The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-04 00:00:00

THAMES•

TAE MAYOR OF MELBOURNE BESIEGED BY WOULD-BE
NEEDY RELATIVES.—This morning, on Mr. Self° taking
his seat upon the bench, for the first time since the adjourn-
ment of the inquiry upon which he was engaged at Weedon,
he put into the hands of our reporter two letters he had
received—one from Mr. John Thomas Smith, the Mayor of
Melbourne, now staying at Morley's Hotel, and the other
from Mr. Horn, his secretary—in relation to the application
of a woman named Margaret Hall. Mrs. Hall, who is the
wife of a mechanic, and the mother of a family,
is the daughter of an aged woman named Smith,
in
an inmato of Captain Cook's Almshouses Shadwell,
and she stated that her brother, John Thomas
Smith, who was educated in a Sunday school
in the neighbourhood of Stratford, was formerly an appren-
tice to the sea service, and subsequently chief mate and
captain of a ship ; but he left England about 16 years ago
and settled in Australia, and that she heard no more of
him until about three weeks age, when the mayor of Mel-
bourne, who announced himself as John Thomas Smith,
waited upon her, announced himself as her long lost brother,
kissed his niece, her daughter, and invited her to Morley's
Hotel, to which place she proceeded next day, with her
eldest daughter, son, and. mother. She saw the mayor and
his secretary, and her mother was asked if she could
recognise the features of the mayor as her son. The
old woman replied that she could not recognise a single
feature, and he then dismissed them with a contribution of
two guineas for the Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum,
and a sovereign for the boy who is being educated in that
institution.

Mrs. Ha.ll expressed a belief that the Mayor of Melbourne
was her brother, and that, finding her and her mother very
needy, had repudiated them. If he was not her brother he
had no right to kiss her youngest daughter and attempt to
kiss her eldest daughter in Morley's Hotel.
Mr. Selfe thought there was no great harm in a gentle-
man kissing a pretty girl if she was willing, and said he
would write to the Mayor of Melbourne, and let Mrs. Hall
know the result of his inquiries. _ .

Mr. Selfe (addressing our reporter) said it appeared to
him that INlrs. Hall was labouring under Some delusion, as
world appear fi om the letters to which he called the re-

porter's attention. The letter from Mr. Smith was as
follows :

" Morley's Hotel, Oct. 2, 1858.
" Sir,—As my secretary, Mr. Horn, was witlime on the
occasion of my visit to Mrs. Hall, I have requested him to
communicate with you on the subject of your note of
this day's date, to remove the impression you ap-
pear to entertain that there may be some foundation for the
statement of Mrs. Hall, that lam her brother. I called on
Mrs. Hall, in consequence of her letter forwarded to me in
Melbourne, in order to remove the impression she appeared
to have entertained, and. I most distinctly informed her that
I.was not her brother, and upon a second occasion .when
she:called upon me with her mother, I also assured both
of their mistake. I stated then, as I do now, that I was
born in Sydney, New South Wales, and that my mother
(who died some three years since) was also a native of that
colony, and that this is my first visit to this part of the
world. I was born on the 27th of April, 1816, in Phillips-
street, Sydney, New South Wales, and have been for the
last 20 years a resident in Victoria. I distinctly informed
Mrs. Hall of the object of my visit to her, which was to
assist her in every way possible, on my return in November
next to Melbourne, to find her brother, and I informed her
of my knowing a person in that colony of the same name.
I gave her my card, so that she might find my address
in London, and give me all the information in her
power with regard to her brother, in order to aid the in the
search, and birt a few days since Mrs. Hall's mother wrote
to me again on the subject if I was her son, when I in-
structed my secretary to write her back that' I was not,
that I had assured her before I was not, and that she must
not write to me again. I can only account for this annoy-
ance from the fact of my having given the old lady's son a
sovereign on the day he called with his mother, to buy him
books, and giving the mother £2 towards the Sailors'
Orphan's Home, to which she begged a donation. Mrs.
Hall's claim to relationship is but one of four that has
reached me • since my arrival, and, singular; all
the claimants are in needy circumstances. Mr: H.
will furnish you with any other information you may
desire.—Yours- obediently,
" J. T: SMITH, Mayor of Melbourne.
" To H. S. Selfe, Esq., Thames Police-court."

