The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-24 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUE.

Sin,—The enclosed extract from the Dundee Ad-
vertiser, and my letter to Sir John Pakington on
the same subject, may be worth noticing in your
journal, as showing the extent to which red-tapism
is carried at the Admiralty. No official answer has
been received, but I have been promised that the
subject should be reconsidered; but it will be too
late, as nothing can be now done this season, and
the Ostenden must remain in the Channel this
winter.---Yours, KINNA IRD.
Rossie Priory, Inchture, Sept. 19.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUNDEE ADVERTISER.

Sir,—l have seen a paragraph in your paper headed
" The Raising of the London," to the effect that Mr. Page,
intends making a trial at lifting her by two vessAls tied
down with chains. There is no doubt Mr. Page can lift
her if the chains do not slip or break, but there is a possi-
bility of her slipping into deeper water and obstructing a
useful channel.

If Mr. Page would adopt a plan which I would advise
him to adopt there would be uo risk of that. It is to get a
quantity of vulcanised indiarubber air compartments,
made into the shape of small balloons, covered over some
way as balloons are done with netting—say each of them
to hold 500 cubic feet of air when inflated, to be tied
round the vessel in such quantities as would lift her. If
the vessel is under water the fastening would have to be
done with a diver and the air compartments collapsed and
ballasted to sink them. When properly fastened attach an
air-pump to a tube leading to each compartment, and then
inflate till the vessel comes to the surface. If the vessel's
hull is above water he will have to calculate the number
of foet required to lift her according to tonnage and wait for
the tide. It does not take more than 20 cubic feet of air
to lift a ton of general cargo to the surface.
Some time ago I had a miniature trial of the principle
I want Mr. Page to adopt. I had a small yacht which
rode dcwn at her moorings, with four cwt. of pig iron
ballast in her. I lifted her myself without any assistance
whatever. The plan was this. I got twelve bladders
and covered them with rabbit nets, and tied six to each
gunwale at low water. I had to work under water with
my arms at low tide. I got them all fastened at one tide,
my friends laughing at my folly, and telling one that a hun-
dred bladders would not move her, But to their disap-
pointment, and my great satisfaction, she rose with the

tide, and I towed her ashore at high water. Tho only as-
sistance I had was twelve air-tight bladders.—l am yours,
&c., Piro BONO PUBLIC°.

Belfast, Sept. 8, 18G6.

[The same plan has been already experimentally exhi-
bited by Mr. James Laing, Dundee, and Mr. Jonas Kidd,
Newport.-- En. D. A.]

Rossie Priory, Inchture, N. 8., Sept. 11, 1866.
Dear Sir John,—l cannot help thinking that you
have not been consulted, or that there has been some
misapprehension which has led to the refusal of the
Admiralty to allow the Coast-guard men in the neigh-
bourhood to volunteer to assist in raising the Lon-
don steam vessel, sunk in the river Tay, interfering
seriously with the navigation of the river.
The only ground for refusal can be that the
vessel belongs to a private company, but this,
considering the circumstances, cannot, I should
think, weigh with you.

It is not with the view of saving expense that the
company desire to obtain the assistance of the
Admiralty. 'The engineer having failed in his at-
tempt to raise the vessel, and Admiral Sir H. Keppel
having pointed out to the directors the mode of
effecting this by means of pontoons, which can be
obtained (but the handling of which requires expe-
rienced seamen) they naturally turn to the Admi-
ralty, considering that they have Coast-guard men at
hand, it being too late in the season to make arrange-
ments to procure experienced men elsewhere, and
they cannot understand what objection there can
be on the part of the Admiralty to grant such assist-
ance, as the raising of the vessel is not only for
private purposes, but, as I have said, to clear the
channel of a serious obstruction. Admiral Keppel
spoke with such certainty of the willingness of the
Admiralty to grant the request, that the refusal will
cause the greatest dissatisfaction to the people of
Dundee, who are entitled to some consideration,
looking to the fact that the town supplies the largest
naval reserve of any town in the kingdom, not
available of course for the purpose alluded to, and
every one must be of opinion that such a practice
would be of advantage to the men themselves.
The directors also wish to have the use of the
cables of the Brilliant, there being no other vessel
with cables of sufficient size on the spot, and pro-
curing them elsewhere would be attended with delay.
Of course the company would be bound to make
good all damages, and pay the men employed.—
Yours faithfully,

(Signed)
The Right Hon. Sir John Pakington,
Bart, K.C.B.

