The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-27 00:00:00

THE ELECTIONS.

The elections for the House of Assembly are to
come off within the next three months. The nomi-
nation of county members is to take place on the
29th inst., and of Cape Town and Graham's Town
Bth Jan. The polling for county members is to
commence on the third of January, and all are to
be concluded on the same day. The Cape Town
polling is to commence on Wednesday, the 12th,
and to end on the evening of the 15th. This ar-
rangement has given great dissatisfaction. It will
afford an opportunity to all candidates ousted
in the country to come into Cape Town and
contest the city. Should they do so, it will
throw additional expenses upon the pre-
sent candidates. The candidates who are now
before the public are Mr. Solomon, one of the
late members ; Mr. J. D. Thomson, of the
firm of Thomson, Watson, and Co. ; Mr. Kotze, a
gentleman of Dutch extraction, well known in the
city; Mr. Arderne, the late member for Somerset;
Mr. James Mortimer Maynard, the ex-member for
the Cape division, whose connection with the late
Parliament is marked by events familiar to all who
are acquainted with Cape history. A petition is
being taken round the city by Mr. Fairbairn's
people, of the Commercial Advertier and Mail
office, in favour of Dr. Abercrombie. Dr. Aber-
crombie has distinctly declined to stand over and
over again. He was compelled to divide his time
so much between his patients and the house during
the last Parliament, that he could neither give
satisfaction to his patients nor to his constituents,
and he wisely refused at the close of the session to
allow his name to be mentioned as a candidate for
re-election. Besides this, it is hardly probable that
he will permit himself to be made a tool of by the
people who are so anxious that he should alter his
intentions.

By the latest papers received we find that there
are six candidates for seats just started at Port
Elizabeth, viz., Mr. W. M. Harries, the late mem-
ber for that town, Mr. Wormald, Mr. J. S. Kirk-
wood, Mr. Chabaud, Mr. Frames, and Mr. Wil-
liams. Port Elizabeth is only entitled to send two
members, so that a sharp contest seems probable.

THE STEAMER PACIFIC. OF THE
GALWAY LINE.

The following is the captain's report of the
Pacific (steamer), from New York and St. John's,
Newfoundland, and Galway, Jan. 8:--

Jan. B—NW ; at 12 cast off from wharf ; 12 25 set on
full speed; pilot left ship 2 15; took departure, abreast of
Sandy Hook light ship, 2 35 ; Fulton (s. s.) in company.
9—Northerly; distance, 210 ; fine weather, passing
showers of snow ; Fulton abeam. Variation of binnacle
compass by azimuth, 24 deg. W ; navigation by variation
chart, 11 deg. W ; error, 13 deg.
10—N to E ; dist., 217 ; mow storm, ard from a.m.
strong E winds and sea. Variation by azimuth, 25 42 ;by
chart, 15 ; efror, 10 42.
11— NE ; diet., 143 ; hard gale and thick snow drift; ship
covered with ice. Variation, 35 W.
12—N to W ; dist., 228 ; weather moderating, forenoon
fine.
13—At 11 a.m., arrived at St. John's ; time of passage
from wharf at New York to anchorage at St. John's, 4 days
22 hours ; time at St. John's, 1 day 23 hours. Took in 325
tons of coal; detained owing to our having but two vessels
to coal from, and the telegraph wires being broken.
15—At 11 a.m. left St. John's ; light southerly winds.
16— SW ; dist., 226 ; moderate weather and variable.
17—Variable • dist., 249; strong breezes and sudden
changes from SW to NE ; at 8 p.m. pole star lat. 51 24.
18—Variable ; dist., 200 ; moderate weather and passing
snow showers. Variation, 54 deg. W. At 4 p.ni., pole star
lat. 51 48.
19—Westerly ; diet. 180, lat. 52 19 d. r., long. 32 d. r.
At midnight glass falling fast, took in sail. At three
a.m., bar. 28 7, increasing gale, and sea rising
fast from southward ; at four, wind SSW, hard gale ;
at six, wind SW, heavy gales and increasing cross sea,
laid to bow to sea ' • eight, WSW ; 10, a heavy drift,
like fog, blowing a hurricane, and terrific mountainous
cross sea, shipped a sea, and carried away fore companion.
At 1 p.m., wind veering westward, ship labouring very
heavily, and shipping much water ; at 2.30 p.m., moun-
tainous, confused sea, bar. 28 1; shipped a tremendous sea
forward, carrying away bulwarks and stanchions on both
sides, starting bowchocks, and carrying away port cutter,
icehouse, bakehouse, ship's galley, gun, foretrysail, fore-
staysail and jib, and a quantity of running gear, &c., injur-
ing carpenter, ship's cook, and one fireman, and washing
overboard carpenter's mate. At 4, wind WNW, and awful
cross sea. At 7 p.m., sea running more evenly.; ordered
steam on fourth boiler, and at 8.30 kept away. At 10 p.m.,
wind NW, and veryheavy squalls, running under bare poles.
Midnight, bar. 28 o.
20— NW, dist. 182, lat. 52 22, long. 27 18 ; at 6 a.m. set
foresail and foretrysail ; hard gales frem NW and strong
sea.
21— NW to NE and back to NW, dist. 198 ; at night
wind chopped round to NE, strong, with snow squalls, and
at daylight backed to NW ; under reefed foresail and top-
sail ; variation, 43. W ; Arran Isle N 84 E, 425 miles ;
variation, 42 W.
r a4sdt
os;
nt strong24Bv
abreezes
ship9a
.a.m.,
lurching . nadb
5n202w23--anNsldAvVh,taoildN;isvw.ta.r se u
heavily.olfy , with
Light • at 11 a m
hesavyt.
jsoctall.sstofroGnaliwNa,3,
.vitThuni.raeinofapnadsssale,eet; Arran
0 , . . anchored in Galway Bay ; hard gales and
7 days 20 hours.
New York to St: John's, 4 days 22 bhours;—total, 12 days
18 hours.

