The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-11 00:00:00

JUNE H, 1851.

r Buffalo mouth with troops brought by the Singapore.
In Simon's Bay found her Majesty's ?hips _Hermes
and Orestes, and a barque, bound to England. May
19th, at Sierra Leone, found the Cygnet, Spy, Glen-
bumen, Ellen, &e. The Spy sailed on the 20th. On
the 26th, at St. Vincent, found a United States brig
of war and her Mcjesty's steamer Teviot. June 24
passed a French ship outward bound, and on the 6th
passed a Danish barque bound to the east. -
The following letter, dated King William's Town,
British Kafraria, March 29, though not of the latest
date, contains details of several operations which have
not been before described :
.
" After the destruction of Fort Armstrong, as briefly
detailed in my last, dated the Bth instant, on the 05th
nit„ the combined force of Burghers and General So-
mcrset's division moved to Eland's Post, immediately
occupying it with the European levy, securing at the
same time eighty prisoners, and taking possession of
twenty-eight waggons and a large quantity of provi-
sions belonging to the rebel army. From this post they
proceeded to Pniiiptoo, which, instead of finding, as
hitherto supposed and proverbially stated to be, the
most loyal of ail the Hottentot s,ttlercents, wes disco-
vered to be the very nursery and Is tbed of discontent
and rebellion. Here Levet:Lc en waggons were seized,
and property to a very great rxtent, evidently the pro-
duce of the wild harvest of devastation and murder which
these traitors have for acme time been r,apir,g. Break-
ing up this nest of rebels, the while rookery, min- 1
si _,naries not excepted, were marched to Eland's P,,st.
Here a minute investigation was made, by General So-
merset into the cause of the rebellion among
the Hottentots, and the corsequences of its
progress, points not easily elucidated, from the circum-
stance that the energetic measures already adopted
produced on the instant an universal display of the
most devoted loyalty and submission. 160 of them
were, however, disarmed, and forty-eight waggons con-
fiscated, the contents of which told but a lame tale either
for their honesty or loyalty, being composed of splendid
assortments of silk dresses, riding habits, fine linen, &c.,
which never could have been in use among the squalid
and filthy beings in whose possession they were found.
On the 28th of the month General Somerset returned to
Burghers' Post, where he had left the Fort Armstrong
prisoners, his cattle, and wounded men, and where he
now mustered 46 waggons, between 400 and 500 women
and children, and 370 prisoners, independent of 12
waggons he had left at Eland. During his absence at
Eland, Burghers' Post had been attacked in a most de-
termined manner by the Kafirs, who were repulsed with
severe loss by Major Blakeway, who had been left in
charge with 400 men. I had almost forgotten to men-
tion that the two field cornets Andreas Botha and Piet
Bruintjes were absent with the rebels when the Ge-
neral reached Philipton, and that it was also disco-
vered that this loyal settlement had furnished its
quota of men for the defence of Fort Armstrong. Such
was the state of affairs in that quarter up to the 3d
instant, at which time General Somerset bad returned
to Fort Hare, his head-quarters, from his brilliant and
most successful operatiens, carried on since the 22d
of the previous month. On the 10th instant an order
was transmitted from the Commander-in-Chief for
a general court-martial to assemble at Fort Hare,
for the trial of such rebel insurgents as might be brought
before it, and up to the last date of our intelligence from
that place, the 21st, the court-martial had been sitting
every day from nine to five o'clock, but, with whatever
results it terminates, the proceeding will give little sa-
tisfaction to those who have suffered from the devasta-
tions of the Hottentots, or to the colonists at large, who
have addressed memorials to the Governor, urgently
seeking that a special commission may be appointed to
investigate the whole affair.
" I may now revert to the operations of the Whittlesea
force against the Hottentots of Shilo, which had so un-
expectedly been put a stop to by General Somerset's
order to Captain Tylden about the Ist of February. It
will be remembered that the armistice consequent upon
the order was only on the one side, as after its receipt
the Hottentots and Tambookies made several fruitless
attempts to take Whittlesea, and daring its continuance
they did not fail to employ themselves most zealously in
taking possession of all property, cattle, horses, sheep, and
goats they could come upon. On the 26th of the month,
however, a counter order from General Somerset was re-
ceived by Captain Tylden, intimating, at the same time,
his approbation of what had taken place, and conveying
his thanks to the officers for their gallant conduct; and
it was therefore resolved that on the following day
another attack should be made upon Shilo, to drive the
rebels from their stronghold, the church, and crush the
revolters by one decisive blow. You may imagine their
astonishment and disappointment when they discovered
that the opposing force consisted of eight old women
and one old man (Tambookies) from whom they learned
that the Hottentots and their allies, having received an
intimation of the intention of their enemies, had de-
camped on the previous night, taking with them, as a
matter of course, everything of a moveable description.
Being determined not to relinquish an attempt upon
Mapass's Tambookies and their allies, the Hottentots,
on the 4th of March, they started from Whittlesea to
beard the lion in his den, with a force of about 400 men,
consisting of Fingoes, Cradock volunteers, Colesborg
and Burghers Dorp levy, and about 170 friendly Kafirs,
mounted, under Samuel Kama. On their march they
were joined by De Witt, and his command of 500 boers;
and, in about seven hours from the time of starting, came
upon the enemy, who had entered the narrow gorge of
a mountain pass, and were waiting, far within the na-
tural basin which was formed beyond it, for the ap-
proach of their antagonists. Driven from their pcsition
