The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 3, 1859.

PUBLICATIONS.

Now ready, at all the Libraries, in 3 vols.,
THE WAY OF THE WORLD.
By ALISON REID.
" A good novel. It falls little short of being a first-rate
one."--Leader.
"It is impossible to write a cold criticism upon a book like
this. There is a spell and fascination upon one from the first
page to the last."—John Bull.
Hurst and Blackett, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

• New Novel. Now ready, •
AGAINST WIND AND TIDE. By HOLME
LEE, Author of " Sylvan Molt's Daughter:" "Kathie
Brande,r &c. 3 Vols.
Sthith, Elder, and Co., 65, Cornhill.

The Fourth Edition, Just Published, Bro, in cloth, price 5s
by post free, ss. 6d.

ON TRUE and FALSE SPERIVIATORRHCEA ;
with the View to the Correction of wide-spread Errors
in relation to the Treatment and Cure of Sufferers from De-
bility of the Generative system, or Sexual llypochrondriasis.

DISTRESSING SHIPWRECK.

PALLING, NORFOLK, Dec. I.—A most distressing
shipwreck occurred on Friday last on Hasborough
Sands. About 10 o'clock on the evening of that
day the sloop Gratitude grounded on the sands,
during thick weather and a strong broeze. She was
knocked to pieces in a few minutes and immediately
sunk. The crew took to the rigging about 12 feet
above the deck, wad remained in that position from
Friday, until rescued on the morning of Monday
last by a Bacton boat manned by 18 'fishermen.
The poor fellows had been lashed to the rigging for
a period of nearly 60 hours, without either food or
water, and life was fast ebbing when taken
into the boat. A brig had passed them on Sun-
day, and made an attempt with its boat to save
them, but there being so much sea it could not
get near enough. Information was afterwards
given at Winterton by the master of the brig that
five men were seen in the rigging of a vessel on
Hasborough Sands, and this was communicated
along the coast. It was the intention here to have
launched the lifeboat of the National Lifeboat In-
s itution at daybreak, as the news did not reach us
until 7.30 p.m., at which time it was very dark,
and no lights could be discerned. The Becton boat-
men had learnt from the floating light vessel that
there were men in the rigging: Several guns had
also been fired-from the light vessel for assistance.
The Bacton boat had during the night run along
the edge of the sand, but could discover nothing.
They again launched the next morning, when they
fortunately succeeded in saving the poor men. Too
much praise cannot be given to the Bacton men for
theirpraiseworthy efforts. They have been promptly
paid £lB for their noble services by the Lifeboat
Institution.
,The poor men were landed here in a
very exhaussed condition, and every care has been
taken of them that humanity could suggest. The
vessel belonged to a poor man at Grimsby. The
master attributes the loss of the vessel to the defec
tive state of the compasses.

TILE _RECENT MUTINY ON 8021. RD TILE
PRINCESS ROYAL. •

CONCLUSION OF THE COURTS-MARTIAL.
The proceedings in the adjourned court-martial
on board her Majesty's ship Victory were resumed
yesterday morning.
Mr. Medder, clerk, deposed—l produce a list of
those prisoners whose names were taken on the
after part of the main deck, and also of those whose
names were taken on the poop of the Princess
Royal on the night of the 12th of November. (The
lists were then produced and read.)
. Lieut. J. Simpson, examined by the prosecutor,
said, after the. disturbance was over on board the
Princess Royal on the 12th of November last, I was
present when the men came up from the lower
deck. They were placed three deep on the starboard
side of the main deck, with sentries abaft them and
forward. They were sent aft one at a time to have
their names taken down by the clerk. I did not
consider it possible for any of the men to have gone
through the lower dcck ports on to the jetty.
When free communication was opened with the
lower deck at the conclusion of the riot seven or
eight men were found there who were exempted
from the riot, because their messtraps were found
complete and they were men of very good character.
They stated they had tried to come up, but were
prevented by the rioters, and had also remained to
take care of their messtraps.
By the Court—Then, any of the prisoners, if they
were well-disposed, men, might also have been pre-
vented coming up ?—Possibly so.
Did it appear that these seven or eight men had
attempted to suppress the mutiny ?—I can't say.
.John Ainsworth, gunner's mate of the Princess
Royal, corroborated a portion of the evidence given
by Lieut. Simpson as affecting one of the prisoners,
Thomas M‘Kay.
Lieut. Arthur Solway said that immediately
after the disturbance was over on board the Prin-
cess Royal, on the 12th of November last, he
found the prisoner, John Mitchell, on the lower
deck of that ship. Ordered him to go on the main
duck with the remainder of the prisoners, but
on the ship's company being mustered the next
morning he noticed JohnXitchell among the num-
ber of men on board, and reported him to Captains
Baillie and Farquhar, who ordered him to be sent
on board the St. Vincent.