KINNAIRD.

ANGLO-AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.

The interruption of telegraphic communication
between New York and London has been more pro-
longed than usual, and has now lasted over two or
three days. This arises, we are informed, from a
continuance of rain in Newfoundland, the fact being
that, although the land lines westward of Heart's
Content work fairly in fine weather, they are,
owing to defective insulation, almost, if not quite,
unworkable in rain and storm.

The interruption of this part of the route does
not, however, indicate a break down in the or di-
nary sense, or anything more than that owing to the
state of the weather the land lines on the American
side of the Atlantic are in more than their normal
state of inefficiency. There is a prospect that this
will be remedied by the Ist of November, at least,
so our American friends assure us ; in the meantime
we have no alternative but to wait patiently. The
cables and the land lines between Valentia and Lon-
don are in perfect working order.

The following telegrams have been received from
Newfoundland :

'• Saturday, 3 p.m.
" Newfoundland Hues still interrupted. No sign of rain
clearing off."

"Sunday, 1 20 a.m.
" Newfoundland lines still interrupted. Weather heavy.
Cables perfect."

A subsequent message received last night an-
nounces that the rain and bad weather of the last
two or three days and the gale of last night had
culminated in a perfect hurricane ; that several
poles between Heart's Content and Harbour Grace
have been blown down ; and that it is feared it wil

take two days to repair the damage done. The/
storm, however, has in no way affected the Atlantic
cables, which remain in perfect working order.

L A TEST INTEL LICENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLORENCE, Sept. 23 (Evening.)

The Minister of Marine has sent a commission to
Venice to estimate the value of the navy material
which is to be left in that city upon its evacuation
by the Austrians.

The same functionary has also appointed a com-
mission to consider the best means of effecting im-
provements in the construction of vessels for the
navy and of the guns to be used on board.
Official intelligence received here from Palermo
states that the armed bands which attacked Palermo
have left behind them a considerable quantity of
firearms. About 200 of the insurgents have been
arrested.

Several addresses have been drawn up by the
young girls of Sicily for presentation to the King.

THE INSURRECTION IN CANDIA.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 22 (Evening).
Intelligence received here from Candia states that
43,000 Turkish peasants have lied from the interior
of the island to the city of Candia. Many Greeks
arc abandoning the island.
Three Turkish war steamers, with 5,000 men,
have left for Volo, from which place the 2nd
Egyptian Division has embarked for Candia.
Troops have been sent to Anti-Taurus. Thessaly
and Epirus are quiet.
The late Minister of Commerce, Edhem Pacha,
has been appointed Governor of Trikala.
The Governor of Candia has been relieved of his
f unctions.

HUNGARY.

PESTH, Sept. 24.

Discontent exists in this capital on account of a
report that the Hungarian Diet will be convoked
without the previous appointment of a Hungarian

Ministry.

The cholera now prevails to a greater extent than
in the outbreak of 183/.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.

SOUTHAMPTON, Sept. 24.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Syria, with the heavy portion of the above mail, has
arrived here. She brings 39 passengers, £94,489
in specie, and 343 packages of cargo.

Across the Bay of Biscay she experienced a heavy
south-westerly and north-westerly swell, and vari-
able winds up Channel.
On the 15th inst. she spoke the steamer China.
The British war ships, Hibernia and Wizard, were
at Malta.

Gibraltar, Sept. 19.—The steamers Syrian and
Ceylon, the brigantines Jamaric and Georges, and
the brig Argus, have arrived here. Her Majesty's
ships ltedpole and Skylark were in the harbour.
Exchanges unaltered.

CALCUTTA AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS.
POINT DE GALLE, Sept. 18.
The Northam, from Hong Kong, arrived yester-
day, and the Bombay from Sydney to-day.
The Bengal leaves for Suez to-day.
OUTWARD MAIL OF 20-26Tu JUNE.
The Ellora arrived at Melbourne on the 13th,
and Sydney 17th August.
OUTWARD MAILS OF 4-10TH AUGUST.
The Mongolia arrived at Galle on Sept. 5.

FRANCE.
Pan's, Sept. 24.
Count Baiocchi died last night.
SOUTHAMPTON, Sept. 26.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Syria passed the Needles at 5.40 a.m. to-day.