by Kerma and his horsemen, they were compelled to
cross the river which intersects the basin, and in doing
so lost eleven of their number. Forming themselves
into two parties, they took up two strong positions on
the other side, from which however they were ere long
dislodged, but not before they had driven hack the
boers, who had engaged the party on the left, and who,
unfortunately, gave way when they should have stood
firm. However, their work was done for them, and the
intrepid assailants crossing the river, which reached their
middle, arid disengaging a party round the bottom of the
mountain to come upon their front, while the remainder
pressed upon them in the rear, drove them up to the
mountain, whither the Cradock mounted volunteers pur-
sued them in a most gallant and heroic manner, and
would, there is little doubt, have made fearful execution
among them had not intelligence been sent by Kama
that a large force of the enemy were about to intercept
their passage at the ford and cut them off from the re-
mainder of their force. Too few in number to risk
being surrounded by an overpowering force, the speed of
their horses saved them, as, by a quick but orderly re-
treat, they gained and repassed the river before their
enemies came up; the first man who attempted to fol-
low being shot dead upon the spot. Meeting at a place
of appointed rendesvouz they found that they had only
lost five men, and had two wounded in the engagement,
and, to give their horses a little very necessary rest,
they off-saddled for an hour, feeling no doubt, satisfied
with their success, as they had numbered 47 of their enemy
lying dead upon the field. About five o'clock P.M.,
seeing the country around them covered with their black
and wily foe, they remounted, and proceeded to leave
the basin by the same narrow neck by which they had
entered it. Here the enemy made a most determined
cffort to prevent their passing, but Kama, having first
gained the Kopjee, kept them in check until the several
divisions passed him. He, however, was soon after-
wards outflanked by tho enemy; darkness was coming
on, and symptoms of fear showing themselves among
the Fingoes, who, by the by, fought with the most un-
flinching bravery during the whole day, and it required
the most determined steadiness and exertion on the part
of Car ain Tylden and the other officers of divisions, to
prevent a confusion which would have led to a complete
massacre. The Cradock volunteers being placed in the
rear kept up an incessant fire, and the whole force was
marched through the defile with the loss of only one
man killed and one wounded. Marching direct to
Whittlesea without a halt, they arrived there about two
o'clock in the morning of the sth, having been about
twenty-four hours away. There requires no comment
on this daring affair. Without any regular soldiery or
field-pieces, the enemy was braved and chastised in his
own fastnesses, with a determination and bravery which
reflect the highest praise upon all who were engaged in
it. So far, then, is our present intelligence from that
part of the country also of a satisfactory description, un-
less there may be truth in the report which is in circu-
lation, as coming from a private source, that Mapassa
has since broken into the colony and carried off a quan•
tity of stock belonging to the farmers on the frontier.
The truth of this time of course will tell.
" In the north, Field-Commandants Joubert, Olivier,
and Read have been operating most zealously against the
Tambookies. From the 26th of January to the 18th of
February they had captured 9,000 head of cattle and 400
horses, and killed upwards of 250 of the enemy. On the
Ist of the present month a strong line of posts had been
established along the Tambookio frontier, consisting of
Albertie's and Greyling's field-cornetcies, and the camp
of Mr. Joseph Read and Commandant Joubert had then
returned home with the Colesberg burghers. On the
25th of February Mr. Read's camp was attacked by the
Tambookies during the night, bat they were beaten off,
and on the following day followed by Read, who killed
38 of them, and took 700 cattle. Rather an unfortunate
affair took place in the native reserve on the 22d of
February with the chief Morosi, and a detachment of
troops under Mr. Cole, Civil Commissioner of the Albert
division, in which nine English volunteers, eleven Hot-
tentots, and eight Fingoes were killed, and sixteen
Fingoes wounded. The misfortune seems chiefly to
have arisen from too much reliance being placed in
the chief Morosi, who by his crafty villany in-
veigled his enemy into his toils. The circumstances
are perfectly illustrative of the cunning sometimes,
displayed by these gentlemen. The disaffection of
this chief having been suspected, for his having counte-
nanced several robberies committed by his people and
the Tambookies, for which neither restitution nor com-
pensation would be made, he was reported to the Civil
Commissioner of the Albert division, Rho proceeded
forthwith to his kraal, to know his sentiments, when he
professed his firm attachment to the Government. It
was, however, considered necessary that he should be
watched, and accordingly a party of 100 burghers were
dispatched to the vicinity of his kraal on the Great
River, to prevent him from rendering assistance to the
Tambookies, with whom Major Warden was engaged on
the other side of the river. This party, fearieg no mo-
lestation, it appears, had off saddled, and were watching
the proceedings going on across the river, when Moroni
himself, with a troop of his desperadoes, dropped upon
them, and demanded what they wanted there. By the
intercession of the Rev. Mr. Bertram, who happened to
be there with them, they were saved, us, but for his in-
terference,
they would in all probability have been mur-
dered to a man. At this juncture Mr. Cole arrived in the
Wittebergen, and communicating with Major Warden, it
was resolved that the troops, with the latter, should cross
over to Moron's kraal, and know definitely what were
his intentions. This was done by means of a boat
1 which was commenced and finished in a day.
) Mesbeengera were accordingly sent to learn his intene
1