By the Court—Had you any particular reason
for singling out Mitchell ?--.Yes I had noticed his
conduct as mutinous in . the dockyard on that day,
and heard him call out to the rest of the men
"Hang on ?"
_ .

Lieu-tenant F. M. Prattent, examined by the pro-
secutor, deposed to the means taken to secure the
prisoners as they came up from the lower deck at
the conclusion of the riot. Did not consider, from
the precautions taken to secure the names of the
prisoner, that any well-disposed men could have
been mixed up with the prisoners against their
will. Believed the pipe for the men to come on
deck could have been heard over all parts of the
loWer deck, as it was piped at several hatchways.
Captain Arthur Farquhar, of her Majesty's ship
Victory, deposed to the measures taken to secure
the men as they came up from the lower decks of
the Princess Royal at the close of the disturbance.
Considered the means taken to secure the men such
as were calculated to secure only the ill-affected.
Went round the lower -deck after that and found
probably from 20 to 25 men on the lower deck. A
portion of them, assembled forward on the lower
deck, said they had remained quiet the whole time
during the disturbance and protected their mess-
traps, and from the appearance of the men's traps
and the unexcited state of the men themselves I
considered their statement to be the truth. Three
other men in one of the midship messes made the
same statement. The remaining men on the lower
deck I considered fully implicated in the disturb-
ance. The whole of the men were made prisoners.
By the Court—Supposing a prominent rioter
had mingled with those men and made the same
statement in an unexcited manner, what means had
you of detecting it ?—l•Tene at the moment.
If a well-disposed. man had done his utmost to
in an excited state ?—lie might ; it is possible.
suppress the mutiny, might he not have appeared
Did the other men whom you did not consider
well disposed say that they had stopped on the lower
deck to protect their mesatraps, or assign any ether
cause for being there?-one or two were lying
down, and on being roused up, or shaken, they made
no excuse, or said anything, to the best of my re-
collection ; they either were feigning sleep, or were
stupid from drink.
W. Johnson, boatswain's mate, deposed to having
heard the drum beat to quarters, and having piped
for the well-disposed -ineap to come up from the
lower deck of the Princess Royal at the time of the
disturbance on board., Saw John Mitchell in his
moss about five minutes after the disturbance was
over. He was fast asleep. Did not see him after
that, as when witness woke him up he went away.
The case for the prosecution having now closed
the. prisoners were called upon for their defence.
The whole of the prisoners simply declared their
innocence of all participation in the disturbance.
The Court then closed to deliberate on their find-
ing, which, on its being re-opened, was read by the
Deputy Judge-Advocate as follows :—'• The Court,
after having maturely and deliberately considered
the whole of the evidence brought forward against
the 108 prisoners at the bar, find the first charge
proved, and the second charge not proved; but, in
consideration of the peculiar circumstances of the
case, the Court only adjudges the prisoners to three
months' imprisonment in her Majesty's gaol at Win-
chester, with hard labour. _ -

The 109 prisoners in the original charge comprised
—1 man in hospital, 1 blacksmith's mate, 1 sail-
maker's crew, 1 armourees crew, 1 leading seaman,
24 able seamen, and 80 ordinary seamen ; total, 109.
One prisoner, John Scott, is in•the hospital, and
unable to stand his trial at present.
This ends the series' of courts-martial arising out
of the late extraordinary mutiny on board her Ma-
jesty's ship Princess Royal, and the chief cause of
which still remains unexplained. The proceedings
have excited the deepest interest in naval circles at
Portsmouth, and great sympathy has been felt for
Captain the Hon. Thomas Baillie and his officers
for the very unpleasant position in which they have
been placed. From, what has transpired during the
courts-martial no captain could have been more re-
spected by his crew, or have been more worthy of
that respect, than was the captain of the Princess
Royal.
Commander Josling, on the Princess Royal pay-
ing off, joins the Queen, 86, screw, Capt. 0. F.
Hillier, at Portsmouth, and, if our information be
correct, the number of the best men of the Princess
Royal who have volunteered to follow their present
commander into his future ship, will likewise prove
the estimation in which he is held. Lieut. Simpson,
the senior lieutenant of the ship, is also spoken of
by those who know him as a very meritorious officer.
This gentleman has been serving on board the
Princess Royal as senior lieutenant during the past
six years. Ho served in the Baltic and Black Seas,
and has been twice under fire in her. His commis-
sion bears date December 6, 1845, or 11 months
senior to that of Commander C. F. F. Boughey,

lately promoted to his present rank on tho paying
off of her Majesty's ship Havannah at Devon port.
The Princess Royal is expected to pay off on Mon-
day next.
THE FIGHT ON TILE PRIMO.

