The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-25 00:00:00

?bare

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 25, 1868.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Times looks upon the result of the nine days-
debate on the commercial policy of the French Empire as
no inconsiderable triumph for the cause of free trade. It
may be of little importance to the Emperor's Government
that their views should have received the support of a large
majority in the Legislative Body. Victory is a matter of
course for Imperialism in all those parliamentary contests in
which it desires to insure success, Neither is the vote of last
Tuesday an event of very great consequence so far as
British interests are concerned. The i?rinciples of our
commercial policy arc too strongly established to be shaken
by any resolution of a foreign Legislature. Had even the
discussion in the French Assembly led to a different con-
clusion, we should not fall back from our present position.
We should not give up free trade if France were to in-
trench herself behind a wall of absolute prohibition—if
another Napoleon were to renew the experiment of the
continental system. But for the sake of France herself, it
rejoices that the French Government should have had so
mach to say on the side of commercial freedom, and the
Opposition should have made out so bad a case for pro-
tection.

The Daily News in its weekly article " Trade and
Finance" refers to the expectation raised a few weeks
back that the Bank authorities would raise the rate of
discount. A comparison of the Bank accounts at the
time when there was a general expectation that the
minimum rate of discount would be raised, with those
published in the last return, will shew that there were
really no good grounds for anticipating a change. For all
practical purposes the Bank was in as strong a position a
fortnight ago as now. It is true that the reserve was
then about £915,000 lower; but as the total amounted
to nearly eleven millions the difference was of no
material consequence. The active circulation on the
present occasion is rather more than a million and a
half less, but, on the other hand, the deposits are fully a
million larger. The alteration in the other securities is
only moderate. An increase is shewn in the bullion in the
past week of £386,000, but as the total held averaged
upwards of 201 millions, this augmentation is compara-
tively unimportant. Looking at the figures as a whole, it
appears strange that a rise in the rate of discount should
have been really anticipated. It probably arose from a
decrease in the week ending May 6 compared with the
29th April of £535,000 in the reserve, the item in the Bank
accounts which is of all others the most seriously watched.
However, judging by the result, it is, at all events, clear
that 2 per cent. could have done no more good than 2 per
cent.

The Standard declares that the publication of the corre-
spondence on the subject of the Roman Catholic University
will produce two good results. It will both dissipate that
cloud of misrepresentation in which the proposition of the
Government as to Irish education has been enveloped, and
it will define and exhibit the true position of the Ultra-
montane hierarchy in Ireland. As soon as it became
known that the Government had made up their minds to
move in this vexed question of university education in
Ireland the wrath of the Opposition knew no bounds, and
therepresentatives of English Conservatism were sedulously
accused of supporting the Ultramontane party in Ireland
—of a design to appropriate the money of English tax-
payers to maintAin an Ultramontane seminary. It was in
vainfor the Ministry distinctly to repudiate any design of
providing an endowment from the Roman Catholic Uni-
versity. The Opposition continued to call on the Ministry
for their defence of a proposition which they had never made.
As early as March last we find that the negotiations with
the bishops were opened on the distinct terms of no endow-
tnent, but simply a charter on certain conditions. That was
the first negotiation which the Government attempted with
the bishops, and in the first reply from these prelates, on
the 19th March, they state, amongst other difficulties,
that the " great objection to the proposed scheme is the
want of a suitable endowment." On this footing, then,
the negotiations were commenced, and on this they were
continued down to the 16th May, when the negotiations
finally concluded. The calumny, therefore, of any dispo-
sition on the part of the Ministry to pledge the public
revenue to the foundation of a denominational university
in Ireland is disposed of for ever.

