The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-20 00:00:00

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,• TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
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pLICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.
•

butcher's steel, was found near the pool of blood in
the kitchen. Only tvvorwitnesses were examined
yesterday, and the inquest was adjourned.

VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES

TO AUSTRALIA.

Sir,—ln a recent letter on this subject I spoke of
the desertions from the late Royal squadron with
the Prince of Wales in America, and mentioned
instances which, as I said, had been communi-
cated to me "by officers of the Royal squad-
ron, whose statements I believed might be
implicitly depended on." Such was the inci-
dent I related as to the open desertion of the
men from the Ariadne at Prince Edward Island, and
related in the very words in which it was told to me.
Captain Vansittart says not one word of this is true.
Now if, smarting under this implication, I departed
from the strict rsle of the profession, and gave up the
name of the officer of the Royal squadron who in-
formed me, I think it would make the service stare,
and the public too. So, also, if I gave the name and
rank of the officer on whose authority I stated " that
the utmost vigilance was used to check desertion,"
and who in America told me he did not know what
to do to prevent it; and so, also, if I gave up my
authority for stating why the ships could not be
trusted near New York. Now, when the alleged
desertions took place at Prince Edward Island, the
following ships of war formed the Royal squadron
in the harbour :—The Hero, 91; Ariadne, 26, Fly-
ing-fish, 6 ; Nile, 91; Valorous, 16 ; and Cossack,
17. The French frigate Pomone, 42, was also there.
Already I have learnt from an officer present that I
was only misinformed in the name of the ship. I am
again assured that all the facts connected with the
desertion took place exactly as I stated them, in the
face of day. In a few hours more I shall have the
name of the vessel from which the men thus ran as
I stated, and I shall have this from an authority
which will put the matter beyond a doubt.
Captain Vansittart does most rightly in clearing
his ship from the charge ; but, as the question was
simply one as to the fact of desertions, it will not, as
far as the public is coneerned, mend the matter by
showing it was as common from otherships as from
the Hero or Ariadne. Capt. Vansittart admits the
desertion of 36 seamen and one marine in three
months, and the Hero lost 54 tnen in the same time,
which is nearly at the rate of 220 men a-year from
t letter
of
the Hero and 150 from the Ariadne. Surely these are
poor grounds on which to deny the fact that desertions
from the Navy are notoriously common. To make an
k on the
which ships
Captain of
the
Vansittart
complains i s very
spe-
cially
far from my thoughts or wishes, and in the very
alet t
mentioned the fact that Captains Seymour,
Vansittart, and Hope were considered to be three
of the most popular commanders in the servide—
officers generally considered by other captains as
erring on the side of too much kindness to their
crews.--I remain yours very obediently,
YOUR LATE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
WITH THE PRINCE OF WALES.

The visit of the Prince of Wales to the North
American colonies of the British Crown is, we
trust, but the precursor of a series of Royal pro-
gresses, in which Australia may fairly put in her
claim to be noticed. There is no reason why, now
that the heir to the Throne has begun to see the
world, that he should not come here as well as go
to Canada or Nova Scotia. We can offer, perhaps,
as much to attract the future monarch of the Bri-
tish empire as any part of his North American
dominions. The youngest of England's broods, we
have done nothing to disgrace the parent stock,
and we are full-fledged: enough to be worth a visit
to the Prince of Wales. There is no material ob-
stacle against our very natural ambition being
gratified, to the mutual advantage of Australia and
England. The distance need no longer be an ob-
jection. The voyage by the overland route is
reduced; in the proper season, to a pleasant yacht-
ing tour of little more than six weeks. The Pen-
insular and Oriental Company may be safely
charged with the transport of so precious a freight ;
and there is small fear (at the present rates) of his
being incommoded by too many fellow-passengers.
The voyage would be a highly interesting one to
the Prince, for he would traverse the great high-
way of England to the East. He would pass on
the road by some of the most famous bulwarks and
`ornaments of his mother's kingdom. He would be
taught much of the secret of her dominion, and
would gather some idea of its magnitude. And at
the end he would reach a territory certainly not
the least interesting or wonderful of all England's
possessions. He would see with his own eyes a
continent but yesterday a savage wilderness the
home of a group of thriving British communities,
rich in all the appliances and comforts of life—free,
ncprodhaamsi
npe
they
houeupys ,h
areealndba
and
uda
nphdpoywt.o
loyally
IEO
yne
ag England;
aaynr
inat
;ibshyoww h arta av
cherished.egl oyl golden
chain they are bound to England; how bravely her
would witness the marvels of a growth surpassing
all that the earth can show of wonder, and the
proofs of a prosperity solid, enlightened, and endu-
ring. He would see a great people in its fresh and
vigorous adolescence, " mewing its mighty youth,"
and claiming a place among the most civilised com-
munities. Nor to us would the lesson be less useful
or happy. The visit of the Prince of Wales would
be a graceful recognition of a tie which on this side
has ever found a warm and tender response. The
feeling which roused the Canadians to a universal
outpouring of homage to the eldest born of Victoria
is one in which we can find ample sympathy. Nor
need this feeling be allied to any idea of flunkeyism
or unworthy servility. It is enough for us that it
is the son of his mother who comes to look upon
this part of her empire; and the good to us is
mainly in being thus brought near the home
thoughts and the home affections. The Prince can
not come here without bringing a tribute to our
position among the colonies of England; and he
will carry away an opinion which cannot but be
of. infinite advantage to us at home. He will find
here a community at least as large and as orderly
as any he has seen among the older colonies of North
America; and it cannot be but that!Ahis visit will
tend to a better acquaintance of Australia on the
part of England. That the reception which the
Prince would meet among us would be at least as
enthusiastic as that which he has found among the
Canadians we have very little doubt. A Prince
who, according to the American papers, " likes to
be lionised" is likely, indeed, to be indulged to
the top of his heart should he ever come so far
as to this good city of Melbourne. The feeling
of loyalty to the Sovereign is in Victoria
quite in its tender and callow bloom; it has
been disturbed by no near experiences of kings or
courts, and is not the less young and vigorous for
that reason. In the present instance the personal
love and respect which are entertained for Victoria
in her relations of wife and mother would, apart
from all other reasons, insure for her eldest son a
warm and hearty welcome from all classes of her
Majesty's subjects in this colony. And it is our
good fortune that the names of Queen and Prince
carry with them some other than the conventional
meaning—that we see in them nothing which can
affright our most delicate sense of freedom, and. a
great deal of all that is homely and glorious and
reverent.—Melbourne Argus.