(From the Times.)
The December number of Blackwood's Magazine
opens with an elaborate history of the fight on
the Peiho, and we bespeak for this article the
,at-
tention of Englishmen of all classes. It is not be-
cause it is vivid in description and most exciting
in its narrative; it is not because it is replete with
anecdotes of heroic deeds and rife with instances of
English daring ;—these are qualities which will
recommend themselves, and will fix the attention
of the reader who has once begun to read. But
this description bears upon its face evidence that it
is the work of a man who has a right to speak with
authority on the matters of which he treats. 'We
have not only the tale, but we have the moral. In
the preliminaries to the battle we have a lucid cx-
position of the policy of the Minister under whose
command Admiral Hope embarked in his glorious
but unfortunate enterprise. In the condition of the
forts, apparelled with all the newest contrivances of
European warfare, we have a first light thrown upon
that dark question—the progress of Russia in the
East. In the unflinching, light-hearted, self-sacri-
ficing contest against hopeless odds, which comes
next in the story, we happily have no novelty, but
only a grateful proof that our seamen of the pre-
sent day are worthy of their fathers, and that the
old tradition of pluck and endurance are still to be
found fresh and flourishing in every little gun-
boat. The moral of the rude lesson every reader
will draw as he reads, and if he draws it justly
from his premises he will have sounder views upon
this Chinese question than have yet been able to
penetrate the cobwebby purlieus of the Admiralty.
We are not about to repeat the incidents of the
disaster which startled is so sharply from our com-
plaisant contempt of a Chinese enemy. We have
already long ago sketched in outline the picture
which has now been filled up, and we refer to this
magazine article for cor &Illation rather than for
any great originality of view. The writer, however,
has, we think, successfully vindicated the policy of
Mr. Bruce in determining to remove the impedi-
ments in the river, and he has cleared up those
doubts which originally hung about the conduct of
the Admiral in conducting the conflict. It is now
ascertained from the official documents that when
Mr. Bruce arrived at the mouth of the Peiho he
had only six days within which to reach Pekin ;
for any failure to appear there on the day when
the ratifications were due would have furnished an
excuse that would have proved fatal to his mission
and his treaty. It is now also clear that his pro-
gress was not opposed by official notification ; that
some people, who represented themselves as militia-
men and of no public authority, advised him to go
round by some other way, but promised to remove
the impediments, which had been placed there, as
they represented, only to keep out rebels and
pirates. It is, moreover, now made manifest that
the forts were so well masked as to present no
threatening appearance. There was nothing official
or avowed in the matter. If Mr. Bruce ha taken
the advice of the militiamen we are moreover now
in a condition to say what would have happened.
The American Minister has made this test for us.
After enduring a series of insults which our trans-
atlantic cousins must have the patience of doves and
the digestion of ostriches to digest, but which, ac-
cording to the New York Herald, they neverthe-
less seem inclined to swallow with all humility,
their ratified treaty has been openly and contemp-
tuously repudiated.
What the obstacles in the path of the expe-
dition were the writer in _Blackwood very e!tbo-
rately describes. They were, doubtless, trouble-
some things to deal with, even if they had been
left to their own inert powers of resistance. It
was while attempting to remove these impediments
that a gun or two discharged with careful aim
showed that this would not b permitted. We are
now told, on authority which may not be lightly
gainsaid, that from this moment Admiral Hope
made every preparation which prudence or foresight
could suggest for a suceessful resistance to the, at-L.
tack which would in all probability be made upon
him in passing the barriers. Retelling, probably, to
some criticisms in this journal as to the advance
being ordered upon shallow waters during an ebb
tide, and to a landing having, been delayed until
sundown, the writer says :
" The Admiral commenced to move his squadron into
action thus early, anticipating that by the time the flood
tide had ceased running every vessel would have reached
her position, the distance in no case being more than a
mile; but the narrowness of the channel, the strength of the
breeze, and the force of the current occasioned great delay
by forcing first one gunboat and then anotherashore on the
mudbanks, added to which the groat length of the Nimrod
and Cormorant caused them, when canting or swinging
across the channel, almost to block it up. The consequence