tionp, and request his attendance at the camp. Perched
securely in his eyrie on the mountain top, he returned
for answer that he was not for war, and that his fear of
the Tambookie3 prevented his coming to the camp; but
that if Mr. Cole would approach nearer to his kraal
with a small force. they could then treat, he being
willing to submit to any terms. Relying upon his good
faith Mr. Cole approached to within about a mile and a
half of his kraal, with about 100 burghers and volun-
teers, and dispatched another messenger, guaranteeing
safe escort to his Highness if ho would condescend to
come down. " No, no," his answer was now, "if you
want me you must come and fetch me ; it's war time,
Mr. Cole, and dangerous travelling." By this time it
might almost be surmised he had sounded his tocsin
from hill to valley, and every kloof was pouring forth
a black multitude to overwhelm the intruders en his do-
rains. A retreat was the only alternative, which con-
tinued until the party was reinforced by the troops who
had heard the firing at the camp ; when the Rofirs, in
their turn, were obliged to fly under a shower of £hot
and shell, which did great execution among them. Sixty
cf them were killed, and the slaughtered cattle retallon
which bad been lost when the retreat comtnei.c:d. On
the Ist inst. Msjor Warden had retorted to Moan Fon-

for the purpose o!' rait,iug us larg. a ford tv.4 poz-
tible, having arranged fur z,.k uttaii upon Alorosi and
tt e TamboolLics Liu the 17t,ta the mcnth.

