The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-19 00:00:00

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship. Ripon, Captain E. Christian, arrived at South-
ampton 7esterday, at 9.30 a.m., having left
Alexandria on the 3rd inst., Malta the 7th, and
Gibraltar the 12th. She brought the heavy Bom-
bay mails, those from Australia not having arrived
when she was despatched from Alexandria. On
the 7th, Bth, and 9th inst. the Ripon expe-
perienced heavy northwesterly gales, but has
since had more moderate weather. The Ripon
had 145 passengers, and on freight 22 bales of silk,
41 cases of shawls, 83 bales of wool, 39 packages
of elephants' teeth, and 24 packages of general
merchandise.
A lamentable circumstance occurred on Monday,
last. Admiral Thornton, one of the direc-
tors of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, who
was coming home in the Ripon from Alexandria,
accompanied by, his son, was walking the deck be-1
tween three and four o'clock that afternoon, and it
is supposed must have fallen overboard and been
unfortunately drowned, as he has not been seen
since. One of the men aloft saw something
on the water a :quarter of a mile astern of
the ship, and immediately gave an alarm, when
the steamer was stopped, a boat lowered, and the
engines reversed, bat nothing could be found after a
lengthened search. It is supposed that the object
seen by the man was the unfortunate gentleman's
hat.

