The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-15 00:00:00

AT SEA IN THE STORM.

The 4 id of October will be long remembered as
one of those days which leave their impress in
anxious and sorrowful memories. Already we have
heard .o! f shipwrecks ; brave seamen perishing in
their of Forts to reach the shore ; and could the
effects of that terrible storm be fully known, it
would ireveal many an instance of suffering, endu-
rance, And heroic toil. One such came under our
notice,e, and cannot fail to awaken the interest and
sympe by of the reader. On title morning of the
3d thei ' William Simpson, of Peterhead, a boat of
little • m ore than 15 tons, left the Tay for her na-
tive p A with a heavy cargo of mussels. She was
mann ei 1 by William and Ale-sander Alexander,
with ti 90 of their sons, boys about 14 years of age.
Sudden .ly the wind rose, and, Sading it impossible
to 'ore ast the storm, they rau to sea, and am_
tin'aed thus till, it is calculated, they were at
lee.st a hundred miles from the land. Being nu_
al.)le to carry canvas, or even take down the
7-aaatt :they were entirely at the mercy of the
waves,, and could only struggle to keeptohfeir
the
poorvessel
from Si] iking. The perilous condition
fisherm en with their little boys it would be impos-
sible to conceive. Here, in a small boat, their pro-
visions destroyed, without fire, wet and weary, in
the midst of the raging elements, their only pros-
pect IPlatS a watery grave. A large quantity of the
precious cargo was thrown overboard; twice was
the be a filled with water, and the wpm es continued
to break over her. The two boys soon. became ex-
haust( ;d, and were placed under the only shelter an
opim boat can afford, saddening as it is, that their
pair parents might not see them die. They refused
to r main, and the last edible remne mt, a raw cab-
be, ?;e was divided between them. I Lard and heart-
br, taking were the struggles of the two fishermen,.
a n d yet they toiled on as those inured to difficulties
an d storms only can. For five day u did William
./ 0 ,asander remain at the helm, exeopt twice, when
r 1e was dashed by a wave into the b ottom of the
)(Ad, while his brother attended to th e pump and
ether matters. Seldom have we heard .of such tryin
zposure, such protracted privation a) ad suffering.
At last the calm came, and with what t strength re-
-1
(wined, stimulated by a hope the .t, even yet,
t b: rough a kind providence, they might be saved,
Ih ey made for the land. a Sunday they arrived
Stonehaven, having been nearly five de.ys at sea,
luring Which they had ate little, slept none, and
been subjected to the severest hardships.Their
condition was deplorable, their deliverance a mar-
vel ; and the news of their safety wali received by
anxious friends with equal delight e.nd astonish-
ment. The boat arrived here on Monday. Such is
one of the incidents of Wednesd.ay week. The
William Simpson had a perilous voyage, and her
brave little crew a narrow escape ; but how many
on that memorable day perished .amid the scenes of
theirßtri iggiee and sufferings!—,p, ?,4erhea k'entinel.

DINNER TO THE 37th KENT VOL UN-

TEERS.

