The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-17 00:00:00

CAPTAIN GI SMITH'S PADDLE-

BOX SAFETY BOATS. --
Latest testimonials in favour of Captain G. Smith's Paddle-
box Safety Boats, with the Parliamentary Rerort of the
Select Committee on Shipwrecks.
_

United Service. Club, Pall-mall, May 14, 1846.
My dear Smith—•l am sorry to fitid it has been asserted
that paddle-box boats cannot be easily and safely got into
the water when the ship is rolling much; now the contrary
of this was most apparent in the Growler, as well as the
Penelope, Eclair, and Hecate, off Shebar and Gallinas, on the
coast of Africa, where I have seen them used by each of these
vessels, at anchor on the open coast, and underweigh at times
when it would have been very inconvenient, and attended ,
with considerable risk as well as much loss of time, to have
hoisted out the pinnace, or other boom-boat, by the fore-yard
or other means; added to which, a paddle-box boat carries
nearly twice as much as a pinnace. I recollect an instance
of our supplying the Ardent with provisions and stores, while
rolling heavy off Shebar, by means of our paddle-box boats
(with which she was not fitted), in the course of an
afternoon so as to enable her to proceed that evening, instead
of being detained till next day. Many similar opportuni-
ties of benefiting the service, and, consequently, of proving
the value and importance of these boats, occurred on that
station. At Sierra Leone, for instance, coal-lighters could
seldom be obtained, and it often became necessary to ship
100 or 200 tons of coal in these boats only, while the pin-
nace and other boats were watering, &c. Without the
paddle-box boats the steamers would have been detained a
week or ten days, instead of two or three, which, in the
sickly season, would probably have cost some lives. On one
occasion, while rolling off Shebar, we received coals from
the Penelope without difficulty; on another, we supplied
the Hecate with them under similar circumstances,
or rather, when rolling still more heavily; in short, with-
out these boats, the service must have been delayed',
and some of the operations could not have been attempted,'
It would be superfluous to advert to their vast utility, f
might say, infinite value, in cases of fire or shipwreck,
and in carrying on war-like operations, lightening the ship
when on shore, laying out anchors, carrying guns, &e.
Finally, I do not see a single objection to their being univer-
sally adopted in all sea-going steamers ; and they possefa
advantages from their form and size which could not be de-
rived from any number of smaller boats that could be car-
ried by them ; and, as I have before observed, my experi-
ence (of nearly four years) has proved to me that they are
much more readily and safely got into the water than any
deck boats carried by steamers, as they only require being
turned over into the water, which is done by a few men.
I should have stated that the boats so frequently used by
the Penelope, are enormous boats : one of the Growler's could
safely carry 85 men, though considerably smaller than
Penelope's.
Believe me always yours very faithfully,
CLAUDE M. BUCKLE, Capt. R.N.
FROM CAPT. HALL, It N., LATE OF THE NEMESIS.

Junior United Service Club, June 1, 1846.

My dear Captain Smith—My opinion of your paddle-box
boats is, that no steam vessel, large or small, belonging to
the navy or merchant service, ought to go to sea without
hem. Very faithfully yours,
WILLIAM H. HALL.

The Brussels Opera company left London yesterday
(Sunday) morning for Antwerp, by the steam-ship Soho,
from Brunswick Wharf, Blackwall. As they performed at
Drury-lane Theatre on Saturday night, and were so en-
gaged until midnight, the time allotted for preparation for
their departure was very small, and as their theatrical
wardrobe and effects were delivered to them in bulk on

their arrival here for professional purposes, without payment
of the duties, under protest that they should be again ex-
ported to Belgium within a stated limited period, it became
necessary for the director, on the part of the troupe, to
make application to the revenue authorities for their exami-
nation to take place at a very early period of the morning of
yesterday, previously to shipment and their departure, in
“rder to relieve the parties to the bond from the onus which
had devolved upon them for the general convenience of this
gifted company. . _

