The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-30 00:00:00

cussion of her heavy guns, which in the case of
vessels built on the old system which would be such
as to seriously imperil the safety of the vessel. The
system of fitting the bulkheads, or partitions, below
the lower decks of iron, now for the first time intro-
duced in a wooden vessel of the Reindeer class, is
one likely be largely followed in the ships of war,
as the danger from fire is thereby greatly diminished,
if not altogether prevented. Twelve o'clock was the
time fixed for the launch, and shortlyafter that hour
Miss Catherine Coote Stewart, daughter of Capt. W.
Houston Stewart, C. 8., superintendent of the dock-
yard, was conducted to the extremity of the platform
at the bow, where she performed the ceremony of
" christening" the ship. The last of the supports
having been knocked away, a couple of powerful
hydraulic rams gave the vessel a start, and in a
minute or two afterwards the corvette glided down
the ways into the harbour. The following are the
principal dimensions of the Reindeer :—Length
between perpendiculars, 185 ft ; length of keel for
tonnage, 164 ft ; extreme breadth, 33ft. 21in. ;
breadth for tonnage, 33ft. ; breadth moulded, 32ft.
4in. ; depth in hold, 17ft 51in. ; burden, 950 8-94
tons. She is to be fitted within a pair of horizontal
engines of 200 horse power (nominal) and will
mount an armament on her weather deck of one
nine-ton pivot gun, amidships, together with six 64-
pounders at her broadsides, besides the smaller de-
scription of guns for boat and field service. An
order from the Admiralty directs her to be imme-
diately brought forward for commission.
Orders have been received at Devonport to ex-
pedite the preparation of several ships for active ser-
vice. They are stated to be the frigates Liffey 39,
and Galatea 26 ; the corvettes Jason 21, and Satel-
lite 21 ; the sloop Peterel 11, and the gunboat
Rainbow. From the size of these ships it is con-
cluded that they are intended for service in the
Gulf and River St. Lawrence. The Liffey is in No.
4 dock at Devonport, repairing, and cannot be
ready for several months. The Galatea is in Key-
ham-basin not yet taken in hand for repair--her
boilers and tanks have been removed ; and she will
be placed in No. 2 dock as soon as the blocks are
ready to receive her keel. The Jason is rigged and
fitting for the Steam Reserve. The Satellite is in
No. 1 dock at Devonport ; the artisans have re-
cently been rather busy in her repairs ; she will not
be ready for undocking before May, unless some
extra exertions are made. Tke Peterel is repairing
in No. 2 dock, at Keyham. She will probably be
undocked :to-morrow (Saturday), after which she
will receive her masts, &c. The Rainbow is in the
first division.

The screw steam frigate Doris, 32, Capt. Vesey,
left Plymouth yesterday (Thursday) for North
America and the West Indies.

The ironcased screw steamship Lord Clyde, 24,
at Devonport, is receiving her guns.
Yesterday a detachment of 80 non-commissioned
officers and men of the 2d battalion of the 2d
Royals, left Chatham Garrison, and embarked at
Gravesend in the Dodo steamer, for Ireland, to aug-
ment the Ist battalion of the 2d Royals, at Cork.

