The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-05 00:00:00

RA ELWAY CO 11MITTEES
(Tins DA JC.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
EPPING
The Committee appointed to inquire into this Bill met at
eleven o'clock, Lord Alonteagle in the chair.
There was no opposition whatever, except in a few formal
matters respecting amendments in the clauses, which were
speedily adjusted.
The Bill then passed through Committee, and their Lord-
ships rose.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP X.

SHEFFIELD AND LINCOLNSHIRE LINE.

IMPORTANT DECISION.

This Committee met for the last time this day, there being
present Viscount Courtenay (Chairman), Mr. Wall, Mr.
Darby, and Mr. Scrope. _ . .

Alt:. Sergeant WRANGHAM made a few observations in addi
tion to those of yesterday, in favour of the Bawtry branch of
the London and York line, pointing out its superiority in re-
spect of economy, speed, and saving of distance.
At one o'clock the Learned Sergeant had concluded his
address, and the Committee cleared the room in order to de-
liberate.

At half-past two, strangers having been re-admitted,
The CHAIRMAN said—l am instructed to inform the various
parties interested in the schemes before our consideration, that
we have come to the following resolution
That the Committee are of opinion that so much of the
preamble of the London and York Bill as has reference to the
Sheffield Branch is not proved; and that the preamble of
the Sheffield and- Lincolnshire Bill is proved, omitting the
words City of Lincoln.' "
The CHAIRMAN then inquired whether the pro-
moters of the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Bill were pre-
pared with clauses to obviate the injury to property
complained of by Messrs. Foljambe and Hutchinson ?
Mr. Hope having expressed his readiness to accede to any
course which the Committee might see fit to recommend, and
Mr. Talbot declining to enter into any compromise on the
subject, the Committee proceeded with the consideration of
the clauses.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.
TUESDAY, JULY 29.

REPORT FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
GROUP (X) OF RAILWAYS.
TOTTENHAM AND FARRINGDON-STREET JUNC-
TION RAILWAY BILL.

Lord Courtenay reported from the Select Committee on
Group X of Railways, to whom several petitions against the
Bills comprised in the said group, together with the Report
of the Board of Trade thereon, were referred, that in the
case of the Tottenham and Farringdon-street Junction
Railway Bill they had heard parties in support of several of
the said petitions, and had heard counsel in favour of the
frill ; and that they had examined the allegations contained
iu the preamble of the Bill, but the same had not been proved
to their satisfaction.

MUTINY IN THE CHINESE SEAS.
(From the Hong-Kong Register.)