On the night of the 19th. during the absence cf the
patrol spoken of hereafter, we were called to arms by an
alarm given from the Pingols, and in a few minutes
the few troops the camp could teen muster were in arose;
some disposed for the protection of the place, and ()there
immediately on the spot for the assistance of the Fiu-
goes. Short as the time was which had elapsed, these
intrepid fellows ha.'s. driven their assailants off without
their intended seizure of cettle, and with the loss of one
man. They killed one of the 'enemy, Solos Kafirs, end
wounded another, who was found the following morning
disabled, and was brought to the hospital of the 6th Re-
giment, where he died about twelve o'clock. No informa-
tion could be extorted from him, except only that there
were 50 of them who attacked the kraals, and that they
would return again that night. On the same day a party,
consisting of Mr. Gillam, late of the 7th Dragoons, his
brother, and two others, were attacked within a
mile and a belf of the camp, on their way
from Fort Murray, by a party of Kafirs, and dread-
fully abused. Mr. Gillam was wounded in seven places
with their assegais, and still lies in a hopeless state.
One of the men escaped unhurt, but the other two were
each wounded, one very seriously, the other in the
haud. This occurred on the line of road on which we
have hitherto had safe conduct, and, if reports may be
believed, we may attribute the cause of this violence to
a spirit of revenge for some supposed insult rather than
to any falling off in the virtue of our friends and allies in
Pato's country. On Pato every reliance is still placed,
and with good reason, as with but slight escorts of the
levies we are almost daily gratified by seeing 30, 40, or
60 waggons loaded with every kind of provisions coming
safely into head-quarters, sometimes, indeed, accompa-
nied by Pate's people themselves.
" The chief Umkye also continues faithful and of great
service to us. Oa the 18th he brought safely into
head-quarters several hundred sheep, 200 head of
slaughter-cattle, seven waggons laden with oat lay,
and several traders' waggons with merchandise. The
intentions of Kreili and Umhala are still very doubt-
ful, the former, it is believed, having hitherto been
deterred from declaring war by the reported descent of
the Zoolas to our assistance, and the latter appears to
be entirely under the control of Kreili. Perhaps the
success which has attended the efforts of the boors and
burghers against the Tambookies, his neighbours, may
have a similar effect and keep them both quiet, although
on the 9th of the month we find some of their people
engaged with Mr. Joseph Read's patrols near the
Waschbank, in company with those of Fedana and
Quesha and 150 Hottentots. In this instance Com-
mandant Read attacked and routed, with 80 men, a
force of the above-named pat ties 800 strong.
" On the 25th of the month we were greatly delighted
when we saw from the camp the patrols returning, which
had been away ever since the 18th, and bringing along
with them a beautiful herd of 1,000 fine fat cattle, evi-
dence of success we had yet to be told of. His Excel-
lency the Commander-in-Chief, early on the morning
of the 18th, moved on Fort White with the 2d division
under Colonel Mackinnon, consisting of three guns of
the Royal Artillery, commanded by Major Wilmot; two
companies of the 6th Regiment, under the command of
Lieut.-Col. Stuart; the 73d Regiment, under the com-
mand of Lieut.-Col. Eyre; a squadron of the newly-
mounted levy, under Major Armstrong; those of the Cape
Mounted Rifles who were retained in the service, and a
number of the different levies, amounting in all to about
1,500 men, for the purpose of anticipating a daring in-
tention of the enemy, of which he had had certain
information, to attack Fort Hare and rescue the Hotten-
tot prisoners now before a military tribunal at that
place. Early the following morning his Excellency
marched on Fort Hare, expecting to fall in with the
force of rebel Kafirs and Hottentots which had been dis-
patched from the Kat River to bring away from King
William's Town the deserters and traitors of the Cape
Corps to assist them in their intentions; and in his ex-
pectations he was not disappointed. About seven in the
morning, when the division was about crossing the
Kieskamma in two columns, by the middle drift and the
one above it, the enemy was seen in various directions
on the right, making for a mountain called the Hegu, on
the right bank of the river. Having commenced a par-
tial attack upon the right flanking column end been re-
pulsed, the enemy rapidly proceeded to occupy this
mountain, where they seemed to be in great force, when
a disposition for attack was instantly made by our Com-
mander-in-Chief. Four columns were rapidly formed,
which, moving forward simultaneously, drove the
enemy before them in one continued and gal-
lant rush, while Major Armstrong's squadrou of
mounted levy, a party cf the Cape Corps, and
the intrepid Fingoes, pushed round the mountain
and intercepted their retreat, and the whole body in a
mass, consisting of about 2,000 men, were driven out of
the mountain at all points, and pursued across the open
country between the Hegu and the great Amatola range
and over the river Incweai, with a rapidity which pre-
vented the slightest resistance. Upwards of 50 were
