The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

Or 6 days 5 hrs.
:alifax to Bantry Bay, or Valentia 8 days

Jamaica to Ireland .

Hdaysshrs._

The selection of Tampa Bay, as the place of arrival of
the steamers, appears to be particularly advantageous
for a company projected to carry out Mr. M'Geachy's
plan. The very great importance of the cities of New
Orleans and Mobile, as seats of commerce profitable as
well to the United States as to European nations, is
too well known to require observation from us. At
present the means of communication between these cities
and the principal commercial towns on the eastern coast
of America are extremely defective ; indeed, a sea
voyage between New York and New Orleans is at pre-
sent an undertaking equal to a passage across the At-
lantic. Tampa Bay would be comparatively but a few
hours steaming from the mouth of the Misstss►pi, and
the projected railroad would take the New Orleans mer-
chant to New York in thirty hours.
But Mr. M'Geachy's project is not confined to the
western world. lie proposes to establish another station
at Kingston, from whence the present communication
with Vera Cruz and Mexico, Honduras and the ports on
the Spanish Main, shall be continued, with the addition
of a direct line to Chagres, whence, by means of the pro-
jected railway or other passage across the Isthmus, upon
the plan of Captain Liot, an immediate line of commu-
nication will be established with the city and port of
Panama in the Pacific. And here begins another branch
of Mr. M'Geachy's project, which seems to render it
pi culiarly deserving of the attention of the British
nation. A direct and rapid communication being
established with a large and safe harbour in the Pacific.
on the high way to China, what remains but to establish
a connexion by steam between that most important part
of the great continent of Asia, through Jamaica and
Panama ? Mr. M'Geachy estimates the passage of
large steamers between Panama and Canton at six
weeks, which, taking the passage from England by
the proposed route through Jamaica to Panama as
eighteen days, will open a direct communication to
China in little more than two months. If the voyage
between Panama and Canton be deemed too long for a
steamer, in consequence of her inability to carry coals
for so long a voyage, there appears no reason why coal
depots might not be established in the Sandwich Islands,
which would be almost directly in the route.
Mr. M'Geachy also contemplates, and has designed a
plan for embracing at some future period, in the general
scheme which he has laid down, the Brazilian empire
and countries adjacent. by means of a railroad running
parallel with the coast, and with the aid of steamers
running between a point in the eastern extremity of
Brazil and the coast of Africa, to be again taken up by
rail ways.
The project, we have reason to believe, will, together
with some beautiful maps displaying the lines contem-
plated, be transmitted by the present mail to Sir Robert
Peel, having been previously submitted to Lord Elgin,
and to the heads of departments in the United States, as
well as in Canada and the other British provinces in
America, by all of whom it had been highly approved of.

THE LATE ATLANTIC GALE.
(From the New York Tribune.)
About the middle of January commenced one of the
most terriflic aed protracted tempests that ever swept
the Atlantic—continuing with very little, or rather no in-
termission for over 45 days. Our accounts of the conse-
gyeutenceoemspoafrtahtiivstc,lii ysastrous and unparalleled weather are as
few, but they are such as to induce the
belief that a great number of vessels have suffered either
total or partial shipwreck. Our fleet of over-due
packets, which have been for a month beyond their
usual time, beating and staggering about the ocean, now
enveloped with ice, are looking like huge gems in pro-
cess of ehrystalization, and ninon reeling off through 10
or 20 degrees of latitude to the south, for the purpose
of getting thawed out. Icebergs, snow-storms, and
fierce hurricanes have beset these vessels on every
side, and the sea every now and then swept over
their (leeks, dashed in their bulwarks, carried away their
boats, and lett theweerreewcahrreied
helpless and
nddfarieleyz
nightly,
and and sails, and
and the sailors, of
ficers, and passengers, have been ex-
posed to indescribable
hardships for a dreary period,
which connot be contemplated withoutt
been heard
But
excellent) vessels, withthesefrom,
have heretofore wo
which their successful
contests contests with winds and waves fully maintained the reputation