After the review of the 37th Kent Rifle Volun-
teers, last Thursday, the battalion marched down
into the town, and thence to Baker's Cross, where
a large marquee with its long line of roof sur-1
mounted by numerous flags, was a welcome object
to the hungry volunteers. The tables, laid to
accommodate about 450 guests, were loaded to
repletion with substantials to appease and
delicacies to tempt the appetite ; whilst the
numerous array of wine bottles gave promise that
there would be no lack of " bumpers " to drink the
after-dinner toasts. Flowers and evergreens were
tastefully disposed about the canvass walls and roof,
while " Welcome Volunteers," " Invieta," and other
appropriate mottoes caught the eye. This magnifi-
cent feast had been provided with princely liberality
solely at the expense of Major Bell. The arrange-
ments generally were admirable, every one of the
400 volunteers taking his seat without trouble or
confusion. In addition to the whole of the battalion,
Major Bell and his lady, Mrs. Bell, had also invited
the following guests, who occupied a raised table
along one side of the tent :—Lord Sydney, Lady
Sydney, Rev. E. Moore, Lady Harriet Moore, A. J. B.
Beresford-Hope, Esq., Lady Mildred Beresford-
Hope, H. Hoare, Esq., Lady Mary Hoare, E. Hus-
sey, Esq., the Hon. Mrs. Hussey, Gathorne Hardy,
Esq., M.P., Mrs. Hardy, Sir John Herschel, Bart.,
Lady Herschel, Captain Buxton (Adjutant), Mrs.
Buxton, Marcus Stone, Esq., Miss Ellen Stone,
Miss Bertha Stone, W. C. Morland, Esq., Mrs.
Morland, R. Tooth, Esq., Mrs. Tooth, Col. Luard,
Rev. H.Harrison, Rev. I. Edge, Rev. John Twells,
Rev. W. Rumsey, Rev. A. Eden, Rev. H. Jeffreys,
Mr. Maclean, Mr. Elsted, Captain Weller, Captain
Tweedie, Captain Ruxten (Chief Constable of
Kent), Mr. E. Wilson, Dr. Jobson, Mr. Young,
Mr. Piper, &c.
Dinner having been succeeded by a plentiful
dessert, the chairman, in very eloquent and patriotic
speeches, of which, howeyer, we have not space to
give even an outline, proposed the usual loyal toasts,
which were drunk enthusiastically.
The CHAIRMAN, in next proposing the health of
" Lord Sydney, Lord Lieutenant of the County,"
pointed out in forcible terms the great advantages
which England derived from a territorial aristo-
cracy.
Viscount SYDNEY returned thanks, and concluded
by proposing, in complimentary terms, the health
of their hospitable host, Major Bell, and " Success
to the 37th Kent Rifle Volunteers."
The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm, the
cheers given in honour of the Chairman continuing
for several minutes.
Major BELL, after having briefly acknowledged
the compliment, continued—lf I were asked to ex-
plain what this assemblage of volunteers meant, I
would say it is the expression of opinion of the
middle classes of England that England is worth
defending. (Cheers.) But if England be worth
defending, England may be worth attacking. And
when we consider what England is—a little island
lying in the Northern Sea, yet exercising an almost

