The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-17 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY

THE CAPE MAILS.

The speed with which the passage hence to the
Cape and back has been accomplished by the steamers
of the General Screw Steam Shipping Company is
highly creditable to the agents and officers in its em-
ploy. We have now had a trial of their capabilities
for seven months, and without one exception the
vessels have all done their duty well. None, how-
ever, exceeded the Hellespont in the expedition
with which she has performed her voyages, and
the passage she has just terminated, as well as the
one which she previously made, must be
considered as stamping her with the character
of a first-rate boat, and one in which the ad-
vantages of the principle of screw propulsion are con-
clusively exhibited. From an examination of her
dates both outward and homeward we observe that
from Plymouth to St. Vincent she cccupied eleven
days, from that port to Sierra Leone little more than
five days, from Sierra Leone to the Cape a space of
twenty-two days, altogether thirty-eight days—her
former voyage was effected in forty-one days. The
difference is partly to be accounted for by the fact
that her stoppages outward on this occasion
were not more than a few hours, whereas they
amounted to much more on her first voyage.
She remained at the Cape seven days and
fifteen hours, being detained by the tempes-
tuous weather for twelve hours, and three hours at
the re quest of the Colonial Secretary at Cape Town,
who had received important documents from the in-
terior and desired to include them in the dispatches.
From the Cape to Sierra Leone she occupied fifteen
days, and was detained there by the Governor, who
had not his dispatches prepared. In consequence of
this delay, which, although to be regretted, was
perhaps unavoidable on the part of the Governor,
the Hellespont, when she arrived at St. Vincent,
found the Brazil mail packet Tay coaling, and was
again delaye4, above twenty- eight hours. From Sierra
Leone to St. Vincent she occupied seven days, and she
ran the distance from the latter place to Plymouth
in fourteen days. Her homeward voyage exclusive
of stoppages was performed in thirty-six days—her
previous voyage occupied a day less. We may, there-
fore, conclude, that the average time in which this
fine ship will perform the passage will be 74 days, a
period extraordinarily short, and we congratulate the
General Steam Shipping Company on having so
nearly attained their object in respect of speed. The
mails which the Hellespont brought were both large
and diversified, for, besides the ordinary bags from
the Cape and the intermediate stations, she
brought correspondence from most of the
vessels on the coast, At the time the packet ar-
rived the Bristol mail train, which goes on to London,
was about to start, and it was detained that the mails
might be placed in it and sent on. Through some
delay, however, it was found necessary to dispatch
the trai❑ before the mails could be brought to the
station, and they were consequently conveyed to the
Plymouth Post-office. We regret very much not to
be able to add that they were sorted. But no
such thing was attempted, the bags lay unopened
in the office for six hours, and were then sent
off to London by the mail train of the Tuesday
evening, and in consequence, the papers and letters
from the Cape and for this town did not arrive here till
Thursday morning-45 hours after they were landed
at Plymouth—and those for the north of England
could not be sent on their destination until 12 or 15
hours after they might have been. The injustice of
this kind of procedure we have before alluded to, as
we consider it one injurious to the interests of the
post, and slighting its capabilities, as well as not
affording to the inhabitants of the place the earliest
intelligence of the welfare of their friends, for which all
who have any abroad in the places in question feel
much anxiety. The hardship in the present case is all
the more severe from the fact, to which we referred
above, that correspondence from vessels on the African
station was in the mail. It was well known that in
this locality numbers reside who have friends and
near relatives engaged in her Majesty's service in that
part of the world, and that they should be kept so
long without the letters which might shortly after the
arrival of the mail have been distributed among them
is shameful—we can give it no other epithet. The
present, too, is an instance of the extent of the evil, for
had the letters been delivered here, as they ought to
have been, on Tuesday evening, the parties interested
would have had an opportunity of replying to them
and sending their letters by the Virago, which sailed
from this port for the Coast of Africa on Thursday ;
by the arrangement which was carried out that op-
portunity was entirely lost. The evil to which we
are attempting to draw attention is one of a very
serious nature, and which deserves strenuous efforts
to obviate. We have heard it stated that the next
mail packet will bring home separate bags from the
Cape for Plymouth. This, if the report be correct,
will only partially meet th© difficulty, for in such
Cases as that of the ships' letters there would be the
same delay as before. For our parts, we cannot un•
derstand, if Southampton is thought worthy being
intrusted with the general sorting of the mails that
arrive at that port—and if at Falmouth there was also
an establishment for the same purpose at the time the
packets put in there—why Plymouth should not have
its post-office made available for the business of sort-
ing the whole mail and sending the bags on to their
several destinations at the earliest opportunity ; nor
shall we be satisfied until this object—as important to
the manufacturing districts as to our own immediate
neighbourhood—be accomplished.—Plymouth Times.