A frightful accident yesterday befel one of the
labourers in the shell foundry of Woolwich Arsenal,
named Alfred Church. Very slight hopes are en-
tertained of saving his life. Dr. Briscoe, Surgeon-
Major, and Mr. Cullen, Staff-Assist.-Surgeon at the
local infirmary, rendered every aid which could be
bestowed, and after carefully examining his injuries,
they pronounced amputation of both legs and his
left arm absolutely necessary. It appears that he
was sweeping the floor of the foundry, and incau-
tiously approached the driving band ; his clothes
were caught by it, and he was whirled over the shaft
about 20 times before the machinery could be
stopped.
Lieut. A. H. Gorges, late of the B brigade, Royal
Horse Artillery, who was killed on Sunday morning
last by a fall from his horse on Woolwich-common,
was buried yesterday afternoon in the new cemetery
at Charlton, with full military honours.
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. George S. Brown, to the
Prince Albert ; Lieut. Richard IV. Hope, to the
Barracouta ; William L. Inch, paymaster, to the
Cambridge ; Alexander Robinson, paymaster, to
the Duke of Wellington ; John D. Parminter, pay-
master, to the Bellerophon ; John P. Allen, chief
engineer, to the Cumberland, for the Reindeer;
Frederick J. Newton, chief engineer, to the Belle-
rophon ; John D. Lamont, engineer, to the Asia, for
the Cherub ; John Marwood, Andrewl Lloyd, and
Joseph Minhinnick, engineers, to the Bellerophon ;
John Swanson, William Sheen, Walter Brock,
Thomas Muard, Robert Widdicombe, and Richard
IV. Lopp, engineers, to the Princess Royal (addi-
tional), for disposal ; Augustus Mills, George Sul-
livan, James Bowman, and Hugh Thomson, first-
class assistant-engineers, to the Bellerophon ; Job
Annable, Frederick Holden, John Plowright,
Robert Wingfield, and Henry F. Strugnell,
first-class assistant-engineers, to the Princess
Royal (additional), for disposal ; Edward P. For-
rest, assistant-surgeon, to the Lion ; Michael
O'Hurlstone, assistant-surgeon, to the Canopus ;
Wm. J. C. Row, assistant paymaster (additional),
to the Victoria; T. Backhouse, assistant-paymaster,
to the Lion ; F. A. Carter, assistant-paymaster,
(additional), to the Princess Charlotte; W. J. S.
Cannon, assistant-paymaster, to the Achilles.

Wreck of the Countess of Ripon, Indian

Emigrant Ship.

NOBLE CON DUCT OF THE CREW.

His Excellency the Governor of Barbadoes has
forwarded to the Board of Trade the following
official report on the loss of the Countess of Ripon
Indian emigrant ship, and the fortunate escape of
508 coolie emigrants who were on board :
The ship Countese of Ripon, Capt. R. Smith
Stuart, master, belonging to Messrs. John Allen
and Sons, of Leadenhall-street, London, and 1,200
tons burthen, left Calcutta Nov. 5 last, bound for
St. Vincent, Grenade, and Demerara with a cargo
of rice, and 508 coolie emigrants. The ship called
at St. Helena, and then proceeded on her voyage.
On Jan. 19 observations were taken on board, and
the ship was in lat, 13 11 N., long. 57 10 W. At
12 o'clock the ship was by calculation 140 miles
from Barbadoes, the island bearing true west, and
making a W. and by S. half S. course. At 8 o'clock
that night an observation was taken by the polar
star, which placed the ship in 13 1 N, having made
12 miles of southing that day. A look-out on the
upper foretophead-yard for the light on the south
point of the island was kept from 11 o'clock that
night. Capt. Stuart thought that from the southerly
course steered, and making a due allowance for cur-
rents, his ship was at least 20 miles to the south-
ward of the island ; but at 5 a.m. of the 20th she
struck on a reef on the windward coast of the island
and became a total wreck. This is the substance of
the statement of the captain and the officers taken
before the court, corroborated by the chart and log
book produced. The question now for consideration
is the cause of the loss of the ship. The court con-
sider that the utmost care was taken in the naviga-
tion of the ship. The observations were carefully
made and recorded, and the ship's position down to
8 o'clock on the night of Jan. 19 accuratelydefined;
that no northerly current existed at the time, and
that the course then steered would have taken the
vessel 20 miles to the southward of the island.ol,eirre-
therefore attribute the loss of the vessel to a pw
ft uh le current
mrunning v
et o
pthec doarfttheiry
Itime to
owf h
ti
lelhe
confirmed in this opinion by as
observation taken at 8 o'clock
epv.ciiidoiG.enon; andtvaceei nrneedof:l
inre a
Governor, and
aaplut:e
tids.
thase
xcellency
showing that
Hume, of 11.31.5. E.
despatch to his
his vessel
emvleinchohnastibleeenniglahitd
obfefotrheeth2eocthonien
went round to the eastward the island to
render assistance to the wreck, she drifted six
miles to the northward whilst lying off and on near
the wreck. Under these circumstances, and having
cerefully considered all the evidence which has been
given on this inquiry, the Court is of opinion that
no blame is to be attributed to Capt. Stuart, or-to
any one acting under his authority,
and that they
are entitled to great praise for their successful ex
-
tions in saving the lives of all on board, particularly
the helpless women, the sick, and the children • and
we would particularly mention thetheheroic
ship,
h conduct
o n
bc
ot
of Mr. Geyde, the second mate
cominanded the lifeboat by which means all on