The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-11 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE,

The Ayr Advertiser gives a narrative compiled
from the statement of John Lyon, one of the two
survivors of this ill-fated steamer, of the circum-
stances attending the wreck. Mr. Lyon says :
" I went below about half-past 12 o'clock on Sun-
day morning, when the steamer was midway be-
tween the Mull of Galloway and the Point of Ayr.
At that time everything was going on well ou deck,
although we had had a. very rough passage. At
ball-past four o'clock our watch was again called
by William Lawson, and I went on deck and found
the morning dark, wet, and stormy. James Watt
was steering; and in a minute or two Lawson cried
out, 0, men, bear a hand up, or the ship'll be
ashore 1' The second mate said Dear me, and us
keeping so good a watch?' I then perceived high
land and a light on our port-quarter. I asked what
light it was, and Mair, the second mate, said it
must be the Calf of Man. I said, This is a stupid
job," and called out to Watt to heave the helm
hard a-port, with the view of running the ye eel
out to sea. The steamer was at this time going at
the rats of 8 or 9 knots an helix; and I feel confi-
dent that had the helm been kept a port, we would
have got safely out to s-a. The captain, however,
at this time went astern, and, apparently confused
at finding us in such sudden peril, told the helms-
man to keep his helm hard a-starboard. In a few
minutes after this the vessel struck, stern on, on a
sunken rock off Nharbyl Point, about a quarter of
a mile from the mainland. On the first alarm the
stewardess rushed on deck in her night-clothes. An
,attempt was made to launch the quarter boat, into
which the boy M‘Guffie and the stewardess had
gone; but one of the seamen having cut through the
after-tackle, the stern fell, and the boy was precipi-
tated into the sea, and was never seen again. Miss
Cameron we succeeded in bringing on deck. I
feel persuaded that no small boat could have lived
for a moment in such a sea. After beating on the
rock for about twenty-five minutes—every sea rais-
ing the vessel several feet, and bringing her down
again with a thump when it retired—sha parted in
two, when her bow canted to the port side, and
disappeared in deep water. As the captain, David
B olie, and J.,llies Camelly, were not seen after tei.,
1 believe they must hate g me down with the bows.
Eleven of tie were new lett on the stern quarter, out
of these, James Watt, Macmillan (the chief engi-
neer), both of whom had provided themselves with
life-buoys, and the stewardess, were soon swept
away—Watt alone reaching the shore alive. Myself
"Tle} Vett other s,,ea.n swvivors clung to the stern for
-upwards of two hours, and at every sweep the sea
made
over, each looked anxiously around to see
whetherany, of his companions were swept away.
Most oriny companions were in great distress of
mind, h6oe having apparently
entirely deserted
them.
They at times cried loudly for help—acid
their shrieks,. as well as those of the poor ste wat d ss
off,
before she was wasstill ring in my ears. but
though the shore was crowded with
they had boats, all hope frompeople, and
sea was raging, and the rocks was. vain. The
manre irregular and
high, end no boat could have liwveewdha minute iu the
boiling surge. Captain Paton,
me, and who remained comparatiovely
was eilose to
the shore,
resigned, said—' If you ever reach
John, remember me to my poor wife and daughter
for I an old man, and have little hope of being
saved. I then cast off my sea boots and oilskin
le(taing', retaining nothing on my limbs but my l
wide canvass trousers. I would have taken off
these too, but was afraid of being washed away
in the act, before I got clear of them. I then
took off my waistcoat and threw it high over
the stern, as a signal to the people who crowded
the shore. Hardly was this done, when a ter-
rible sea came surging up the incline of the
deck towards the stern, and struck me on the

The following is an outline of the service of the
late Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Murray Mackenzie, of
the Bengal Horse Artillery :
Commissioned as second lieutenant Dec. 11, 1828.
Appointed to Horse Artillery Dec., 1831. Escorted
his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, Sir H.
