The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-21 00:00:00

TIT '1 AE STRALIAN [AIL SPI?VICE.

The directors of the Peninsular and Oriental
Company have published a statement in -answer to
the one made in the House of Commons, by Mr.
Wilson, the Secretary to the Treasury, relative to
the Australian mail contract. Mr. Wilson stated
that one reason why the contract was given to the
Glasgow company, was because that company en-
gaged to commence the service immediately, ,
whereas the Oriental company could not begin
it until their ships were discharged from the trans-
port service, and had been refitted. The directors
assert that while the Glasgow company will not
commence carrying the Australian mail, via India,
before February next, they (the directors) could
have commenced carrying it before that period, and
they offered to run three powerful steamers from
Galle to Melbourne, at a fortnight's notice, so that
a postal communication between Southampton and
Australia could have been opened at once. Mr.
Wilson, likewise, stated that another reason wll9
the Australian contract was given to the.Glasgovr
company, was because they offered to con-
vey the Australian mail between England and
Australia, whereas the Peninsular and Oriental
Company offered only to convey it between Suez
and Melbourne. The directors of the latter com-
pany assert that the reason why they offered only
to convey it that distance was because the term%
of the Government tenders specified only between
Suez and Melbourne. The directors admit that
they would not engage to convoy the Australian
mails if cumulative penalties were enforced upon 3
non-fulfilment of the contract, " from whatever
cause arising, and in no case to be relinquished,"
because in the event of the mail packet striking Oil
an unknown and sunken rock, or being destroyed
by lightning, they would be mulcted in the cumu-
lative penalties. The sum which the Glasgovr
company have engaged to convey the Australian
mails for is about 7,7001. per voyage, which extends
to a distance of nearly 13,000 miles ; and according
to a table of the cumulative penalties which the
directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Compaq,
have published, the Glasgow company's mail
packets must be behind time 17 clays each voyage,.
before the above-named sum will be forfeited.

AUXILIARY SCREW STEAMERS FOR
AUSTRALIA.
..-

(Front the Liverpool Albion of this (lag.)
SUCCESSFUL VOYAGE OF THE ROYAL
CHARTER.

