The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-27 00:00:00

shade every kindly feeling in the human bosom, whether of
master or servant, withers and dies, I ask, Who planted it I'
If it possess the magical, and incredible, and most pestilen-
tial quality that the English gentleman, who shall be vir-
tuous and beneficent, and just in all his ways, before ho
leaves home, an , after he returns home, shall, during his
temporary sojourn within its influence, become a very Nero
for cruelty, and have his warm heart of flesh smuggled out
of his bosom by some hocus pocta utterly unintelligible to
any unprejudiced rational being, or indurated into she flint
of the nether millstone, or frozen into a lump of ice-' "
The scenes in Jamaica, Cuba, and other West
Indian islands depict with great minuteness and
clearness the character of the inhabitants, whether
white, black, or any of the various intermediate
shades. We have given this slight sketch of tLe
story for the benefit of those who may not be ac-
quainted with this popular work, but to the general
public our remarks are unnecessary. It is enough
for us to inform our readers of the republication of
" Tom Cringle's Log" in its present elegant form,
and cur work is done. The engravings, which are
many, are well executed.

Travels in the Holy Land. By Frederika Bremer.
Translated by Mary Howitt. Two vols. Hurst
and Blackett.

A work with these two names on the titlepage
can scarcely fail to please the reader. Miss Bremer
is well known among us as one of the ornaments of
that Scandanavian literature which has afforded us
so many pleasant hours. Theinmates of her charm-
" Home" are familiar to most of us; we have
watched the development of the varying characters
of her " President's Daughters ;" we have followed
the course of daily life among the " Neighbours;"
and we have rejoiced when " Strife and Peace"
ended in the triumph of the olive branch. Besides
giving us all these fascinating tales, Miss Bremer has
told us her observations of some foreign countries,
and now that she has accomplished her great desire,
and journeyed to the consecrated lands of the East
she naturally recounts to us the impressions she
received during her pilgrimage. Commencing with
the record of a flying visit which she paid to Sicily,
she gives us a pleasant description of that beautiful
island. From thence she proceeded to Malta, where
she met Prince Alfred, then on to Palestine, the goal
of her wishes. She is evidently animated with
fervent enthusiasm and religious sentiments, and
her writings will consequently be more attrac-
tive to the young and eager reader, with whose
warm feelings her glowing descriptions will
harmonise, than to the graver or more stu-
dious who prefer to regard lands in their
political or scientific aspects. Her descriptions are
often eloquent, and the introduction of little passing
incidents imparts variety and animation to her
pages. There is certainly a tendency to diffuseness,
but it is not difficult to pardon when there is so
much so say, and it is said so well. Mrs. Howitt's
merits as a translator are already known to the
public. She has the rare faculty of rendering her
author into easy and flowing English, and the only
perceptible fault is the occasional length of the sen-
tences. We must not omit to mention the
anecdotes of Arab life and the remarks on Turkey,
which are among the contents of the second volume.
She tells us'an incident of desert life, told to her in
a Bedouin tent, which adds pleasantly to the long
list of legends concerning tho Arab and his horse.
A Bedouin, it is said, possessed a splendid horse,
which the most tempting offers could not induce
him to part with. A neighbouring chief, named
Faris el Aanta, finding no bribe successful, deter-
mined to resort to stratagem. He disguised him-
self as a poor wayfarer, dyed his face, and
crouched down by the wayside as one dying
of exhaustion in the desert. Soon, as he anticipated,
the Sheik El Hamel appeared riding the much-
coveted mare, whose speed, we are told, was that of
the north-east wind of the desert. In a weak and
plaintive voice the deceiver cried for help, and the
sheik, true to the Arabian instinct, dismounted to as-
sist him on his own steed in order to conveyhim to his
tent. No sooner, however, was the traitor mounted
than he set spurs to the mare, and bounded off
with the speed of lightning. Hearing the sheik
demand one last word, he paused, however, feeling
himself secure, and El Hamel requested that he
should never tell how he had obtained the mare,
lest some real sufferer might ask for aid in vain.
The story tells that the chief was so much struck
by this magnanimity that he dismounted and sur-
rendered his ill-gotten prize. The Druses and
Maronites, whose continual dissensions led recently
to such tragical results, are also spoken of; and as
Miss Bremer generally becomes acquainted with
some leading family wherever she goes, she is able
to give many details of native life and manners
which escape less favoured travellers. On quitting
the East the authoress intended to proceed to
Greece, and we may therefore anticipate a further
addition to her pleasant traveller's tales.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

The arrivals of English wheat, fresh up to this morning's
market, were only moderate. Tho condition of the samples,
however, urea good: Generally speaking the demand ruled
steady, and prices were well supported.

