The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-26 00:00:00

THE NORTHUMBERLAND.

Not the slightest change has taken place in the
position of this vessel since the notice which ap-
peared in The Snn of last Monday. During low
water careful levels have been taken of the ways on
which the ship is fixed, and the deflection is stated
to be so trifling as to be scarcely more than the eighth
of an inch—a deviation which in such a length of way
is literally not worth considering as regards the
safety of the vessel. Nothing whatever can be done
to launch her till Saturday next, when all the efforts
then to be made will be assisted by the high spring
tides. It cannot, however, be concealed that the
operation will be one of difficulty, and even possibly
of danger. The stern, as the vessel at present lies,
is not waterborne, while the bows are high and dry.
Fortunately, the ship remains straight upon the
ways, and the cradles, which are of immense
solidity, keep her firm. In addition to this, how-
ever, she has been shored up on both sides to avoid
the chance of accident. It is intended on Saturday
to endeavour to float her by means of large lighters,
which will be secured by chains on either side of the
stern before the high spring tides, and which by their
buoyancy may lift her off when the flood is highest.
Three powerful hydraulic presses are being fixed at
her bows to start her from the position in which she
so unfortunately stopped. Hawsers are also to be
taken across the river to powerful capstans, which
will be amply manned, and, in addition to all, the
services of many powerful steamtugs are secured to
bring this great ironclad safely into the water. The
only great risk of the operation is that in lifting the
stern the Northumberland may twist across the
ways, in which case the "consequences may lie dis-
astrous, not only to the vessel, but to any who are
too near her. The operation of lifting her will
undoubtedly be most interesting in a mechanical
point of view, and we most earnestly hope that it
will be successful.

LIFEBOAT SERVICE.—REDCAR, YORKSHIRE, Satur-
day, 10 a.m.—(By Telegraph.)—John Coulson,
Esq., the agent for Lloyd's, reports that the Gipsy, of
Wisbeach, has gone on the Redcar Rocks and become a
total wreck. Fortunately the Ciossley lifeboat, of the
National Lifeboat Institution, was the means of saving
those on board the woe], namely, four men and t WQrqati.

HER MAJESTY•

WINDSOR, March 25.

The Queen, accompanied by their Royal High-
nesses Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Princess
Beatrice, Prince Leopold, and her Grand Ducal
Highness the Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenbourg,
arrived at the Castle yesterday, at a quarter before
2 o'clock, attended by Lady Waterpark, Lady in
Waiting, the Hon. Mrs. Bruce, the Hon. Lucy
Kerr, the Hon. Mary Lascelles, and the Equerries
in Waiting.

The intelligence of the unexpected death of the
venerable and highly-esteemed Queen Marie Amelia,
who expired at Claremont yesterday, was received
by the Queen and the Royal Family, with whom
she was connected by so many ties of relationship,
as well as of the sincerest friendship, with deep
regret.

Her Majesty, accompanied by the Princess
Helena and Princess Louise, and attended by the
Hon. Mrs. Bruce, Major-General F. H. Seymour,
and Colonel H. Ponsonby, Equerries in Waiting,
drove to Claremont this afternoon, and paid a visit
of condolence to the afflicted family of the late
Queen.

The Gale.

HOLYHEAD.

During Friday and Saturday this bay has been
visited by a severe storm from various quarters.
On Friday afternoon and on Saturday it blew heavy
squalls, which amounted to a hurricane. The wind
veered round from S. W, to N.W. (when our parcel
was despatched at 10 p.m. Saturday), and a large
number of vessels and steamers have sought shelter
either within the harbour of refuge or in the roads.
The former are, fortunately, out of danger, which
cannot be said of all those in the roads, as several of

them are dragging their anchors to leeward. The
following are the chief casualties which have oc-
curred during the past 36 hours. The schooner
Leader, 107 tons burden, Davies, master, of
Port Talbot, from HaTre for Liverpool, witha cargo
of flour, making for Holyhead, could not fetch,
and was driven by a tremendous squall and sea to
leeward inside Clipera Rocks. The flag being hoisted
union down at 4 p.m., on Friday, the Holyhead
lifeboat was immediately manned and rowed to her.
One man was put on board to assist, and shortly
afterwards the steamtug Retriever, of Liverpool,
came to the assistance of the vessel, and towed her
into the Holyhead old harbour. The schooner
Queen of the Isles, of Penzance, from Falmouth
for Liverpool, with a cargo of granite, was, while
endeavouring to make for the harbour of refuge,
driven against the end of the breakwater, where
the master and crew succeeded in landing. The
vessel thumped heavily, and soon vent down. The
Portuguese bark Paquette de Rio Grande, from
Liverpool for Oporto, with a cargo of rice and coal,
was driven against the breakwater, when she re-
ceived considerable damage. Two anchors were put
down, but from the report of the captain these did
not prevent the vessel from drifting. The master
and crew being foreigners, no doubt they were con-
siderably frightened at their position, and thought
it more dangerous than it really was. Believing
that the vessel had six feet of water in the hold, the
master and the crew left her, taking with them all
their chests, baggage, and instruments, and by the
aid of Burnel, the driver of a locomotive, and 31r.
William Williams, Tan-y-Bryn, their effects were
placed on one of Messrs. Rigby's (the harbour con-
tractors) waggons. As the crew were preparing to
leave, Mr. Rowe, chief officer of Coastguards, with
a number of his men, and Mr. Hamilton Dobson
(son of Mr. C. E. Dobson, Government engineer),
Porthyfelin, boarded the vessel, and made signals
for a steamtug, having first ascertained that she
had but three or four inches of water in her hold.
Captain R. R. Jones joined them, and they resolved
themselves into a crew. When the steamtug made
her appearance the vessel's crew returned, and she
was tugged to the old harbour, where she lies con-
siderably damaged at her hull. Too much praise can-
not be given to Mr. Howe for his bravery, to Mn
Hamilton Dobson, who nobly joined with Mr. Rowe,
and to Lloyd's agent, Capt. R. R. Jones, for the
energy and promptness by which they saved a fine
valuable bark from a fate that befell the Queen of
the Isles. Mr. 0. Parry, Spanish and Portuguese
Consul, received the vessel from Mr. Rowe's hands
and exerted himself in a truly kind manner to the
foreigners who manned her. The wind and sea are
still very high (11 p.m. Saturday), and a stool/
night is anticipated.

