The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-24 00:00:00

Ethnological Society.

Yesterday evening an ordinary meeting of this
society was held in their rooms in St. Martin's-
place. Mr. John Cranford, the president, intro-
duced the proceedings by reading a note he had re-
ceived from Mr. George Thompson, mentioning an
exploration that is about to be made from the east-
ern coast of Africa in search of the ruins of the city
of Ophir, which are supposed to exist, and for the
discovery of which Mr. Thompson conceives they
are in the right track.
The firstpaper read was " Notes on the Andaman
Islands, taken during a three days' steam trip," by
Lieutenant St. John, which was read by his uncle,
Sir E. Belcher. The expedition proceeded from
Burmah in May, last year, and the party was much
more successful in coming into communication with
the natives than the expedition previously under-
taken, under the command of Dr. Mouat. Lieut.
St. John described the climate as healthy, though
at first relaxing to Europeans. He succeeded in
penetrating some distance into the interior,
though the whole country is covered with a thick
growth of mangrove trees, and he made friends
with one of the tribes of natives, some of whom,
at first, were very shy, and avoided all commu-
nication with the exploring party. The Anda.
mans he found a short thick-set race, about five
feet in height, but he does not seem to have been
particularly struck with the smallness of their
stature, which has caused them to be described by
other travellers as a race of pigmies. They are jet
black; their features are generally those of the
negrillo, though they vary.in a remarkable manner,
some of them having almost hooked noses. Their
hair, when allowed to grow, is short and woolly,
but the head is generally kept closely shaved, some
few alone allowing it to grow on the upper lip. The
men wear no clothing beyond belts and cords made
from twisted bark, the women wearing a leaf in
front and a bunch of bark behind. They paint their
persons in patterns with red and white paints, and
when unwell they cut the part affected all over with
a sharp shell or a piece of glass. They are exces-
sively quick and clever, and delight in a hoax. In
disposition they are represented as very affectionate,
but, like children, angry when thwarted. Their huts
are of the rudest kind ; they are constructed of
branches of trees just high enough for a man to sit
under, and they are slightly thatched with cane
leaves. Their food consists of fish, turtle, and wild
pigs—the latter being numerous, though small and
peculiar to those islands. Lieutenant St. John said
the bows of these islanders are very peculiarly
formed, being of the shape of the letter S, in the use
of which they are very expert. Their arrows are
long, and most of them are pointed with iron, hav-
ing been hammered into shape from iron nails found
in vessels wrecked on the coast. He described the
dance of the islanders as exhibiting greater variety
of figures than is usual in the dances of savages, the
musical instrument used being a kind of wooden
drum placed on the ground and struck with their
feet. It is a curious fact that these savages make
beautiful baskets, nets, and earthen pots. The
latter are made like those of the ancient Britons,
but thinner, and Lieutenant St. John thinks they
are used for burial. Very little, however, is known
of the habits of these people.
At the conclusion of the paper Dr. MOUAT gave
a description of these savages at the period he visited
the islands. They were very hostiee, and he could
not get them to enter into any communication with
his party, with whom they from time to time came
into collision. lie gave an interesting account of
one of these savages, named Jack Andaman, who
was captured and taken to India, and of his con-
duct in witnessing the various appliances of civilised
life. Jack was very tractable and affectionate, but
he could not bear clothing. The effect of it on him
was to produce colds and inflammation of the lungs,
which he had never been afflicted with when naked
and exposed to the weather; and he was at length
sent back to his native island as the only chance of
saving his life.

A second paper was read by Dr. CADDY, navy
surgeon, giving a brief account of his visit to the
Patagonians in 1861. He prefaced his account by a
notice of the destructive earthquake at Mendosa, on
the eastern slopes of the Andes, which calamity had
occurred shortly before the vessel, on board which
he was, touched at Valparaiso. In that earthquake
the whole city was destroyed, and out of a popula-
tion of 15,000 more than half were killed. In passing
through the Straits of Magellan the ship touched at
several points, and Dr. Caddy had an opportunity
of seeing the Patagonians, who at first sight ap-
peared to him like the giants of nursery tales. Dr.
Caddy is 6ft. liin, in height, but the Patagonians,'
he said, were at least a head taller. Their features
and general appearance reminded him of the Indians
he had seen at Vancouver's Island and Nova Scotia.
They seem to be in a very savage state, had nothing
to offer in barter, but had a strong craving for rum,
biscuits, and tobacco. Coal had been discovered
within two leagues of the coast, there is good promise
of mineral wealth, the climate is healthy, and Dr.
Caddy considers the future of the Chilian settle-
ment in the Straits of Magellan to be most favour-
able.