The show of samples of foreign wheat was tolerably ex-
tensive. All descriptions were held at the extreme rates of
Friday last, but the demand was far from active.
Floating cargoes of grain were in fair request, at full
currencies.

Malting barley moved off steadily, at very full prices.
Grinding and distilling sorts maintained previous rates.
We were well supplied with malt, and the trade ruled
heavy, at barely late rates.
Oats moved eff steadily, at full quotations. The show of
samples was rather large.

Beans and peas were dull, and prices had a downward
tendency.
The flour trade was firm, at full currencies ; but the
business doing was very moderate.

ARRIVALS THIS wEEX.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
Eng1i5h........ 780 ( 1,310 4,190 , 830 I 870 sacks.
Irish.. .. 120 ,` 700
F0reign........ 21,620. 8,550 32,130 3,210 sks.
brls.

!MI ERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES. - Wheat, 618 6d ;
barley, 36s 2d ; oats, 22s 5d ; rye, 29s Od ; beans, 42$
2d; and peas, 42s lld.
THE Six WEEKS' AVERAGES. - Wheat, 60s Gd ;
barley, 37s Od ; oats, 22s 8d ; rye, 36s ld ; beans, 42s 7d ;
peas, 45s Od,

ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST `VEER.—Wheat, 96,765 ;
barley, 115, 397; oats, 18,385 ; rye, 35 ; beans, 6,011 ; peas,
2,347 quarters.

NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.

The supplies of meat are only moderate, and the trade
rules firm for each description, at fully previous quotations.
Per 81b. by the carcase.

adad a dad
Inferior beef .. 3 0 3 6 Middlingmutton 4 2 4 4
iddling do. .. 3 8 4 0 Prime do .. 4 6 4 8
Prime large do. 4 2 4 4 Veal 4 0 5 0
Do. small do. .. 4' 4 4 6 Small pork 4 10 5 4
Large pork 4 0 4 8 Lamb
Inferior mutton. 3 8 4 0

OFFICIAL REPORT.

TAE BRITISH FLAG.
TO THE LORDS OF THE COMMITTEE OF PRIVY COUNCIL

FOR TRADE.

My Lords,—Having received your instruction, I pro-
ceeded, in conjunction with Capt. Harris, Nautical Assessor
to the Board of Trade, to inquire into the circumstances
attending the abandonment of the ship British Flag, on
the 13th of November last. The British Flag was a full-
rigged ship, of 1,395 tons, built at New Brunswick in 1854,
and owned by Mr. Edward Bates, merchant, of Liver-
pool, and others. She was commanded by Mr. Henry
Wilson Campbell, who has held a certificate of com-
petency as master since 1851, and she had a crew of 36
hands, and one passenger, the captain's wife, on
board. The British Flag left Liverpool on the Gth Nov., in
all respects sufficiently found, with a cargo consisting of
railway iron, machinery, &c., for the purpose of erecting a
cotton factory at Bombay, to which port she was bound. On
leaving dock she drew 19ft. Sin. aft and 18ft. Sin. forward,
and it would appear that she had a c!ear side of 7ft. Gin•
The actual amount of her cargo, as nearly as can be calcu-
lated, was from 1,200 to 1,260 tons. Nothing of any mo-
ment occurred until early on the morning of Tuesday the
12th, when the wind suddenly shifted from the southward
to the northward and eastward. This being a fair wind,
the yards were squared, and all possible sail made. At this
time the ship began to roll violently, and efforts were made
to steady her by bracing the yards forward on the star-
board tack and hauling the ship more to the wind. This
manoeuvre seems to have been of no avail, for shortly after-
wards, about 1 20 A.M. of the 13th, in a violent weather
roll, the foremast fell by the board, the two foremast port
channel bolts being drawn out of the ship's side. The fore-
mast, in falling, carried with it the bowsprit and the foretop-
mast, fell across the starboard mainyard arm, thus prevent •
ing any further efforts to steady the vessel till the wreck was
cleared away. During the day the wind moderated and all
hands were employed in clearing the wreck of the bowsprit,
and setting up the mainstays, which had been carried away
and the main rigging, which had become slack, At 4 p.m.
a vessel was seen, which offered to render assistance, but
the master of the British Flag then declined it, the weather
being moderate, and entertaining strong hopes of being en-
abled to rig a jurymast, an emergency he was provided for
with materials, but the rolling of the vessel from the heavy
sea and.the lumbered state of the deck rendered it imprac-
ticable. By this time night had come on, and the wind had
commenced to blow from S.E. The mizentopsail was clOse
reefed and the mainsail was taken in at midnight, ship being
then on the port tack. It continued to blow very hard dar-
ing the night, and the ship surged violently. At 4 a.m. on
the following morning an unsuccessful attempt was made
to reef the mainsail prior to wearing round on the other
tack, and they were eventually compelled to set the whole
mainsail to steady the ship. Shortly atterdaylight a vessel,
which proved to be the brig Ernest, was sighted. Prior
to this the :captain had been informed by his
officers that a considerable amount of grumbling
had been manifested by the crew, of which, however,
in the first instance he took no notice. The appearance of
the brig, however, seems to have increased the dissatisfac-
tion of the crew ; and the master, in consequence of fur-
ther representations made to him, called them aft along
with his officers about noon. It was the unanimous opi-
nion of all hands that they ought to abandon the ship to
save their own lives. The master, from his own statement,
appears to have concurred in that view, but did not imme-
diately declare it. The ship, however, continuing to roll
about in the same helpless manner, the wind increasing,
and both the barometers, which were at 29 12, indicating
severe weather, the master at 3 p.m. signalled to the brig
to close. After some hesitation on account of their num-
ber, the master of the brig, which was a small vessel
of 150 tons, agreed to take them on board. (Mars
were then given to lower their two remaining boats,
the longboat having been stove by the fall of the mast, and
the keel of the pinnace having been broken by the rolling of
the ship. The crew then proceeded on board the brig with
such of their effects as they could save, the master and his
officers being the last to leave the vessel. The ship was
abandoned in about lat. 44:48 N., and long. 10 32 W.,
about 120 miles N.W. of Cape Finisterre. After they left
the vessel the wind increased so much that, although it
was blowing from a favourable quarter, the Ernest was
compelled to lie to till 6 p.m. on the following day, when
she proceeded on her voyage to Queenstown, at which port
she arrived on Nov. 21.