LIVERPOOL.
On Friday afternoon a heavy storm of wind and
rain arose from the south south-east, and meeting
the rising tide in the Mersey caused a remarkably
heavy swell. At half-past 6 o'clock the wind regis-
ter at the Liverpool Observatory recorded a Pres-
sure of 231 b. on the square foot, and it continued,
with slowly-moderating violence, throughout the
night. At midnight the barometer reading vi°,
28.90. The storm in the river was so severe Om
many of the ferry-boats were compelled to cease
running. When the storm was at its height three
large sailing ships, lying in the river opposite Bir-
kenhead, parted from their moorings almost at the
same moment, and drifted down the river. Fortu-
nately there were steamtugs at hand, which took
them in tow, and prevented them drifting ash°re.
The steamer Robert Bruce was abandoned when°
1
a sinking state in the Crossby Channel, nearTAY"lor's Bank.

DOVER.
In the fearful gale at 10 o'clock on Friday night,
the bark Eastward, of London, from the Coast c.
Africa from Hamburg, struck on the Ridge. CaOi
Barnett and 12 men took to the boats, as the vessel
was sinking, and after pulling about in a heavy seea
for two hours were picked up by the smack Cornell
of Dover, at which port they were landed at 5 30 °I;
Saturday morning, and taken in a very exhausted
condition to the Sailors' Home. Some of the era(
who were asleep at the time the bark struck Vera
nearly destitute of clothing, and nothing was save
but what the others stood up in. They will be clothed
_
out of the stock at the Sailors' Home, and by the
Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.

AN EVENING CONCERT, in aid of the building
fund of the Battersea Christchurch National Schools,
is about to be given at the Assembly Rooms, Wandsworth.
It is fixed, we believe, for Tuesday, April 24, and will 11
under the immediate patronage of the Lord BisboP °
Winchester, and, among others, of General Sir Gorge
Pollock, G.C.8., K. 5.1., Major-General A. J. Lawrence,
C. 8., and the Vicar of Battersea. It is announced,
moreover, that " The Wandering Minstrels," Wit
the direction of their conductor, the lion. Sern°,„-
Egerton—a company of amateur instrumentalists
have, during the last few years, very considerably
proved in their performances—have kindly consented to
give their assistance upon the occasion of this charitable
entertainment.
THE FATAL ACCIDENT IN THE CITT-BOAD.--*AII,,
inquest was held on Saturday on the body of Frederic;
Long, who was killed on Thursday last at Free:2lo,lv
stone-wharf, City-road, under the circumstances sire 6""t
published. The evident* went to show that the accidea_
was caused by the sudden snapping of the iron tensi°''
rod of the crane on which the deceased and two other Die°
were at work. Long was killed by the fall, and the °tiler
men were badly hurt. A verdict of accidental death W6g
returned.
THE LATE DR. SPURGIN.—Dr. Lankester held 3.11
inquiry on Saturday, at the Duke of Curnberlaucl,
Bryanston-street, Hyde-park, respecting the death Of Dtr;
John Spurgin, who, as was alleged, died from the effli
of injuries consequent on a murderous attack upon him
a gang of thieves in High-street, Bishopsgate, in septerh;
ber last. The evidence of Mr. Walter Spurgin, s°ll °f 9
deceased gentleman, was to the effect that his father ica
69y ears of age, and that_ he met with a serious iiiiarY,bl:
September last. He told witness that at 12 o'clock oni 9
night of the outrage he was stopped and robbed by this/e
in High-street, Bishopsgate. Witness saw that his
arms
and knees were much bruised. He was attended b 7
Owen Roes, but he did not keep his bed. Witness cools:
plained to the police, and a man was apprehended on
t
picion of being concerned in the attack and robberY b°
ally
watch her
the deceased could not swear to his identity.
al
watch nor chain was found. The deceased got grade
worse after the robbery. Dr. Owen Rees -I attended jr._
Spurgin from the time ho received his injuries to his deatb
I am of opinion that his death resulted from those injorias'
He gradually sank from the shock to his system. Verdict,
" Manslaughter against some person or persons uu.knoWn•