After a few remarks from Mr. Cranford the
meeting adjourned.

Mr. G. V. BROOKE.—Our readers will be re-
joiced to learn that there is reason to believe that this dis-
tinguished tragedian is not amongst the number of those
who perished in the steamer London. Relatives of Mr.
Brooke, who reside in the neighbourhood of Belfast, state
that he was too late in applying for berths in the ill-fated
steamer, and at once started for Australia by the overland
route,--Be fast News-Letter.

einlbt

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Tuesday.

Her Majesty walked out in the morning, accom-
panied by Princess Helena and Prince Christian/
and drove in the afternoon, attended by the Dow-
ager Duchess of Athole.

Their Serene Highnesses Prince and Princes:
Hermann of Hohenlohe and Prince Leiningcn dine('
with her Majesty.
Countess Gleichen also dined with her Majesty'

WALES
VISIT OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF

TO THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND.

NEWPORT, Tuesday Evening.
The first visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales,
to the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland
in the Staffordshire Potteries commenced this after-
noon, having been somewhat delayed in consequence
of the period of mourning rendered necessary by the
death of the late King of the Belgians.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, attended by
the Countess of Morton and Major C. IL Grey,
left Sandringham at about a quarter to ten o'clock,
proceeding to the Wolferton Station of the 14191
and Hunstanton Railway in an open waggonette'
The train by which they travelled arrived at peter-
borough at 11.25. On the platform were assembled
from 150 to 200 persons, who cheered heartily as
the train entered the station.
From Peterborough the special passed on to the
Peterborough and Northampton line of the London
and North-Western Railway. It left Peterborough
at 11.30, and passed through some very charming
Northamptonshire scenery. The royal travellers
passed the populous manufacturing town of North-
ampton—at which place a number of persons vier,e,
assembled on the platform—at 12.45, and arrive"
at the Blisworth Junction 10 minutes later, when,
the special was shunted on to a siding, and awaited
the arrival of the 11.20 express train from London'
The train left the station at 1.10; Rugby was
reached at 1.35, and here a stoppage of 10 minutes
took place. The platform was occupied by a good
number of persons, who speedily recognised their
royal highnesses, who graciously showed them
and were greeted with a good hearty cheer as the
train moved on. selves,

Without further incident the train proceeded t°
Stafford, which was reached shortly after 3 o'cloc1"
and here, after some cheering, an engine being 111
readiness, the royal carriages again assumed the
character of a " special," and reached NewP°rt
about a quarter to 4 o'clock.
The preparations at Newport to give their roytd,
highnesses a proper reception have been carried 01111
on an extensive scale. The prince and priness,
proceed this evening to Lilleshall, and his royalhighness will shoot over the Duke of Sutherland:
well-stocked preserves there to-morrow, proceedin!
on Thursday to Trentham ; and it is understood that
a visit will be paid by their royal highnesses to O°
steelworks at Crewe on Friday. The prince and
princess will, according to present arrangements;
remain the guests of the Duke and Duchess (4
Sutherland till Monday next.

