The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-08 00:00:00

appropriating 2,500,000 dollars of the indemnity
money towards the payment of arrears due on the
foreign debt of Mexico, and reducing the interest to
31 per cent."

TEE NEW STEAM-SHIP AFRICA.
(From the Liverpool Times.)
The Africa, the largest built of that wonder of the
world, the British and North American Royal Mail
Steam-fleet, arrived here a few days ago, from the
Clyde, having left Greenock at four o'clock on Satur-
day 'ternoon, for this port. She was followed
shortly afterwards by the Glasgow steam-ship Com-
modore, which vessel she beat by six hours or more.
The trip was made from Greenock to the Bell Buoy
in sixteen hours against a gale of wind which threw
the spray clean over the vessel, and high up the funnel.
But in the strength of the gale she was making 13e
knots, by the log, and by the land. She had pre-
viously made a trial trip from Greenock to the
Cumbraes, on which occasion she sailed, with com-
parative ease, fifteen miles against a strong tide and
wind in an hour and three minutes. She can scarcely
be distinguished from her duplicate the Asir, being
made from the same lines and moulds, both as regards
hull and machinery. The only perceptible difference
that can be discovered between these two noble ves-
sels, is in the subjects of the paintings that adorn
their respective saloons. On reaching the Coburg
Dock, where the Africa now lies, the first thing that
srikes the spectator is her elegant and noble appear-
ance. Though her vast size astonishes, yet it is
impossible not to admire the beauty and fineness of her
model, which gives a peculiar lightness to her whole
appearance. The stern is round, and on it appears
the word " Africa." The bow is beautifully shaped,
and carries a finely carved figure of Cleopatra, painted
in white and gold, and carved by Mr. Robertson, of
this town.
The first place the visitor goes to is the dining-
saloon, which is on deck. The decorations here are
remarkable for taste and simplicity ; everything is
neat and rich, without being gaudy or out of character.
The general colour is oak, and the seat fittings are
made of the finest crimson velvet. The walls are
adorned by upwards of twenty characteristic paintings
in papier mache, by Messrs. Jennings and Betteridge,
of Birmingham. The greater part of these are appro-
priately African landscapes, &c., and both as regards
drawing and colouring are worthy of high praise. The
subjects are Bono, Tetuan, Cairo, Alexandria, Tripoli,
Algiers, Morocco, Cape of Good Hope, the Amphi-
theatre of El Jemm, the Temple of Isis, and the roof of
the great temple at Dendra. There are also pictures of
St. Petersburgh and Buckingham Palace, showing
the new front, &c. There is an allegorical painting
of Africa, displaying the principal animals, trees, &c.,
of that quarter of the globe. The stern-lights into
the dining-room are through two stained-glass win-
dows, the one representing Aaron's rod turned into a
serpent before the magicians of Egypt and of Pharoah,
and the other depicting an angel of light descending,
with an olive-branch in his hand, to liberate a group
of African slaves. At the opposite end of the saloon
two triple-plate glass mirrors are inserted in foliated
gilt frames, surmounted by a lion and lioness spring-
ing from the foliage.
The next place worthy of inspection is the stew•
ard's pantry, glittering with glass and silver plate.
The small room is the beau deal of multum in parvo.
It must have cost many hours of thought and con-
triving to stow away the many articles in so small a
space. The drawers are perfect wonders of ingenuity,
and were filled with all sorts of useful, agreeable, and
valuable articles—such as silver spoons, forks, fruit,
sugar, &c. 'This pantry is far superior to any we
ever saw before. It is well lighted, and better
ventilated, and much more convenient and
roomy, than those on board of the older
ships ; not that it occupies more space than
the others do, but solely because the result of
long experience has been brought to bear in its con-
struction. The water used for the passengers passes
through two filters, and the sink in which the plates
are washed can be filled with clear and pure water
from the tanks below by the simple pressure of a
valve. The lights can also be shifted by moveable
slides to any portion of the pantry where they may
be needed. The engines, by Mr. Napier, of Glas-
gow, are similar in every respect to those of the Asia,
combining immense strength with lightness of ap-
pearance. The framework used formerly to be made
of cast iron, but now wrought iron is found to be
more safe and useful.