- Gossip.-Paris.-The Italian Opera has
published its programme; it will re-open on the Ist of Oc-
tober. Grisi, Persiani, Marietta Brambilla, Mario. Latlaclie,
Ronconi, Corelli, Cullini, Tagliafico, Peppina Brambilla,
Angiola Albini, and Coletti, are among the engagements
announced. The theatre continues under the direction
of M. Vatel. A new opera, La Coquet du convent, the
music by Henri Potier, has been produced at the Opera
Comique, with considerable success. The success is traced
to the performers, Madame Potier, Mdlle. Marie Lavoye,
and St. Foiee, rather than to the music, or the book, which
is the production of MM. Planard and Leuven. A dramatic
version of Clarisse Harlowe, after the form given to it by
Jules Janin, has been produced at the Gymnase Dramatique
with brilliant success; the names of the authors are MM.
Dumanoir, Leon Guillard, and Clairville ; the first and last
of these have had little to do in the work, but M. Leon
Guillard, the real author, to insure its production, was
compelled to avail himself of the names and prestige of others
better known, if not clever than himself ; this is the system
in Paris. M. Guillard is a cousin of Massol, the singer.-
Vienna.-Liszt, the pianist, after giving about a dozen con-
certs here, and a great number more in the Austrian pro-
vinces, was attacked by an inflammatory fever which raised
apprehensions about his life. Under the care of M.
Loewe, the famous homoeopathic doctor, he recovered
entirely, and will shortly repair to Italy. The Album
de Sainte Cecile informs us that on the 11th of July the
inauguration of the monument to Gluck took place.
Mozart's Requiem was executed.-It is stated that
Jenny Lind has refused the offers made to her from
the Imperial Theatre at St. Peterburgh-viz., forty thou-
sand silver rubles for five months, and one thou-
sand rubles extra for each representation. Among the most
interesting features of the forthcoming festival at Birming-
ham is the 93d Psalm, to which Moscheles has set music.
lEgh expectations are entertained of this first essay of
this master in the ecclesiastical style. Balfe, the new chef
d'orchestre of her Majesty's Theatre, has signed a renewed
engagement with Mr. Lumley for two years. He has adopted
the poem of Halevy's Mousquetaires de la Reba for his new
opera at Drury-lane Theatre. Leopold de Meyer, the pianist,
promises to return to England in May. Miss MEssent has
concluded an engagement with Mr. Bunn to fill the situa-
tion of seconda donna at Drury-lane Theatre. A chorus
written by Rossini, to celebrate the recent Pontifical mark
of clemency, has been much talked of. Some :say it is ori-
ginal, others that it is from one of the finales of the Donna
del Logo, others that it is from some less known work; but
no one seems absolutely to know anything about it, not even
the Bolognese, who regard every movement of Rossini with
so jealous an eye.-New Italian Opera.-This bubble has
burst effectually, Persiani, the original proprietor, having
withdrawn from the speculation.-Musical World.
BROWN'S HOSPITAL, OR THE BEDE-HOUSE, STAN-
MM.-The estates of this charity, comprising 1,805 acres of
land and 116 houses, yielded, according to the report of the
Charity Commissioners in 1836, a yearly revenue of about
1,2451., viz., the reserved rents (numbering 60), 587/. 10s. Bd. ;
the " fines," which amount to two-thirds of the rental,
3941. 12s. Id.; sale of wood and bark, 1161. ; and dividends on
stock in Consols, 1471. This income, the average of the seven
years preceding 1836, may be reckoned as being what is at
the present timezalised; but investigation has proved that,
by a more equitalgle mode of rental as much as 3,0001. may
be realized annually for the benevolent objects of the charity.
A year ago the matter was entered into by a young man re-
sident in Stamford, who has sines had communication with
the Bishop of Lincoln, and had his Lordship's cordial concur-
rence in the desire for an extension of the " charity" to the
ample extent which the estates may be made to ensure. The
Bishop, with the consent of the Archbishop of Canterbury,
has the power to alter the statutes relating to the hospital;
and from a conversation the other day which his Lordship
had with the applicant (Mr. G. Burton), it seems that the ne-
cessary steps for running out the present leases, and effecting a
better arrangement of rental, will forthwith be adopted by
the authorities of the hospital, certain powers being sought
from the Court of Chancery. The proposals submitted to the
Bishop were, the adepting of a more just mode of determin-
ing the rents, the discontinuance of the "tines," and the
addition to the charity of as many out-pensioners as the
augmented funds will allow-each having an allowance of