killed, among whom were three of the Cape Corps de-
serters, while on our side only one man of the levy was
wounded. On the 20th his Excellency halted at Fort
Hare and transacted business with Major Somerset. Di-
recting his route on the 21st along the foot of the
western Amatola range through the populous valley of
the lucwazi on purpose to provoke an encounter with the
enemy, the Commander-in-Chief marched on Fort Cox,
burning the villages and devastating the country on his
march. Numbers of the enemy were seen, but the con-
flict of the 19th seemed to have taught him a lesson of
caution, as the troops without molestation from him,
reached Fort Cox, where they halted for a couple of
hours, and then marched on Fort White. On approach-
ing the Debe Flats a considerable number of Kafirs were
seen on the Kwahoo ridge, which joins these flats to
the Amatolas, and were instantly attacked by
the mounted levy under Major Armstrong and
the Cape Corps, the infantry moving rapidly
forward in support, and the artillery taking
position as high upon the ridge as practicable.
A very hot engagement ensued with the mounted force,
which resulted in the enemy's being closely pursued up
the ridge to a corn-field, where they took refuge, being
well defended by a strong natural barrier of wood and
rock. In this strong position they were gallantly at-
tacked by the mounted men, who dismounted to fight,
end by the Fingoes and levy, who supported them with
the utmost intrepidity, the whole animated to exertion
by their commander, Lieutenant-
Colonel Cloete, De-
puty-Quartermaster-General. Hot, indeed, was the
tight, for before the flanks of the enemy were turned
by an advance of portions of the 6th and Tad Regiments
under their respective commanders, Lieutenant-Colonel
Stuart and Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre, up a steep and
difficult acclivity, and which was made with a rapidity
that would hardly be believed, they had lost thirty-
seven men and a number of stands of arms. Their
flanks thus turned, they were pursued by the detach-
ments above mentioned, headed by their daring
leaders, through a dense mountain forest, which ex-
tended to the distance of three-quarters of a mile.
Here they gained an open and elevated country, and
and
crowned Commander-in-Chief then moved on
crowned the high range of the Tab' Indoda, the troops
dispersing the enemy in every direction, and burning one
of their mountain kraals. Nig ridge towards
ht coming Ex-
cellency '
on, his
ordered a return by the Kwahoodusk.
On White, which was reached two hours afterl-eav
eed
On the 22d the troops were indulged
atwitthhrenewoel'clock the
and very necessary day's halt; and
following morning marched towards Old Fort Willshire
for the purpose of devastating the fertile country of no's
tribe and spoiling their cattle. Not long after daylight
the spoor of cattle was discovered,e fort, and the troops leading towards the
Kieskamma, opposite the
came
upon numbers of them
directions. In two hours the
various in different di
aeda kloofs were swept of their bellowing inhabitants,
beautiful herd of nearly 1,000 head of black cattle
was collected and driven off, it is to be hoped, as a reward
for their valorous and iedefatigable conduct. About two
P.M. they reached Quibigha, about ten miles from Fort
White, halted and breakfasted, and arrived at the latter
place about an hour after dusk. In the capture of
the cattle four of our men were killed and six wounded.
It would be difficult to convey an adequate idea of the
terribly fatiguing nature of these operations, and yet
nothing can be done effectually unless they are carried
on rapidly and at distant points, coming down upon the
enemy when he least expects a visit from his foes. On
the 24th the column halted at Fort White, not only that
the troops might have a necessary day's rest, but also
that the Kafirs might have au opportunity of collecting
themselves, and attempting a recapture of the cattle at
the Debe Neck on the following day. His Excellency's
wishes on this latter point, however, were not realized;
the recent defeats of the enemy must have had rather a
stunning effect, as the troops marched on the 25th into
heed-quarters, about 2 P.N., without having even seen
a single Kafir on the day's long march. Thus ter-
minated a most laborious but most successful
patrol. During the five days the troops were
actually on the march they travelled a distace of 126
miles under as hot a sun as ever glowed upon a human
head in any country, and suffering from a want of
water. On the 23d they marched 26 miles before halt-
ing either to eat or drink, captured 1,000 head of cattle
from the enemy, were constantly skirmishing for at
least 12 hours out of 16 they were on their feet, during
which time they had marched 36 miles, independent of
penetrating dense kloofs and fastnesses, and climbing
:ong and precipitous mountain ranges. Never,' says
the Commander-in-Chief in General Orders, did
troops, enduring such heat and thirst, march greater
distances in higher spirits; and his Excellency trusts
that, by continuing the lessons recently taught the sa-
vage, this laborious war may speedily be brought to a
conclusion.' Indeed, the engagement of the 21st, on the
Tab' Indoda Mountain, ought to teach him that neither
his bush, his mountains, nor his forests, can save him
from the sword of just retribution.

