The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-04 00:00:00

THE AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

News of the safety of the Australian steamer Oneida,
was telegraphed to all parts of the country on Saturday,
and must have delighted many families. How low the
chances of her safety had been rated may be judged
from the fact that 32 per cent. has been underwritten
for her gold. Nearly three weeks ago it was suggested
that the Oneida had broken down, and that she had
returned to Australia after the Simla had left there.
This turns out to have been the case. It was necessary
to suppose that the Oneida had gone some distance on
her voyage, because the Simla did not leave Australia
until nearly three weeks after her. Many commanders,
if placed in the situation of Captain Hyde, of the Oneida,
when his ship broke down, would have attempted to
ran in the direction of the prevailing winds in the lati-
tude in which he was, and tried to make Mauritius. In
so doing he might have been becalmed, and all on board
have been starved. It must have been a daring and
splendid act of seamanship to take such a miserable
sailer as the crippled Oneida back to Australia in the
teeth of a bead wind. The Oneida was taken on to
Sydney, as the only place where it was likely she could
get repaired, and probably she will be able to leave
Australia, in her turn, this month with the mail, and
reach Suez about the 22d of June. The European
reached Suez three days before her time, and has thus
beaten the Simla in speed. In going out to Australia,
she was only three days longer on the voyage, and butnt
1,500/. worth of coal less than the Simla. The Euro-
pean's mails have been detained at Alexandria, owing
to the Etna steamer not arriving ont there in time to
take them on to Malta. As the mail steamers on the
Australian side can evidently do their work within the
contract time, a delay would be avoided at Alexandria
by having an extra steamer there, and not depending on
the outward mail steamer. The Etna will be due at
the port of Southampton about next Friday ; she has a
very heavy mail.

SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY, EXETER-HALL.—Mell-
delssohn's Elijah will be performed on Wednesday
evening next, May 6, for the last time this season.
Principal vocalists, Madame Rudersdorff, Miss Dolby,
Mrs. Lockey, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr. Weiss.
The Pope having ordered a monument to be erected
to the memory of Torquato Tasso, the necessary works
are to commence immediately.
On Tuesday Mademoiselle Piccolomini appears at
her Majesty's Theatre, in the character of Lucia in
"Lucia di Lammermoor."...
ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, GRAY'S-IN-ROAD. The
number patients relieved at this hospital during the
week ending April 25, 1854, is 2204, of which 567 were
new cases.

COLLISION AT SEA.—The fine American ship Andrew
Foster, which sailed from New York for Liverpool on
the Ist ult., and the Tuscarora, hence for Philadelphia,
came in collision on the 28th ult. between Holyhead and
Tuskar, when the Andrew Foster sank. The crew and
passengers, captain's wife and two children, took to the
boats, and were picked up by the schooner Little Fred,
from Rio Grande for Liverpool, and were subsequently
transferred to the steam tug Sea King, which brought
them to the latter port. The following account of tty
collision is addressed to the superintendent of the Mer-
chants' Exchange by Captain Dunleery, master of the
ship Tuscarora :—" It becomes my painful duty to in-
form you of the collision of the ship Tuscarora, bound
for Philadelphia, and the ship Andrew Foster, from New
York, bound for Liverpool. The disaster occurred on
Tuesday night, April the 28th, at 1.50 p.m., between
Bardsey and Tuskar. Wind S.S.E. and steering to the
southward and westward, saw a light ahead, ported the
helm, kept off to the westward, when soon after were
struck on our bow port bow, the Andrew Foster strik-
ing us with her starboard bow, crushing our bows and
our cathead, breaking beams and tearing
away our
and lost anchor with 45 fathoms
tdeeacrki n
ugp
an
chain. Hailed the ship and requested them to lie by us.
They also requested the same by us. Showed our torch
lights, and lantern in the rigging. Saw their blue lights
and rockets until 1.30 a.m., when we supposed she pro-
ceeded up Channel. We found the damage too great to
continue our voyage, and returned to port.

II OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
It THIS EVENING, will be performed
Shakespere's tragedy of
KING RICHARD THE SECOND.
King Richard IL, Mr. C. Kean ; Queen, Mrs. C. Kean.
Preceded by A GAME OF ROMPS.