The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-21 00:00:00

COLLISIOA WITH AN ICEBERG.

Up to Thursday, the 7th of March, the voyage of
the Marco Polo had been favourable. A few days
before icebergs had been seen at a distance of seve-
ral miles, but no apprehension existed that any im-
mediate danger was to be apprehended Vein their
vicinity. About half-past 3 o'clock on the morning
of Thursday, the ship, under full sail, was going
from eight to nine knots an hour; there was very
little sea, and a slight haziness rendered objects at
any distance rather indistinct. So quietly and
without signs of life did she glide through the water
that it seemed difficult to believe that 250 human
beings were between her decks. All, with the ex-
ception of the watch on duty, were in bed. The
muttered words of some unquiet sleeper told he was
dreaming of the home he was soon to see, in hiS
native land, or perhaps of the friends and home he
was leaving in the land of his adoption. Suddenly
the stillness was broken by the wild shout of a sea-
man, " Icebergs ahead'!" Before an order could be
carried into effect the ship struck with such force as
to rouse every one on board. A second succeeded
about a minute later, followed by the grinding sound
of the ship's bows on the ice, and the crash of falling
masts and spars. The scene that followed baffles
description. No doubt existed but that all would
go to the bottom in a few.minutes. The more bold
and courageous threw on a few articles of clothing,
and rushed on deck, prepared to second the efforts
of the crew, and do battle with their last enemy
while their strength lasted. Others seemed in a
state of complete stupefaction, their minds incap-
able of comprehending their true position.
Many wept and groaned aloud, mingling their
expressions of despair with the cries of the
women and children. The scene on deck might
well make all"tremble. The iceberg, which was the
shape of an irregular triangle, about 300 by 500
feet, with an elevation like a cathedral, at the nar-
row:side towering to the height of, at least 150 feet,
lay close to the ship, a large projection at the sum-
mit appearing about to fall on deck, while yards
and fragments of wreck falling in all directions
added horror tothe scene, already sufficient to appal
the stoutest heart. The momentary panic over, the
necessary orders were promptly carried out, and
the ship slowly withdrew from her dangerous
neighbourhood. The pumps were manned, and
while they were vigorously plied, an awful period
of suspense ensued—" e'en the boldest held their
breath." At length a hearty cheer told that the
pumps were dry. and brought immediate relief to
all, proving, as it did, that the hull of the ship was
comparatively uninjured. It was now seen that the
first shock had carried away the jibboom and shat-
tered the bowsprit, the second had completely car-
ried the bowsprit from its place and thrown it
across the forecastle, at the same time causing the
fall of the foretopmast, with all its yards and rigging
together with the mainroyalyard ; and all that was
left standing in the forepart of the ship was the
lower part of the foremast, and that was badly
.pprung. The course of the ship was changed to the
northward, and the repairing of the damage rapidly
,roceeded with.—Marco Polo Observer.

P UIIL IC REV_ENUI? AND EXPENN-

TURF.

At the present juncture, when questions of finance
occupy so large a share of public attention, it may
be worth while to show at a glance the variations
of the public revenue and expenditure since the fall
of the Peel Ministry in 1846. This is done in the
following table;—
Revenue. Expenditure. Surplus.
Year. „c
1846 .. 53,700,138 .. 50,943,830 .. 2,846,308 ..
1847 .. 51,546,264 .. 54,502,918 .. .. 2,956,681
1848 .. 53,388,717 .. 54,185,136 .. 796,419
1849 .. 52,051,749 50,853,623 .. 2,095,125 -
-
1850 .. 52,810,680 .. 50,231,874 .. 2,578,806 ..
1851 .. 52,233,006 .. 49,506,610 .. 2,726,396 .. --
1852 .. 53,210,071 .. 50,792,512 .. 2,417,559 ..
)853 .. 54,430,344 .. 51,174,839 .. 3,255,505
1854 .. 56,892,509 .. 60,031,508 .. • • 3,209,059
1855 .. 63,361,605 81,505,788 21,141,183
1856 .. 68,008,623 10,101,412
1857 .. 66,056,055 .. 66,019,958 .. 30 007
1858 .. 61,812,555 60,684,98 .. 1,127,657
1859 .. 61,660,090 63.679,674 2,019,584
1860 .. 67,458,093 .. 68,069,231 611,138
It will be noticed from this recapitulation that our
finances were in excellent condition up to the close
of 1853, and thatin the eight years then ending our
collective surpluses were no less than £12,169,597.
In 1854, however, we " drifted into war," and a
very bad financial lee shore it proved, for somehow
or other we have never since been able to get back
to a peace footing, and our aggregate deficits have
swelled up to a total of £35,921,622 in seven years,
completely swampingtho results of previous thrift,
and showing a balance on the wrong side of
£23,752,025. The upshot of it all is that while in
1846 the national debt amounted to L 782,918,984,
and in 1853 to £771,335,801, in 1860 it had swollen
to £801,477,741. Such is the skill with which the
" fleabite"—as Mr. Disraeli once termed it in a Buck-
in ghamshire after-dinner speech—has been managed
that, while in 1846 the charges for its interest and
management was £28,077,987, in 1860 it had been
reduced to £26,833,470. Another consoling reflec-
tion in which Mr. Bull may indulge is that his
credit has always stood so high that in the worst of
times ho has had a good round comfortable balance
in the Exchequer. At the end of 1846 this balance
amounted to £9,131,282 ; in 1849 it had rignn,*‘:
£9,748,539 ; in 1855 (when the Russian war_ lvag,
at
its height) it had fallen to £3,688,600 ; in lba
had rallied to £7,755,455, and at the c_oz
year it Wed at x,5,250,392.-e of last

Deficit.
£

pRICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

REP.RES.E'ATTATIoN OF TLINTSHIRE.

