The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-04 00:00:00

ORDNANCE SURVEY OF LONDON.

A letter dated the 26th ult. was read by Mr.
Woolrych, clerk to the Board, addressed to him by
the solicitor to the War Department by the direc-
tion of Major-General Peel, Secretary of State for
War, requesting that he would lay before the
Mctropohtan Board of Works the claim which still
remains unliquidated on the balance due to the
War Department (as representing the late Board
of Ordnance), amounting to 24,2171. 17s. for the
survey of London, made upon the request of the
Commissioners of Sewers prior to 1852 ; and further
that he would represent to the Board that the
matter had been permitted to remain in abeyance
since his (Mr. Woolrych's) letter of the 17th of
September, 1852, addressed to Mr. Wood, Secretary
to the late Board of Ordnance, and that the same
VA still unpaid. The solicitor added that he was
further desired to express Gederal Peel's hope that
the Board should make arrangements to enablq
them to discharge this sum at an early period in the
ensuing spring.
NEW OFFICES OF THE BOARD.

The Works and General Purposes Committee re-
ported that the superintending architect had pre-
pared the preliminary plans anti elevations for the
new office of the Board in Spring-gardens, in ac-
cordance with the terms of the agreement entered
into between the Commissioners of Woods and the
Board.

The consideration of the subject was adjourned
for a fOrtnight. -
Some business of a routine kind was then trans-
acted, and the Board adjourned.

THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL COMPANY'S
FLEET.—Four screw steamships, of about 1,600 tons bur-
den each, have just been purchased by the directors from a
French company, for whom they were built for Transat-
lantic service. Three of the vessels are now lying at Havre
and one at Brest. Their present names are the Alma, the
Comptoise, the Barcelona, and the Cadiz. They will all be
overhauled and fitted for sea at Southampton, and for this
purpose the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamship
Ripon will be despatched to
.Havre on Monday Morning,
taking over Captains Joy, Christian, and Bradshaw. with
staff of officers and 150 men, to navigate the three steamers
from Havre to Southampton.
THE DROWNED PACHA'S DIAMONDS.—A reward
of 200,000 piastres (narrates the Lloyd of 'Pesth) was pro-
mised to the finder of the body of Ali-Ghalib Pacha. Apor
fisherman found it in a state of semi-putrefaction. Riza
Pacha gave him 2,000 piastres out of the reward promised,
and put down the remainder to the finder's account,
to be paid hereafter. He afterwards demanded the
diamonds that Ali Ghalib had wom, which the man declared
he had not seen, and alleged that others might have taken
them before he found the body. That explanation, how-
ever, did not satisfy Riza Pacha, and the fisherman has
been placed in confinement.
NARROW ESCAPE OF A CREW FROM STARVA-
TioN.—The ship John Bright, Captain Cutting, which
arrived at this port
yesterday, after a fearful passage of 40
days from New York, fell in with the barque Alma, of
Havre, during the voyage, and supplied her with provisions.
The following is the letter of the captain of the Alma to the
commander of the John Bright, asking for supplies :
Captain For 60 days I have been at sea from
Trindad, and I am beginning to want a little of everything
of provisions, not having above eight or ten days' supply,
more or less, and having b3en on half rations for eight days ;
therefore, if you can give me little coal and wood, of which
I am without entirely, half a hogshead of biscuit, a quarter
of beef, some potatoes, for I am without any, or some rice
if you have any; in short, captain, do what you can to
succour me. My second mate, whom I send to you, will
explain, and I throw myself on your humanity as a sailor.
Wine I will not ask you for, as I think you do not use that
in your ship My position to-day is 19 S. lat.,
observed 48.7 N., long. 29, meridian of Paris ; I also beg
of you, captain, if your destination is, as I suppose, for one
of the ports of La Manche, to report me on your arrival.
Should I arrive first, I will do the same, as I am bound to
Havre. My owners are Masurier and Son, of that port
Adieu, captain. I await your favourable answer as well as
your assistance, for which I thank you in anticipation, and
feel persuaded you will relieve us- much.—Your colleague
and debtor, Pzin,"--Liverpool Daily fray,