The Telegraph has an article on Abyssinia. Once more,
it says, we have cheering news from the rugged mountains
of Abyssinia. The army, after destroying Magdala,
started immediately on its homeward march ; and now is
chronicled its progress towards the north. With the provi•
dent care which has distinguished his period of command,
Sir Robert Napier retired, as he had advanced, in order of
battle. The pioneers led the way back, and then followed
the two brigades, at supporting distances, still prepared
for any interruption, and ready to brush away any peril.
A less formal method of proceeding would have been wanting
in dignity, might have led to laxity among officers and
men, and perhaps have tempted the robber tribes to
strike at baggage or assail the rearguard. Filing
through the connecting rocky portal, the soldiers pursued
their tortuors course without the stimulus which animated
their brilliant advance—the hope of combat and the desire
to rescue the captives ; but they were buoyed up by
another motive—the longing for the pleasant scenes of
home. At first the sudden cessation of excitement and
the lack of accustomed nourishment told upon the spirits
and the frames of our hardy soldiers ; but they soon re•
covered their tone, and when the mail departed the army
was in excellent health, two marches south of Ashangi.
Even the elephants had felt the severity of campaign
labours, and required much nursing upon the homeward
road. Great difficulties were still before the army, but
not greater than those which had alreuly been overcome ;
the boundless confidence in Sir Robert Napier being in
itself sufficient to carry the men through any trial.

UNIVERSITY _REFORM AND EXTENSION.

The draft of a bill is now in circulation at Oxford for
the extension and improvement of the university and the
colleges therein. The bill in question will be introduced
into Parliament, if possible, in the present session by Mr.
Coleridge, who has addressed a letter to the Dean of
Christ Church, expressing his desire, before bringing in
the bill, to ascertain the opinion of the resident member!
of the university as to its proposed provisions. With this
view a meeting of those favourable to the objects of the
bill will be held, for the consideration of its provisions, at
the Clarendon Hotel, Oxford, May 30, at two o'clock,
when members of congregation, members of the governing
bodies of colleges, and others connected with university
or college instruction or administration are invited to
attend. The preamble of the bill states that "it is
expedient that the benefits of the University of Oxford
should be more widely extended and rendered more freely
accessible ; and that the said university and the colleges
therein should be empowered to make better application
of their respective revenues to the purpose of learning and
education ; and that legal restrictions at present inter-
fering with the self-government, efficiency, and usefulness
of the said university and colleges should be removed."
After the interpretation of terms the bill deals with the
extension of the university and colleges, and proposes
that persons may be matriculated and become full mem-
bers of the university without being members of any col-
lege or hall, &c. ; that in case the measure on the subject
of extension now before congregation becomes the law of
the university, clauses 3 to 6 thereon are to be expunged.
Clause 7 proposes to do away with the ancient house of
congregation as at present constituted, but to create a
fresh body coming under the same denomination. Clause
9 will transfer to the new congregation the functions
of convocation, except. as regards the right of electing
the chancellor, of returning burgesses to Parliament, and
of conferring honorary degrees. The remaining clauses treat
of—(10). The power of the university to regulate its own
procedure. (11). Proceedings in the English tongue. (12).
Executive commissioners, and appointment thereof. (13).
Duration of powers. (14). Vacancies. (15). Production
of documents. (16). Power to colleges to frame statutes
for certain purposes. (17). Schemes to be laid before com-
missioners. (18). On neglect of college commissioners to
frame schemes. (19). Laying before colleges schemes framed
by commissioners. (20). University balance-sheet. (21).
Schemes objected to, to be laid before Parliament ; and
(22). The Queen in Council. (23). Power to colleges, &c.,
1.4) petition her Majesty against approbation thereof, &c.
&c. (25). Elections to emoluments being suspended by
commissioners. (26). Power to sever benefices from head-
ships. (27). Transfer of judicial functions of visitors.
(28). Hearing by counsel. (29). Statutes of colleges to be
subject to repeal, &c. (30). Christ Church a college. (31).
Interpretation of powers of governing bodies of colleges.
(32). Accruer of vested interests. The most sweeping
part of this bill appears to be the deprivation of convoca-
tion of the right which it has hitherto enjoyed of non-
placeting important measures brought forward by con-
gregation.