FLINT, MONDAY.
The contest for the seat in Parliament rendered
vacant by the death of the late member, the Hon.
Mr. Mostyn, is likely to be very warm and close.
The respective candidates, Lord Richard Grosvenor,
lsiebceornd al
isnotneroef, the
st,anAdimarqr.uisHuogfhWezostfmKinicastrnet, e.lli_n the
park,
on the Conservative' side—are both pursuing an
activecanvass, and to-day and Saturday their friends
have been busily engaged amongst the farmers and
other freeholders attending the market. The writ,
which was moved.for in the House of Commons on
Friday night, arrived on Saturday morning, and we
understand the High Sheriff has fixed the nomina-
tion and eletion for. Saturday and Tuesday next.
Mr. BI g hes numbers amongst his supporters many
of th., Conservative gentry of the county; but there
is one amongst them who, we understand, declines to
use, I:11s influence in favour of Mr. Hughes—we
allude to Sir Stephen Glynne, brother-in-law of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was confidently
stated in Flint to-day that Sir Stephen has pointedly
refused to form one of Mr. Hughes's committee, and
inasmuch: as: he, has considerable influence in the
district, the chances of success of the Conservative
candidate may be lessened. It is believed that the
hostile spirit in which Mr. Hughes in his address
speaks of the Chancellor's budget, has, in a great
measure, led to Sir Stephen Glynne's decision. It
will be remembered that-at the4eneral election in
1857 Sir Stephen Glynne was a candidate for tke
representation of the county, in opposition to the
late member, Mr. Mestyn, on which occasion the
present Chancellor of the Exchequer to..'- an active
part in Sir Stephen's faVour. aghes, the
Conservative candidate, is sea-i' • it! Lord Ra-
vensworth, who foina-L-'y represei :Liverpool.

'RUFFIANLY A&SAUL-Ii ON' M. ,TAMES
• ;- • . PAZY.

It may be remembered that an account was
given of an assault in March last on M. Feu,
Vice-President of the Connell of State of Geneva,
by one Marchand. A few days back this
man was brought to trial before the. Court of
Assizes of Geneva, not only for the assault, but on
the charge of outraging M. Fazy in the, office of his
department, and casting on him imputations calcu-
lated to affect his honour. The facts of the case were
these ;—On • the 25th March, Marchand called on
M. Fazy at the Treasury, that gentleman being also
president of the department of finance, and asked
to be allowed to contract for the demolition of part
of the fortifications. M. Fazy answered that the
matter did not concern him, but the department of
public works, and recommended Marchand to apply
there. But the man broke out into violentlanguage,.'
and accused the department of showing partiality":
to certain persons to the prejudice of other& M.
Fazy said that he would beg M. Fontanel, chief of
the department of public works, to examine any
claim Marchand might have to the contract which
he solicited, but that declaration did not satisfy the
man, and he insisted on having a positive promise
that the contract would be given him. M. Fazy re-
peated that he would send a recommendation to M.
Fontanel, but as Marchand continued to talk, M.
Fazy at last, getting impatient, cried out," Go away
—you weary me." On that Marchand said, " You
are an insolent fellow," and shook his fist at M.
Fazy. That gentleman, fearing to be attacked, took
up a chair to defend himself. At that moment some
clerks hearing the noise entered, acid the man was
turned out; he went away muttering threats. The
day after, as M. Fazy was walking across the Pont
des Bergues on his way home from the Council of
State, Marchand went up to him, and without say-
ing a word, struck him a violent blow in the face
with his closed hand, and followed it up by two or
three others in the breast. He would probably have
continued the assault if M. Fazy, and a gentleman
who was with him, had not rushed forward and
held him until he was taken into custody by the
police. The advocate of the prisoner appealed to
the jury for ildulgenae, on the'ground that the
man received provocation, and had been since kept
in prison more than six weeks awaiting his trial.
The jury declared him guilty, and the court con-
demned him to nine months' imprisonment and the
costa.

RAILWAY INTELLAENCE.

-4.---.

EASTERN COUNTIES.