.
It is alleged that the Government have com-
pleted a contract with three large iron companies for a
supply of,{ 3-pounders as fast as they can be cast. An im-
portant contract for gunpowder has also been taken.
SINGULAR DEATH OF A HORSE.—On Wednes-
day afternoon a carriage belonging to the Earl of Winchil-
sea, and containing th countest and a gentleman at pre-
sent staying at the noble earl's, was entering North-street,
Ashford, from lligh-street, when one of a fine pair of
horses which were drawing the carriage suddenly sprang
up, and, as the coachman said, " Gave a loud cry like a
Christian," and then fell down dead. The animal had
ruptured a blood vessel. It was stated to be worth a hun-
dred pounds.
NEW SUBMARINE CABLE FOR THE ATLANTIC
TELEGRAPH.—Yesterday (Wednesday) Mr. Allan, the tele-
graph engineer, met the principal shipowners and merchants
of Liverpool at Underwriters Rooms, in order to explain
his system of ocean telegraphy. Mr. Wm. Brown, M.P.,
presided. Mr. Allan exhibited specimens of his submarine
cable, which is much lighter and flexible than that used by
the Atlantic Telegraph Company. The metallic strength
is placed in the centre of two folds of gutta peftha, which
is again covered by a mixed material as tough as leather,
the total weight being 10 cwt, to the mile, and only 2 cwt.
in sea water. Mr. Allan was closely questioned, and his
replies and explanations' appeared to give general satis-
faction,

THE B URNS' PRIZE ODE.

Miss Craig, the successful competitor for this
prize and poetical distinction, is a young scoten-
woman—a native of Edinburgh, and for two years
past resident in London. Early left an orpbeil'
she was reared and educated under the care 01:11
grandmother not in affluent circumstances. With
praiseworthy industry, and self-cultivation of her
intellectual powers, she early resolved to work 03;
her own pecuniary independence. By occasional
poetical contributions to the Edinburgh Scotsmag
she gained the notice and kindness of Mr. Jelin
Ritchie, the oldest and principal proprietor of that
journal, and for sonic years she was employed 11
this early patron and friend on its literary depart' i
ment. In 1856 Messrs. Blackwood published n a
small volume a collection of Miss Craig's fugitive
metrical compositions, under the title of "Poems
by Isa." The author has also been a contributor
under the signature of " C." to the poetry of the
National Magazine. In August, 1857, on Miss
Craig's first visit to a London friend, Mr. Hastings;
the hon. secretary of the National Association 0.1
Social Science, engaged her services in the organ'.
sation of the society, and to this association Miss
Craig is still attached as a literary assistant. Ilie
.
published transactions of the association owe mince
to her talent and good judgment. At the Liver:
pool meeting in October last, Miss Craig attracted
general notice and commendation by her unob-
trusive conduct and tact in the management of some
departments of the business. Miss Craig. was
absent at the Crystal Palace meeting, really iglu);
rant of the success of her literary competition, and
of the award of the judges. It had happened that
she had not seen the mottoes on. the successful
poem made public some days 'since. The chance!
of a young Scotchwoman against 621 male and
female competitors did not tempt her to attend the
adjudication, and she was not informed of her sue-
cess till late after the termination of the meeting
at Sydenham Palace.