A committee, composed of the Duke of Leinster,
the Earl of Howth, Lord Fermoy, Mr. Justice Keogh,
and other gentlemen, is occupied in Dublin in an effort to
raise a testimonial to the memory of the late Mr. Dargan,
the railway contractor, which is to take the form of a gift
to his widow. Mr. Dargan died in rather embarrassed
circumstances, and this step having become necessary, his
friends will, no doubt, provide for his widow suitably.
Some disappointment has been caused in Dublin
by the announcement that the remains of Sir Benjamin
Lee Guinness are not to be transferred to St. Patrick's
Cathedral, prior to their removal for interment in Mount
Jerome Cemetery. The family of the.deceased, it is
ported, do not wish to add so ostentatious
the obsequies ; but the public. " • . ..;eremonial to
in having this marl- '
„, is thought, will succeed
laineute' or respect paid to the memory of the
sooe4sod,

7'O7AL WRECK OF A STEAMER OFF THE
LAND'S END.

LOSS OF NINETEEN LIVES.
(From an Extra Issue of the Cornish Telegraph.)

We have the sad duty-of announcing, at a season
of the year when loss of life on our coasts is un-
usual, a terrible accident, by which a fine steamer,
four brave men, and a member of helpless, panic-
stricken women and children were, in a few
minutes, destroyed. About half-past 11 last night,
in thick weather, the screw steamer Garonne struck
on the Bucks, dangerous rocks, a mile and a half
westward of Lamornay, rapidly filled, and in 20
minutes was totally lost, with her captain, mate,
two stewards, and all her passengers, 15 in num-
ber, save two, who were rescued i❑ a providen-
tial way.

The iron screw steamer Garonne, of 499 tons re-
gister, belonged to Messrs. James i\loss and Co.,
of Liverpool, and, with three others of their
steamers, traded between that port and Bordeaux.
She was built at Hull two years ago, in water-tight
compartments, was fitted with the fates& improve-
ments in the way of hydraulic steering-gear, &c.,
and most comfortably furnished for passengers.
She was 225 feet long, schooner rigged, and had
engines of 90-horse power. She was commanded
by Captain Benjamin Drew, a native of Meva-
gissey, and thirteen years in this trade and employ.
He was about forty-five, an excellent officer, and
has perished with his ship, leaving a wife and three
children. The officers, engineers, and crew who
survive speak with pride of their vessel and of
their commander, and appear sincerely to regret the
loss of both.

The Garonne sailed from Bordeaux last Thursday
morning, between four and five o'clock, with a full
cargo of brandies, wines, madder, and miscellaneous
items. She had as cabin passengers Mr. James
Muir, of Glasgow, a gentleman who had been in
France eight months, and is in delicate health, Mrs.
Muir., four children (two little.girls, one boy of five
or six, and a baby), and two nurses ; Mrs. M'Ewan,
four children, and two servants ; and Messrs. Tur-
ner, of Glasgow, uncle and nephew—in all seven-
teen. Her captain and crew were twenty-two in
number. Fifteen passengers (all we have named
except Mr. Muir and little boy) and captain, mate,
and two stewards are drowned. One of the Messrs.
Turner was taken on board on a stretcher, it was
believed in an advanced stage of consumption.

The Garonne had Ushantlighthouse abeam about
half-past one on Friday afternoon, and then kept
on a course N. E. This was followed until ten
o'clock last night, when it was altered to N. W.
for a quarter of an hour, and changed to N. W.
which was deemed to be hauling her off the land.
Every moment Captain Drew expected to make the
Longships light. lie WSB himself anxiously looking
out from the forecastle, and had been so ever since
eight o'clock ; Mr. John J. Wilson, second mate,
was by the gangway ; and the usual look-out man
was also on the forecastle. The deep-sea lead was
ready to be hove, and the engineer, Mr. Alexander
Ruxton, having seen Captain Drew fetch some tal-
low from the engine room for the lead, expected
upon to stop his
engines.
nv ge ri yn
h sea on, be
was miled
very thick, there was
e sum.
Theen
steamer had a foretopsail set. The captain had
just gone forward at half-past eleven, and better
to see if there
uoimet t
weatheroand a strong breeze. The
pretty
was any light or land near,
when suddenly ',both he and the mate thought
they saw a dark streak in the misty hori-
zon, and both called out. The captain instantly
shouted " Hard astarboard," and the order wav
obeyed. " Stop her —reverse full speed !" was called
by him to the engineer, and the command executed
promptly. The steamer was going ten or eleven
knots, the engineer thinks, and he had reversed s
couple of minutes when she grated on the Bucks, a
dangerous reef, a mile and a half from Lamorua
Cove, in Mount's Bay. She did not strike violently,
or rise or fall, but grounded firmly, though with
quiver that shook her from stern to stern. In a
minute or two every one was on deck, except the
sick man—the women and children mostly in their
night-dresses, and some with only a shawl or a
petticoat hastily snatched up, as the shock, the
alarm by the captain and crew, or the rush of the
sea, warned them of imminent peril—how imminent
the engineer and firemen soon proved, for in two
minutes the engine-room was full, and the fires ex-
tinguished.