boundless influence on the destinies of the world—
we can understand why it may be the object and
the interest of other powers to attack England.
(Hear, hear.) Look at the boundless wealth of
England—look at her vast colonial possessions—
look at her unrivalled trade—all these things con-
stitute an object of envy to many foreign powers.
(Cheers.) England exercises an amount of influence
entirely disproportionate to her territorial extent.
That fact is in itself an offence to those who wish
England ill. (Hear, hear.) The successful invasion
of England would lead not only to the temporary
humiliation, but to the dismemberment of England.
Recollect that amongst foreign powers England has
no real friends. England stands in the way of the
objects and ambition of many foreign powers.
(Cheers.) But for England, France would exercise
an uncontrolled supremacy in Europe; but for
England, Russia might be omnipotent in Asia;
but for England, the whole continent of America
would belong to the United States. (Cheers.) A war
with England, therefore, might lead to a coalition
against England, and a war against England, if suc-
cessful in its issue, might lead to the absolute dis-
memberment of England. (Hear, hear.) Eng-
land is not like France, a territory compact
and self-contained. The power of England
is spread all over the world. England is
weaker at home than anywhere else; and, there-
fore, those who strike at England will strike at her
heart. (Hear, hear.) If an invasion of England
succeeded, recollect that immediately would follow
a suspension of that by which England lives—
credit. Recollect that the vast mass of the popu-
tion of England is no longer connected with the
cultivation of the soil. The great mass is centred
in the towns of England, and the towns of England
depend on credit. Suspend credit, which would be
the effect of a successful invasion, and it would in-
, volve an annihilation of all the springs of industry.
(Cheers.) You have not merely bloodshed, you
have famine. If an invasion of England proved
' successful, there would be an end of the British
Empire; there would be an end to the labours of a
thousand years. (Cheers.) Look at the state of
Europe. Europe never was in a more disturbed
state than at the present moment. We happen to
live next door to a potentate who is under the in-
fluence of " ideas ;" and his " ideas" take the form
of the annexation of his neighbour's territories.
(Cheers and ironical laughter.) Now, ideas are apt
to become formidable in so far as they as they are
likely to resolve themselves into action. (Hear,
hear.) If we study history, we find that " ideas"
were as paramount in past times as they are in the
present. If you study the history of Rome you will
find that for 700 years the Roman people harboured
the idea that they were born to rule the universe,
and the fact that they did harbour it led to its rea-
lisation. Every Roman was a soldier, and we find
that when the atrocities that the Romans perpe-
trated amongst their neighbours led to what may
be called a combination against Rome, this " idea"
enabled them to resist successfully even the genius
of Hannibal, the greatest captain of his age ; for al-
though he held possession of Italy for 16 years, he
could not subdue, in the minds of the Romans, that
idea. The Romans believed they were born for
universal conquest, and, in virtue of that idea, they
achieved universal conquest. So, in comparatively
modern times, we find the influence of an idea
prevailing in Russia. It is now nearly a
thousand years ago that the Muscovites, as they
were then termed, began to 'entertain the idea that
their destiny was to obtain possession of Constan-
tinople. In the year 865 the Muscovites besieged
Constantinople, and within tv; o centuries they made
four attacks on the city of the Crescent. The
" idea" that animated them a thousand years ago
animates them still. They still believe that it is
their destiny, one day, to become possessors of Con-
stantinople. If we turn to the history of France,
we find that, more than 2,000 years ago, Brennus
and his Gauls took possession of Rome; and the
ambition of France in the present day seems to be
to take possession of Italy. (Cheers.) We have
witnessed, within these few months, the annexe- ,
tion of Savoy and Nice to the territories of France.
And what was the pretext I' That in 1798 Savoy
belonged to France ! If that pretext be good for
one thing, it may be good for another. The Chan-
nel Islands once belonged to France. Why may
not France, by virtue of the same plea, claim that
the Channel Islands be restored to her? Nay, more,
England itself at one time belonged to the Normans,
and the Normans came out of France. Why, then,
should not France claim the whole of England,
from Kent to Caithness ? (Cheers.) 'We have
heard that France required the annexation of Savoy
because she was afraid of Italy. If France be afraid
of Italy, may not France profess to be more afraid
of England ? (Cheers.) 'And we, too, have been
acting under the influence of "ideas." For the last
forty years we seem to have cultivated the idea
that wealth could protect itself. We have pro-
claimed, for the last forty years, that England was
becoming richer and richer day by day, and we
have only now awakened to the fact that wealth
alone will not protect a country. (Cheers.) We have
discovered at last, and a marvellous discovery it is,
that our army and navy cost money; and because
Ethnegylacnodst
tmnondeisyb,asnodmethweioruslndldciaelrlsoanntd sailors
people. of
If
that argument isworth anything, the •
army and navy
are not the only thinwhich
things r•ost money. The
administration of justice -
then, should we not `zosts money—why,
with' the army and r dispense, not only
rvy,
system by virtue of w.,glich .but with the whole
W 8
in this country. (C.J.heers.) JuArice is administered
, e have been told by
some men, the sf..-Called friends of peace that it is
i
a pity to i
rr-taite France by a display or martial
preparation'4. If that argument be thing, it may be worth somethin worth any-
g more. Why
should. we irritate burglars and housebreakers by
a display of laws for the protection of our lives and
"property ? (Cheers.) Depend upon it nothing is
so costly as a display of national weakness—
nothing is se ruinous as the preparation to submit
to national disgraee. (Loud cheers.) If yon try
it by the vulgar money test, nothing is so econo-
mical as the determination to defend the honour of
the country. (Loud cheers.) The country which
is prepared at all times to defend its honour will
rarely be called on to fight for its existence.
(Cheers.) If, on the other hand, a country should
be found indisposed to stand up for the maintenance
of its honour, rest assured that that country does
not deserve to belong to the great comity of na-
tions, (Cheers.) Nor will it long maintain its
rank, for aggressive neighbours will soon discover
that the country which is not prepared to fight for
its honour, will not long be prepared to fight for
its existence; and the country not prepared to fight
will soon hays little left that is worth fighting for.'