With the letter of the Mayor the following document
with its enclosure came to hand :

" 11, Baker-street, Portman-square, Sept. 30, 1858.
" Worshipful Sir,—By direction of the Mayor of Mel-
bourne,- I this morning called at the ThameS Police-court,
and finding that you had left town, I have the honour to
enclose a communication in reference to Mrs. Hall. I will
again call at the Thames Police-court on your return to
London.—l am, worshipful sir, your obedient servant,'
" H. Selfe, Esq." " JAMES HORN, Sec.
The enclosure was as follows :

" John Thomas Smith, Mayor of Melbourne, and Mem-
ber of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, hereby most
solemnly and sincerely declares that he was born in Sydney,
New South Wales, in the year 1816; that his mother,
Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, was alsolborn in the same colony ;
that his father, John Smith, is now a resident living, in the
said colony, and that he, the said John Thomas Smith,
arrived in England, for the first time, on the Bth day of
September last, and, therefore, that he is not, nor did he
ever say that he was, the brother of a Mrs. Hall. I make
this solemn declaration, knowing the same to be true, and
by virtue of an act of the Governor and Council of New
South Wales, substituting declarations for oaths, this 29th
day of September, 18.58.—J. T. SMITH, Mayor of Mel-
bourne, J. P., and M. L. A."

ECONOMY IN TRE WORKING OF

RAILWAYS.

Some very interesting experiments have been
made on the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolver-
hampton Railway, in order to testify the efficacy
of Mr. Edward Wilson's smoke-consuming appa-
ratus. Mr. Wilson, it may be well to state, is engi-
neer of the above company, and has devoted much
of his time to the perfection of an invention which,
from ocular demonstration, we feel no hesitation in
affirming is most successful, and by railway com-
panies must be received as a boon of no ordinary
magnitude.
By virtue of an Act of Parliament smoke is
strictly prohibited on all our railways, and, conse-
quently, railway companies generally are compelled
to use coke instead of coal. The former, as is well
known, costs considerably more than the latter,
while in some districts, especially that through
which the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton
Railway runs, coal can even be obtained at one-
fifth the cost of coke. It is needless to point out
the formidable items, under the head of fuel, that
appear in the various balance-sheets of the different
railway companies; and the great saving that
4to would be effected if coal could be generall i used in
lieu of coke is apparent. Scientific , di;;_
rected their attention to this fact • Wm)
to time various inventions for consundi stnoke have
been brought before the public ; but either on the --`
ground of expense or the rapidity with which the
apparatus has fallen out of repair, none previous to
that now introduced by Mr. Wilson has met with
any general approbation and coke has continued to
be used.

To test by experiments the advantages of the
invention, we started from Woraester on an engine
to which it had been applied about twelve months
ago, at the small cost of £4 17s. ; and since that
time the locomotive has travelled upwards of 25,000
miles without any repairs to the apparatus being
rendered necessary. To the engine were attached

13 waggons heavily laden with-coal, one first-class
carriage, and a heavy goods break van. The distance
ran was 58 miles, being from Worcester to More-
ton and back, and the coal used was what in the
neighbourhood is known as South Staffordshire
common black coal, and is obtained at the small
cost of 6s. Bd. per ton ; -while the price of coke at
the present time is 245. per ton. Besides the dif-
ference in price, it is worthy of remark, that until
used in engines with the smoke-consuming appara-
tus attached, this description of coal was considered
useless, and was thrown aside at the pit's mouth.
The quantity used in the experiment was 15cwt.
2qrs., being at the rate of 301 b. per mile; and
during the whole journey there was a total ab-
sence of that unpleasant smell of sulphur (emitted
from coke) with which all railway travellers are
familiar. In the distance passed over there are
several sharp curves and heavy gradients, one of
which is lin 100 for 6 miles. The steam was blow-
ing off at the safety valves at 1201 b. pressure the
whole way, and the speed averaged 251 miles per
hour ; at no time, even on the heavy banks, was it
less than about 20 miles per hour. -With respect to
the effect of the smoke-burner, we have no hesita-
tion in saying it was as perfect as it is possible to
conceive any human appliance to be. There hardly
ever appeared the smallest trace of smoke with the
steam issuing from the chimney, and the combustion
in the fire-box was the most perfect we ever saw,
the front portion of the fire-box above the fuel being
filled with one mass of intense white flame.. That
we might have the opportunity of judgmb, of what
was due to the smoke-burner, Mr. Wilson had
it put out of action, when we were immediately
enveloped in such a volume of smoke that all with
one accord gasped forth entreaties that the
kindly offices of the apparatus should be again
enlisted to deliver us from our misery, and when
our supplications were heard the effect was almost