Mutiny at sea, especially by the officers, is so rare an
occurrence, that the recent, and for a time successful, at-
tempt of the mate and gunner of the schooner Ariel, to
take possession of the vessel, with her valuable freight
of specie, is the cause of much astonishment. The par-
ticulars of this tragic affair we have received from the very
best authority, and our statement may be relied upon.
The Ariel left Amoy on Saturday last, bound fur this
port, with about 100,00 u dollars in specie on board. At
six o'clock that afternoon she nas off Chapel Island.
After taking the bearings of the island, and giving a
course for Namoa, Captain Macfarlane being indisposed,
and requiring to be on deck during a great part of the
night, went below to his cabin for a short rest. At half-
past 8 o'clock he was disturbed by the voice of the chief
officer, Mr. Wilkinson, who shouted in an unusual tone,
"Captain Macfarlane, you are wanted on deck," Cap-
tain Macfarlane obeyed the summons; upon getting on
deck the companion was closed by the mate and gunner,
who were each armed with a brace of pistols. They told
the captain that it was their wish, and that of the crew,
that he should take the vessel to Singapore, and that
they bad altered the course from S. W. to south. They
proposed that he should join them, offered him a large
share of the money on board, stating that from the Ariel's
sailing qualities they could commit piracy with little risk
of being captured. Though his life was at stake, the cap-
tain refused to join them. They then ordered his butler to
bring all the arms from his cabin, continuing their per-
suasions to join in their lawless intention to rob their em-
ployers, and afterwards to fit the vessel out as a regular pi-
rate. Captain Macfarlane pointed out to them the
heinous crime which they were committing, and the
fearful penalty they would incur ; he also promised that
they should be forgiven, provided that they gave up the
attempt ; but they were obdurate and resolved to carry
out their villanous plans. The mate said he would spare
the captain's life, stating that while asleep in his cabin
he had intended to shoot him, and even pointed a pistol
down the skylight for the purpose, but could not bring
himself to commit such a cowardly action as to shoot
a man asleep. He also stated that any attempt at res-
cuing the vessel would be certain death, as the crew
(Mamlamen) had all joined himself and the gunner,
who, with the captain and one lad, were the only
Europeans on board. After some further conversa-
tion they promised to land the captain, also to spare the
life of his attendants, though they said they would be
compelled to kill some who were on board for their own
safety. At 10 o'clock the main hatch was taken off; and
it was purposed to confine Captain Ai acfarlane in the
hold ; he requested that they would give him his own
cabin, and after some hesitation, they agreed to make
that his prison. Previous to going below, the captain
made another attempt to dissuade thorn, but it was of no
avail. They said they had made up their minds to the
step they had taken for some time, and only awaited a
favourable opportunity. They also mentioned that
others in Hong Kong had it in contemplation to capture
the Ariel ; that a European, whose name is before
us, was then close at hand in a Lorcha, having a
crew of 40 men, expressly fitted out for that pur-
pose, and that failing in success, there were
people in Hong Kong who intended capturing the
Ariel, with the clipper Celestial. This part of the
statement must be taken with caution ; they how-
ever gave the name of the ringleader of the pirates in
the Lorcha, who it appears offered to ship on board
the Ariel. At daylight on the morning of the 27th,
Captain Macfarlane forced open the di ,or of his cabin,
and a ent on deck ; the ship's head was then S.W. by
W. At eight, breafast was sent into his cabin, the Ariel
then running before a fine N.E. wind. At ten, he sent
for the mate, and requested that they would give him
the long boat, or put him on board a junk ; this was
refused, the mate saying that he (the captain)
would get to Hong-Kong too soon for them.
He, however, promised to put him on board a junk
at night-fall ; also that he would give up all his per-
sonal property. At noon the mate again came into the
captain's cabin, telling him to make himself comfortable
until the vessel got to Singapore ; he expressed his de-
termination to throw the treasure overboard if pursued;
the assurance that the captain's life would be spared was
again renewed. In the afternoon the captain's Chinese
servant, who was allowed to go on deck, told him that
the Manilamen were not in the plot, and that they medi-
tated rising upon the mate and gunner, and again restor-
ing the vessel to his command. About 10 o'clock they
had matured their plans, and although without other arms
than the rammers of the guns and their knives, they at-
tacked the mutineers,at the same time enabling the captain
to get on deck through a window, and arming him
with the cook's axe. The fight was soon over, the mate
being knocked down with a rammer, and also cut with
knives ; the gunner took refuge in the cabin, raising the
hatch which covered the magazine, and threatening to
blow up the ship. Captain Macfarlane had by this time
got possession of a fowling-piece, ene barrel of which
was loaded ; with it he fired and wounded the gunner
in the thigh. The poor wretch cried out for mercy, but
still threatened to blow up the ship. A lasso was got
ready and thrown over his head, with which the crew
hauled him on deck and secured him. The mate died of
his wounds. The gunner was brought here, and has
been committed for trial, after an examination before
Mr. Hillier, the actingemarine magistrate.
It is pleasing to state that, after the affray was over,
and the ship's course was again shaped for Hong-Kong,
Captain Macfarlane mustered the crew, and offered up
prayers and thanksgiving for their dt liverauce from im-
minent danger.
The whole affair is a very sad, though a remarkable
one. Mr. Wilkinson, the ringleader, was a young man
with the fairest prospects before him ; his employment
was, and is, the best in the merchant service, and had
he behaved himself, would, in all probability, in a few
years, have led to a competency for life.
The Manilamen, contrary to the usual opinion of them,
.proved true to their employers ; and we doubt not, from
the well-known liberality of the firm, they will be re-
warded. Captain Macfarlane himself; though placed in a
most trying position, acquitted himself in the highest
degree creditably, proving the strength of his honour '
and integrity, and however deeply he may regret the
fate of the unfortunate young man whose life was the
penalty of his crime, he may always look back with
satisfaction upon his own behaviour whilst his vessel
was in the hands of the mutineers.

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—PRO-
POSED EXTENSION TO LONDON-BRlDGE.—During yesterday
engineers and, surveyors were actively engaged in surveying
the line of roads and property in the neighbourhood of the
York-road, the New.cut, and Kennington-road, as also St.
George's-fields, the parishes of St. George and St. Saviour,
Southwark, with the view to ascertain the best possible route
for the proposed extession of this railway to London-bridge, in
connexion with the line from the York-road near to Hunger-
ford and Waterloo-bridges, to the station at Nine-elms, the
Bill for the formation of which has already received the royal
assent. The terminus to this railway, as at present proposed,
will be on the extensive open piece of garden ground on the
south side of the York-road, and on part of which the Belvi-
dere Brewery now stands.
ItAii.wAr To SALISBURY.—The formation of the
branch line to Salisbury from the South-Western Railway is
proceeding throughout the whole extent of the line, and it is
expected to be opened in April or May next. The preparations
for the branch from the Great Western line, on the other side
of the city, are also in active progress, and an effort will be
made to get this line opened to Bath as early as the line to
Bishopstoke.
Yesterday White Conduit-fields, adjacent to the
New Model Prison, was a scene of the most lively bustle, in
consequence of a fair having commenced in a spacious field,
near the Robin Flood, Chalk-road, Islington. At twelve
o'clock in the forenoon booths were in readiness, and the sound
of, the "gong" was the siznal to proceed, Atter this the
" buzz ensued, when Harlequin, Clown, Pantaloon, and Cu-
."
lunibine, and others of the dramatic trt, put their limns Into
requisition, and life, noise, and confusion took possession of the
spot.- Daticingbooths and other plaoes were provided to
eutertilio the." show folk," wait a party of the police, under the
superintendence of Inspector Thatcher. of the N division, were
eo ti-.e.ground (luring the day to.keep order.
Y$ stei day Mr. Mitchell hint the Initifiur if sub.
milting for her Majesty's inspection, at Osborne House, the
series of portraits of Mdlle. 'I aglioui, recently completed by
Alfred E. Chalon, Esq., R. A.