Fane, on his visit, in 1837, to the Maharajah Run-
jest Singh, In 1838 escorted the late Sir William
M'Naghteu to the Court of Lahore. Volunteered
for service with the army of the Indus. In charge
of 4th Troop, 3d Brigade, on its march from Can-
dahar to Cabul ; also from Cabul to Bamean, ac:oss
the highest range of the Hineico Koosh, with the
whole of his ordnance equipment, notwithstanding
the alleged and real difficulties which it was ex-
pected would prove insurmountable to the advance
of the troops. Commanded the Artillery, under
Brigadier Dennie, C. 8., at Bamean, on the 18th
Sept. in the total defeat of the Ameer Dust Ma-
homed Khan, at the head of an Affghan. and Uzbeg
force. Brigade-Major, of the artillery division of
the army of Sutlej at the battle of Moodkee on the
18th, and at Ferozeshah on the 21st and 22d Dec.
136eade-Major of the Ist Horse Artillery Brigade
of the army of the Sutlej, and attached to the
Rocket Battery at the Battle of Sobraon. Favour-
ably mentioned in their respective despatches by
Brigadier Brooke, C. 8., and Brigadier Gowen,
C. 8., successively commanding the artillery on the
above occasions. Honourably mentioned in the
public despatches of Lord Gough. Received a medal
and two clasps for Moodkee, Ferozeshah, and So-
braon. • and also a medal and clasp for Mooltan
and Goojerat. Lieut.-Colonel Mackenzie's commis-
sions bore date as follows :-2d Lieutenant, 12th
December, 1828 ; Ist Lieutenant, 11th October,
1837 ; Brevet Captain, 12th December. 1843 ; Cap-
tain, 29th December, 1846 • Brevet-Major, 30th
Dec., 1846 ; Brevet Lieut.-dole 20th June, 1850.
Was most severely wounded in the left arm on the
' 16th Dec., 1853, while superintending field officer
of the artillery practice at Agra. In May, 1855,
the arm was amputated above the elbow. Com-
manded the mounted branch of Gen. Sir Archdale
Wilson's army on the advance on Delhi, leading it
at the two battles on the Hindun, in the words of a
distinguished eye-witness "with unsurpassing gal-
lantry," at that of Gazzeeoodeennugge tunede 30th
May, three of the five heavy guns capr fell to
the share of Col. Mackenzie's column, on which oc-
casion Gen. Wilson expressed himself well pleased.
During the siege of Delhi commanded the Horse
Artillery, of which five troops were present. He
had also the honour of being appointed by Gen.
Wilson superintending field officer of the heavy
batteries. While holding these commands, he was
on the 2d July severely wounded by a shell from
the enemy ; he, however, remained with the army
until after the fall of Delhi, when he was sent to
the hills for recovery, but died from the conse-
quences of the wound, which had never healed, at
Simla on the sth Oct. last. In his despatch after
the capture of Delhi Sir A. Wilson spoke of him. as
" that admiral officer Lieut.-Cul. Murray Macken-
zie, commanding the Ist Brigade of Horse Artillery
—of whose services I have been deprived by a
wound which he received when in charge of the
heavy batteries at an early stage of our operations."
He has left a widow and five young children to la-
ment his loss just at the moment he would, no
doubt, have receive.' some of the highest honours
of the profession.
Lieut. Kirkland, the commanding officer of the
new battalion of the Northumberland sth Fusiliers,
stationed at Newcastle and Tynemouth, which now
numbers 1,000 bayonets, has received orders to
hold the corps in readiness for service. The desti-
nation ofethe battalion is understood to be Malta,
to relieve Alep 71st Highland Light Infantry, under
orders,teeprroceed overland to India. The order for
;the formation of. the battalion arrived in Nov., and
lathe full complement of men was made up by the
end of the year. Their conduct, both in Newcastle
and Tynemouth, has been most exemplary.
