The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-22 00:00:00

TEE IVBECk- OF THE JULIA ANN.

PANAMA, Feb. 20.—The master (Pond) of the Ameri-
can barque Julia Ann, of San Francisco, who arrived in
Panaina by the southern steamer, has furnished the fol-
lowing account of the total loss of his vessel on the reefs
of the Scilly Islands on the 3d October last, since which
time he has been endeavouring to make his way back
to San Francisco, after placing his passengers and
crew under the care of the consul at Tahiti. The
barque Julia Ann was from Sydney for San Francisco
(coal), and having over 40 'passengers on board, most
of whom were women. On the night of the 3d October,
whilst off the Scilly Islands, she struck on a reef, and it
was found impossible to get her off. As there was every
prospect of her going to pieces speedily, every effort
was directed to saving the lives of those on board, for
which purpose a rope was taken" to
.the reef by one of the
sailors, and made fast to a rock, by which a portion of
the people effected a landing on the reef ; the rope, how-
ever, soon parted, leaving the remainder of those on
board, including the captain, to what appeared inevit-
able destruction. Just as their last hopes were dying
out the vessel broke in two, and a heavy sea striking her
carried .the quarter-deck, upon which they were col-
lected, high up on the reef, thus enabling them to escape
beyond the reach of the breakers. Out of 56 persons on
board, five were lost in getting from the wreck ; those
who were saved remained on the reef 43 hours, up to
their Waste In water, without food or drink, and exposed
to a scorching sun. The captain succeeded, after much
difficulty, in constructing a couple of rafts from the
floating spars and pieces of the wreck, and, finally, the
party reached one of Cze adja;,ent uninhabited islands,
some 10 miles distant, where they remained two months,
subsisting principaliy on turtle, sharks, and cocoa nuts,
and a supply of water, which they procured by digging. '
Haring saved one of the small boats in a damaged state,
it was repaired, and, after waiting eight weeks for a suit- '
able opportunity (the trade winds constantly blowing
from the east), the captain with his nine men undertook
the exceedingly hazardous attempt of reaching one of
the Society Islands, some 350 miles distant, dead to
windward, which they accomplished after four days' in-
cessant labour at the oars, night and day, and reached
in safety the island of Borabora. Mr. Chisholm, the Bri-
tish consul at Reatea, having heard of the disaster, and
the deplorable state of the passengers and crew, and find-
ing no means of communicating with the United States
c )nsul at Tahiti, immediately despatched an express to
Captain Latham, of the schooner Emma Packer, lying
in Huanea, who started without delay for the relief of the
sufferers. Touching at Borabora, he took Capt. Pond
on board and proceeded to Scilly Island, received the
passengers and crew on board, and conveyed them safely
to Tahiti, where they arrived in the most destitute con-
dition, having saved literally nothing from the wreck ;
from the captain to the cabin-boy they were shoeless,
and with barely suffic:ent clothing to corer their persons.
The residents of Tahiti provided them with clothing,
.and every possible aid was rendered to make them com-
fortable until an opportunity might offer to convey them
to San Francisco.

Captain Pond got a free passage from Tahiti to Callao
in the French ship Africaine, Captain Joel, from whom
he received the greatest kindness.

DREADFUL PRIVATIONS OF THE CREW
OF THE BARQUE AMELIA.

By the arrival of the Black Warrior, we (New
York Times) have received news from St. Thomas
containing a narrative of the sufferings of the officers
and crew of the barque Amelia, which vessel, until
very lately, was supposed to have been lost at sea.
The cePnmander, Lieut. Reed Werden, arrived at
this port in the Black Warrior, and Lieut. Erben,
in whose charge the crew was placed, has arrived
at Baltimore in the barque Amazon :
" St. Thomas, W. 1., Feb. 20, 1856.
" The barque Amelia arrived at -this port on the Ist
inst., in distress. The Amelia was seized by the United
States Government at Port au-Prince, having a cargo of
military stores and implements nn board, which no doubt
were intended for a filibustering expedition. They left
Port-au-Prince on the Ist December, and had not been
at sea many days before the vessel commenced leaking,
and, sailing badly, made very slow progress. On the
24th day out they experienced a very severe gale, which
nearly destroyed the vessel, tearing the sails to ribbons.
They attempted to make the port of Charleston or Sa-
vannah, but failed in doing that, and were carried to the
eastward. The gale lasted for ten days, raging with
great violence, the vessel continuing to leak very badly,
and it was with the greatest difficulty she could be kept
aft tat by constant pumping. They then attempted to
make the port of New York befJre another storm would
overteke them, but did not, have that good luck.
" On the night of Jan. 5, when near New York, ex-
pecting the next morning to be inside of Sandy Hook,
the wind, which hal been westerly and south-westerly
for a few days previous, shifted to the north, and from
that point all round the compass. It continued blowing
a terrific hurricane for 36 flouts. During the whole of
that time the officers and men relieved each other at the
pumps, every moment expecting the vessel to sink, the
water gaioini all the time on them. Finally, and by de-
grace, the gale subsided, and they saw there was some
chance of escips. Both officers and men suffered severely.
Fintbng the vesel was a complete wreck, and b,ting out
of provisions and water, all hopes of making a port in
the United States were given up, and they at-
tempted to go into Bermuda, .but -that was not ace ,m-
-plished. The greatest anxiety at that time was to meet
a vessel which would relieve them of their hunger and
thirst, but every vessel they met avoided them, giving
them as wide a berth as possible—the Amelia being
rather a suspicious-looking craft.
" Supposing there might be some provision in the hold
of the vessel, an examination took place, when a barrel
of rice and bread was found, but in a damage 1 condition.
They then discovered the hold was swarming with rats.
" They went to work anti caught the rats, which, with
the rice, kept them from starving. They were in this
condition for 22 days. At daylight on the morning of
Jan. 23, a vessel was discovered, which proved to be the
English brig Ida, Capt. Williams, three days from St.
John's. Island of Antigua, bound to London. He showed
on a black board his longitude, and Lieut. Werden hailed
him, telling him they were 60 days out, and in want of
bread and water, or something to eat, that they would
be very thankful for anything, as they were starving.
He replied he bad no bread to spare, but would give
them some flour. A boat was sent on board and returned
with o:.ly part of a half-barrel of flour, and nothing else.
This, however, they were thankful for, and, with the
rats and the rice, they fared quite well. They then con-
tinued their course, and on the morning of the 31st of
January came in sight of the island of Somber() and
passed it ; made for the port et St. Thomas, where they
arrived on the Ist of Feb., having been 62 days at sea,
and most of the time experiencing the greatest suffering.
Lieut. Werden handed the vessel over to Major Helm,
the United States Consul, who discharged her cargo, and
is now shipping it to New York. The whole town was
alarmed for fear au explosion would take place, as there
were arms and ammunition on board sufficient for an
army of 5,000 men. The vessel has been pronounced the
most unseaworthy that was ever seen in our harbour, and
great credit is due to the officers, who, after 62 days'
hardships, succeeded in getting her into port."