In the engine-room, in addition to a clock, the
visitors will perceive a dial plate, covered with glass,
containing one large circle and four or five smaller
ones; these are to count the revolutions of the
paddle-wheels; the largest finger goes once round
the large circle at each revolution, the smaller circles
count them by hundreds, thousands' ten thousands,
and millions. On an average, the Africa's paddle-
wheels will make 250,000 revolutions in one voyage,
so that she will have to make two voyages out and
home before the finger of the " million" circle goes
completely round it.
The cooking-house next claims attention, and ex-
cites the wonder of the beholder at the small place in
which the cooking is done with ease for upwards of
200 persona daily. The cooking range in the Africa,
made by Mr. Allan, of Glasgow, is the most complete
that has ever been used, and answers, we were told,
most admirably. The provisions for the crew are
cooked in another place, by steam from the engines.
Around the funnel are a variety of iron cupboards for
heating plates, dishes, &c., and drying linen; and
at each side of the steps are large receptacles for cold
meat, bread, &c.; kept cool by woollen jalousies.
Everything, in fact, is deceptive, and when the
visitor thinks be is passing a solid piece of wood or
iron, of no particular utility, the cicerone opens it
with the utmost unconcern, and displays a receptacle
for some article of daily and general use. The au-
thors of the " Arabian Nights," in their wildest ex-
travagances, never dreamt of anything half so won-
derful as the Cunard steam-ship Africa. We next
pass on to the apartments of the steerage passengers,
which are exceedingly neat and commodious. We
were also much pleased with the forecastle, where
the crew sleep. It was light, clean, and well venti-
lated, and formed a pleasing contrast to the dirty,
dark holes where the tired sailor usually retires to rest
in other ships.
Returning by the deck-houses for the officers, car-
penter, surgeon, &c., the next place worthy of in-
spection is the captain's cabin, placed at the larboard
side of the wheel-house. It is most luxuriously and
elegantly fitted up, the walls being decorated with
papier mach& paintings of Asiatic scenes, which being
found too small for the saloon of the Asia, here ap-
pear to great advantage. Time subjects are—" A
Cap Vendor's Shop in Canton," " Harbour of Hong-
Kong," " Bridge of Nankin," " Amoy," Allegorical
paintings of Asia—" Ladies of a Mandarin's Family,"
&c. The fittings up, such as tables, drawers, &c., are
exceedingly compact. The captain while in the
cabin has only to open a small window to converse
with the steersman.
The roof of the dining-saloon, as usual, forms a
delightful promenade. Below are placed the sleeping
berths, which are better arranged than in the old
steamers, the passage between them running com-
pletely round the stern, so that the attendant can
immediately proceed to the berth of any one wanting
his services. The furniture of the state-rooms is
perfectly luxurious, the curtains being of fine flowered
merino, and the carpets, particularly in the ladies
state-rooms, of the most beautiful appearance and
texture. For the accommodation of the lady pas-
sengers ladders to enable them to reach with ease the
upper berths are placed in some of the rooms. The
gentlemen's cabin, on the same floor, is elegant and
commodious, and that for the ladies of surpassing
beauty. The walls are formed of the finest polished
bird's-eye maple, inlaid with ebony, and decorated
with panels, on which are painted, by Mr. M'Callan,
of Glasgow, vases of flowers, on a white ground.
These panels have a peculiarly palatial appearance,
and on being opened
wffair
t heer edisplaywupilal
occupants
library
tcanwile o
permitfl choice books,
withtime
wwhheicnhtthhee
pear on deck. There is also a fiytothisepir-
marble, and it needs little imaginatiroel to
the occupant is in the drawing-room of ateahc w
neeafomahnoalcefywmthahinat-et
man-
sion on terra firma.
The Africa will be entrusted to Captain Ryrie, and
we can readily believe that he will be found as' able
a seaman in her as he has proved in the other steamers
of the company. We may also add that we hear
that, to keep up the necessities of the times, the com-
pany are about to lay down two more steamers, to be
twenty feet longer than the Africa, and of propor-
tionate power.
We are indebted to a contemporary for the follow-
ing dimensions, builders' measurement :