The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-24 00:00:00

THE EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH.

(From the Scotsman.)
The Empress Eugenie left Edinburgh on Thurs-
dvi to proceed on a short tour to the North.
Before eleven o'clock a considerable number of
persons congregated in front of Douglas's Hotel, in
St. Andrew-square, and were surprised to see the
78th turn up to the square from Princes-street, and
march up to and past the hotel, with fixed bayonets,
in full regimental costume, and preceded by the
regimental band arid pipers. As soon as the High-
landers approached the windows of the first floor
were thrown open, and the Empress came forward
and gazed down upon their kilted and plumed ranks
with the liveliest interest, and with evident
gratification. At length, when Colonel Ewart
passed the window at the rear of his men, and
saluted her Majesty en militaire, his courtesy
was rewarded by repeated and smiling acknow-
ledgments. We believe this demonstration was
given in consequence of the admiration which the
Empress expressed on seeing the guard of
the 78th during her visit to the Castle on Tues-
day and a casual remark which she made, to the
effect that a regiment of such gallant fellows in
the Highland garb must have a very striking ap-
pearance. Acting on the hint supplied by this
remark, Colonel Ewart, after the 78th had been
paraded in the Queen's Park, ordered the regi-
ment to return by the Regent-road, Princes-street,
and St. Andrew-square to the Castle. The military
display greatly increased the crowd of spectators
in front of the hotel, and as time passed on with-
out any vehicle being brought round to the door, a
rumour of the true state of matters got abroad, aid
the crowd continued to enlarge until, by mid-day,
apparently from 1,500 to 2,000 people had
assembled.

Her Majesty expressed herself highly pleased
and satisfied with the accommodation provided,
and added that she had never felt more at home in
an hotel. On the previous evening her Majesty
had been pleased to send for the visitors' book, and
in a few minutes returned it with her name in-
scribed (under the title of Comtesse de Pierrefond),
along with the names of her suite, and followed by
a note stating that she was " much pleased with
the accommodation at the hotel." About twelve
o'clock, the Empress having been descried by the
crowd at one of the windows, enthusiastic and re-
peated cheers were given, which her Majesty gra-
ciously acknowledged.
In the meantime, a message was despatched to
Mr. Stewart, superintendent at the Edinburgh and
Glasgow and Scottish Central Terminus, intimating
that the Empress intended leaving Edinburgh
with her suite and attends.nts by the 12.45 train
for Perth. Long before that time, however, the
platform had been promenaded by groups of well-
dressed people.
The Empress, on arriving at the station, was
handed from her carriage by the Marquis de la
Grange, and she repeatedly smiled and bowed good-
humouredly in acknowledgment of the enthusiastic
plaudits which resounded on every side. It was a
far more ardent, as well as more extensive, ovation
than the citizens had had any previous opportunity
of presenting to the Empress, and her Majesty seemed
to enjoy it immensely. After she had taken her seat
in the railway carriage, she several times looked
out, smiled, and bowed ; and something having
apparently occurred, either in the demonstrations
of the crowd or the comments of the other occu-
pants of the carriage, to amuse the Imperial fancy,
her Majesty leaned forward once or twice seem-
ingly convulsed with laughter. The train at length
moved off amid the hearty bursts of cheering from
all who witnessed its departure.
The Empress would arrive at Perth :a few
minutes before four o'clock, and was to stay over
last night in the Royal George Hotel there. We
understand that her Majesty will to-day prosecute
her journey to the north, and it is rumoured that
she will spend some time in visiting Balmoral and
other places of interest in Aberdeenshire; after
which it is supposed that she will return either by
Glasgow or Edinburgh, and stay for some days at
Hamilton Palace, before leaving Scotland for the
south.

THE EURNiNG OF TtiF, RovAL MAIL

STEAMER CONNAUGHT.