There must always necessarily be considerable difficulty
in arriving at a satisfactory conclusion as to premature aban-
donment, especially in a case like the present, depending
entirely on the evidence of the master, his officers and crew,
who can never be considered strictly impartial witnesses.
At the same time, in this, as in ever) case, I can found my
opinion alone on the evidence before me. It seems un-
doubtedly clear that the master was placed in a position of
considerable difficulty by the disabled state in which his
ship was from loss of the foremast, and his inability to clear
away the wreck owing to the violent rolling, which also pre-
vented him rigging a jury mast. The master, from his own
admission, does not seem to have considered the amount of
water in the ship of any consequence—a conclusion which
is obvious, as there were only three feet in her when they
left, a very inconsiderabie quantity f r a ship of her Sin
and build. It is also in evidence, that the cargo was care-
fully and properly stowed, and though it would seem that
some of the cases had got adrift in the 'tween decks, and.
by their violent surging, contributed to increase the alarm
on board, I cannot regard that feature in the case as one
which ought materially to have tended to the
subsequent abandonment. Nor can I consider tho draw-
ing of two channel bolts, and the alleged starting of
the treenails of any great consequence, as they were all
above the water line. Neither do I attach much importance
to the working of the poop, upon which stress was laid, as,
according to the evidence of the carpenter, it was only to
the extent of three-quarters of an inch. None of these cir-
cumstances in themselves, nor all of them combined, seem
to me to have been sufficient to account for the abandon-
ment of the ship, commanded as the British Flag was by a
master of considerable ability and experience, provided he
had been efficiently backed by his officers and crew, all of
whom appear to have been most willing to leave her. The
representations made to the master of this state of feeling
on board seemed to have had great weight with him in com-
ing to a decision. It would certainly have been more satis-
factory if Capt. Campbell had remonstrated with his men
when they came aft in a body to consult on the condition.
of the vessel; but the means of escape being at hand,
the wind increasing, and his barometers indicating bad
weather, he appears to have yielded, under the impression
that to have stayed on board during:another night might
have seriously compromised the safety of all hands. In th
conclusion he was strengthened by the circumstance, that
his two principal boats had been rendered useless by the
fall of the mast ; and, in the event of having to leave the
ship, the remaining two boats were, in an emergency, in-
adequate to save all hands. Reviewing the whole evidence
is the case, I cannot say that I feel satisfied that the ship
would not have been saved had the brig Ernest not offered
a certain mode of escape from what was undoubtedly a
situation of difficulty and risk. On the other hand, looking
at the state of the weather, and considering the responsi-
bility which must ever attach to a man in Captain Camp-
bell's position, where the lives of many are at stake, I am
unwilling to condemn him for availing himself of the oppor-
tunity that offered when his own conviction, backed by the
opinion of his officers, was. that his ship would not have
lived through another night.—l have, &c.,

J. S. RAFFLES, Stipendiary Magistrate.
H. HARRIS.

I concur—