The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 11 1845.

to pieces; when the Beachmen (with the exception of one
man (named Abraham Wetherell), who sank with the yawl
—got on board the brig, which was now drifting, and every
sea breaking with tremendous violence over her ull.
" The accident b,ing witnessed from the shore, several
men belonging to the diflerent companies manned the life-
boat and flew to their assistance. The danger of all was ex-
treme, and those on shore trembled alike fur the poor fellows
on the brig and those in the life-boat, Happily she reached
the brig, though too late for many, some of whom were car-
ried overboard by the falling of the brig's masts, and some
drowned on the wreck. Six only of the Phoenix's crew were
saved ; and of the brig's crew, who were in a state of ex-
haustion when the Phoenix first reached her, the whole
perished.
" Thus in the noble attempt to save the lives of their fel-
low-men, seven gallant beachmen found a watery-grave,
leaving behind them four widows and fourteen children (ten
of whom are under twelve years of age) totally unprovided
for, as well as the aged mothers of the three single men."
• -

Immcdiately after the accident a subscription was set

on foot,
" To provide a fund to relieve the necessities of the be-
reaved—to reward the noble fellows who so gallantly risked
their lives for others—to assist in replacing the serious loss
sustained by the boatmen—and to form a nucleus for a per-
manent fund for the relief of sufferers under similar calamities
in future."

This is not merely a local affair—it is truly a
national obj; ct. Our very existence as a nation de-
pends upon the maiLtenance of our naval supremacy.
That lost, all is lost; and that can only be maintained
by fostering, by every means in our power, nurseries
such as these for the rearing of a hardy race
of seamen. The Naval Estimates are about to
be brought forward in Parliament, and we cannot
imagine anything more fitting than that the Ministry
should propose annually a grant to be included in those
estimates towards a national fund for the settling of pen-
sions on the widows and orphans of those
who thus lose their lives, not in the cause
of their country alone, but of our common humanity.
Her MAJESTY has been pleased to send a donation of
20/., and we trust that her example will be followed by
all classes of her subjects. We need not urge on mer-
chants and shipowners, or all who travel by water,
the necessity of contributing largely to this fund.
Their own interests will prompt them to do so, for they
know not how soon they may be indebted to the exhibi-
tion of similar heroism,—but we do urge upon every
man, be his station high or low, who
has the good of his cr untry at heart,
who has the common feelings of humanity
in his bosom, the necessity of contributing, according to
his means, to this truly national fund. Let but a tithe
of the sums which are annually subscribed for less de-
serving purposes, out of a spirit of mere ostentation, be
contributed towards this fund, and a truly national ob-
ject will have been obtained, by a very slight national
effort.

Madrid journals of the 3d inst. have been received, but they
are without interest. The Gazette contains the Act for the
suppression of the slave -trade, and the Minister of the In-
terior had announced that he would forthwith propose in the
Chamber of Deputies a new electoral law.
The Three per Cents. closed at 34} for cash, and 35 at 60
days ; the Five per Cents. at 25i at 60 days ; and the Debt
without Interest at 8h at 60 days.

In the French Chamber of Deputies; on Saturday, the dis-
cussion on the Civil Pensions' Bill was brought to a close,
but owing to a trick of one party, or perhaps of each, no di •
visiod- tank place. It appears the Ministerialists did not
expect a division till Monday'; many of them went away;
and the Opposition, on seeing the number of their opponents
so small, hurried on the remaining clauses, and demanded
the ballot. The scheme, however, was defeated. The
greater part of the Conservatives left ; a sufficient number was
not present, and the vote was declared void. The Opposition
mustered strong, 157 having voted in support of the Bill,
while the other party numbered only 32, making 169, while
230 must be present to render a vote effective. The papers
contain no domestic news.

The intelligence from Zurich is to the evening of the 6th,
when the debate on the Jesuits closed by a division in favour
of the appointment of a Committee, as proposed by M.
Nnuttaus, the Deputy for Berne. The following, according
to the Constitutionnel, is the state of the vote :--For the
Committee—Berne, Soleure, Shaffhausen, St. Gall, Argau,
Vaud, Thurgau, Grisons, Appcnzel (R.E.), Bale, Glaris,
and Zurich (12k votes). Against it—Uri, Unterwalden,
Zug, Valais, Genera, Neufchatel, Appenzel (R. 1.), Fri-
bourg, Schwytz, and Lucerne (9i votes). The Diet was
to meet on the following day, to nominate the members of
the Committee.