On the Bth inst. the Ripon passed her Majesty's
ship Victor Emmanuel, steering to the south-east.
On the 11th the Peninsular and Oriental Com-
pany's steamer Indus, outward bound ; on the 12th
the Russian line-of-battle ship Cesarewitch, steer-
ing to the westward ; on the 13th the Peninsular
and Oriental Company's steamer Jeddo, outward
bound ; and same day her Majesty's steam yacht
Osborne, for Gibraltar.
At midnight, on the 9th, the Ripon passed a
vessel standing to the north-east, and observed a
sharp cannonade of heavy guns for about three-
quarters of an hour, supposed to be a ship at night
quarters.
A rumour was afloat at Alexandria that an
attempt had been made to assassinate the Pasha.
At Malta were some Austrian Lloyd's packets,
with orders to remain there.
Latest quotations of exchange at Gibraltar were
as follows :—London, 90 dap' date, 50f,-; Paris,
ditto, sf. 27c. ; Marseilles, ditto, sf. 27e. ; Genoa,
ditto, si. 29c. • Madrid, 8 days' sight, k dis. ; Cadiz,
' ditto, k dis. • Malaga, 8 days' sight, k.dis. ; Seville,
ditto, I die. • Alicante, ditto, ; Valencia,
ditto, par. ; Barcelona, ditto, -k pm. Spanish pil-
lared dollars 3 per cent. premium—none and no
demand.
Her Majesty's screw line-of-battle ships Renown,
91 guns, Captain Arthur Forbes ; the St. Jean
d'Acre, 101, Captain Thomas P. Thomson ; the
Brunswick, 80, Captain Erasmus Ommanney, and
the screw corvette Racoon, 22, Captain James A.
Paynter, arrived at Gibraltar on the 3d inst. from
the coast of England on their way to the Medi-
terranean. These ships of war lately formed part
of the Channel fleet, and were escorted to the Bay
by the Royal Albert, 120, Rear-Admiral Sir Chas.
H. Fremantle. The Renown, the St. Jean d'Acre,
the Brunswick, and the Racoon, having taken
in some fresh supplies, left the Bay between
three and four o'clock on the afternoon of the
4th, under steam for the eastward. The Victor
Emmanuel, 91 guns, Captain Wilcox, C. 8., which
has been lying at Gibraltar for some time past,
proceeded eastward at 9 a.m. on the 4th. Admiral
Fremantle returned to England in the Royal
Albert, which left on the afternoon of the 6th. The
paddlewheel steam sloop ;Vulture, 6, Capt. Camp-
bell, and the screw sloop Gannet, 11, Commander
Lambert, remained in port. The iron screw steam
store ship Supply, 2, Master Commander Balliston,
left the New Mole Dockyard, where she hadunder-
gone repairs, on the afternoon of the 6th, for Malta.
The Supply arrived at Gibraltar on the 29th ult.,
in seven days, from Spithead, having lost foremast,
maintopmast, &c., in a gale on the previous Wed-
nesday.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who is
returning from his late sojourn in Rome, arrived
at Gibraltar at nine o'clock on Saturday morning
the 7th inst., on board her Majesty's steam sloop
Scourge, Captain his Serene Highness Prince
Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenberg, in four days from
Civita Vecchia. His Royal Highness landed at
noon, at the Ragged Staff, under a Royal salute,
where he was received by his Excellency the Go-
vernor, his Staff, and a Guard of Honour furnished
- by the 7th Fusiliers. The Prince was saluted on
leaving the Scourge by the screw sloop Gannet ;
and after landing, his Royal Highness, accompanied
by the Governor, proceeded in his Excellency's
carriage through the city to the north front. Sub-
sequently, accompanied by Colonel Shuttleworth,
commanding Royal Artillery, and numerous other
officers, the Prince rode up to the Rock gun, and
in the evening he honoured his Excellency, Sir
James Fergusson, with his company at dinner.
On Sunday morning his Royal Highness attended ,
Divine service at the Cathedral, and after partaking
of luncheon with his Excellency, returned on board
the Scourge.
On Monday his Royal Highness visited various
parts of the rock, including St. Michael's Cave,
which was splendidly illuminated. In the evening
the Governor was again honoured with the company
of the Prince at dinner. The 68-pounder gun on
Elliott's Battery, laid and fired for the first time on
the 9th inst. by the Prince, will henceforward be
called " The Prince of Wales's gun."
At an early hour on Tuesday morning, carriages
being in readiness, the Prince proceeded on an ex-
cursion into Spain, escorted by a large retinue of
officers. On arrival at San Roque his Royal High-
ness alighted, and continued his excursion on horse-
back to the picturesque village of Castellar in the
cork wood. His Royal Highness returned to the
fortress at 6 o'clock in the evening, and, after din-
ing with the Governor, proceeded, accompanied by
Sir James, in his Excellency's carriage, through
the town to witness the illumination, which, with-
out any previous notice or concert, the inhabitants
had spontaneously prepared to celebrate the pre-
sence of the Prince. Enthusiastic cheering from
the assembled crowds attended his Royal Highness's
progress. The band of the 6th Royal Regiment
played in the Commercial Square during the
evening.
A deputation from the Chamber of Commerce of
Gibraltar waited upon his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales at the Convent at 4 p.m. on Wed-
nesday for the purpose of presenting to him an ad-
dress expressing the loyalty; and devotion of the
members to her Majesty, and the gladness with
which they hailed his presence in Gibraltar.
After having in the course of the afternoon
minutely inspected the hospitals and other military
establishments, the Prince proceeded, at half-past
4 o'clock, dressed in the uniform of a Colonel of the
Staff, accompanied by a numerous Staff, to witness
a review of the infantry of the garrison, under the
command of Major-General Rumley, on the north
front exercising ground. In the evening the Prince
honoured the officers of the Royal Artillery with
his company at dinner. A ball in honour of his
Royal Highness was given at night by his Excel.
lency the Governor at the Convent, which was very
numerously attended. The illumination of the
town was on a far more extended scale than on
Tuesday, ample time having been afforded for a
greater display.
Our correspondent at Gibraltar, in his letter of
the 12th inst., says :
"On account of the presence of his Royal High-
ness the Prince of Wales in this garrison his
Excellency Sir James Fergusson was prevented
from taking his departure in the Meander, which
left yesterday, but he will embark to-morrow at 9
a.m. in her Majesty's ship Vulture for Lisbon.
From that capital his Excellency will take passage
to England.
" The Prince of M ales went to Algesiras this
morning, and overland to Tarifa. His Royal High •
ness is to return in the evening in time to dine with
the officers of the 6th Royal Regiment, and attend
the grand ball given to his Royal Highness by the
officers of the garrison at the theatre, which has
been splendidly decorated for the occasion. The
Osborne has not yet arrived, therefore it is not
known when the Prince will take his departure.
The preparations for this evening's illumination
are extraordinary. The town bears a holiday aspect,
such is the genuine gladness of this mixed popula-
tion at the sight of the Prince of Wales among
them.

" Weather very fine. The late rains have done
a great deal of good to the crops.''
The Gibraltar Chronicle publishes the following
extracts from General Orders, dated the 11th and
12th inst.

" Lie i
u „General Sir Tames Fergusson cannot
retire from the command of the
R garrison without
expressin-
-0 to Major-General umley, the officers
commandm
k corps, heads of departments, and the
officers of the stuff, his acknowledgments for the
assistance he has received from them in carrying
out the duties of the fortress.
" He also assures the garrisonr of the high feeling
be entertains of the gene
good conduct which has
characterised the differentcg
" The Lieutenant-Generarit'sic
troops with regret, and begs the officers,
leave of the
tofficers, non-coraaccept his best-
o
missioned officers, and soldiers
wishes for their future welfare."
The following outward-bound British merchant
i 1207 , the°
steamers had arrived at Gibraltar :—Ap
Andes, Capt. WArthur, six days from Liv
with general cargo for Gibraltar and Naples ;riAoll'
the Britannia, Capt. White, nine days from London'
general cargo for Gibraltar and Cadiz ' • May 3, the
Orissa, Capt. Toy, five dap 10 hours from