The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-14 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

We have received five days' later news from the
Cape of Good Hope, viz., to the 20th March, in-
clusive ; but it is destitute of general importance,
as it relates almost entirely to matters of a colonial
interest.

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY MORNING.

By the Peninsular and Oriental Company's
steamship Sultan, Captain Cook, with the Penin-
sular mails, we have dates from Gibraltar, May
sth ; Cadiz, 6th ; Lisbon, 9th ; Oporto, 10th ;
Vigo, 11th.
The Sultan brings 39 passengers, 1,5671. in
specie, 'and 1,616 half-chests of oranges, 792 ele-
phants teeth, &c.
There is no news of importance by this packet
from Lisbon.
The cutter Spider, belonging to the Royal Yacht
Club, arrived from Cork on the 7th inst.
The Royal mail steamer Avon, expected with
the Brazil mails, had not reached Lisbon when the
Sultan left, nor the French steamer Cadiz, also
expected from Brazil.
The Lisbon exchanges for three months are
quoted this mail at 54g on Loudon ; Paris, 520 ;
Amsterdam, 431 ; Hamburg, 49g ; and Genoa, 517.
Transactions were limited to Paris, Hamburg, and
London, and upon the latter bills remained over at
54i, takers requiring 541.
The Stock Market was very dull at 404 to 41i
ex div., for Three per Cents. ; Bank of Portugal
shares, 500 to 502 ; Oporto Bank Share; 18 to 20
per cent. premium.
The weather at Lisbon had improved, and, after
seven months of continual rain, there appeared
some chance of summer.

The Deputies had not voted the bill respecting
Portuguese bonds and the projected new loan.
Intelligence from Gibraltar reports that the Ame-
rican barque Elizabeth, of New York, in attempt-
ing to beat out of the Straits, had got ashore en
the rocks off Cabrita Point, but was afterwards re-
leased with the loss of a portion of her cargo.

THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND, THE

NAVAL REVIEW.

PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.

A court.martial was held to-day on board the Victory,
flag-ship, to inquire into the causes that led to so much
complaint in the House of Lords in reference to the de-
lays caused by the inattention to the engines, by allow-
ing the fires to get too low, &c., of her Majesty's steam
troop-shlp Transit, Commander Charles It. Johnson, on
the day of the great naval review, and owing to which
their lordships were detained on the water an unreason-
able length of time. The inquiry was thrown into the
following charge against Mr. William Collier, acting
assistant-engineer of the third class on board the Transit
_ _

—" For that he, the said Mr. W. Collier, doing duty
on board on the 23d of April last (the day of the review),
was in a state of drunkenness, and unfit to do his
duty." _ .

The Court consisted of Captains H. J. Codrington,
C.B. (president), Sir T. Maitland, C. 8., G. R. Mundy,
G. A. Eliott, J. E. Erskine, J. Robb, G. Ramsay, C. 8.,
U. Lyster, the Hon. J. R. Drummond, C. 8., W. J. E.
Clifford, R. Harris, R. S. Hewlett, C. 8., J. H.
Cockburn, and Mr. H. J. Hellyer, Deputy Judge-
Advocate of the Fleet.

Commander Johnson, of the Transit, was the prose.
cutor.

Charles Graham M‘Gregor, first lieutenant on board
the Transit, deposed that the prisoner Collier was em-
ployed on the 23d of April last as acting assistant third-
class engineer on board that ship. Ile appeared to
have been drinking, and was certainly not sober or fit
to do his duty. Between eight an I ten o'clock in the
evening, about half an hour after the company bad
left the ship and landed to return to town, the com-
mander sent for all the officers to assemble on the quar-
ter-deck, and severally asked them their opinion of Mr.
Co der's sobrie'y and fitness for duty. Witness replied—
" I do not consider him sober."