SHIPS' LIFEBOATS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—The attention of the public is now called to
the lamentable deficiency of ships' lifeboats, and
allusion has also been made to the coast lifeboats cIA,
the National Lifeboat Institution as being probably
too heavy to carry on board our merchant ships.
I.have therefore thought that perhaps you would
like to know that the important subject of shiPs:
lifeboats- has for some years past occupied the seri-
ous.i attention of this institution ; and the fear!'
calamity that has just occurred to the ship Londonp
has directed renewed attention to the necessity el
efficient or standard ships' lifeboats.
This institution has long maintained-
1. That there should be a sufficient number of
boats to carry every person on board a ship, each
fitted as a lifeboat of the size and description as Per
given standard, hoistedto davits at the vessel's sides,
fitted with Clifford's or other sanctioned improve;
lowering apparatus, and having always in her stie
articles of equipment as shall be defined by law.
2. That every such boat should have painted. ell
her exterior, in legible and conspicuous characters,
the number of persons she was legally authorised t°
carry ; in order that every passenger or other person
on board could at any time, by adding the tots
numbers together, satisfy himself that there Was lif°
boat accommodation for all.
It would also be a manifest advantage that ever):
boat should be of corresponding size, so as to 0/5
an equal number of persons on board. Thus, d
each was authorised to carry 30 persons, it vre_.llfia
be readily calculated that each ten boats low,o
carry 300, and the number would be so familiar
every one that in the hurry of taking to the beslD
the regulated safe cargo of each would be more cer-
tainly known, and less likely to be departed fr0u1.,,,
3. That on leaving port, and at certain interval'
during every long voyage, the captain of the Shy
should muster all hands, and call over the names °,l
the officer to take charge, the crew to work, an
the passengers to embark in each boat individually
specified.
ld
4. That the boats of every passenger ship shod A
be especially and carefully inspected and reporto;
on by the appointed Government inspector previous
to each voyage.
of
At present the inspection of ships' lifeboats is LI
no service, as there is no fixed standard, and it t
notorious that the generality of those in passel:4%
ships, and nearly or quite all of those in our coal
passenger steamers, are a mere sham, unentitlecl o
the name of lifeboats.
If space were allowed I could easily offer sei,
remarks on ea.th of the above recomnaendationis
make plain their practicability.
About two years ago the National Lifeboat In ,sti-•e
tution had two standard lifeboats built by t'
Messrs. Forrestt, of Limehouse, under the suPeri lia:
tendence of its inspector of lifeboats, Capt. War,
R.N., and Mr. Joseph Prowso, its lifeboat surveyor'
The institution invited the Lords of the Admirals)
and other gentlemen to inspect these two bost.s
This invitation was readily responded to by tb eir
lordships, several of whom, with the Duke
Somerset at their head, together with
other naval authorities and the Comm't°
of the National Lifeboat Institution, arselli;
bled at the Regent's Dock, Limehouse, an;
witnessed a series of experimental tests to winch
these boats were submitted in conjunction with sal_
of the coast lifeboats belonging to the institutiei!:
and with which their lordships were pleased to
press their satisfaction.
These two boats were constructed on the sale
principles as the two classes of boats adopted by
addle
institution for coast service, but with such neeessblo
modifications as were essential to make them caps
t
of performing the ordinary duties of a ship's be 3
Although such boats cannot be made to p055°,70
in the same degree all the valuable properties a t'e,
coast lifeboats of the institution, chiefly in Collo
quence of the much greater weight which would
ea
thereby entailed, yet this experimental trial surOcto
to show that they could be made approximate ht
them, and that without excessive weight they illigto
possess considerable stability, either entire or par
self-relief of any water that may be shipped, a, tar f,
amount of extra buoyancy, and, lastly, partial se ,o
righting power, so that they could, if upset/
readily righted again by their crews in the ~angle
After further trials the Admiralty ordered
Messrs. Forrestt to build a large number of lifeb°o6
in accordance with the principles contained in

above-mentioned boats.
rl
e
It is, therefore, earnestly to be hoped that eir
vessel of war and every merchant ship will, atvfe.
distant day, be provided with ample standard

loat accommodation.—l am, Sir, yours, &C.? ,
RICHARD LEWIS, Secretary
Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Joilll'

Street, Adelphi, Jan. 23.

Capt. William M. Dowell, C. 8., has been 3Pe; h
pointed to the Topaze, commissioned, to take '-
on to Valparaiso, and brine back the Leander'

- ~"~'

r,~,~~

Tuesday.
ng, accora-
; Christian/

r the Dow-

d princess
!igen dined

er Majesty.

OF WALES
ND.

Evening•

.... _
ss of Wale°
Sutherland
l this after-

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nary by the

tended by

Grey,
en o'clock,
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aggonette.
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assembled
heartily as

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e London
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charming
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of IsTorth-
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ad arrived
cter, when
id awaited
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ugby was
0 minutes
by a good
used their
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NewP°r"i,

heir royal
arried 011

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his royal
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Iroceeding
stood that

ses to 030
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verriento,
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called to
oats, oa
reboots of
probably
ships.
ou would
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l sew
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umber of
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Improved
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y
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er pers°l3,
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iat ever/
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he boats
nore
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names °A
ivich.ol4

e[ shoula
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ats °I
and it ig
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ur 000"
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°
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)at
by 'll°
euperi""
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r with
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ith sota-
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he salliZ,
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ig
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r par- 0
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ifeb°a::
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elerl
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