The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-11 00:00:00

avat and Itliittaty in,tegigenoe.

Transit iron steam troopship, Commander
Chambers, was got into dock with much
ty on Thursday afternoon, but the water

did not clear out in time to enable any accurate re-
port to be made on the disaster that evening. On
inspecting the ship when the dock was empty a hole
about the size of a dinner plate, though more jagged
than circular, showed itself, through whichthe water
streamed in a fierce current ; the hole is at the dis-
tance of the second sheet of iron from the keel on
the starboard side just before the foremast. This
hole has been made, it is now discovered, by the
Transit's own anchor running into her, but which
part is not known—it is believed tobe the fluke; the
stock was carried away,• it is supposed by the weight
of the ship resting upon it, as her bottom is rubbed
bright about the length of the stock. This seems
feasible, as the anchor was almost "up and
down," owing to the shallowness of the water
she brought up in. When she anchored off Yar-
mouth (Isle of Wight) she had only five fathoms of
water under her herself drawing at the time nearly
25 feet ! The disaster must have happened on the
morning of Wednesday, about 5 o'clock, whereas
the ,vessel anchored about 6 o'clock on the previous
night. The engineer was the first to discover the
accident by going down into the engine-room, when
he found himself up to his waist in water ; the alarm
was then given and three pumps set to work ; the
troops were all got aft so as to lighten the pressure
forward, and, finding that the leakage did not de-
crease, the vessel was put about for Spithead and
Portsmouth harbour, which] she reached in safety
and without assistance. The troops and baggage
were immediately transferred to the Bellerophon,
and hands from the Excellent and Marine Artillery
barracks set to work forthwith to pump to keep
tier afloat and to get out the ammunition and
stores. All her !powder is damaged, sugar and
peas spoilt, flour and oatmeal damaged, and all
other matters under water. The men employed
were up to their necks in water in getting
the ammunition out of the fore magazine. The
bread being stowed aft has not suffered like the
other provisions, which were stowed forward. The
Transit owes her safety to having seven different
water-tight compartments, so that the water did
not get aft. Blacksmiths and shipwrights were put
upon her immediately the water was out of the dock,
and worked upon her all the night of Thursday, and
by 11 o'clock yesterday morning the external damage
was repaired and water let into the dock to ascertain
if she was watertight, and, this proving all right,
; she was got out of dock and into the steam basin.

• A. court of inquiry on the commander master, and
officer of the watch was held yesterday by Admiral-
Superintendent Martin at his office, but which, being
a closed court, we cannot report. It is expected,
however, to be merely preliminary to all open court
martial, when all the facts will be laid before the
public. It is a singular but discreditable fact that the
whole family to which the Transit belongs—the Ur-
gent, Perseverance, Assistance, &c., never put to sea
since they were admitted into the fleet without
some disaster. The peculiar manner in which the
Perseverance made her debut in the service—by
" turning turtle" in Woolwich basin—our naval
readers doubtless remember.

Col. H. Jervis, commanding the Provisional Bat-
talion at Chatham, has received an order from the
War-office directing the two-company depot of the
26th Cameronians to be held in readiness to pro-
ceed to Walmer, for the purpose of joining the de-
pot battalions at that station, under the command
of Col. H. Eyre. The non-commissioned officers
and men belonging to the depot of the St. Helena
Regiment at the Provisional Battalion are also to
be held in readiness to embark, to join the head-
quarters of their corps. Nearly 100 volunteers have
arrived at Chatham garrison for the St. Helena
Regiment, which is now raised to its required esta-
blishment.

The screw steam-frigate Euryalus, 51, Capt. G.
Ramsay, from the West Indies, last from Ports-
mouth, arrived at Plymouth on Wednesday, and
went into Hamoaze on Thursday.
The screw steamship3Nile, 90, Captain G. R.
Mundy, discharged her powder on Tuesday in Ply-
mouth Sound.

The paddle-wheel steamsloop, Styx, 6, made a
experimental trip from Plymouth Sound round the
Eddystone on Tuesday.
The troopship Belleisle, 6, having been masted,
was taken into the basin-dock at Devonpoit, on
Thursday, andwill be placed in the dry dock to-day.
The Turkish ship Payki Zaffir will be removed
from the dock at De-Vonport on Tuesday, and will
be masted on Wednesday.
The Miranda, 15 guns, screw steamship, Captain
R. Hall, was inspected at the Little Nore on Thurs-
day afternoon by Captain Lord F. Kerr,/in com-
mand of the flagship Waterloo. The crew, after
being mustered, were put through evolutions by
Capt. Hall. Lord Frederick inspected the Miranda
between decks, and appeared highly gratified with
the state a the ship throughout, as well as the ge-
neral appearance of the ship's company.
The Agamemnon, 91, screw two-decker, is to be
commissioned and fitted forthwith. It is already
well known that the American Government have
been equally desirous with the "mother country"
to establish telegraphic communication between the
two nations. The American Government have or-
dered the most powerful ship in the United States
service, the Niagara, to be employed on so impor-
tant an occasion, and the English Government have
also appointed the most useful ship for such purpose
to receive on board 1,300 miles of the telegraphic
cable to meet the Niagara half way between Ireland
and America. The construction of the Agamemnon,
with her engines aft, renders herpeculiarly adapted
for such a purpose, and she will be rigged forth-
with as a fifth rate.

