The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-23 00:00:00

Otrbi Mlttton

GERMANY.

The Swabian Mercury publishes the outlines of the
new constitution of the Germanic Confederation
which Austria proposes to submit to the consideration
of the Council of States which she has assembled at
Frankfort. This constitution is a combination of all
projects which formerly have been started to meet the
difficulties of the question, viz.—a Directory, in which
Prussia and Austria preside by rotation, while the
lesser states are represented in batches (gruppenzreis);
and, in addition, a representation of the people,
or rather of the 'peoples, proceeding from the Diets
of the individual states. The Austrian Monarchy,
with all its Crown lands and dependencies, is to form
part of this Confederation.
The Kolner Zeitung has the following remarks re-
specting
.this plan, and its chances of success :—" In
the first instance we are bound again to repeat that
a union of Germany, which exceeds the limit of an
international alliance, with the Austrian Monarchy,
composed as it is of a majority of non- German states,
is neither founded on natural wants nor supported by
historical precedents. Indeed, a want or necessity is quite
out of the question. Germany is large enough and strong
enough for all reasonable purposes, and the only thing
she wants is, to be left alone and undisturbed. But a
disturbance it would make if she were brought into
contact and bound up with a variety of foreign and
semi-barbarous elements. Whatever advantages such
an union might offer to Germany are equally attain-
able by common alliances and treaties, and there is
nothing which could indemnify us for our loss of cha-
racter, weight, and strength, if the foreigner were
entitled to dictate to us in our own affairs. As for
the system of representing the lesser states in batches
(gruppen system), we can only say that it deprives
those states of that independence and equality in the
Confederation which Prussia at all times claimed for
them."

Ensign Bell deposed to conversing with him in the
square, and he was sober.
Mr. Gingell deposed to talking to him before
mounting guard, to seeing him go through the usual
routine of duty on guard, and that he was sober.
The defence was, that Captain S. was, from his
residence in the West Indies and the coast of Africa,
subject to vertigo, especially after exposure to the
sun, and was so seized.

Dr. Barry, P.M.P., proved on oath that a person
who had been abroad might be so affected, and espe-
cially at a time when the air was impure ; that he
would then present appearances similar to a drunken
man.

The Court at one o'clock deliberated on their
verdict.

The result of the decision will not be officially
known until the proceedings have been sent to Eng-
land, as the general has no power to confirm the pro-
ceedings of any court in which the penalty of death
or cashiering is the award. It is currently reported
(upon what grounds I am ignorant) that the sentence
is fatal to Captain Steevens' commission, but that he
is strongly recommended to mercy. All who know
the captain hope most cordially that his commission
may be saved—or, at least, the regulated price—in
case of a fatal verdict.

EXTRAORDINARY GALE IN THE
CHANNEL.

LOSS OF LIFE AND RIVER BOATS.
(From the Liverpool Albion.)