The terms on which the long-pending differences be-
tween this company and the Eastern Union and Norfolk
have at length been adjusted are as follows :-1. The dis-
puted questions in the Chancery suit and 'on the revenue
accounts are to be settled by an allowance of £2,000 per
annum each to the Norfolk and Eastern Union from Jan. 1,

1854, each party to pay their own costs. 2. The joint com-
mittee are forthwith to enter upon their duties, as contem-
plated under the agreement of 1854, without prejudice,
pending th© settlement of the final amalgamation. 3. The
expenditure on new works on which interest has beeq
charged to the joint revenue account is to be immediately
settled by Mr. Bruff and Mr. Sinclair. 4. The Epping,
Ongar, and Dunmow line is to be made by the associated
companies, and the Eastern Counties is immediately to de-
posit 5-7ths of the money required. The Bishop Stortford
and Braintree and the Ware and Buntingford lines, are to
be adopted by the united companies to the extent of the ob-
ligations in respect of which the Eastern Counties is already
responsible. 5. The tolling stock is to become the property
of the associated companies, exclusive of the stock now be.
longing to the Eastern Counties for working foreign lines,
on which interest at 4 per cent. is to be allowed to the
Eastern Counties before division of gross receipts, and the
foreign lines are to be worked on account of the associated
companies. 6. The Board of Trade, or a parliamentary
committee, are to determine the con pensation, if any: to
be paid to the Norfolk and Eastern Union, in addition
to their one-seventh of .the, net receipts, provided for by
the agreement of 1854, for giving up the right of a
fixed charge of 46 per cent. in lieu of future actual
working expenses. 7. The proportion of directors to be
nominated ,by the Norfolk and Eastern Union is to be de-
termined by the Board of Trade. 8. Disputes as to the
construction of these terms are to be left to the arbitration
of a barrister, to be nominated by the Solicitor-General.
The agreement, it may be interesting to add, was negotiated
by Mr. J. C. Cobbold, M.P., and Mr. G. Josselyn on be-
half of the Eastern 'Union, and Mr. G. P. Bidder, on the
part of the Norfolk.

FEARFUL ACCIDENT.—Yesterday about noon a
melancholy accident occurred at Mr. Alderman Humphery's
wharf, London-blidge. Some men were engaged hoisting
bags of sugar, and whilst lifting them by means of a crane
and chain, the latter snapped asunder, and about ten of the
heavy bags fell to the ground, burying one of the labourers,
and fearfully crushing a boy about fourteen years of age, who
was standing at his side. The two were extricated as soon
as possible, placed in a cab, and removed to St. Thomas's
Hospital. The poor boy was found to have both his legs
broken, his tongue bitten in two, and he was otherwise in-
ternally injured to such an extent that but faint hopes can
be entertained of his recovery. The man, fortunately, was
not so seriously injured, and nothing fatal in his case is ap-
prehended.
FIRE IN TIIE OPEN ROAD.—Yesterday after-
noon some alarm was occcasioned in the Southwark-
bridge-road, owing to the following somewhat singular oc-
currence :—A van, containing about three tons weight of
saltpetre, was being drawn along the road, and owing to
the friction of the axle of the wheel the box took fire, and
some of the saltpetre falling upon it, that became ignited,
and the fire spread to the bulk in the vehicle. The whole
burnt for some time, and when the bottom of the van was
consumed, the remainder of the inflammable article fell
through into the road, where it continued to burn with a
hissing noise until the engines from the contiguous brigade
station came up. The firemen then went to work, and
with the aid of a good supply of water and the hand en-
gines they managed to get the fire extinguished, but very
little of the stock was saved. The property was going to
the vitriol works at It ennington-park.
Our readers will perceive by last Friday's Lon-
don Gazette, that our fellow townsman, Captain Roberts,
R.M.A., is promoted to Major in the army for his distin-
guished services during the Russian war. Major Rober.ts
served at Odessa and on the Coasts of Circassia and Georgia
served
during the early part of the war, and directed thearfokromof the
of fortifications at Redut Kaleh, having
garrison at his disposal for this purpose. 3:::
thanks of the Turkish commander-in-chlfor
a decoration.
mendation from him to his Governmentthe Crimea in October,
He landed to serve with the armdy
did great execution
in
batteries on the lines
anTrdecaeivreedcotmhe.
1854, and organised and direcftena
laklava he was the senior
wrs employed on the
oartillery
k loaffiv ac .e rAt
nt theth e battlebatteries,
iro,
Raglan, lle
d. andlialso'
carr th.ree mouths in arduous duties,
e
erwshoifehhids was
tsweli-vceedco with the Siege Train Royal Artillery in the breach-
ingfor which he received. the thanks of Lord
rom the commanding officer of
St
batteries before Sebastopol, and at the attack ‘-‘. the
as
:If°
nogf
complimented nil 1E uistgseiletienr s the r d
jtedan, June 17 and 18, 1855, and w.. I.,,iuently engaged
an7ll. from Lord Clyde (then Sir Colin CaMpbell)
llinenhtghaiens:rederceal:ived valuable testimony to his services. Major
Crimean
modal
thaendmetdwj
jo.dicel)asaupsd, thehe
Roberts wears
med th
the
al, e
decoration
CrOgs 9t the ,triegi94 0 Acoßivi—DOrbYshfre Cooler.