The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-04 00:00:00

114161.,

THE RIVER PLATE.
(Extract of a Letter.)
MONTE VIDEO; JUNE 9.—After several attacks during
the months of April and May upon her Majesty's ships
and steam-vessels, from the batteries of San Lorenzo,
Tonolero, and other forts on the banks of the River
Plate, and that of Parana, the last, and most severe, was
that at the former place, on the 4th of June. The
firing lasted for nearly seven hours, and most providen-
tially the loss on our side was not so great as might have
been expected. We regret to announce that Mr. Barnes,
clerk in charge of her blajesty's steam-vessel Lizard
(Commander Tylden), and Mr. Webb, the master's-
assistant, together with two seamen, were killed by a
shot from one of the batteries as the Lizard proceeded
up the river, and the same shot which caused the death
of those officers and men wounded Mr. Miller, the as-
sistant-surgeon. Three others of the crew were likewise
wounded. _ _

Lieutenant E. J. B. Proctor, commanding her Ma-
jesty's steam-vessel Harpy, received a shot between his
body and one of his arms, by which he was much
injured.
The barrancas, or cliff*, are about 120 feet in height,
thereby enabling the enemy to fire down upon the ves-
sels, many of them being completely "riddled" or per-
forated with shot. In some instances her Majesty's
steam-vessel Alecto (Commander F. W. Austen) was
so near the shore as to be made fast by her cables to the
trees.

The sudden change of temperature must be very
trying to those on the station, the thermometer having
within a short time varied from 80 degrees to 28 deg.
Her Majesty's steam-vessel Lizard had received lour
shots through her steam-pipe.
Her Majesty's steamers conveyed 109 merchant•ves-
sels down the river, four of which went aground, and by
order of Captain Sir Charles Hotham were burnt, their
crews having been previously put on board other vessels
by officers and men from her Majesty's steam-vessel
Alecto, whose boats, one commanded by a Lieutenant,
and the other by the acting Paymaster and Purser (Mr.
Pidcock), rescued them, taking care to preserve clothes
for them.

Previous to the action of the 4th, a rocket party wa:
selected from the various ships, and mustered on board
the Alecto. This mode of warfare proved very destruc-
tive to the enemy, who evinced strong feelings of hatred
towards the English and French ; and whilst the boats
from the Alecto were rescuing the crews of the four
vessels which had grounded, they were subject to a con-
stant firing from the battery. It is rep,,rted that Rosas
has succeeded in landing two 68• pounders near Buenos
Ayres, which were subsequently sent up to reinforce
the batteries of San Lorenzo. This is the third action
which has taken place on this station within four months.
During the absence of the fleet up the river, a revolution
had occurred in Monte Video, in which many lives were
sacrificed.

Rosas and Oribe have issued a proclamation that the
officers and men of any boats or vessels bearing an En-
glish or French ensign shall be treated as pirates, and
put to death.

- On the 6th the Alecto proceeded to Obliged°, and
then to Monte -Video, where she arrived this day with
dispatches. Her Majesty's ship Resistance was at
Monte Video.

Altogether the warfare has been severe ; and inces-
sant energy, exertion, and skill are required by our
officers and men, to preserve the navigation of these
important rivers, and to prevent depredations and
piracy ; although it is evident that our present force on
that station is quite inadequate to the entire and im-
mediate suppression of the usurpers and, their numerous
followers.

MR. LEADEP, ALP., and the "TIMES.'
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—If you will insert in your paper the enclosed
answer to a very unfair and unfounded attack upon me
in the Times of this molting, I shall be very much
obliged to you.—Your obedient servant,
J. TEMPLE LEADER.
Putney-hill, Sept 2, 1846.

" Sir,—l should have taken no notice of your extract
from a French paper yesterday, but for your comments
on it to-day. The story of the deer, roebucks, stags,
bounds, and huntsmen in pea-green liveries, is merely a
stupid hoax, like others which have in former years ap-
peared in a French paper, and probably by the same
hand; my only surprise is, that there should be any
person in London silly enough to believe so very silly a
story. You, however, make this absurd nonsense the
foundation for a false charge against me. You say that
the Member for Westminster does not even pay his con-
stituents the compliment of remaining throughout the
session to represent them in Parliament.' This
is entirely untrue. I was in England and in the
House of Commons before the end of January. I
have voted during the session on almost every question
of importance; and I was in the House of Commons on
Friday when Parliament was prorogued. As to my con-
nexion with the electors of Westminster, I have com-
municated my intentions to those of the electors at whose
request, and through whose honourable and independent
exertions I first became a Member for Westminster—
and I believe they are satisfied that in not resigning my
seat I have acted according to their wishes, without re-
ference to my own convenience. Your insinuations against
my patriotism require no answer. I feel certain that lam
quite as good an Englishman at heart as any writer in
the Times, and I cannot think that an ardent admiration
and a sincere respect for the many brilliant and great
qualities of the French nation need in the least diminish
au Englishman's honest love of his own country.
" Your obedient servant,
"J. TEMPLE LEADER.
"Putney-hill, Sept. 2, 1846."