The Princess Royal, 104, is to be fitted as a re-
ceiving ship for China. She is to be completed
with all possible despatch.
The Himalaya, 6, troop frigate, will,not embark
troops until Thursday next, the 16th.

ANNAII HANSON, TILE DWARFISH
MISER, AGAIN.

On Thursday evening, at the Lambeth Police-court,
while the Hon. G. C. Norton was disposing of the last
case en the list of remands, the proceedings were obliged
to be suspended for some moments by the loud shrill and
piercing exclamations of " No, Mr. Cook, I don't pay a
single farden of the money," repeated in rapid succession
in the passage, and immediately Hannah Hanson, the
dwarfish beggar-miser, was ushered into the dock by
Cook, the gaoler. The interruption was so great that
Vie magistrate was obliged to call out to have the "old
witch" removed. Soon after, however, she was again
p'a:ed at the bar, when Mr. Norton, addressing her, said
V- at on the day before he underitood that the 701. taken
from her person at Horsemonger•lane Gaol was in gold,
hut had since ascertained that it was a bank deposit
book, by which it appeared she had 701. lodged at the
bank. I now wish to know, said his worship, whether
you choose to pay 51., or go to the House of Correction
for two months.

Prisoner—l'll go to prison ; I shan't pay a far-
den. (Laughter.) The boys pelted me with stones, and
it was a cruel thing to swear falsely agin me. I'm quite
innocent, that I am, your worship.
Mr. Norton—l cannot believe that. Two exceedingly
in'elligent and sharp little boys swore distinctly they saw
you take the cloak off the hedge, told it up, and put it
in your basket, and when they followed you threw
stones at them. There cannot be the slightest doubt,
therefore, that you took the cloak.

. ~ .
Prisoner—The boys told you a parcel of lies, your
worship, and I don't (shaking the dock with much vehe-
mence) pay a farthing for them. I'll go to prison
first.

Mr. Norton—Your object seems to be to go to prison
and live at the public expense, but I promise you you
will find the fare at Wandsworth very different to that
at Horsemonger-lane, and you wiil soon be glad to pay
the money and be released.

Prisoner—Not a bit of it. If the bankers pay the
money it will be without my consent, and soon make
them tnem dub it up again. (Renewed laughter.)
Mr. Norton—Have you any furniture to pay the fine
with, for if so I can levy a distress on it for the amount 1
Prisoner —No, I have no furniture, and if I had I
should not pay it. I'll go to prison with a light heart
and a clear conscience, and the time will soon pass over.
Mr. Norton—Well, you are now committed to Wands-
worth House of Correction for two months, in default of
the payment of 51. for the unlawful possession of this
cloak, and I have no doubt that you will soon be glad to
pay the money and get released.
Prisoner—Not a copper.
The prisoner was here removed from the bar, exclaim-
ing, amidst the laughter of all present, that it was a
-- hard case.

THE GUN-BOAT FLOTILLA FOR CHINA.—SO great has
been the activity that has been displayed at the various
naval arsenals, that it ih expected that a fleet of at least
ten superior vessels of this class will be ready for sea in
about a fortnight, and that the remainder, under orders,
will sail for China the second week in May.
We read in Galignani.—"The relics of the passion of
our Saviour, preserved at the cathedral of Notre Dame
—the crown of thorns, the nails, a large piece of the
true cross, &e.—are at present exposed to the veneration
of believers and will continue to be so this day, to-mor-
row, and Friday next."

THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND IRON SCREW VES-
SELS.—Megsrs. Mitchell and Co., of Low Walker, on
the Tyne, are constructing a fleet of iron screw steam
vessels ranging from 200 to 1,100 tons, for the Russian
service in the Black Sea. The same firm are also build-
ing paddle wheeled steamers to be employed on the
river Volga, instead of the kedge and warp vessels mer-
tioned by Oliphant, and passenger screw vessels for St.
Petersburg. Messrs. Leslie, of Hepburn; and A Stock-
ton house, are also executing orders for the Russian
marine ; and this week a handsomely equipped iron
screw of 372 tons, named the Collingwood, has been
despatched by Messrs. T. and W. Smith, of North j
Shields, to Odessa, for the Russian government. 1