It is understood to be the intention to raise and
organise a special and distinct corps of rifle instruc-
tors, in order to supply the whole of the regiments
and depot battalions with efficient instructors in the
use of the Enfield rifle. This course has been de-
cided upon in s ,nsequence of the awhorities of the
War Department having been made aware that one
instructor of musketry for each corps is by no
means sufficient to carry out the duties attached to
the office in an effic'ent manner. The head-quarters
and staff of the eerps will, it is expected, be sta-
tioned at the School of Musketry, Hythe, that esta-
blishment having succeeded in giving a body of
qualified instructors in musketry to the several
branches of the service. The corps, there is every i
reason to believe, will be formed at once, andordere
have been issued from the Horse Guards for raising
duly qualified volunteers, commanding officers of
regiments and depot battalions having received in-
structions to give every encouragement to those
nen-commissioned officers who may be desirous of
offering themselves as candidates, provided they
are eligible for service with the proposed corps.
Volunteers must not have over 12 nor under 2
year s' service. As soon as the corps is properly
organised an additional number of officers and non-
commissioned officers will be attached to each regi-
ment and battalion as instructors.
The steam yachts forming the Royal marriage
squadron at Portsmouth will move in a few days
to the Thames. They comprise the Royal State
yacht Victoriaand Albert, the Fairy, the Admiralty
State yacht Osborne, the Ceracoe 31 gun frigate,
the Diadem 32-gun frigate, &sc. The Curacoa wants
about 40 men. The Diadem returned from her
cruise in the Channel to Spithead yester-
day. She has been under sail only since she
left on Saturday week, and has not put in at any
place.
Her Majesty's steam troop-ship Vulcan, 6, Com-
mander John Secc3mbe, hauled along Portsmouth
Dockyard jetty on Saturday to prepare for the em-
barkation of troops.
We aro happy to state that Captain Casey, R.M. ,
who made an attempt upon his life on Wednesday
night, is not 83 much injured as was at first sup-
posed. Capt. Casey, we are informed, had suffered
for some days at Sheerness from severe ague and
fever, audits a fit of d.eliriunajumped out of bed and
seized a razor, but by theinterterence of his wife
was prevented from inflicting any injury beyond a
slight wound. It was, however, considered advi-
sable that he should be removed to the Naval Hos-
pital, where he is II3W progressing favourably, and
it is expected that he will be able to rejoin his ship
in the course of ten days or a fortn;ght.
The following steamships are being fitted out for
the steam reserve at Portsmouth ;—Marlborough,
131, Royal Sovereign, 131, Duke of Wellington,
131, Algiers, 91, Caesar, 91, Melpomene, 51, Arro-
gant, 47, Sidon, 22, and sundry smaller vessels.
The sailing ships, Cospatrick, Captain C. Scott,
and Sir G. Pollock, Captain Withers,. are both ex-
pected at Portsmouth daily from the Thames, to
embark detachments of troops—the former for the
Cape of Good Hope, the latter for the West Indies.
The Commissioners for the Improvement of Bar-
racks and hospitals (the Right Hon. Sidney Her-
bert, M.P., d:c.) in England will visit Portsmouth
this day to inspect the barrack and hospital estab-
lishments at that station.
By the promotion of Captain G. B. Shakespear,
Royal Artillery, commending the Cadets' Company
in the Military _Academy at Woolwich, to b 3 Lieut.-
Colonel, as announced in the Gazette of Friday last
the command of the company has dsvolvtd ou Cap-
tain E. A. Williams, 10th battalion Royal Artil-
lery. In relinquishing the duties of his late ap-
pointment Lieutenant-Colonel Shakespear was
greeted with the congratulations and good wishes
of Col. Wilford, the Governor, as well as of each
individual member of the company, in testimony
et their appreciation of his successful labours in the
Shaky
to the command of the Cadets'
institution. Lieut.-Colonel
1854, on the promotion '
W The
1 hmeo tt. comspplenarysuince
June,eede
succeeded
of' Lieut.-Colonel EardleY
freight-ship Pearl was on Saturday char-
tered by Government for the conveyance of mili-