The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-27 00:00:00

THE AFFRAY IN NEW ZEALAND.
The following description, from the pen of an Ame-
rican officer, Captain 111`Keever, of the disastrous affray
at Russell, will be read with interest. It is dated from
on board the frigate Brandywine :
"On the 3d of March we anchored at the Bay of
Islands. Here I found affairs in a very disturbed and
critical state, open hostilities having just commenced be-
tween the natives under their celebrated chief Heki and
the English authorities at Kororarika, a town of 500
inhabitants. Her Britannic Majesty's sloop of war
Hazard was lying off the town to protect it, and a flag-
staff was erected on a neighbouring hill, whisk had been
cut down several times by Heki. I anchored th e St.
Louis above the town, and opposite a place called the
\%rahapo, where is situated a large American mercantile
establishment, and whose buildings at this time con-
tained some 60,000 dolls. worth of property owned in
the United States.
" In these difficulties between the English on the one
hand, and the native-born men of the soil on the other,
I determined to pursue a course of impartial neutrality,
and at the same time to evince, practically, my anxiety
to prevent the usual barbarity of savage warfare. To
this end, I succeeded in obtaining an interview with the
chief Heki, and making him to understand the course I
intended to pursue. I obtained from him a pledge that
he would inflict no injury upon women or children, upon
the missionary establishments at the Bay, nor upon the
American property at the Wahapo—a pledge which he
faithfully kept.
"It was reported to me that Heki was making im-
proper use of an American flag, which by some means
he had obtained possession of ; and, having seen it fly-
ing shortly after tri one of his war canoes as he passed
the ship, I proceeded on shore, and obtaining another in-
terview with him, inquired his object in displaying the
flag of the United States ; he informed me that he had
done se purely in compliment to the ship, and in token
of friendship to all Americans. After explaining to him
the nature of a national flag, and that my country being
at peace with England he must not hoist it, as none but
Americans were entitled to its protection, he desisted
from using it.
"On the 11th of March, at daylight, the natives,
feigning a general attack upon the town, carried the
blockhouse erected for its protection, took the signal
station, and cut down the flagstaff. At meridian, to add
to the misfortunes of the day, the depot of powder be-
longing to the inhabitants by accident blew up, killing
and wounding many. The town was now hastily aban-
doned, and in the course of that and the following day
sacked and destroyed, with the exception of the churches
and mission-houses. Our boats during the morning of
the action were actively engaged in bringing off the
wounded and the women and children to vessels in the
harbour. The commander of the Hazard was mortally
wounded, and I believe in all fifteen or sixteen Europeans
were killed in the conflict, and about the same number
wounded. The loss on the part of the natives is sup-
posed to be greater.
" A request having come from the Hazard for the
medical officers of the ship to assist in dressing the
wounded, they promptly repaired on board, and to carry
out my neutral views, upon a similar request from the
camp of Heki, they were directed to proceed on shore
the following day, and offer the same services, which
were as kindly received.
"Feeling called upon to afford all the aid in my power
to the houseless inhabitants, I at once offered a passage
to Auckland (the seat of government of New Zealand)
to as many as might wish to go. Accordingly, on the
13th, about 150 persons—men, women, and children—
were received on board, and in company with the sloop
of war Hazard and an English whale-ship, having on
board the remainder of the inhabitants, we proceeded to
Auckland, and landed them there on the 16th. It was
my intention to have sailed thence direct ,to Otaheite ;
but, on the eve of our departure from the bay, such
strong and urgent representations were made to me by
the agents of the American property, of the great dan-
ger to which it would be exposed in the absence of the
ship, that I consented to return immediately ; and sub-
sequent events have proved the propriety of that course.
On the 18th we left Auckland, where we met with great
kindness from Governor Fitzroy and the authorities, and
on the following day anchored again in the bay.
All the American property was shipped aboard the
American whalers, of which several were there, and
whom I induced to receive and proceed with it to the
United States. By these opportunities I communicated
with the Navy Department, copies of which letters are
enclosed.
" The opportune arrival, on the 31st of March, of her
Majesty's frigate North Star, Captain Sir Everard
Home, relieved me from a delicate position, and left me
at liberty to proceed on my cruise. The documents
from him, in relation to an intended blockade of the
bay, together with the copy of a letter from Governor
Fitzroy, of New Zealand, are herewith enclosed. *
" The Bay of Islands has heretofore been the chief
resort in these seas for our whalers ; but the present
difficulties between the English and natives must effec-
tually close it against them for some time. It is com-
puted that there are generally not less than 150 American
whale ships cruising off the coasts of New Zealand.
" At this season of the year the sperm whalers proceed
to the north-west coasts of America and the seas con-
tiguous to Japan. I have met several who were
destined there.
" At the Bay of Islands we have had no properly
commissioned Consul for some years. This, I found,
had been a source of regret to all parties concerned.
" In the general desertion of the place, I directed
the records, seals, flags, &c., of the Consulate to be
dispatched to the care of the United States Consul at
Sydney.
" I may here remark, that, in our intercourse with
the various authorities of the ports we have visited, and
with the American Consuls, the courtesies of the
former, with the attention, kindness, and high stand-
ing of the latter, have afforded me much gratification
and pride.
" I have received on board, at Hobart Town, Sydney,
and the Bay of Islands, several sick and destitute Ame-
rican seamen, some of whom are now able to do duty,
and serve partially to make up the deficiency in the
ship's complement."
In connexion with the preceding letter of Captain
M'Keever, we lay before our readers the following
letter from the British Minister to the Secretary of State,
furnished to the Navy Department, by which we have
been favoured with a copy
Washington, Sept. 6, 1845.
" Sir,—The enclosed extract of a dispatch. lately re-
ceived by her Majesty's Government from the Governor
of New Zealand, will inform you of the friendly and ge-
nerous assistance afforded by an officer of the United
States navy, Captain M'Keever, of the St. Louis, to the
local authorities and the European inhabitants of that
settlement, in a case of great emergency.
" In making this communication to you, I am com-
manded to express to the Government of the United
States the high sense which her Majesty entertains of
the services rendered by Captain M'Keever on the occa-
sion referred to.
" I have the honour to be, with high consideration,
" Sir, your obedient servant,
" R. PAKENHAM.

