr. Sims Reeves in
this the mightiest work of the great master of sacred
song, and the first time of Costa's conducting one of Han-
del's oratorios.
__

THE COURT.—According to present arrangements
the Court will leave Windsor for the Isle of Wight on
Thursday next, the 23d instant, where it will remain
for about three weeks, returning to the Castle, for the
winter, the third week in December. The eighth anni-
versary of the birth of the Princess Royal will be cele-
brated at Windsor Castle on Tuesday next. A numer-
ous and distinguished party have had the honour of re-
ceiving invitations to the Castle.
SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY, Nov. 17.—The Royal
Mail Steam-packet Company's ship Trent, Captain R.
S. Norton, took her departure this afternoon with the
usual British and foreign West India and Pacific mails,
in charge of Lieutenant Davis, R.N., Admiralty agent.
Her route is via Madeira. She had 114 passenger;
amongst whom were General O'Brien, Lord William
Douglas, Lieut.-Colonel Armstrong, M. M. Henri Cu-
zotte, Consul-General for the French Republic in Chili,
who pruceeds via Panama to assume his official functions
at Valparaiso. The Trent had on freight a large gene-
ral cargo, specie, value 1,8221., and jewellery, value
1,3981., and 14 bottles of quicksilver. The Peninsular
and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's ship Iberia,
Captain C. F. Burney, sailed today with the mails for
Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar. The Iberia
had only a few passengers and 70 ions of cargo, with a
small quantity of specie for Lisbon. The Jupiter, Capt.
Meehan, with the homeward Spanish and Portuguese
mails, and the Pasha, Captain Olive, from Genoa, &e.,
are both overdue, and hourly expt cted.
WooLwlcsr, Nov. 17.—The cholera amongst the
convicts has now greatly abated, and there is not one
single case of danger at present. The number admitted
since the commencement of the disease is 57, of whom
20 died, and 32 have been discharged as recovered. There
were five discharged as recovered from twelve o'clock
yesterday to twelve o'clock to-day—the greatest num-
ber discharged in one day since its appearance amongst
them.
ASTRONOMICAL INTELLIGENCE.—Saturn has lately
been appearing in public without his rings, and has occa-
sioned much animadversions among the other planets,
who accuse him openly of having pawned than!
(Shabby I)—Punch.