EVENING, SEPTEMBER 175 1851.

however, to find that it has been contemplated and pro-
vided for by express legislation. The Act 7 Geo. 4, for
consolidating the metropolitan roads, distinctly prohibits
the erection of any building within " fifty feet of the
New-road," or within " forty feet of the City-road, on
any new foundation." Unfortunately, a subsequent Act
transfers the management of these roads to the parishes
through which they pass, since which this salutary pro-
vision has beccme a dead letter. . . . Some years
ego it was proposed to buy up and remove the public-
house which projects so awkwardly at the corner of the
New-read and Hampstead-road; but now it is become
only one or part of a mass of obstructions, too large to
be bought, and being illegal, ought no longer to be tole-
rated. I hope that you will assist in arousing the public
to the assertion of their rights: then I have no doubt
that they will prevail against the apathy or private in-
terests of the local authorities.

CREMORNE GARDENS.

These delightful and most popular gardens, which
have afforded throughout the present season an inex-
haustible variety and profusion of attractive amuse-
ments, were thronged on Monday evening to witness)
the debut of Signora Pauline Violante, the most in-
trepid of rope' dancers. We have seen some daring
feats in rope-dancing and rope-walking before at these
gardens, but never were we more gratified than by
those of the Signora, who is only 19 years of age ;
she walked a rope 108 feet from the ground, and 208
feet long, a sylph-like creature, and perfect thing of
life, "grace in her steps," and elegance in her mo-
tions, fireworks playing below, above, and around her,
and all hearts palpitating but her own. To be rightly
appreciated, Signora Pauline Violante must he seen.
The Deulins deserve particular notice, as devisers
of a very attractive ballet, in which are repre-
sented, with great effect, the four elements,
Air, .Earth, Fire, and Water, and in which Madlle.
Theodore as Columbine, Herr Deulin as Harlequin,
Mr. Seymour as Pierrot (his servant), and Mr. Gardi-
ner the Dancing Tailor, distinguished themselves
much. Signor Guiseppe, the intrepid Spanish aero-
naut, took four compagnons du voyage in his balloon
car, and having set them down at Hounslow powder-
mills, started for the gardens by the rail, and was
hailed on his return as an intrepid young aeronaut
ought to be. We should not omit to mention the
untiring attention of Mr. Adams to all parties, and
the order and good feeling which prevailed through-
out the entertainments—features deserving of no-
tice in connexion with so large an assembirge.
The present enterprising director of Cremorne, Mr.
T. B. Simpson, has, throughout this most remarkable
year of 1851, gallantly sustained his part in " the
Great Exhibition of All Nations," and the character
for spirit and enterprise of his own, justly winning
"golden opinions from all sorts of men." The merit
and the multitude of the affiches he has put forward
have amply fulfilled the most sanguine expectations of
his friends and supporters. We cannot describe the
details of the whole campaign; but some notion may
be conceived of their extent when we state that the
programme for the present week embraces the unri-
valled performances of Franconi and his troupe, con-
certs, the exhibition of the Bosjesmans, Centel°, s
Incubator, a ballet pantomime of great excellence,
balloon ascents, tableaux vivans by the Denim
family, panorama of Nineveh, the inimitable
singing of Pell and cceEthiopians, a double-
sighted youth of extraordinary powers, a female
conjuror, and a number of other sights, which we
really cannot remember. In addition to this pro-
lific list there are numerous fetes; and the mimic re-
presentation of the Siege of Gibraltar, upon the river
Esplanade, is a vivid pourtrayal of one of the greatest
events in the history of the British Navy. Such a
programme we venture to think has never been sur-
passed. Its extent and variety adapt it to all tastes
and all ages, and we can bear testimony to the care
and faithfulness with which it is carried out. But,
independently of spectacles, performances, and
amusements, this favourite resort has its own natural
merits. It is situate in a choice locality, which
aristocracy might envy, yet within the easiest possi-
ble access from all parts of the metropolis. Its green
swards, gently undulating here and there, and well
kept walks, are surrounded on three sides by venera-
ble trees of majestic foliage, whilst on the fourth
there is an extended river front. In such points as
these Cremorne has neither rival nor equal ; and it is
only just to add, that its management is worthy of so
fair a place.

IRELAND.
ARRIVAL OF THE PREMIER IN DUBLIN.

DUBLIN, TUESDAY.—Last night the few loiterers
on the pier at Kingstown, awaiting the arrival of the
express mail from Holyhead, were somewhat taken
by surprise on recognising among the passengers who
stepped on shore the well known person of the Queen's
Prime Minister. His Lordship was accompanied by
Lady Russell and family. The whole party proceeded
to town by the half-past ten train. Of course this
day the quidnuncs will be at their wits' end to divine
the cause of Lord John Russell's visit to the Irish
metropolis.