The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-02 00:00:00

A STEAMER DESCENDING NIAGARA

RIVER.

A correspondent of the Buffalo Courier writes
from Niagara Falls, under date of June 7 :—" The
monotony of life at Niagara Falls was broken to-
day by an episode. It was rumoured that the little
steamer Maid of the Mist was about to attempt an
exploit. Report said that Mr. Buchanan had sold
her to parties on Lake Ontario, to be delivered on
that tranquil sheet of water, and that at least one
individual in your city had a lien on her which
would be seriously invalidated in case the Maid
should succeed in finding anchorage at a British
dock. It was said, moreover, that said individual
was making quick time hitherward to prevent the
absquatulation of her property ; but the idea that
anything made of wood could outlive a voyage down
these terrific rapids was regarded as absurd. The
prospect of its being tried, however, drew at least
300 or 400 people to the banks of the river. All
day there had been a bustle of mysterious prepara-
tion on board the steamer. Hatches were being
nailed down and everything made taut but, no satis-
faction could be had by inquiring minds. A little
past three she cut loose from her moorings about a
quarter of a mile above the bridge, and steamed
gallantly up towards the Falls. A murmur of
disappointed expectation ran through the crowd,
when suddenly, as she reached a point about half
way up to the Falls, she turned with a graceful
curve and headed downwards. There were on
board her engineer, Robinson, famed for deeds of
daring in these parts, and, I believe, three others.
The Maid came down with the current, and hung,
quivering, but otherwise motionless, just opposite
her dock. It seemed as if the daughter of the
spray were undecided. The moments were long
before she made up her mind. In an instant,
before a spectator could wink, the die was cast,.
and she puffed n farewell to her home under
the cliffs. Another second, and she swung in the
sinewy grasp of the mighty river, speeding like an
arrow gown the stream. There was a rush of ex-
cited beholders for the bridge, and looking up thence
it was a brave and thrilling sight to see her coming
down and dipping like a water-fowl under the
spray. Your readers know how Niagara looks just
under and just below the bridge. The giant off-
spring of four lakes writhes there like a chained
monster. The water, where it is not a mass of
angry foam, seems as hard as iron, and wears a hue
of sickly green, ominous, voracious, deadly. There
is the force of an angry ocean pent between these
narrow prison walls, as the water, tortured into
foam, dashes down the staircase of rocks. No one
thought she could live through it, but after the
first moment of hesitation she leaped into the gorge
as though Niagara had been her father. As she
passed under the bridge the crowd rushed to the
other side and trembled for the safety of the
daring crew, for the critical point was yet to be
reached. Again and again she shot overhead in
foam, and again and again, as she all but disap-
peared, it was thought that the river had claimed
its own. But the Maid was native to the cataract
and bore a charmed life. With one blow of a
seething breaker her smokestack was levelled with
the deck, and then everybody gave her up. At last
she had run the terrible gauntlet, and emerged.
dripping and quivering upon the calm water of the
whirlpool. That Charybdis was easy after the
Scylla she had weathered. A wide sweep with the
current, and she was lost to sight. She belongs to
Ontario now, and her creditors may follow, if they
dare. The Maid of the Mist was built, almost in
the spray of the cataract, about six years ago. The
thousands who have stood with her under the sheet
of Niagara will be pleased to hear of her elopement."

THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE,
SANDHURST.

The following is the official list of successful candidates
for admission to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst,
June, 1861:-
Order of Merit. Total Marks,
1. Charles Bowling .. „ 6,731
2. Paul H. C. Bettridge .. 6,294
3. Vincent R. Woodland .. 6,187
4. Gerald de C. Morton • • 5,733
5. Henry E. Gaulter 5,299
6. Thomas J. R. Mallock .1,830
7. John R. M. Clunes .. 4,579
8. John A. Mac Vicar . 4,297
9. James G. Westaway .. 4,290
10. Arthur J. Law .. .. 4,284
11. Herbert-E.-Beecher 4;214
12. Walter J. Kennedy .. 4,119
13. Charles J. Myers .. .. 4,103
14. William Wood .. 4,046
15. Lloyd Fenton .. 3,779
16. Daniel J. Keane .. .. 3,745
17, Robert 0. Wallace .. 3,716
18. Legh R. Battye .. • • 3,682
19. Henry C. J. Freeman .. 3,520
20. William 0. Thompson .. 3,405
21. Charles Erskine „ „ 3,400
22. Robert Brereton .. 3,395
. 23. Domville M. Taylor . 3,366
24. Alfred Gaselee .. • • 3,2133347
25. Reginald W. Peckett • •
26. Stanley N. Roberta • 3,1103,095
27. Philip H. Smith ..
28. Henry C. Roberts .. • • 3,053
29. George F. 3. L. Russell .. 2,998
ee
30. Henry W. Langley . • 2,993
31. Chas. F. W. Underwood.. 2,975
32. Andrew K. Macpherson .. 2,910
3343:
111-V
•2,782
35. Thomas Cowell 2,775
36. Charles E. Bovill
..• • • 2,671
Henry
Yiam it h. C.
G Hr
Green..
na.t. t .. 2,837
87. William T. MfLaughlin 2,660.
38. Charles N. M‘Murdo 2,595
39. George W. T. Martin 2,510
Lucas ..
40. Alexander B, • • 2,478
41. Thomas Orton 2,462
42. Henry W. Phillips 2,450
43. Alfred J. Barton :• •.
2,430
44. thorge Poignand 2,410
45. Robert G. Pigott .. 2,383
'46. John C. S. Irving.. .. 2,382
47. Robert J. Holmes,. 2,370
48. Thomas W. Best .. .. 2,340
49. Alexander J. Meiklejohn.. 2,281
50, Charles Horrocks 2,260
51. Frederick B. Lane .. 2,151
52. Thomas Hood .. 2,120
53. George Robinson .. • • 2,095
54. Frederic Clowes 2,080
55. William H. Bourne • • ,
1 820
' 56. William Newbigging 1,809
57. William Leir • • • •
1,720
58. Frederick B. P. White .. 1,665
54. Livingstone Clarke
.. 1,610
60. Richard M. Miller., .. 1,335
61. Oliver Graham .. 1,2 55
62. John Briscoe Watts 1,220

The following gentlemen are also qualified for admission
as Queen's Cadets :
John Boughey 4,415
John Spence 4,044
Edward J, Lugard ~ 3,005