FATAL ACCIDENT ON BOARD HER MAJESTY'S WAR
STEAMER SlDON.—Wednesday an inquest was held be-
fore Mr. C. J. Carttar, at the Duke of Sussex Tavern,
Woolwich, on the body of Francis, a convict, aged 32
years, who met with his death under the following cir-
cumstances :—The deceased had been sentenced to
fifteen years' transportation, and having served eight of
that period at Bermuda, had been sent home for good
conduct, and was in hourly expectation of receiving a
free pardon. William Taylor, a convict guard, deposed
that the deceased and a gang of convicts were assisting
in putting stores on board the Sidon off the dockyard on
Saturday last, and that whilst lowering a coil of rope
weighing six or seven hundred weight into the hold, the
rope, being too heavy, slipped over, upsetting the hatch
on which deceased and the boatswain were standing, and
precipitating them into the engine-room, a depth of six-
teen feet. The deceased, whose skull was broken, lin-
gered in greet agony for twenty hours. The jury re-
turned a verdict of Accidental death."
NEW POLICE-COURT AT CLAPLIA M.—A new Police-
court is in the course of being erected in Larkhall-lane,
Clapham ; hitherto the police charges have been taken
to Wandsworth.
TUE Naw AERIAL OMNIBUS.—In consequence of
the repeated blocking up of the principal London tho-
roughfares, a plan has been proposed for opening two
lines of communication by means of strong lines of rope,
capable of bearing the weight of vehicles. So that by
suspending the carriages, the inconvenierce of suspend-
ing the intercourse between different points will be alto-
gether avoided. It is evident that the only method of
surmounting the difficulties of transit which are being
continually raised by paviours, commissioners of sewers,
and others, is by literally passing over them. Statior.s
for taking up and setting down might be opened at the
various columns and steeples on the line of road, com-
mencing with the Monument on Fish-street-hill, stop
ping at Nelson's pillar, for tr.e passengers to and from
Charing cross, continuing to the Duke of York's, and
concluding, while Piccadilly is in its present state of
blockade, at one of the arches of Hyde Park-corner.—
Punch.
THE NEW PAVEMENT IN FLEET - STREET.—This
. pavement, which the contractor boasted would last 25
years, has not answered the expectation of the public.
Although only laid down a few days, the centre of the
street, from Gosling's bank to St. Dunstan's Church,
has, in many places, sunk nearly a foot. The whole of
that portion must be repaved, which will again stop the
thoroughfare between Chancery-lane and Fetter-lane for
a few days. The whole of Fleet-street will be com-
pleted by Friday.
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES.—A label affixed to a
celebrated pump in the Strand, bears the following in-
scription :—" This pump is locked during Divine ser-
' vice on Sundays, and in the week."
Loss or LIFE ON THE RlVER.—Wednesday evening
the body of Charles Stevens, aged 13, was picked up at
the Essex-street pier. The deceased and another boy
were playing on the barges close to the pier, on Tuesday
night, when the former fell into the river. His com-
panion was so terrified that he ran away, and said no-
thing about Stevens's fate until he was missed at night.
When the body of the unfortunate bey w,.s brought to
his parent's residence, near Water-lane, his father, who
was not prepared for the melancholy occurrence, lost
his senses, and had?it is said, to be put under restraint.
Advices from Launceston to the 17th of April,
Lid Sydney, mention the failure of Messrs. Henty and
Co., of that place, who, it is stated, have stopped for
90,000/. The Launceston firm is solely represented by
Mr. James Henty, of Launceston, who possesses an in-
terest (one-third) in the house of Henty, Brothers, at
Portland. This latter firm is not, however, involved in
the failure at Launceston. The creditors at the meeting
seemed perfectly satisfied with Mr. Henty's conduct, as
they voted to him a sum of 5001., with his personal
effects, and an allotment belonging to Mrs. ilenty, in
which he possessed a life interest.
DREADFUL ACClDElNT.—Wednesday morning an
accident of a most dreadful character occurred to a lad
named Samuel Cooper, aged fifteen years, whose friend.
reside at Mill-pond-bridge, Bermondsey. It appears that
the unfortunate boy was employed at the King and Queen
Ironworks, ltotherhithe, and while engaged in the plain-
' ing-room, some portion of the machinery caught his
' trousers, which drew his right leg between the works.
• His screams brought the workmen to his assistance, who i
stopped the engine, but not before the poor fellow's leg
was most frightfully torn and mutilated. He was imme
diately carried to Guy's Hospital, where he was promptly
attended to by the surgeon connected with the institu-
tion. The poor lad is progressing as favourably as can
be expected.
ILLEGAL DEALING IN REGIMENTAL NECESSARIES.—
The facility with which military necessaries are disposed of
in the neighbourhood of Chatham is matter of frequent
complaint. A. case of this kind came before the county ma-
gistrates at Rochester, on Monday, in which James Chalklin
was charged with having sundry articles of this description
in his possession. The case was heard ex parte, as the offender did
not think it inudent to make his appearance. From the
statemept of Butes, a constable, it appeared that on the 14th
ult. he met Chalklin carrying a bundle containing regimental
necessaries, which he took from him, and meeting him again
on Tuesday, the latter asked him to restore the articles he
bad taken from him. The constable, however, handed him
the summons for his attendancebefore the magistrates to
answer the charge. He was adjudged to pay treble the
value of the property found in his possession, onto be in,.
prisened six months in Maidstone gaol.