Captain Drew appears to have done all that a
cool and good officer could do. He ordered the fore-
topsail halyards to be loosed, the first mate
(who ran quickly from below) to fire rockets and
blue lights for assistance, signals which were seen
by two vessels, but they dared not venture near
the dreaded Bucks in a strong S.W. wind, and the
boats to be got out. The second mate saw that it
was no use to attempt to lower the boats on the
starboard side, as the rocks rose up there ; indeed,
everything now done became hazardous, as the sea
swept over the doomed steamer. Mr. Wilson left
the bridge to go aft, but was nearly washed away.
He found the women and children huddled together
on the poop. However great their fright, there
was no screaming at this time—indeed,
each one
had to hold on for himself or herself as the sea rose
above the stern and
washed the vessel. Mr. Wil-
son remained until
he saw several persons swept
overboard from the poop, and that he could not
possibly render any assistance. lie then sprang into
the sea, and managed to
get into one of three boats
which by this time were afloat. Three minutes af-
terwards the poop was submerged, and those who
stern-sheets
bottom of the boat they found a plate and a
remained on it were lost. We had better follow
the history of each boat.
Alexander Ruxten, the engineer, William Arrow-
smith, the second engineer, Michael Garitty and
Owen Roberts, firemen, and John Clayton, cook,
each seeing the hopelessness of standing by the
wreck, got out the dingey aft. This little boat
(about sixteen feet long) was full of green
out the peas and filled the boat, but four men (all
except
itsping was out. The sea soon washed
Ruxton) were in her, and she floated.
peas,They Ancaalilder.
called to Mr. Ruxton to jump from the steamer,
and, after one more thought of the respective chances
of the steamer or this frail means of escape, he
sprang into the sea, swam to the dingey, and was
taken
c
In
uthe
he cut a plug, and stopped the hole.
i.n. With
b
a piece of wood torn from the
These served to bale the water out. The
carpenter threw a couple of oars to them, which
they were lucky enough to secure, and by two men
°s clear look-out,
the wreck so as to wait
making rowlocks of their arms, and two pulling,
h i
while
the one
boat;aa it was
just n t
the
-out, they managed to
keep
water. Presently a
life-buoy
washedany one
one in the
near them. This they picked
up, and, by severing the lanyards,
obtained ropes to
w aboutto n easa
lash the oars to the thowl-holes. They now were,
oat
safe ; but it required care
t o comparativelymanag e the
the creek, and they heard breakers near, some time
was anxiously spent until daylight came, when
they sighted Mousehole, and reached that place
in safety. Mr. i-, Ruxton had
his watch with him,
Otherwise, ho and his men saved nothing but the
clothes they had on. The engineer says the vessel
was in excellent trim : the engine worked well, and
he never knew the Garonne to be going faster. Ile
thinks she was going eleven knots an hour, and
must have steamed a greater distance than they
acalculated.midnight. Thep
Just as he was about to spring
from the steamer he saw Jack Wiblock, one of the
stewards. He called to him to jump into the sea
after him, but niblofk declined. As he neared the
little boat the second engineer caught him by the
collar and helped him in.