S V N.
--------
Rumours from the north are nc,t of a very sat'
factory description respecting proceedings on the GrEtiKri,
ci i4,*
River. Nothing, horerer, authnntic has yet been no"
•
ceivo."

ADDITIONAL TRACES OF SIR JOB

FRANKLIN.

\:;~~ u;
~

%

- -
SM.-7LN'

The report that a cairn of stones, raised by Sir John
Franklin's expedition, had been discovered in Jones's
Sound in 1848, by the Prince of Wales whaler, has re-
ceived within these few days very distinct confirmation,
rendering the statement by far the most important—
presumptive or otherwise—which has yet reached us re-
specting the missing expedition.
From the voluntary testimony of one of the seamen
engaged at Stromuess for the Prince Albert, we have the
following facts, elicited and taken down in the presence
of Mr. Kennedy, the commander of that expedition, and
others; and the statement is attested by the seaman in
question, William Millar, who declares that, if required,
he would make the same upon oath. He states that he
was on board the Prince of Wales in IS4S, when, early
in September, during very thick weather, they ( ntereil
(as they believed) Laucsster Sound, and steered west,
advancing slowly. The fog c,:ntinut.d very heavy for
snore daf s, wheu it suddenly litre cl, i.nd high land was
seen on the larboard sele, over the mast head. The
being at first doubtful if it were she 10. an of ice-
bei gs or of land, sent a boat of to ascertain the feet, and
of this party William Millar fOrmed one.
Ho states il;at on landing th.:, marks of shoe prints
were distinctly visible in the mud, above high water
mark; close by was a small cooking pine', blackened by
fire, end a little further on a well-bulls cairn, about tour
or live feet high, of which the party pulled away a few
stones, bat being recalled by a signal from the ship,
which was being driven on shore by the current, were
compelled to return on board immediately.
It was believed by the master of the Prince cf Wales,
the veteran Lee, of Hull, that he had advanced in a
westerly course up this sound, a distance of nearly 15U
miles, under the impression that he was in Lancaster
Sound; but this beliet was removed on making his way
outward, and the doubt confirmed by passing (to the
southward) the wide opening, and well-known headlands
of Lancaster Sound. It became evident that ho had
been in .the hitherto unexplored and more northern
sound, named after Alderman Jones, a passage which, it
has long been believed, leads directly into the sea north
of the Parry Islands. William Millar further declares
that, at this point the passage widened, and that an open
sea with islands lay before them.
It is impossible to entertain any doubt that this cairn
indicated the fact that some of Sir John Franklin's
party have visited the spot in question; and wo can have
no hesitation in asserting that beneath the pile so care-
fully raised is deposited distinct information of his pro-
gress and future intention. As to the period of the visit,
we may assume either of two conclusions—first, that
during the detention of the vessels off Cape Riley (evi-
denced by the relics brought home last autumn by the
Prince Albert) a boat party was sent to explore Wel-
lington Channel, and thus would arrive at the point in
question, lying, as it would appear, at the north-east
extremity of that channel—this supposition not impugn-
ing our belief that Sir John Franklin was then on his
way to the south-west, according to the first part of his
instructions. Secondly, we may suppose that having
failed in attempting to proceed in the south-west
direc-
tion, Sir John Franklin had attempted the north-wes-
terley, prescribed to him as the alternative, and had gone
up Wellington Channel, with the view of passing west-
ward, leaving notice of his intention at the point in
question. The latter supposition gives a more recent
date to the shoe prints, though we are assured by Artie
travellers that similar marks endure with distinctness
during successive seasons.
We repeat, therefore, that to the point in question we
may look for further and positive intelligence of Sir John
Franklin, and we trust that a vessel specially directed
thither will be forthwith dispatched. The point lies en-
tirely out of the beat of any of those now employed upon
the search, and will most likely not be approached by
any of them; for although Sir John Franklin, being upon
an exploring expedition, might detach a boat-party out
of his direct course, those gone to seek him would
naturally confine their search for traces of him to the
route he was ordered to pursue, and thus necessarily be
ignorant of the existence of those of which we write.
Whatever motives may have influenced the Admiralty
in the abandonment of their intention to send a steamer
to the Arctic Sea this summer—and we will do them
the justice to believe that some other than those pre-
sented by Admiral Berkeley to the House of Commons
have influenced them—whatever,_ motives we say,
have lain at the bottom of their unfortunate
change of intention, the time has arrived for revising
that decision, and happily it is not too late to do so.
If they need such support, the aid and counsel of
such men as Parry, Richardson, Sabine, Baechey, and
Scoresby can be obtained at a moment's notice, and to
these men can we look with confidence, that they will
advise no means to be rejected which can throw any
light upon a question in which our national honour, as
well as our deepest feelings of humanity, are involved.