The adjourned inquiry into the loss of the above
steamer was resumed yesterday at the Greenwich
Police Court, before Mr. Traill, police magistrate,
and Capt. Harris, nautical assessor.
_ . _ _ _

Mr. Cumberland attended on behalf of the Board
of Trade to conduct the inquiry ; Mr. H. Valiance,
of the firm of Valiance and Valiance, Essex-street,
appearing for the Atlantic Royal Mail Steampacket
Company.
George Stewart, the chief engineer, was recalled.
He said,—There is an entry in my log book that at
5 a.m. of the 26th of October (the day after leaving
Galway) several of the floats of the paddlewheels
were gone. The floats were 12 feet long, and com-
posed of three boards. Up to that time there had
been no bad weather. On the following day, at 8
a.m., there is an entry of six floats on the starboard
wheel gong. At 5 p.m. of the 29th there is an
entry of the floats of the starboard wheel gone—
the centres between the arms of the three boards.
The boards were 4i inches thick, and the width 4
feet 8 inches. All the ends of the floats remained
in contact. On the afternoon of Wednesday, the
3d of October, the day of leaving St. John's, there
is an entry'of the floats on the starboard side being
broken. We took offone end of the floats and put
on temporary floats, nothing being done to the port
wheel beyond screwing it up. At 1 p.m.
of the same day there is an entry of
great difficulty in starting the engine, there
being too much steam at the time, which caused
the valve to go stiff. At 2 p.m. there is an entry
of the ship being very light and crank. At 8 a.m. of
the next day there is an entry of six pieces fitted at
St. John's having gone from the starboard wheel
again in the centre. There is another entry on the
same morning of port entablature of framing work-
ing very much, and a number of bolts gone. This
would not weaken the machinery. The leak first
became apparent about 7 p.m. of the 6th. The num-
ber of revolutions was then about 14 to 16, and the
pressure 161 b. At 230 a.m. the ship's head was
brought to wind, and the water appeared to be de-
creasing, but at 4 15 the water war found to be
increasing very rapidly, the wind being on her
starboard brew. Steam was kept up during the
night, but there was a difficulty in keeping the
fires in sufficiently, as there was water in the after
stockhole. About 12 p.m. on the 6th I observed
the stockhole plates adrift, being started by the
washing of the water.
George Ditchfield, purser of the ship, was next
called, and having spoken as to the stowage of the
stores, said—At 10 o'clock on the night of the 6th
I was putting the lights out, and the passengers
being dissatisfied thereat I went to Captain Leitch,
and obtained permission for the lights to be conti-
nued an hour or two longer. The third-class pas-
senger saloon was immediately over the fore coal
reserve. Between 6 and 7 o'clock on the evening of
the 6th I heard a noise like the rushing of water
coming throUgh the ventilator, which passes up
from the coal bunker through the third-class pas-
senger saloon.: (It was subsequently explained by
Mr. Valiance that.this ventilator passed through
the upper deck, ventilating the third-class passen-
ger saloon, and shutting off the communication with
the coal bunker.) I was not alarmed at the noise of
the water, because I knew that a little water in the
coal bunker would make a great noise. I had heard
that some short previously the ship was making
water. •
Arthur Spofforth, the second mate, was next
examined. After detailing the events of the voy-
age up to leaving St. John's, which have already
been given, the witness continued—Between 12 and
4, on the afternoon of Saturday, the 6th, there was
a fresh gale, and the ship laboured heavily, bu • noc
more so than usual. About half-past 9in the even-
' ing I was called up from below by order of the chief
officer_ I ;ineulately went on deck and was ordered.
to take a portable pump into the fore stokehole,
I got a gang of men to work it. When j,got
I found about four feet of water, which waswasningt, but
up the plates. The ship was listing seenuotw°r
9 and
a nig t
not anything particular. This was
10 o'clock. The pump was kept working • h
un4ear„ mrey, superin.
until 9 o'clock next morning.
tendence. I believe the
e water pu'l'pin-
ogekbincithecluced tl4O
water about one-third up 5 o o'clock th
but between that hour 12114 9
creased so much that the jumphad to be removed
an. was then her
on to a higher plat° half on
te
port bilge, and the
waport r had reached way up
the
the furnace doors on .side. From 4 a.m. to
Sunday, at which hour we left the ship,
4 p.m. on Sincreased.
vessel
the list of the When we left off
pumping at 9 clock the water was increasing very a
fast, and fire
afterwards had to pump on deck to
g reduce the.
r. Traill drew the attention of the witness to
entries made in the logs of the chief officer and chief
engineer after the wreck and on arriving at Boston,
as to the courses the ship was kept, observing that
what he (witness) had stated as to the ship's course
being changed during the four hours was directly
opposite to their entries, and inquired if he was
certain of being correct.
Witness—Notwithstanding .those entries, I feel
satisfied I am correct.
At this stage of the proceedings the inquiry was
again adjourned.

A " communicated",note addressed to the .21/0/2i-
few du Puy de Dome contradicts, as the Marseilles journal'had before done, d
increase the report which had been i circulation
of a contemplate in the duty on salt.n