Thomas Tullock was at the wheel (on the bridge)
at the time. The captain was with hitn on the
bridge, and went forward givestolooktileoubto.atoyHc:in get-
ting
precisely the same account of the wreck as Messrs.
Wilson and Buxton. He saw
out the port life-boat--a, Ay,
-Le craft, 30 feet
long, and in which everything ''as ready for use.
When this boat was
William Jon-- • out the boatswain,
A _ .8., the carpenter, Peter Fox,
Jack the donkey-man (they know the man
who works the donkey-engine by no other
name) and others were in her. They had six
oars, but two were soon broken up. They
pulled round under the steamer's quarter, and

saw, the passengers all standing near tho rail.
Whether they jumped or were washed off they could
not say, but in a minute or two Mr.' Muir was in
the sea with his little boy in his arms. They heard
the father call out to save the child, but. the poor
little fellow was washed out of his arms. Provi-
dentially both were swept near the boat, and they
were saved—the child being caught by one of his
legs as a wave hurried him past. Those in the boat
called to the ladies to jump front the quarter, for it
was easy to see, not only that the steamer must be
a wreck, but that to hold on long would be im-
possible. Two waves from opposite quarters met
more than once, near the stern, and swept up
high as the mast head, it seemed to those in
the boat, as if ravenous for the affrighted people
on deck, who screamed in their terror, and were
unable to quit their precarious hold for the boil-
ing sea beneath them. At last, as well as the
sailors could discern in the darkness and confusion,
two females either tried the hazardous leap or were
washed from the steamer. The accounts do not
agree. One sailor thinks the supposed females
were two garments blown into the water, but
another is quite positive that a female sprang from
the ill-fated Garonne, and fell into the water near
the tip of his oar. He thrust the oar towards her,
and called to her to hold on, but she seemed in-
sensible, and sank very rapidly. Another seaman
says he leant over the boat, and grabbed a figure
as it washed past. Ile held a garment until the
form it enclosed slipped from it, and the owner also
perished.

The boat remained until a heavier sea than before
inundated the poop. Her occupants heard the last
despairing shriek of the women, and then all was
quiet. There is little doubt that all who survived
to that time perished then. For an hour and a half
after they drifted from the Garonne they saw her
lights at the masthead. This boat, with 10 or 11
occupants, made towards Penzance, and was seen
when about half a mile from the pier by Thomas
Carbis, a pilot, and the coxswain of the lifeboat
and his men. This was at four o'clock. Carbis
beckoned them on and in, by means of bis sou'-
wester, and at once took the poor little boy to his
home and bed. Mr. Hoskin, surgeon, promptly
attended Mr. Muir and his son. Me state of mind
of Mr. Muir may be conceived—his wife and three
little ones lost in a few minutes, and the escape of
his son and himself little short of miraculous.
into the third boat—the last to leave the steamer
—a six-oared lifeboat, got William Harvey, James
Drew, A. 8., John Corcoran, and Martin Ryan
(two firemen), and Henry Walker, a boy. They
called to the captain, as he stood on the quarter-
deck. He refused to leave, and they heard him say,
" The Lord have mercy upon us." They could not
get their boat near the quarter, and were drifted
away. At daylight they were sighted by a Mouse-
hole fishing craft, and towed into Mousehole.
To-day the bodies of the captain and of two chil-
dren have been picked up.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-TMS DAY.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ROBBING A YEOMAN OF THE G UMW. —Ann
Brown, a charwoman, was charged before Mr.
Knox with stealing a silver watch and gold chain,
of the value of £l2, the property of Mr. William
Lee, of No. 15, Royal-avenue-terrace, Chelsea, one
of her Majesty's Yeomen of the Guard.
The Prosecutor said that being one of her Ma-
jesty's Yeoman of the Guard he had been dining at
the Clarendon, near Charing-cross, on Saturday
night at a dinner in honour of the Queen's Birth-
day, and while on his way home through St. Mar-
tin's-place, the prisoner got into conversation with
him. After walking some distance with him, she
put her arm round him, and drew out his watch and,
chain, and at the same moment a rough-looking
man staggered up, and she handed him something,
and the man then walked away, and he then held
the prisoner and gave her into custody.
In answer to Mr. Knox, the prosecutor said the
watch and chain had not been found.
Police-constable Thomas Ablett, 116 C, said that
on Saturday night he was in St. Martin's-place,
when the prisoner was given into his custody by the
prosecutor on the charge of stealing his watch and
chain, and the prosecutor made a similar state-
ment to him as- that he had made that day.
The prisoner denied all lolowledge of the watch and
chain, and said that the prosecutor had been talking
to another woman before he spoke to her. The
prosecutor was a little under the influence of
drink.