" The Hon. James Buchanan, &c."
EXTRACT OF A DISPATCH FROM GOVERNOR FITZROY

TO LORD STANLEY.

Captain of the United States frigate St. Louis,
" Auckland, March 26, 1845.
" The
Captain D. .I.4l'Keever, did everything that a humane and
brave officer 0: a foreign but friendly power could do

under such circums:Yl es.
" He could not interte:e hostilely ; but he sent his
under frequent fire, to
c.
un-
armed boats, and went him:
succour the women and children, and convey them safely
to his frigate.
"He afterwards brought 125 souls tO Ackland ; and
he is now at anchor in the Bay of Islands, rexly to afford
a refuge to our missionaries and their familia, should
they require such friendly assistance."

THE LATE MRS. FRY.
The remains of Mrs. Elizabeth Fry were interred on Mon-
day in the Friends' burying-ground at Barking, in this
county. The funeral was conducted in a strictly unosten-
tatious style, in conformity with the recognised custom of
the Society of Friends. The body did not arrive at the late
residence of the deceased lady, at Upton, from Ramsgate,
till seven o'clock on the morning of the interment. About a
quarter before eleven o'clock the funeral cortege proceeded en
route to Barking, under the superintendence of Mr. Smee, of
Finsbury-pavement, in the following order :—The hearse,
containing the body, drawn by two horses, and preceded by
four men walking, who officiated as undertakers, followed by
the carriages belonging to the respective members of the de-
ceased's family, their personal friends and acquaintances, be-
sides others belonging to several distinguished individuals,
resident in that and the immediate neighbourhood, number-
ing in the whole thirty-nine. The cortege, which extended
more than half a mile in length, moved at a very slow pace,
and, added to the thousands who had assembled to pay their
last tribute of respect to departed worth, gave a solemnity to
the proceedings which can be better conceived than de-
scribed. Among the mourners we observed, in addition to
the sons and daughters of Mrs. Fry, Messrs. Samuel Gur-
ney, sen. and jun., Mr. J. Masterrnan, M.P., Sir E. Buxton,
Sir J. H. Pelly, Mr. John Joseph Gurney, a great number of
the members of the Society of Friends, and other persons of
distinction. Between fifty and sixty carriages from various
parts were observed at Barking, waiting the arrival of the
body, which reached there about one o'clock. After the ne-
cessary preliminaries had been arranged, the body was re-
moved from the hearse and consigned to its last resting-
place, and the death-like silence that prevailed for several
minutes was broken by appropriate addresses from two female
Friends, and one from Mr. John Joseph Gurney. The de-
livery of the addresses occupied more than two hours, and
they were listened to with the most intense interest, but
from the concourse of persons assembled many were pre-
vented from hearing. We may observe, no funeral ever
created so great a sensation in that neighbourhood. From
an early hour in the morning carriages of various descrip-
tions might be seen proceeding to Upton, in addition to hun-
dreds of pedestrians of all classes and both sexes, anxious to
witness the funeral obsequies of one whose life was marked
by every virtue which could tend to render her name illus-
trious, not only to the present, but succeeding generations.
We cannot close without offering our humble tribute of re-
spect to the memory of one so eminent for her philanthropy
and benevolence as Mrs. Elizabeth Fry. By her death so-
ciety has lost one of its greatest ornaments—the poor and
destitute one who could sympathise with their condition and
alleviate their wants. She sought out the abodes of vice and
poverty, in order that she might instil principles of virtue on
the
.one hand, and supply the cravings of hunger and desti-
tution on the other. In her the sons and daughters of mis-
fortune, crime, and suffering, found a friend whom they
could procure without money and without price. Surely a
long life wholly devoted to humane and benevolent actions,
and promoting the happiness of her fellow-creatures, will en-
title Mrs. Fry to be ranked as one of the greatest philan-
thropists (of her own sex) which this country ever pro.
duced.-.- Chelmsford Chronicle,