them.
have been long expected—the Roscius, Sea,
On Saturday, four of these admirable vessels,
have
Hendrik Hudson, arrived in port, gladdening many an
anxious heart and brightening many an eye dim with
watching. Blow we publish the amounts of the pas-
rages of these vessels, which will be perused with
great interest. Such descriptions are like deep sea lines,
which reach the bottom of human sympathy.
Tao ship ktoscius, Captain A. Eldridge, sailed from
Liverpool on the 13th January, experiencing continued
tales from N.W. and W.S.W. with rain, snow, and hail
interspersed with thunder and lightning. January 26
and 27, experienced a heavy gale from the N.W. and
W.N.W., during which we shipped a heavy sea, stove
bulwarks in the waist, and filled the decks with water.
February 11th, in let. 43 22, lon. 49 20, was running in
a gale from S.E., wind hauled suddenly to N.W., and
blew a hurricane with great violence, accompanied with
sleet and snow, stove in the cabin windows, filling the
cabin floor with water, hauled up fore-sail and
fore-topsail, and made every exertion to furl
them, but could not, owing to the excessive
cold weather, and the sails and rigging being full of
ice, and many of the crew having their hands
frozen. February 12, experienced another violent gale
bl(4wing most furiously ; weather extremely cold and
,he sea running very high, during which we carried
away all three topgallant .masts, stove in the starboard
bulwarks in the tang way, letting in the sea constantly
on deck. Everything below and aloft being encumbered
With ice, rendered it impossible for the men to work the
ship. The three topgallant-masts thumping to and fro,
cutting and chafing the spars and rigging, and all the
a` blowing from the gaskets to atoms, making upon
the whole, a dismal scene. February 13, shipped a
heavy sea, stove bow house, tore tarpaulins, and worked
~If main hatches,letting n large quantities of water.
From January 20 to let March, we did not make one

