The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—On the 15th of October, shortly after sun-
set, we had the first distinct view of what there
appears to be little doubt is the great comet of
1264 and 1556, whose long journey has been calcu-
lated with so much precision that it was expected
to visit our world again this year. Its position was
then (15th Oct.) in the northern extremity of the
sign Scorpio, just outside the ecliptic, 20 deg. south
of the equator, and 265 deg, west longitude. Appa-
rently the nucleus was about the size of the planet
Mars, and was distinctly defined. The coma was
in breadth nearly the diameter of the nucleus, and
the tail, which was slightly curved towards the sun,
and to a small extent fan•shaped, was about four
degrees in length. The breadth of the tail in the
middle might be a quarter the apparent diameter
of the moon ; and, as is almost invariably the case
with these strange visitors, extended in a direction
opposite to that of the sun. For about a third of
its length it was very bright, notwithstanding
the eclipsing effects of a new moon, then it waxed
fainter and fainter, until it became, as it were, im-
perceptibly lest in the heavens.
I have described its appearance in the past tense,
as it has not been visible to the naked eye since the
16th inst., although it may likely be seen for some
time yet with a powerful telescope. Although in
many respects it corresponds to the cornet formerly
alluded to, its progress does not agree with it ; for
while the stranger in 1556 pursued a north-westerly
path, this one is receding from the sun in a south-
east direction, along the edge of the sign Scorpio,
across the ecliptic at an angle of 384 degrees. It is
moving into space with great rapidity, at first
nearly 5 degrees in 24 hours ; but, as its distance
became greater, this apparent motion became of
course much less—say, latterly, about one degree in
the same time.

I have taken the liberty of giving you these par-
ticulars, arrived at to the best of my ability and op-
portunity, in case a more scientific person should not
send home a report from this quarter of this strange
phenomenon of nature.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,
ANTIPODES.
Wellington, New Zealand, Nov. O.

COLLISION IN THE CHANNEL.

BRIGHTON, Sunday.—The weather has been very
squally off this coast for some days past. Last
night it blew a stiff gale outside, and at daybreak
this morning the Coast Guard discovered a large
barque, dismasted, drifting down Channel to the
eastward, about four miles out. She had only a
part of her mizenmast standing, and not a shred of
canvas was visible. The lifeboats were immediately
launched, and two crews, headedi by the well-known
John Wright, of this place and Sohn Spicer, one
nfhis i;Aufralarria
observed about the same time from the Greenway
Preventive Station at Rottingdean, and, under the
direction of Richard Millard, the veteran chief
boatman in charge, a small four-oared galley,
manned by five gallant fellows belonging to the
station, put off to aid the vessel. There was much
difficulty in launching this smallboat, owing to the
heavy sea running at the time, and great anxiety
prevailed for the safety of her crew, even after she
had got well clear of the breakers. But the gallant
little craft crested the waves in good style, and after
a couple of hours hard pulling she was the first boat
to come alongside the wreck, which lay in the
trough of the sea, rolling fearfully. After consi-
derable risk and difficulty, the coxswain of the
galley, Wm. Wiley, brought his vessel alongside,
and with his companions boarded the vessel, which
proved to be the Spanish baque Vizcaya, of Bilboa,
Captain Jose de Urquida, in ballast, bound from
Falmouth to London, for orders. The crew had
abandoned the ship, which had evidently been in
recent collision with some large vessel, the masts,
yards, and rigging lying in one indiscriminate mass
upon the deck, and the bulwarks on both sides
le as the only
bower anchor,
which of saving her, let go the o
roc beingky carriedosfh
oRr ec:tthet ai
nw gad:re
crew
e nw,Toahfne
dt shiphebeating
galley,
beingal ,
in now
towards south-
west
awhich fortunately brought her up immediately.
When, shortly afterwards, the Brighton. lifeboats
Rot-
tingdean to Newha
ven begging that the first
steamer that could be got ready would put to sea
fortunate
uvtneadakt, eetnhcetrhierew ai assistance i
precautionpsitoA ays nsoeciiseswoofna sss
Captainewdn ehdcoilnis neg.:
vsoduiviphe
geyr
hr
fittor:moa moreßeetohtr:
immediately. The Brighton and South Coast Com-
pany's steamship
first to get her steam up, and as soon as the water
in the harbour permitted, she put off to the wreck,
having ou board Mr. Bosson, the company's agent,
and two channel pilots. There was considerable
difficulty in attaching the hawser, but after a time
this was accomplished, and about half-past one
o'clock the wreck was safely towed into Newhaven
Harbour, where she remains in charge of the pre-
ventive officers. Later this morning, a full-rigged
ship was observed off Shoreham, partially dismasted.
Several steamtugs put off to her assistance, and in
consequence of thedraught of water being too great
to enter Shoreham Harbour they have taken her to
the westward, probably intending to go into Ports-
mouth. This is supposed to be the ship with which
the Spanish barque must have come into collision
during last night •, and it is hoped that the crew of
the latter will be found on boardthe larger ship.