Mr. Knox remanded the prisoner that the police
might have an opportunity of making inquiries re-
specting her.

IVES FAIINSTE R.

AN EXEMPLARY SENTENCE.—John Scantlan and
Edward I►lalony, both aged 17, were charged with
the following violent assault :
Mary Anne Hall said she lived at 23, Vine-
street, Westminster, with her father and mother,
and on Saturday night went with her sister to re-
turn a parcel at a pawnbroker's. As they returned
they were followed by the two prisoners, and at the
corner of Coburg-row, Westminster, Maiony
came up and tried to get her sister's parcel away.
Her sister resisted, and she halloed, and then the
prisoner Scanlan came up and hit her in the mouth,
knocking her down. She got up and called " Mur-
der !" and " Police," and he again knocked her
down, and on her rising the third time be tore off
her petticoats in endeavouring to get at her pockets.
Fortunately she had no money. When the prisoners
came up first, Malony said, " Give us that parcel," and
Scanlan said—" If you don't give it me, I wilt have
your life." Prisoners were sober, and so were they.
Prisoners first asked them to have some rum, and
they refused.

Louisa Mary Anne Hall, the sister, corroborated.
Malony could not get the pared away from her,
and then Scanlan struck her in the mouth,
causing it to bleed profusely. Ho also kicked
her sister on the knee when on the ground.
George Powley, 228 B, witnessed part of the
assault on Mary Anne, and apprehended the pri-
soners; they were sober. At the station they said
nothing of an attempt to rob, but when they were
outside the sisters said they had tried to take away
the parcel. _ _

The prisoners said they were drunk. They came
from the Standard Music Hall at 11 o'clock at
night, and the prosecutors asked them to treat
them ; they refused, and then they had a row and
didn't know what happened. _

Mr. Self e commented strongly on the ruffianism
of the prisoners, and told them that but for the in-
famous lies they had told, endeavouring to take
away the character of these girls, he would have
passed a light semence, for he did not think they in=
tended to steal anything. These lies aggravated
their offence, and their brutal conduct called for a
sentence that would deter them in future, viz.,
three months' hard labour.

The prisoners were surprised at the sentence.

RAILWAY IMELLIGENCE.

Throughout the South nearly all public works
and improvements are at a dead stand. Many of
the railroads are insolvent and going into bank-
ruptcy. In Florida every railroad in the State is
regarded as insolvent, and two of them have been
sold under the hammer. It is charged that the offi.
cials of the State have been guilty of immense frauds
in the sales of these roads, and by swindling non-
resident bondholders have inflicted untold evil on
the prospects of their people, by repelling capital
from her borders, and undermining every principle
of confidence.
The railroad bridge at Burlington, lowa, now
nearly completed, has required over 3,000 piles and
1,000,000 ft. of pine lumber. The bridge is 2,237
feet long, and 7,500 cubic yards of stone have been
laid.
All the reqaired stock in the Bangor and Pisca-
taquis (Maine) Railroad has been taken, and the
road will be put under contract immediately. it
will connect the Dover and Foxcraft with the Euro-
pean and North American Railroad.
The Erie Railroad has met with another disaster,
the trestle work in the depot at Jersey City falling
on Tuesday, May 5, caused an engine to fall into
the river, and drowned a fireman and an engineer.
Mary Sterling, of Wellsburg, New York, died at
Port Jervis, New York, Monday, May 4, the 27th
victim of the recent disaster.