was that the squadron was not ready for action at 11.30
a.m., or high water. Prior to high water it would have been
folly to commence action. No judicious naval officer would
engage an enemy's works while a flood tide was sweeping in
towards them. Had Admiral Hope done so every disabled
vessel and boat as well as every wounded man would have
fallen into the hands of the Chinese ; and, moreover, the
difficulty of anchoring by the stern in gunboats in so strong
a tideway can only be appreciated by seamen, and would
have probably resulted in the whole force falling aboard of
one another, and being swept by the tide in one mass under
the concentrated fire of all tho batteries. By ono o'clock the
ebb tide was running strong; all the vessels were by that
time in position, except the Banterer and Starling, and they
were hopelessly aground, though in positions which enabled
them to co-operate to some extent. The Admiral prepared
to move the barriers, and issued his final instructions. To
those who say that Admiral Hope ought to have acted
earlier in the day we have merely to point to the issue of
the combat into which he was inveigled, and reply, that
had there been two hours' more daylight, we hardly think
a ship or man would have been saved.
These are matters of a technical character, which
must be discussed by professional men before civi-
lians are in a position to form a decided opinion
upon them. But we are anxious to be convinced
that Admiral Hope was as careful in his prepara-
tions and as judicious in his plan of attack as he
was undoubtedly heroic in his endeavours to carry
it to success. Even as it was, we would rather bear
the odium of Admiral Hope's glittering fault, if
fault there should be, than wear the orders which
reward the bloodless services and safe manoeuvres
of some who affect to condemn him.
One word of inquiry upon all this. Since the
news of our repulse on the Peiho spread in Eng-
land there has been much doubt as to the propriety
of the attack, for which, of course, the Plenipoten-
tiary is answerable, and as to the tactics of the Ad-
miral ; but there has alio been a general feeling of
sympathy in the misfortune of a brave man and of
admiration for the daring devotion with which he
was supported. Never, we believe, in the very best
days of our navy, have, men or officers done them-
selves or their csuntry more honour than, when
hopelessly entrapped in a position whence they
could not escape, they were being shot down at their
guns by opponents whom they could not reach.
From all England have come words of encourage-
ment and solace, except only from one place, and
that, unhappily, is one to which the naval officer
looks most anxiously. Not one word of sympathy
or acknowledgment has been spoken by the Admi-
ralty in return for all that brave life that has been
yielded up so cheerfully, and those wounds and tor-
tures that have been borne so well. The First Lord
dines with the Lord Mayor, and returns thanks for
the Navy, but he seems to be ashamed of the gal-
lant deeds on the Peiho. Not a word of the men
who did their dutty so well there. " Fools," says the
proverb, " judge only by the event." Perhaps there is
a certain general wisdom in this folly when discreetly
used. No one would ask honours for an Admiral
who has failed, however gallantly; though a few
words of sympathy would not have been unjust nor
ungraceful, and they would have conveyed a balm
to a gallant spirit. But the captains, the lieutenants,
the gunners, the men—what have they done that
they should be a tabooed subject at the Admiralty ?
We protest, in the name of all that is generous, and
we will add all that is manly in the English cha-
racter, against this unjust slur. The little French
ship which was with us, and which did her duty
well, but certainly not better than any one of ours,
has been rewarded with promotions and decora-
tions; to our officers and men not a kindly word has
come from any one in high station. Depend upon
it, Jack and Jack's officers feel these things. Some
would ask—who is it who thus passes cold, silent
eensure upon brave men—imposing this silence
upon the mouthpiece of their Board ? Are they
Nelsons and Collingwoods, and Admirals whose
names are synonyms for victory ? Are they men
who have shown that they can measure the safety
of a wise audacity, and tell where boldness passes
into temerity ? Let us not inquire. We have no
wish to raise a laugh, or to point the distinction
between the cautious expender of naval stores and
a gallant, although for the moment unsuccessful,
officer. We cannot, however, afford in this day to
allow the men who ask only " Is it safe ?" to de-
preciate the men who ask only " Are we to do it ?"

!ALICOES, THREAD, AND YARN. 3,243,254
yards of plain calicoes, 3,139,200 yards of printed calicoes,
6,167,2941 b of cotton thread and yarn, 811,6551 b of linen
thread and yarn, and 1,715,9561 b of woollen and worsted
yarn were exported from Hull in the month of October last.