' point of eastern, and had to go south to thaw the ice on
the rigging and sails. Saw some ice to the east of the
banks.
tFoeribN'T.Vhoe.aSr.;sV:hw.i ship
Seafhreonm 2d heavy
sthof January
from
y tothoWlo.Nth.Wof.
the 25th
on the banks; fresh breeze from
forward. Toward
anTdovwerayrdcoolodosso•etaht,,henri;nmuch ice
hauled
abouts v.,thaeodshiiipi
gh t wents hroowu
on
rds byof N.W.to
Innow. N
tNh.eE.
evening; m moderate
severe snow storm, and blew hard from north; ten of the
freshened,wbthrieeneciazretearnndotlni and at 9 o'clock i t came on a very
crew laid up from the effects of the cold, one man suffer-
ing severely; lost foreyard; split the maintopsail; lost
the mainsail and foretopsail; the ship so much iced,
and so many hands laid up, could not do anything
with the sails, everything being in such a state
with the ice; had to bear away on the morning of
the 11th. and run to the southward to thaw off. During
the whole of the day and night of the 11th, it blew a
violent gale from the north, snowing hard all the time.
On the morning of the 12th hove to, in lat. 41 20 N.,
lon. 50 35 W. ; when I bore away I was in lat. 45 30,
lon. 52 45 W. Aft r repairing damages, stood up to
northward again, having drifted back to lon. 49 25 W.,
in lat 41 20 N. February 16 and 17.—Lat. of 42 north,
lon. 51 40, experienced a very heavy gale from N. by
W. and N.N.W., with a heavy sea running, which
caused the ship to labour exceedingly heavy, and make
a great deal of water. On the 10th, had strong wind
from N.W. Latitude at noon, 40 55 N., lon. 53 45 W.,
in company with the Roscius all day. Bore down to
her, and showed signals. She had lost all her top-gal-
lant runts. On the 19th it blew a heavy gale from
N.W, and N.N.W., with violent squalls, and a heavy sea
running. Finding the crew were getting pretty well
faggei out, and having four hands still laid up, stood
across the Gulf. Split the foretopsail and mizen-
topsail. February 27, off Bermuda, had strong
gales from N.W., with a heavy long sea running from
the N.N.W., ship labouring heavy, and making so much
as kept both pumps going, making nearly 3,000 strokes
per hour. March 2, heavy gales from S.E. to S.W. with
a tremendous heavy sea from N.E. In lat. 35 10 N.,
lon. 71 30 W., passed close to a vessel in the morning,
waterlogged and abandonned ; the foremast, the fore-
topmast, and bowsprit were still standing ; the main
and mizan masts were gone about six feet above the
deck, the jib-boom broke short off by the cap ; some
part of the foretopsail had been put round outside the
foretopmast rigging, as if the crew bad been living in
the foretop, but there was no person there when I passed
her ; the anchors were on the forcastle, the bowsprit
and lower masts were bright varnished, yards black ;
she had painted ports, a full woman figure-head, with
a green dress ; she appeared to be a vessel of about 500
tons, and I have no doubt of her being a British vessel ;
but whether a bark or a ship, I cannot say. During
the afternoon and all the night of the 2nd, until half-past
3 o'clock a.m. of the 3d, we lay becalmed, with the most
tremendous sea running from N.E. that I ever saw,
breaking at times the same as on a reef. I expected to
have lest all our masts at one time, the ship laboured so
very bad. When the wind came out, it came all of a
sudden, like the report of a cannon, and blew hard from
N.N.E. Barometer stood at 29 10 until the gale reached
the ship, when it immediately began to rise. It blew
hard N.N.E. all day on the 3d, with a very heavy sea,
breaking a great deal. At nine o'clock a.m. passed
close to the bark Cantero, of Portland, lying to, under
bare poles. At this time we had nearly three feet of
water in the hold ; but finding that we had gained on her
since 6 39, kept on our cou,se.. After an hour and a half,
got the pumps to suck, having now been several hours
without being able to get the pumps to work. On the
evening of the 4th, off ,Curritnck, spoke a Baltimore
pilot-boat. We then made 3,840 strokes per hour,
both pumps constantly going. On the 6th, at daylight,
took a pilot boat off Egg Harbour.
The packet ship Europe experienced, during the
whole passage, constant gales mid heavy seas—lost sails
and spars. Was off Barnegat on Sunday last, and was
compelled to stand off on account of the north-east gale.
March 4th, lat. 37, long. 72 46, fell in with the wreck
of schooner Pembroke of Castine. She appeared to have
been dismasted but a few hours previous, as the spars
were still attached to her, and a large part of the deck
floating within 100 yards of the hull, which appeared to
have been ripped up by the falling of the masts. There
was nothing above water but the bowsprit and a little of
the larboard side and the stern. Shortly after fell in
with the wreck of the brig Orione, Captain Bowne,
laden with molasses, of and for Philadelphia, from Car-
denas, which place sloe left on the 24th ult., and took
from her the captain, mate, and six men. During the
north-east gale on the night of the 2d instant, she lost
both masts, and the deck was swept clean of every
thing thereon. Captain Bowne, the mate, and one of the
men were much bruised and completely exhausted when
taken on board of the Europe.

THE LOSS OF THE EMIGRANT

SHIP CATARAttUE.

Copies of correspondence respecting the loss of the
emigrant ship Cataraque (in Bass Straits in August last
having three hundred and sixty•nine emigrants on
board) have been published, by order of the House of
Commons. The following is an extract from these
documents :