clothing and six shillings a week. It appears that four other
persons in Stamford have had communication with the
Bishop of Lincoln on the subject ; and there is at length a -
hope that the statutes of the institution (which have been for
ages withheld from public view) will be promulgated ; and
that the disgraceful malappropriation of the large means
given for the benefit of the poor, by one who intended to be
a liberal benefactor to the town (but whose perverted means
have done little more than add to the thousands of other
examples of the danger of entrusting to the clergy the admi.
nistration of charities) will cease within a short time, and
that the benefits of the Bede-house will be extended, as they
ought to be, to 150 persons, instead of fourteen.-Stamford
Mercury.
EFFECTS OF FREE TRADE.-The weaving trade in
Scotland has sensibly improved since the
passing of the
Corn Bill. From many of the weaving towns and villages
the reports are favourable, the weavers being. both more
plentifully supplied with work and at better prices.-Man-
chester Examiner.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE THAMES.-COOMheS and
Campbell are in close training for this match of Wednesday
next. The latter is the favourite at five to four. Both men
are first-rate scullers, and besides the stakes of 200/., a very
large suns of money in bets is pending the issue.
CLASPER AND NEWELL.-Newell has published a
letter, in which he states that he is willing to row Clasper on
the Thames, five miles, or any further distance he pleases, for
2001. aside.-Durham Advertiser.
ILLNESS OP THE DUBE OF MAIII,BOROUGH.-BIR-
MINGIIAM, SUNDAY, ONE O'CLOCK.This morning a special
messenger arrived here by the mail train from Liverpool, to
procure the immediate attendance of Dr. Hodgson, M.D., and
J. W. Whateley, Esq., solicitor to the above nobleman, who
is now lying very ill in his yacht, Wyvern, at Beaumaris.
his Lordship left Liverpool on Thursday afternoon at three
o'clock, for Cowes, but was taken ill, and the vessel, was put
back and medical assistance instantly obtained ; but his
disease increasing, the Duchess ordered a messenger to be
dispatched for the above-named gentlemen, who will leave
here at two o'clock for Liverpool.
The Marquis of Lansdowne left town on Saturday
afternoon for his seat, Bowood Park, Wilts.
AMERICAN PRODUCE.-The following supplies com-
prise the principal portion of the most noticeable arrivals
which have taken place from the United States of America
and Canada during the past week. The Jane, Irons Mon-
treal, brought 1,540 barrels of flour, and 8,415 minots of
wheat; the Metoka, arrived at Liverpool from New York,
brought 4,062 barrels of flour, the large number of 11,370
bushels, and 745 sacks of wheat, 520 tierces of beef, and
1,790 bushels of Indian corn ; the Alliott, at the same port,
also from New York, 1,000 barrels of flour, 9,613 bushels of
wheat, and 4,101 bushels of Indian corn ; the Prince Albert,
from Quebec, 4,045 barrels of flour, the produce of Canada;
the Arabella, from New York, 3,900 barrels of flour; the
Robert and Ann, from Quebec, 2,981 barrels of flour, &c. ;
the Undine, from,Quebec, 2,144 barrels of flour and other
articles; the Calliope, from Quebec, 7,070 barrels of flour,
and the large number of 14,282 staves for coopers' use. And
the following, comprising the latest arrivals at the port
of Liverpool, all took place in one day;-the Paul Jones,
from New York, 7,450 barrels of flour, &c. t • the Monon-
gahela, from New Orleans, 1,925 sacks of Mien corn ;
the Yasoo, from New Orleans, 3,572 sacks of corn, &e. ; the
Fidelia, from New York, 3,104 barrels of flour, 186 barrels of
lard, several packages of hams, tongues, &.; the Laura,
from New Orleans, 4,207 sacks of wheat, &c.; the John
Cumming, from New Orleans, 2,225 barrels of flour, 1,582
sacks of wheat, and 3,565 sacks of Indian corn ; the • Eliza-
beth, from Montreal, 2,683 barrels of flour, 136 barrels of
pork, and 105 kegs of butter; the Queen of the Tyne, from
Montreal, 7,649 minots of wheat, 1,070 barrels of flour, and
140 kegs of butter; the Lavinia, from Montreal, 3,617
barrels of flour, &c. ; the Mary, from Quebec, 1,576 barrels
cf flour; the Coverdale, from Montreal and Quebec, 2,160
barrels of flour, 34 barrels of pork, several of hams, and
4,584 bushels of wheat ; the Jane, from Montreal and
Quebec, 3,350 barrels of flour, &c. ; besides numerous vessels
from the provinces of Canada, St. John's, New
and other ports of North America, laden entirely
wood
with
goods of American produce.Brunswick,
THE COBDEN TRIBUTE. -subscribed by Manchester and
tThehe totalsurioundianmg odu-insttricntotwO
the Cobden national tribute fund is 4h3,563/1. 17s. 3d. The
al-
ready reaches 62,0004 at Examiner.
aggregate of the subscritphteiolneatstrfarugwouultiesttersecountry