VACANCIES, APPOINTMENTS, AND PROMOTIONS IN THE
CIVIL SERVICE.—The Admiralty : Mr. M. Bentley has
been appointed Paymaster of Contingencies, Admiralty,
Somerset-house, in the room of Mr. Turner, superannu-
ated. Tile Dockyarls : A vacancy has been caused in
the office of Chief Admiralty Clerk at the Dockyard,
Chatham, by the death of Mr. Edward Cahill. Mr. H.
Brady has been appointed Accountant at Devonport
Dockyard ; salary, 5001. a year. Mr. H. J. Allen has
been appointed a First Class Clerk at Devonport ; salary
3151. a year. Mr. J. Brow,. has been appointed Master
Attendant at Sheerness Dockyard. Mr. J. K. Martin has
been appointed Assistant Master Attendant at Devon-
port, vice Doan, promoted. Mr. E. Cutworthy, of
Pembroke-yard, has been appointed Accountant at Chat-
ham. Mr. R. G. Hobb, Second Class Clerk, has been
promoted to First Class Clerk in the Accountant's-
office. War Dep irtmont : Mr. F. H. Glinn, Clerk of
the Ordnance, Devonport, has been promoted to the
office of Deputy Storekeeper, on the retirement on full
pay of Mr. A. C. Windeyer. A vacancyhas been caused
in the office of one of the Ordnance Clerks, by the pro-
motion of Mr. Minn. Customs : Mr. E. Daniel has
been appointed a Clerk in the Examiner's-office in Lon-
don. Mr. H. Lane has been appointed a Clerk in the
Long-room in London. Mr. L. P. Barnaschone has
been appointed Principal Coast Officer at Milford. Mr.
J. J. Head has been appointed a Clerk at Ipswich.
Colonial : British Guiana : A vacancy has been created
in the office of Attorney• General and Queen's Advocate
of British Guiana by the death of Mr. R. 11. Craig.
Ceylon : A vacancy has been caused in the office of
Naval Storekeeper and Agent Victualler at Trincoma'e
e
by the death of Mr. 11. Warrington. 4istrita Leone :
A vacancy has been caused in the dike of Colonial Stir
veyor and Engineer by the death of Mr. E, Bernauer
salary, 4001. a year.—Civil Service Gazette.
THE IMPERIAL GODFATHER.—It is calculated from
statistical tables that the number of children born in
France on March 16, to all of whom the Emperor and
the Empress have promised to be godfather and god-
mother, must be about 2,500. Every one of these
children, whose families may bwilling to accept it,
e
will receive, it is said, a present of 3,0001. It is in-
tended that all the boys shall be christened Louis
Eugene, and the girls Etigjeie Louise. The proportion
of boys to girls born in France is about 45 to 43.
CARDIFF IMPROVEMENTS.—The Marchioness of Bute
has given instructions for the erection of a new street
f'roin the town to the dodo. It is to be 60 feet in width,
with crescents and t (pares, and to be planted its entire
length with trees. Large bodies of men have been set to
work. The Marchioness is also about to erect
houses, and has likewise determined to turn a large
piece of land into gardens and ornamental grounds.
Two new banks are about to be opened in Cardiff--viz.,
Bailey and Co., and Wilkins and Co., and with these
improvements and signs of prosperity the extension of
the dock accommodation is taking place. A new col-
I lege is to be erected at a cost of 30,0001. at Llaadaff,
for female orphans of the clergy, in connection with
Ilord'a.Charity.