magical-. At once the hideous cloud passed
and the snowy wreaths of steam again floated
through the pure air. This experiment was re-
peated several times with the same result, tending
much more to our conviction than to our comfort.

Having found at length the desideratum of a real
smoke-burner, we cannot refrain offering a few re-
marks upon its importance ; for, putting out of
sight the question of comfort and cleanliness, we
do not thuik we arc over-estimating its valne when
we say that it must be a great national benefit, as
well as affording an immense pecuniary advantage
to those who employ the giant power—steam.
It takes, we believe, about two tons of coal to
produce one ton of coke, which is the fuel used for
locomotive engines, when the smoke of coal cannot
be consumed ; and it takes about the same weight
of eoke to work an engine as of coal. It follows,
therefore, that by the use of coal, for every- ton
consumed for locomotive engines a ton would be
saved. Now, we may assume that there are in the
United Kingdom about 5,000 engines working, say
300 days in the year, and that each would consume
about *tons of coal a day, which will give an aggre-
gate for a year of 3,700,000 tons consumed, which
ton,
X 1 ,87 5,000,and of course the
same amount saved. This would afford
m•o ul d at
quantity
l o a
or
about t per cent. on the capital of the railways of
the kingdom—no despicable profit as dividends go
—and at the same time it would leave 3,750,000
tons of " black diamonds" unconsumed of that di-
minishing but valuable commodity of the nation's
wealth. Viewing the subject in so broad a light,
we thing that it is but public justice to Mr. Wil-
son to show that he is justly entitled to, at least,
the merit of being the first to introduce a cheap
and efficient means for consuming smoke in loco-
motive engines.

HORRID DEATH.—On Friday morning Mr. F. S.
Langham, the deputy coroner for Westminster, received
information of the death of Charles Grinham, aged 23 years,
who resided in Arundel-court, Haymarket. It appears the
deceased was cleaning windows, when he slipped and fell on
the spikes below, which entered his body. Ho was extri-
cated from his frightful position and conveyed in most ex-
cruciating pain to Charing-cross Hospital, where Mr. S.
Keggs, house surgeon, rendered every assistance till death
terminated his sufferings.
MURDEROUS AFFRAY ON BOARD SHIP.—CALLAO,
August 25.—The ship Oceanica, Captain Robertson,.on tilne
13th inst., in getting under weigh, the vesselffibcce'irn
, being in
charge of Captain Todd, the pilot, the
01
Crisp, refused duty, at the same time using abusive and in-
t 4 • informed.
salting language. Upon this thepilot immemaii.coL
any
one
Mr. Crisp he would not take such languea
ig
ite
with a 'blow,
with impunity, and enforced his statep
d t
ce r his appeare o
which Mr. Crisp got across the fa •
a signal to the whole of the crew, who came aft and com-
and
menced an indiscriminate fight, where knives belaying
pins were pretty freely used, which lasted a considerable
time, until Captain Robertson, Mr. Campbell, chief officer,
and several other-captains, finally succeeded in quelling it.
Vpon quiet beimg restored it was found that quite a number
.
had broken,
en heads and faces also Ir. Campbell, the mate,
had his throat cut with a sheath knife. Medical assistance
N%•
-promptly obtained from H.B.M.'s ship Ganges ; the
doctor reports the wound a very bad one, but not dangerous.
The whole affair has since been investigated by 11.8.M.'s
consul and Admiral Baines. Mr. Crisp has been discharged,
and the ship finally sailed on the evening of the 16th
iast., for QucciAown, deta!ned three days.