In reply to the Court, witness farther stated that he
had not seen the prisoner previously, on that day, to the
assembling of the officers on the quarter-deck. The offi-
cers then present were, besides witness, the second lieu-
tenant, the master, and the chief engineer. The second
lieutenant gave it as his opinion that the prisoner was
not fit to do his duty, or words to that effect. The mas-
ter also said in effect he was of opinion the prisoner hal
been drinking, and was not fit to do his duty. The chief
engineer, to the best of witness's recollection, said be
thought the prisoner had been drinking. The prisoner
talked thick, and his appearance at the time was cer-
tainly that of a man who had be -n drinking. In reply
to the commander, prisoner denied having been drink-
ing. He walked and stood tolerably steady ; still wit-
ness considered prisoner was in a state of drunkenness.
The Transit was at anchor at this time. Did not receive
any report during the day concerning the prisoner.
In reply to the prisoner, M'Crregor swore that when
they were on the quarter-deck, the first named was not
sober. The day in question was one of extraordinary
excitement, and all the engineers had been on duty the
whole of the day. But witness did not think that this
excitement and fatigue would give an appearance of
having been drinking. Prisoner's character previous to
the day in question had been very good.
W. C. Robinson, second lieutenant of the ship, de-
posed that when he was asked by the commander, on
the quarterdeck, as to Mr. Collier's sobriety he consi-
dered he was not sober or fit to do his duty. Prisoner
was sent below under arrest.
In reply to the Court, the witness further stated that
the ship came to an anchor about eight p.m. He had
not seen the prisoner on that day before the officers were
assembled on the quarter-deck. The prisoner did not
speak very clearly 'to Commander Johnson. Witness
was not aware that anything had occurred during the
day to induce a suspicion that the prisoner was not sober.
The prisoner had no question to put to this witness.
Mr. James Thomas Davis, master of the Transit, also
deposed to the prisoner not being sober or fit for duty
when the officers were assembled on the quarter-deck.
In reply to the Court, this witness further stated that he
had seen the prisoner in the engine-room at about five
in the afternoon, but not remaining there longer than to
inquire if the commander was there, he had not time to
notice what state of sobriety the prisoner was in at the
time. Neither did witness notice if any other persons
were in the engine-room when he entered it. Shortly
after, witness went down a second time, as they wanted
more steam, the vessel having been going very slow.
He asked the chief engineer if they could not get a little
more speed. He replied, "We shall go on directly."
She did go faster immediately. The fires had been allowed
to go down. The prisoner's incapacity to do his duty, at
nine o'clock, evidently arose from drunkenness.
In reply to the prisoner, the witness said that the
former's character, prior to the day in question, had
been good.
Mr. John R. Johnson, chief engineer of the ship,—cle-
posed that at about 5 p.m. on the 23d of April the fires
got very low. The commander went into the stoke ho'e
at about that time, and placed the pr;si nor, whose duty
was there, under arrest, for being drunk and unfi, for
duty. Witness had not an opportunity of judging then •
whether prisoner was drunk or not. At 9 o'clock the
same night he believed prisoner was not sober.
In reply to the Court, the witness said he did not
think prisoner was fit fer duty. At about an hour before
prisoner was placed under arrest, he (witness) saw him
in the stoke hole at his duty, and there appeared no rea-
son to find fault with him. Subsequently, and shortly
before the arrest, finding how the fires were getting,
witness sent the first-class assistant-engineer to the
stoke hole to get the steam up. It was the prisoner's
duty to keep the fires up.
After a little further evidence, the prisoner made a
brief defence, and cared Commander Johnson to give
him a character. It was a very good one.
The Court found, at four o'clock, " That the charge
was proved, but, in consideration of the previous good
conduct of the prisoner, did only adjudge him to be se-
verely reprimanded, and dismissed her Majesty's ship
Transit."

The expenses of the cel9btated " Dyce Sombre" cas
in the Court of Chancery have already amounted to
80,0001., and the case is not yet concluded. The proceed-
ings connected with it have extended over 12 years.
At its last meeting, the committee of Drury-lane
Theatre came to the resolution of not permitting enter-
tainments of the bal masque class to take place again in
the building.