Colonial Land and Emigration Office, 9, Park-
street, Westminster, Feb. 6, 1846.
Sir,—With reference to the intelligence which appears
in this day's public papers of the melancholy loss of the
Cataraque emigrant ship, we think it probable that Mr.
Secretary Gladstone may desire to receive an early
report from us of such circumstances as fall within our
knowledge concerning this vessel. •
She was submitted by the Messrs. Smith and Sons, of
Liverpool, for approval, on the 11th of March, 1845, for
the purpose of conveying to Port Philip the residue of
the emigrants they were entitled to send out under the
bounty contract of 1843. On the 12th of March, Lieu-
tenant Henry, R.N., the Government emigration agent
at Liverpool, was instructed "to make a strict and
thorough examination of the vessel while in dock." He
replied, by stating, on the Bth of April, that the ship
"had had a thorough overhaul, and been found perfectly
sound." On the same day, the owner transmitted the
inclosed certificate of Lloyd's committee, showing that
the vessel had been surveyed by their surveyor a few
days before, and been placed on the first description of
the first class for five years, from 1840, including, there-
fore, the current year. Under these circumstances, the
employment of this ship in the conveyance of emigrants
on bounty was agreed to.
By the nature of the catastrophe, it will be perceived
to have been one in which the seaworthiness of the ship
is not brought in question. Being cast upon a reef of
rocks, in the midst of what is described as a " fearful
gale," with the waves running " mountains high," no
vessel constructed by human skill could hold together.
She struck at about half-past four A.M. ; but it was not
till four P.m. that she is said to have parted, nor does
the destruction appear to have been complete till the
next day. During the whole time the published ac-
counts represent the gale as continuing to rage.
Immediately on hearing a rumour of the vessel's
having been wrecked, we requested Lieut. Hodder to in-
quire into the character borne by the master and chief
mate; and we beg to enclose an extract containing his
reply on this point, from whence it will be seen that no
doubt whatever appears to exist of their competency and
fitness in all respects for their trust.
The calamity is by far the greatest which has occured
to any emigrant ship within our recollection ; and, in-
deed, it is the only occasion of any loss of life whatever
from any similar cause in a ship carrying passengers at
the public expense, since the creation of an office for
superintending this service in 1837. The number of
vessels which have been sent out under the direct
Government inspection since that date has been 208,
conveying 41,842 passengers. Deeply as the present
event is to be deplored, we can only hope that it may ap-
pear from the foregoing statement, that it has not arisen
from an omission of any of the precautions which could
be taken in dispatching the vessel OR her voyage.
We have, &c.,
T. FRED. ELLIOT.

(Signed)

James iite—phen-, Esq. C. ALEXANDER WOOD.
It may be remembered that out of 441 passengers and
crew, only nine persons were saved. Of the crew, con
sisting of 41 men, the first mate, Mr. Guthry, six sea-
men and one apprentice survived ; but of the emigrant
passengers. one alone was saved, namely Solomon Brown,
a labourer, from Sutton, Bedfordshire. His wife and
four children, daughters, all perished. These returns
contain an alphabetical list of the emigrants on board.
The following are a few of the most deplorable instances
of the extensive destruction of entire families from
among the number :—Charles Knott, his wife, and seven
children perished ; William Cook, his wife, with six
sons and daughters ; Patrick Maguire, his wife,
and seven sons and daughters ; Anthony Murray,
his wife, and nine children ; Bernard DiPeaffrey, his
wife and sister, and six children ; Emos Pierce, his
wife, and seven children ; and numerous other
cases where fathers, and seven children were thus in.
stantaneonsly swept from existence. There were alto-
gether 62 families on board, numbering 313 persons ;
besides 33 unmarried feragles, and 23 unmarried males.
The following letter regal ds what is stated might have
prevented this calamitous loss of life and property :

Copy OF ♦ LETTER FROM CAPTAIN HAMILTON, R.N. TO

JAMES STEPHEN, ESQ.

A dml r Feb. 14,1846.
S
dby my Lords Commissioners
of tlitre,— Admiralty am
irai commanded
will bring the following
etoyt o requests e
facts to the notice of Mr. Secretary Gladstone.
1. The number of disastrous wrecks that had occurred
in Bass Straits, determined my Lords to have it tho-
roughly surveyed, which has been done, and the chart
published, and nothing is wanted to its free navigation
but judicious lights.
In the years 1641 and 1842, a Committee of the
Legislature of New South Wales examined our survey-
ing officers, and other evidence, on the best positions for
these lights. Similar steps were taken in Van Diemen's
Land ; sites were fixed, and the Lieutenant-Governor
laid the first stones of one or two of them at the eastern
end of the straits.
Since that, nothing has been done, though each year
has been marked by more or less loss of life ;. and the
last mail from Sydney adds to the catalogue an account
of the wreck, on King Island, of the Cataraque, in which
four hundred and fourteen emigrants perished.
A single light on that island, or on Cape Otway,
would have prevented this frightful mis ortune.
2. Under these circumstances, my Lords trust her Ma-
jesty's Government will take such measures as they may
deem proper, to insure proper lighthouses being erected
to prevent such disaster: in future ; and in the mean
time my Lords will consider it their duty to prevent
transports, with troops or with convicts, to attempt
navigating the said straits till lighthouses have been
built ; and they would recommend that emigrant ships
should be also prohibited from navigating them for the
same period.. I have, &e.,
(Signed) W. A. B. HAMILTON.
To Jas, Stephen, Esq.