FIRE AT SEA AND SUPPOSED LOSS

OF LIFE.

SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDAY....
Intelligence was received here last night of the
burning at sea of the screw steamship Austria, while
her passage from this port to New York, accom-
ed, it is to be feared, with a sad loss of life.
e
e disastrous tidings were communicated to
Messrs. Croskey and Co., the agents of the company,
to whom the steamer belonged, by Mr. Jas. Leader,
Lloyd's agent at Bristol, in the following telegram :
" P. Pemberton, Virginia, reports destruction by
fire, 13th Sept., steamer Austria, Southampton to
New York. It is feared great loss of life. P. Pem-
berton fell in with Lotus, for Halifax, 18 passen-
gers on board. 50 on board a French barque. Capt.
of steamer jumped overboard, drowned.'
The Austria left Hamburg on the Ist, and South-
ampton on the 4th September, so that she must
have been about three-fourths of the way across the
Atlantic when the calamity occurred. She had
nearly 600 souls on board when she left this port,
having about 80 first-class, 100 second, and 280
steerage passengers, and her crew was upwards of
100 in number. If, therefore, those enumerated in the
telegram are all that are saved, the lives lost by this
fearful catastrophe must amount to at least 500. It
is to be hoped, however, that more of the unfortu-
nate people escaped in the steamer's boats (with
which she was well supplied), and have been picked
up by other -vessels. The majority of the passengers
were emigrants from Germany, of whom the agents
of the company here have no list. The following
are the names of the passengers who embarked at
this port, the first division comprising those who
took their tickets at Messrs. Croskey's offices, and
the second those who came over from Havre :
Second-class—Miss E. Ford, Mr. Bickel, Mr.
Robert Hunt, Mrs. Lydia Hunt.
Steerage—Mr. A. Norris, Nicholas Renouf, Rachel
Renouf, Chartress Brew, Mrs. Frances Neale, Miss
Annie Neale, Master Frank Neale, Mary Neale
(infant), Mr. S. N. Bendenson.
FRENCH PASSENGER LIST.

Second Cabin—Mr. J. Mentos, Mr. L. Neumann.
Mr. Le Faivre and wife.
Steerage—Mr. J. Leibel, Mr. I. G. Keller, Mr.
J. Weipfer.
The Austria was an iron screw steamer of 2,500
tons and 600 horse-power, built by Messrs Caird
and Co., of Greenock, about two years ago. She
was commanded by Captain Heydtmann, the oldest
captain in the company's service, and the commo-
dore of their fleet. He was an excellent seaman,
and his gentlemanly bearing caused him to be held
in high respect. The Hamburg American Packet
Company has existed for many- years as a sailing-
packet company, with the addition, during the last
three or four years, of a, steam line. Their first two ,
steamers, the Borussia and the Hammonia, have '
always been celebrated for the fast passages they
have made to and from New York, and were em-
ployed respectively by the English and French
Governments in the transport service in the Black
Sea during the Russian war. When released from
this service the two steamers resumed the line,
running monthly each way, and early in the present
year two additional steamers, the Austria and
year two additional steamers, the Austria and
Saxonia, were placed on the line, since which a
fortnightly communication with New York has
been maintained with the greatest punctuality and
regularity. The people of Hamburg took great
pride in this company and their vessels, and the
news of this alarming disaster will be received
there as a national calamity.
In the autumn of 1857 the Austria was chartered
for the conveyance of troops to India, but was twice
obliged to put back in consequence of accidents to
her machinery, and the charter was annulled, the
troops being sent out in the screw steamer Calcutta,
belonging to the European and American Company.
After undergoing an effective repair of her machi-
nery, the Austria was placed on the New York line,
for which she was built. During the present sum-
mer she has made two very successful passages out
and home, and was on her third outward voyage
when she encountered the terrible accident which
has had so fatal a result. She would have been the
next ship home of this line, being due here on the
13th inst.
In addition to the large number of passengers, the
Austria was full laden with a valuable cargo. We
believe that she was insured.
Further particulars of this appalling calamity are
anxiously looked for. The steamship Vanderbilt,
expected here on Tuesday, will pfobably bring some
additional details, as she was to leave New York on
the 25th ult., 12 days after the sad occurrence, by
which time some of the rescued sufferers would, in
all probability, have reached that port.