ROYAL LONDON YACHT CLUB.
The second match of the season among yachts of this
club, for a very eletiant silver cap and cover, presented
by Mr. J. Wicks, the Vice-Commodore, came off yester-
day, but owing to the unfavourable state of the weather
was far from being so pleasurable to the company in at-
tendance us matters of this sort ordinarily are. The ar-
rangements of the club had in every respect been most
excellent, but the very lowering appearance of the wea-
ther on Monday and yesterday morning deterred many,
who in anticipation of first-rate spurt would have been
spenztors, from "putting in en appearance."
The following had been entered to contend:—
Mouse, 15 tons, Mr. George E. Browne—Red, with a
mouse on white centre.

WhiLper, 19, Mr. Thomas Eveleigh—Blae, white, and
red. _ . _

Phantom, 21, Mr. Samuel Lane—White, rod border.
Secret, 25, Mr. Robert Bell, jun.-131ue, with diagonal
red cross.
Gnat, 4, Mr. H. J. Smith—Red and blue.
The Meteor steamer had been chartered by the club
for the accommodation of the members and their friends,
and the band of the 17th Lancers engaged for their
amusement. The steamer was well filled, considering
the circumstance to which we have alluded; besides
which the Gemini steamer. the Atalan, Cynthia, Ino,
Paragon, Lily of Devon, Fleur de Lis, Terolie, and a
number of yachts, were in attendance.
The course to be sailed was from Erith to the Chap-
man Head and back, and the Whisp3r was the favourite,
the Secret being the next taken for choice; but a great
desire was e xtphopanr
te si sne
thedl
gvirt
ho
ht
iswsepiene wrd
shmsa
mould,
ue
lt
cuihi
ge
could
ui
ttltbdl little d
foGo,
unanasdt
etbuilt
b e somethinghi nt edu
to an eight or nine-ton boat.
The boats all being at their stations, at ten
minutes to one o'clock a signal was fired to get in
readiness, which was followe by a drenching shower
of rain. Tho start was effected under the direc-
tion of Mr. Goodson, the able commodore, at 12 hrs.
53 min. 15 sec.; the wind being at the time extremely
light and chic fly from the northward, but after-
wards veering to the eastward and making some beat-
ing work, which had hardly been expected in the course
downward. All were in trim and round in almost an in-
stant, the sails being set with more than the usual alac-
rity. The Secret and Gnat hauled to the southward,
and the other three to the northward, but the course
taken by the Secret put her well to windward, and she im-
mediately afterwards went in advance of the whole of the
little fleet. The Mouse had the worst station, as being
most to leeward, and was, moreover, hampered by a
brig which put her about directly after the start. The
Whisper was a good second, the Phantom third; and,
although the Gnat really proved herself to be a wonderful
little boat, she of course soon fell astern of yachts 80 su-
perior in measurement. Board succeeded board and
reach reach, without any variations, and they rounded
the Chapman Head as follows:

_
hrs. min. sec.
Secret ..• ••• ••• 4 14 47
Whisper ... ..• .•• 4 23 49
Phantom ... •
4 35 16
Mouse ... •
4 43 45
They all turned very prettily, and as the wind was fa-
vourably up they. set to work with flowing sheets to per-
form the return journey, but had scarcely proceeded a
mile when the Secret, which had run over to the Kent
shore, got on the Bligh sands, where she remained
nearly five minutes, but got off before her opponents
came up, and thus still retained the lead. For a short
time the Whisper appeared to be so near as to place the
victor in the balance, but the Secret shortly afterwards
drew further ahead, and the yachts respectively main-
taining their position came in thus—
hrs. min. sec.
Secret 29 50
Whisper "9 5010
Phantom ... ... 7 4585 30
Mouse ...
The cup was presented due form,
and received with
suitable acknowledgment, after which the steamer re-
turned to London, and malgre the wet stateof the wea-
ther, the company appeared mach to have enjoyed ,
them-
selves, the attention of the stewards, the excellence of
by Mr. Gore, and the reason-
ablenessthe refreshments supplied
giving universal satisfaction. It
was
a m
minute per ton being allowed.
tie of
race, the
a s
n

WESTMINSTER FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.—An
adjourned public meeting of the members and friends of this
society, resident in the neighbourhood of Boston, was held
at the Rosemary Branch Tavern, Holton, last evening, for
the purpose of making arrangements for the transmission of
subscriptions from members in that locality ; G. E. Denneff,
Esq., in the chair. Mr. G. Huggett, the secretary, ex-
plained fully the objects of the society, which he stated was
formed in August, 1849, and enabled members to obtain land
in Middlesex, Surrey, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Hertfordshire,
13uckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Hampshire. The land
was purchased, and retailed to the members at the wholesale
price, the subscription benaw 3s. a fortnight. Two estates
had been purchased, and the committee were in treaty far
others. Mr. Parley was appointed agent for the Holton
district, and it was arranged that the members should meet
monthly, in order to organise a large branch in that popu-
lous neighbourhood.
- - -

CAPTURE or A WHALE.--A Whale of very large
dimensions was taken on Friday last in Great Man's Bay, on
the coast of Connemara, and his capture was effected in
rather an unscientific manner. It appears the huge creature
pursued some fish into a narrow creek which was not wide
enough to give him turning room, and there he stuck, and
whenever he opened his immense jaws his assailants poured
in the cavity large stones until they tilled him to the teeth
with granite, an operation that took them a whole week to.
accomplish. In the end, however, they got a good supply of
blubber for their labour.—lrish iaper.
LONGEVITY.—There is at present living in the
lligh-street, in the parish of St. Ann, Lewes, within the
space of about a quarter of a mile, in which the grammar
school is situate, 33 persons between 60 and 70 years otage,
2.0 between 70 and 80, six between SO and 90, and ono be-
tween 90 and 100. In ten years there have been only 101
funerals of the parishienigo, the population being 750.--
Sesser .Express.