On Saturday evening a storm arose in the Channel,
which was marked by most extraordinary charac-
teristics of violence, and was, perhaps, unprecedented in
the suddenness with which it burst over the waters.
The principal sufferers were the small boats, or gigs,
out on speculating excursions for employment in
connexion with the vessels coming into port. A
great number of these left the river, as usual, during
the night and the early part of the morning, with the
wind north-east and :a perfect calm, so that there was
no reason to apprehend the slightest danger, and many
of them ventured out a greater distance than usual.
About nine o'clock the wind veered round to the
south-west, and there were slight indications of a
coming storm, but nothing serious was anticipated.
About half-past nine, or thereabouts, the wind had
assumed a more westerly direction, and was accom-
panied by a drizzling rain. In an hour afterwards
a strong gale sprung up from the W.N.W., and the
change is described to have taken place as unexpec-
tedly:as a flash of lightning or a clap of thunder.
Such was the strength of the gust that the small
craft were, with the greatest difficulty, preserved,from
being capsized at the onset, and a heavy sea setting
in, they were tossed about like so many shells upon
the waves. It required the greatest skill to keep them
from being turned over or filled with water.
Two of the gigs, in different parts of the Channel,
were completely overpowered, and that much life was
not sacrificed is only owing to those efforts of huma-
nity which are occasionally called forth, and which,
in fact, constitute a trait in the character of Bri-
tish seamen, and are, with rare exceptions, exer-
cised in every case of danger and distress where a
fellow-creature calls on them for aid.
Shortly after the gale commenced a boat called
the John, owned by a man named Lock, was de-
scried by Capt. Bell, of the Jenny Lind steamer, about
a mile and a half outside the North-west Lightship.
She was evidently in great distress, and the cap-
tain's attention was particularly direct( d to her by
thinking that she belonged to Peter Cropper, who,
with his men, had breakfasted on board the steamer
at six o'clock in the morning, and had afterwards left
in quest of a ship. Captain Bell no sooner saw the
boat and the state she was in than he determined at
all hazards to go to her assistance. The sea was
raging tremendously at the time, beating over the
paddle-box and the funnel, and the waves were of
such magnitude and strength that even the powerful
steamer seemed in the greatest peril. The John,
when first observed from the steamer, would
be about a mile distant, and it was only oc-
casionally that she could be seen in con-
sequence of the foam by which she was sur-
rounded. At one time it was feared that she had en-
tirely disappeared, but, shortly afterwards, she was
observed again, a large wave having washed over her.
In another moment she was capsized, and rolled over
three times, and her crew, consisting of three men,
named Richard Gordon, Joseph Davies, and John
M'Gowan, were struggling in the water for their
lives. ..XieGosvan and Gordon succeeded in getting on
the keel of the boat, and held fast by their hands and
knees, whilst the third, Davies, kept himself up with
the rigging and the oars. The Jenny Lind proceeded
towards the drowning men as fast as possible, and, a
screw-steamer being in advance, Captain Bell hailed it
to lower a boat and assist in saving the men. This yes •
sel being much nearer to the scene of the disaster, and
having proper boats on board, was much better quali-
fied to save life than the Jenny Lind. But, although
Captain Bell shouted to them till he was hoarse, no
one on board paid the least heed to his appeals be-
yond looking over the bulwarks at the men who were
struggling for their lives. We have not ascertained
the name of the vessel, but, doubtless, inquiry will I
be made, which will lead to its discovery. Cap-
tain Bell also hailed an Irish steamer, which im-
mediately stopped its engine; but the Jenny Lind
had by this time approached near enough to render
all the assistance that could be afforded under the
circumstances. The object of those on board the
Jenny Lind was to get alongside the men, so as to
reach them with the lifebuoy without increasing
their danger, and this was a movement which re-
quired considerable caution. However, it was soon
accomplished, and the means of safety were first of all
extended to the unfortunate man Davies, who was
supporting himself upon the rigging, and appeared
nearly exhausted. The man immediately grasped the
buoy and was as quickly dragged on board the
steamer. Not a moment was lost in throwing the
buoy to the other men, and it was seized with
avidity by M'Gowan, who was also rescued.
As he left the keel of the boat his companion
called out to him for help, and caught
hold of his leg. The buoy was again thrown, but
Gordon, unable to hold out any longer, had let go his
hold of the keel and sunk. Another moment might
have saved him. It is supposed that the men had
been in the water nearly half-an-hour. At first they
gave themselves up for lost, but, when the screw-
steamer neared them, they had some hope, and
called out to one another to keep up their hearts.
They were, however, disappointed in their expec-
tations of help from that quarter. It is said that
poor Gordon at once gave way to despair, and called
upon God to protect his wife and family. Davies and
M'Gowan were supplied with hot coffee and clothing
on board the Jenny Lind, and soon sufficiently re -
covered to express their gratitude to Captain Bell end
his crew, who had so nobly rescued them from death.
It is true their thanks were conveyed in rough and
ready phrase, but they were none the less sincere. An
effort was made to save the boa', but this was found
impracticable in consequence of the heavy sea which
prevailed.
The Jenny Lind, as it returned to Liverpool,
passed a sunken gig to the west of the Wharf Buoy,
Rock Channel. This would in all probability be the
Frank, a gig which had been capsized abreast of
Dove-bank, about nine miles out. It appears that the
Frank, with four men, was towing alongside of a ship
called the Juno, and another small boat, the Ellen,
owned by Daniel Roydan, was towing astern the
same vessel, with a complement of three men. When
the gale set in both boats were in imminent peril,
and it appeared inevitable that they would be lost.
The Frank, however, from some cause or other, as
yet unexplained, appeared in the greatest danger ;
and eventually the crew lost all control over their
boat, and it was overturned. The men kept hold as
long as they could, but in a few minutes they were
scattered amidst the waves in different directions.
This was a trying moment for the hands in the other
gig. It was as much as they could do to preserve
themselves from a similar fate ; and to unloose them-
selves from the ship, in order, if possible, to save the
drowning, would increase their risk.' They,
however, boldly resolved to run the hazard,
and they immediately let go from the
larger vessel and launched themselves forth
to the assistance of those who called for help. The
storm was now at its height, and the waves every
moment threatened them with a watery grave. The
obscured
over
them, by
men in the water
waterwashed
and it was obvious that if the utmost exertions were
not used they would be entirely lost. They
were some yards distant from each other, and having
picked up one, the boat had to be directed on
a different course to take up another. Eventually,
they were all rescued ; but it was only by extraordi-
nary effort and unexampled bravery.boat, had u
Cummings,
who was the owner of the capsized
oarand u
he wasois bodynlysa anvedbd buoyingy one oftheimennforcin thengan
meantime the boat had become half full of water,
and it
would
sink. w as
oexpected,e
of
tehvee r m
men,
momennamed that she
t
t
was so impressed with this conviction that heif
ac-
tually took off his clothes and shoes in order,
ne-
cessary, to swim for his life. We are happy to say
that the precaution proved unnecessary, and that,
after encountering one of the most violent gales ever
experisnc( d in this Channel, they arrived safely at
the Prince's Basin about noon.

Several other boats were also placed in jeopardy,
and it is feared that more were lost than those men-
tioned. One belonging to Thomas Neale, which was
missing for some time, turned up late in the after-
noon, having taken refuge at Crosby Lightship.
The unfortunate man Gordon, who was drowned,
was, we believe, very steady and deserving, and
he has left a wife and family of young children
to deplore his loss. The poor woman, who is near
her confinement, is in the greatest distress. This is'
certainly a case which should recommend itself to the
benevolent, and we gladly yield to the suggestion