.71ARBOU.R OF REFUGE COMMIS6IO.Y.

BRISTOL, OCT. 2.
Her Majesty's Commissioners for inquiring as to
the necessity of establishing a harbour of re-
fuge in the Bristol Cnhanel, and who are also
charged to consider the best point at which to es-
tablish it, arrived in Kingroad this morning, in her
Majesty's ship Banshee, and. at one o'clock 'they
held a court at the Guildhall. The commissioners
are Vice-Admiral. Hope, C.B. ; Capt. Washington,
hydrographer to the Admiralty; Capt. Vetch, R.E. ;
Capt. Sullivan, R.N., C. 8., Marine Department of
the Board of Trade ; Major-General Sir F. Smith ;
Mr. W. S. Lindsay, M.P. ; and Mr. John Coode,
C.E., of the Portland Breakwater. Mr. F. J.
Evans, of the Admiralty, attended the commission
as secretary. _ _

The Corporation of Bristol were represented by
the city solicitor, Mr. W. Brice, Mr. R. P. King,
chairman of the Docks Committee, Mr. Jas. Poole,
Mr. W_ P. King, &c. The Society of Merchant
Venturers, by its master and wardens ; the Cham-
ber of Commerce, by the chairman of its committee,
Mr. W. Terrell ; the secretary, Mr. Bruton, &c.

Mr. Cleagram attended from thie port of Glouces-
ter, and Mr. Poole, as deputy chairman of the Taff
Vale Railway Company ; and a director of two other
Welsh railway companies expressed the views of
the shipowners of Cardiff.
Admiral Hope, the chairman of the commis-
sioners (the commission having been formally
opened), explained the nature of the evidence which
-the commissioners wished to receive. They wished
to ascertain the views of persons connected with
the maritime interests of the Bristol Channel as to
the establishment of a harbour of refuge primarily
with reference to the saving of life and property,
but also in relation as touching the convenience of
the trade. The gallant admiral explained
that the commissioners had been to places lower
down the Channel, and stated that they did not
invite engineering evidence, although they would
not reject it.
Mr. Brice, in opening the case for the corpora-
tion of Bristol, expressed that body as being in
favour of Lundy Island, which was directly in the
course of the trade, centrally situated, and which
could be left at any state of wind. The corpora-
tion had no wish to speak slightingly of the merits
of any other spot, but they considered that, regard-
ing the whole trade of the Channel, neither Milford,
the Mumbles, Clovelly, nor Padstow, would at all
bear comparison with Lundy. The learned gentle-
man further stated that the views of the Corpora-
tion of Bristol were shared in by those of Gloucester,
Bridgwater, Cardiff, and Newport.
Capt. Drew, havenmaster of the port of Bristol,
was examined, and gave a decided preference to
Lundy, which was open in the course of trade,
could be boldly run for, and could be left at any
point of wind. What would be required would be a
breakwater or pier on the east side of the island, on
which there was abundance of granite suited to the
formation of such a work. As far as the coasting
trade of the Channel was concerned Padstow would
be the best site ; but, looking to the entire trade of
the Channel, Lundy. When a ship was at Clovelly
and with the wind-from the north-east, she would
be embayed. Swansea would not be so safe to run
for as Lundy, being surrounded by shifting sands.
Mr. James Poole, merchant, described the ne-
cessity for a harbour of refuge in the Channel, as
vessels, after going to the westward of Lonely, were
often bliged to put back 80 miles to Kingroad or
Penrith. Owing to this circumstance vessels would
not leave the two roadsteads in. doubtful winds, and
the roadsteads were kept crowded with shipping,
to the detriment of trade.
Mr. R. P. King, merchant, also described the
necessity of a harbour and spoke decidedly in favour
of Lundy, where vessels at present anchored. lie
did not believe that Clovelly would be of any
service for the larger class of ships. A vessel in
Barnstaple Bay when caught might be glad to run
for Clovelly, but he did not think many would run
either for Clovelly or Swansea.
James Hall and John. Gilmore, pilots of the
Bristol Channel, both were decidedly in favour of
Lundy as most in the course of ships, the best point
to run for and the best to leave, as vessels could do
so with almost any wind. There was good anchor-
age, the holding ground being excellent, and vessels
would use it now extensively if it were not for the
fear of being caught by east winds, in which case
they were sometimes compelled to slip their
anchors.
Mr. Rice, an inhab:tant of Lundy island, gave
similar evidence

