The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-27 00:00:00

BOLYHEAD BARBOUR.

(Froth the Live( pool Albion, Oct. 24)
For many years past we have endeavoured to
call public attention to this gigantic delusion,
but without producing any effect; and the money
of the taxpayers still continues to be employed in
tumbling Holyhead mountain into the sea. The
late Mr. Harbourmaster Askew prophesied before a
committee of the House of Commons that it would
prove a harbour of destruction ; but he was un-
heeded. His Royal Highness the Prince Consort,
however, has now been to Holyhead Harbour, to
visit the Great Eastern. The vessel lay anchored,
we are told, "in the best position in the harbour."
The Prince inspected every part of her, not omit-
ting the engine and fire rooms, where he discovered
the firemen all in their places, with the "fires
banked up." Being a man of an inquiring turn of
mind, he asked the reason of this apparently unne-
cessary expenditure of fuel, when he was informed
that the vessel was in hourly fear for her life. " If,"
said the skip, " a northward gale should set in there
is not room for me to swing, and I should have to
put to sea." Here is a pretty Harbour of Refuge,
which has already costthe tax-paying public nearly
a million sterling, and will be of no better use when
it has cost a million more. It will be a sad hour lot
the Great Eastern if the dreaded northwester should
overtake her in this exposed situation ; for we fur-
ther read, that "there are rocks inside the harbour,
between which and the breakwater there is no
channel ;" and we also know that immediately out-
side the breakwater lie the sunken rocks named the
" Outer Platters." It is to be hoped that the ob-
servations of the Prince Consort will not be lost
upon the Financial Reformers, but that some
of them will stir np an independent member, if
there be such a person, to inquire how long this
expensive folly is to be persisted in. It will also be
seen that 6,000 pounds weight of gunpowder have
been inserted in the bowels of the harmless moun-
tain, and that the explosion has taken place as one
of the attractions of the day. If the explosion had
been extended to the breakwater, and the sea re-
stored to its former natural state, it would be a most
satisfactory result for the British shipowner.

Since the above observations were penned, there
has been a sumptuous dinner given by the Railway
Company to the Ministers and ex• Ministers of the
Crown. It was hinter' by the Railway Company
that more money was wanted to complete the har-
bour. Ministers, of course, implentur veteris Bacchi
pinguisque ferincv, could do no other than respond
to the wants of their entertainers. Accordingly,
Sir John Pakington, being "out," made all sorts of
promises. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, how-
ever, who is " in," whilst reminding his hosts that
" the effect of convivial assemblies was to open the
heart and set free the tongue," remained most pro-
vokingly silent. He was only ready to spend money
when voted by Parliament. It is not unlikely that
the wary Chancellor had• been consulting the baro-
meter, for next day, we are told, the drQaded north-
wester burst upon the devoted vessel. The fires
were poked, steam was got up, the huge paddles
were put in motion; the excursionists were warned
off, and the great Leviathan made preparation to
seek safety in the tempest-tossed sea. The squalls
—for they were mere squalls—passed away, and
the danger passed with them. It is, however, some
satisfaction to see that this subject is at length
attracting the attention of the London press.
Nothing would seem better to open the eyes of the
public than- an accurate statement of the recipients
of the motleys charged by Chancellors of the Ex-
chequer against this Harbour of Refuge.

RETIREMENT OF 'SIR JAMES CLARK. We are
requested to state that the announcement which appeared in
the Court Journal, relative to the retirement of Sir James
Clark, is incorrect.

BIDEFORD, Oct. 26.—A boat has been washed ashore,
marked William Robertson. The Thistle, of Cardiff, has
been totally lost in Marsh Bay; master and five men.
saved. The 'Rose, of Padstow, totally lost ; master saved.
The Swan schooner, of Falmouth, totally lost; crew
saved, and about half of cargo expected to be. The Ann,
of Whitcha.ven, totally lost ; crew drowned.
CARDIFF, Oct. 26.—The Acorn, cf this port, and the
Thomas, of Lynn, are both sunk in Penarth Roads. The
William, of Newport, is dismasted there. The Freya,
Russian ship, in West Bute Dock, considerably damaged
by fire in her cabin this morning. The John St. Barbe, of
Cardigan, totally wrecked last night.
BEItWICK, Oct. 26. The Majestic, of Dundee, is
wrecked at Spital Point ; and the Livingston smack, of
Gordon, is ashore at Beedle.

SHIELDS, Oct. 26.—The Bayno Number Two, of Poole,
has been picked up dismasted off Tyn,,mouth, and towed
in by the Brothers steam tug.

(Eir ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday Morning.
Wind calm ; rain.
Arrived—Courier, steamer, from Jersey; Margaret, from
Sunderland.
Sailed—Despatch, steamer, for Jersey; Havre, steamer,
for Havre.

Off port—Tornado.

LruarooL, Thursday Morning.

(BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Thursday Morning.
Wind W.S.W. ; tide ono hour's flood ; weather mode-
rate and thick.
Arrived, Oct. 27—Ine, from Guernsey.
DEAL, Thursday Morning.

Wind, N.W.,light.,

Fassed—Patiida, from Jamaico. for London; Forest
Fairy, from London for Falmouth.

MIS DAYS MARKETS.