Before the Royal Charter left this port we took cosi' '
derable interest in the preparations which were being
made by the Australian Screw Steam-ship Compaq to
shorten the voyage between England and the gold.prew
ducing land at the Antipodes, and to establish something
like regularity and certainty in the communication be-
tween the two. The principle adopted in the conetroe"
tion of the Royal Charter was pronounced, by those in
whose opinion we place reliance, to be exactly:that hest
suited to the peculiarities attendant upon the, voyage'
comprising, as she does, the advantages of afirse•clas°
sailing clipper for a fair wind, with the opticoi, of using
the screw when canvas would be of little or no use. e° . ,
ventured on that occasion to express a belief that
e
would make the run to Melbourne under 60 days i•
she has accomplished it in 59, leaving margin suttlelert
to justify the confidence we entertained of fier,,suooes,:
and to warrant the expectation that she will yet,do it 11
still less time. For it should be borne in mind-that
the vessels which went out about the samce time esthen I
bet.
self made long voyages, having met with
and contrary winds. The Kent, the era •Utielpo
per, left six hours before the Royal Chatter, And bete
were freely made in the metropolis, 'and even in Liver.
pool, that she would arrive out as soon as the,auxiliar
screw-steamer. She was 71 days out, and was therefore
beaten by the Royal Charter by 12 days. The gratifyingt
result of the ,Royal Gharter'e voyage Justifies, the 13038,
that Liverpool continues to have the credit of:iliadi:lir'
ing the distance between the old country and her value
able colony, and that the private enterprise of her 03";
chants, which, combined with het natural advantages a-
a port, has made her what she is, will enable her vesse'-
always to outrun those proceeding from other Orig.
The log of the Royal Charter shows that she sailed
the 17th of February, and crossed the equator in 17 days'
having made in that time 3,219 knots, or 189 ,per da
She passed the Cape of Good Hope on the 38th dee",
distance of 4,632 knots from the equator, making '22°,1,
knots per day ; and from the Cape to Melbourne was ~,`1
days in running 5,469 knot..., or 260 per day. The "P-0
distance being 13,820 knots, and the average 2251 Oa"
per day, or 10j miles per hour.
Writing to the owners, from Melbourne, on the 25th
April, Captain Boyce says :—" The Royal Charter
arrived in Hobson's Bay on the 16th instant, roakie,S,
the passage )nfifty-nine days ; all the passengers higuye
delighted with the ship and their kind treatment
sickness nor any other unpleasant occurrence -during
the voyage. Outside the Heads I delivered to Cafit;
J. Gilmore, steamer Telegraph, the Sydney mire'
which were landed in sixty-one days, ,he rettell'°:
the passage in forty-six hours. At the same tiro,"
I put the mails for Tan Diemen's Land on boor'
the Fenella steamer ; he also landed them in 61 dais'
which has caused quite a sensation throughout the ocila;
Dies. All our saloon cabins are taken ; a great Dee
families in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Van n'e;.
men's Land are disappointed in getting one. - Atoeng,6,
our homeward passengers are Dr. Scoresby and- Lieu-.
Jansen and Chimmo, who were highly pleased and es.
tonished to see how we manage affairs and drive
along Their accounts and writings about the ship will be 7istel
interesting to the world ; and I have felt very proud
have so many scientific gentlemen on board, to wueTeee
have rendered every assistance in my power.
Royal Charter, with a few alterations, may be Made •
most perfect ship afloat ; perhaps she is the'finest e!,•-•
boat ever built ; has beam enough to bear any quentOr:
of canvas, and is easy in rolling. The enginei"reerair
splendid order, and work beautifully. You will see
as
consumption of coal is very small, very little More t---0
200 tons. The connecting, disconnecting, lowering' law,
raising the screw has become quite a simple affair to
a few minutes suffice for it."
From private sources we are not surprised to le all
that Captain Boyce has won golden opinions from :a,
the passengers, who have borne testimony to hijs
remitting care and attention to their comfort alluie-ia
venience ; while the scientific men have been lout'
and
their praise of his skill, and close attention day 3,8 d.
night to the sailing of the ship. They have press Dr,
him with addresses, plate, &c. They had wbAt title
Scoresby pronounces to have been a cyclone, on the de,
instant. Captain Taylor and other nautical faelies,
Clare that they never saw it blow so hard in their v
ber
but the ship scudded through it all beautifully wit", 'ey
two lower topsails and a reefed foresail. Dr. Scores
has been able to pursue his observations on the e°etere
and magnetic influence in the southern henlisPbeeo
almost uninterruptedly (although his health has 11°talas
good), and is in great sprits, his theoretical spec est
tions before leaving England having been verified a'ca
to the letter. • • the
In a letter to the owners, Dr. Scoresby speaks In vs:
highest terms of the performance of the ship. 11°,,elleel.
—"lt may be noted as something remarkable in ne" l• fit
history, that in 29 days we passed through the troli.ert
that in 40 days (note ithstanding unusually light and aeor,
trades) we had made a distance of 'above 8,000 eniles'bo
200 per day, and that at the conclusion of the filtYT-egoe
day we were within 330 miles of Melbourne. e
part of our voyage, in a period of 12 days consecutive eer
the Royal Charter made 3,522 miles, or 292 toilesete•
clay. The qualities of the vessel were proved by eec`iiet
tering the transit of an Indian Ocean cyclone, 'tst'aer
scudding before it, and are of the highest order.
buoyancy, liveliness, ease of action in the crossest 'bb`fe,
most tremendous seas, are as astonishing as admira
The adjusted compasses performed remarkably we 11,30.31 .
did not change so much as usual, owing to their oe°,rbe
position, and other favourable arrangements.
ping
compass aloft performed admirably throughout, pro sad
a correct and safe guide under all circumstances' not
on all courses. The pivots never failed, and 'well the
required to be changed ; and the ihtimatione °l-to be
compass, though wanting a bold transparent carci Jr,viewed from the deck, could be consulted eatiefacto
ee
in any gale, or in any sea. Nothing more, li':"d;pee
fectly satisfied, is necessary for safe compass g,111,001
in iron ships. Congratulating you, and the leiv,,e-Aeat
and Australian Navigation Company, on this firs' ediat,
success of their plan and enterprise, and trusting be
under the Divine blessing, the return voyage I"'
propitious and satisfactory," &c.
Dr. Scoresby has also written a gratifying
bodying the above facts, to the Compass Comrnittes
Liverpool. Speaking of the Royal Charter, he sa)mti.-
" You will have learnt from other sources some P-das
der --
culars of the successful and splendid passage, 011 rto
blessing of Divine Providence, of the Royal CbArterrie,
her outward destination of Port Philip or gelbol:ruiy,
The performance and behaviour of the ship
wet.:
lull
admirable ; but I am decidedly of opinion that -,erout.
letter,e,eolin•
capabilities have as yet by no means been brougu'eet
Her qualities as a 'sea boat,' and her model in rat all
of naval architecture, are, I think, perfect, or
events as perfect as anything yet produced."
easr ol 0
Expressing a hope that the enterprise 01 de-
Gibbs, Bright, and Co., who have done so mile" "-pill
velope the advantages of the screw as an auxiliary liars
prove eminently successful, and that the Auetr eort
Steam Navigation Company will receive that sup take
in Liverpool to which it has proved its claim, will
leave for the present of the Royal Charter, whic"
no doubt receive general attention in a few days'
she makes her appearance in the
e.—

The
AUSTRALIA.-- PLYMOUTH, Sunday Night.
Joshua arrived off Falriacuth, last evening, fronl
ney; sailed April 9. She landed nearly two tesco-t
mails and newspapers. Amount of gold brought ar
known. Her news has been anticipated by
ri Orin-
arvals.e°
SALE OF CHOWN LANDS.—The Crown has given notice
of the sale of the manor of Eworth, and it be ot
well if they sell off all lands and property tbey c 3"
manage.—Building News. i.Aer
LORD WiIITSLEYDA.LE.—We have reason to i""'"
that the question so long pending as to the airibigue-a
position of Lord Wensleydale will be immediately solle t
by the conversion of the life peerage which that euel:
lawyer now holds into an hereditary peerage•
all the circumstances of the case we cannot but expreQr
our satisfaction at this termination of the dispute
surprise is only that so simple a solution of the de l
°ll •
should not have been thought of at au earlier period a
the Senion.—.Timay. • •

'