1....A.M1.4.41.1, V •
Mr. Terrell, chairman of the Chamber of Com-
merce of Bristol, stated that, after receiving evi-
dence of practical persons, the chamber decided in
favour of Clovelly.
The inquiry then terminated.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, OCT. 2.—Mr. COM..
missioner Murphy has concluded the present sittings, and
Mr. Commissioner Phillips will sit on Tuesday week, the
19th inst., to hear bail cases and motions.

THE NAVY.

Admiral Fremantle': squadron hove in sight,
near the Eddystone, at 9 o'clock yesterday (Sunday)
morning. Wind, west-south-west ; strong breeze.
At 11 o'clock they were approaching Plymouth
Sound in two divisions. The squadron includes the
Renown, 91, Capt. A. Forbes; the Victor Emmanuel,
91, Capt. J. Wilcox ; the rion, 91, Capt. D'Eyn-
court ; the Caesar, 90, Capt. C. Frederick ; the
Brunswick, 81, Capt. E. Ommanney ; the Eurya-
lus, 51, Captain J. W. Tarleton ; the Diadem, 32,
Capt. W. Moorsom ; and the Racoon, 22, Capt. J.
A. Paynter.
Admiral-Superintendent Sir T. S. Pasley struck
his flag on board the Royal William, 120, Capt. W.
J. Williams, in Hamoaze, on Friday evening, and
has left Devonport Dockyard, on leave of absence.
The screw steamship Archer, 14, Capt. J. Sander-
son, left Plymouth on Saturday for the West Coast
of Africa, taking a mail.
His Prussian Majesty's steam yacht Grille, Capt.
Baron Von Bothwell, which left Rochefort on Fri-
day at noon, with H.R.H. Admiral Prince Adal-
bert and suite, arrived in Plymouth Sound on Sa-
turday evening, and proceeded up Hamoaze. The
royal yacht will probably leave Ply mouth to-day
for Ssthead, to join his Prussian Majesty's ships
Gefion and Thetis.

The Aid, Grundy, master, and the Hope, Syer,
master, have arrived at Chatham, from the Western
ports, and commenced unloading war stores for the
dockyard.
Her Majesty's ship Queen is in Sheerness dock,
having one of her decks cut down, and she is to
have a screw put into her.
The St. Jean d'Acre, 101, screw two-decker, hav-
ing been fitted for the first-class steam reserve,
went out of harbour on Thursday morning and took
a trip into the offing, to test her machinery and
speed. Experiments were also made with Kyn as-
ton's plan of lowering boats at sea.
OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE FLOATING DERRICK.—
The Lords of the Admiralty, Vice-Admiral W. F.
Martin, and Captain the Hon. J. R. Drummond,
C.B. accompanied by Sir H. B. Martin, C. 8., in-
spected on Friday last the monster Floating Der-
rick, recently launched, and now moored off Black-
wall pier. Their lordships afterwards visited the
extensive premises of the Thames Ironworks and
Ship-building Company, where the Derrick was
constructed, and inspected the Orinoco and Magda-
lena steam-ships, each of 3,096 tons, building at
these works for the Royal West India Mail Com-
pany; and also the steam-ship Nepaul, of I,OOQ tons,
building for the Peninsular and Oriental Company.
Their lordships were attended by Capt. Rawstorne,
R.N.. and Capt. Coppin, commander of the Derrick,
who had the honour of explaining the principles
and constructive details of this huge hoisting ma-
chine ; and also by Mr. Peter Rolt and Capt. Ford,.
R.N. who had the honour of submitting to their
lordships the model of a first-class iron screw-
steamer of 5,000 tons, with engines of 1,000 nominal
horse power, designed for conveying to India, in 41
days, 2,000 troops, with their officers, horses, artil-
lery, baggage, &c.