The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-04 00:00:00

THE BRAGANZA STEAMER.

We have received from the Directors of the Peninsu-
lar and Oriental Steam Navigation Company a counter
statement to the letter which was recently published in
The Sun by some passengers in this vessel when she was
forced back to Falmouth.
This document is in the form of a letter from the Se-
cretary of the Company; the following facts, extracted
from it, will sufficiently answer the object in view:-
1. It is stated that previously to the publication of the
passengers' statement, some of those whose names appear
to it had made claims on the Company, accompanied by
threat•i of publication, under the head of tavern expenses,
&c., which, being altogether unusual under such circum-
stances, the Directors refused to accede to.
2. That the boilers of the Braganza were not defec-
tive; that they had only been in use 18 months (the
average duration of boilers being four years); that the
accident was occasioned by the breaking of some of the
stays which secure the boilers, and was caused by the
violent pitching of the vessel in the heavy gale which
she encountered; that the boilers are now being secured,
and the vessel will be in an efficient state for service in
the course of a few days.
To refute the statement of the deficiency of the boilers,
official Reports and certificates of the Surveyors of the
'Admiralty, and of the engineers and Marine Superin-
tendent of the Company are given. And in contradiction
of the assertion that this Company were in the habit of
sending to sea vessels " wholly unfit," and that "an effi-
cient control over the proceedings of this Company" is want-
ing, a clause in the Company's contract with the Govern-
ment is quoted, to the following effect :
" And that the said Commissioners shall also have full
power, whenever, and as often as they may deem it re-
quisite, to survey, by any other of their officers or agents,
all and every the vessels employed, and to be employed
in the performance of this contract, and the hull thereof,
the engines, machinery, furniture, tacloe, apparel, stores,
and equipment of' every'vessel,` the' said vessels to be
opened in their hulls, whenever the aid officers may re-
quire." • - • ' •
The Secretary then proceeds with his statement, as.
follows

No vessel can be, or ever has been, placed in this ser-
vice, even for a temporary period, without having been
previously submitted to the examination of the Admi-
ralty surveyors, and approved of by the Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty. In lamenting, therefore, the
want of " an efficient control over the proceedings of this
and other Companies," it is tolerably clear that these pas-
sengers were offering an opinion on a matter of which
they knew very little ; and that this control, combined,
perhaps, with the very obvious motives which the Direc-
tors of the establishment have for maintaining the repu-
tation of its vessels in the public estimation, has not been
ineffectual in guaranteeing both the regular perforniance
of the mail service and the " personal security" of pas-
sengers, the two following facts will, I have no doubt,
convince every unprejudiced mind :
The vessels of this Company have been employed
four years and three months in carrying on the mail
service between England and the Peninsula. They
have had to start punctually on a certain day every
week, and in all seasons of the year, and have to
make their passages, both going and coming, across
the Bay of Biscay, so long noted hitherto for
its dangers. They have, during this period, which in-
cludes five winter seasons, made '444 passages, forming
a total of near 700,000 miles. Out of these 444 passages
there have only six instances occurred in which the ves-
sels put back ; two of them were in consequence of hull
damage, and four from damage to machinery, and none ,
of them were productive of any injury further than the
interruption of a week in the regular course of the mails.
This is my first fact. The second is, that since the foun-
dation of this establishment as the " Loudon and Dub-
lin Steam Company," which subsequently extended it-
self into the " Peninsular Company," in 1837, and since
September, 1840, has been incorporated as the " Penin-
sular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company" for
tending steam communication to the East Indies, the
original proprietors continuing still to be the largest
holders of its stock, and retaining a full share in its di-
rection, upwards of 200,000 passengers have been con-
veyed in their steam-vessels without the loss of a single
life, or causing a personal injury of any kind by acci-
dent. Can any land conveyance produce a parallel to
this ? The two cases of the Wilberforce and Royal
Tar, to which these gentlemen refer with an apparent air
of triumph, may be very shortly disposed of.
The Wilberforce, a vessel approved by the Admiralty,
encountered last winter a tremendous gale of wind on
her outward passage, and was in consequence thereof,

together with an attempt of the Commander to succour a
vessel in distress, detained at Vigo for repairs, and was
therefore a week longer in arriving at Lisbon, but whence
she took home in regular course the return mail. The
Royal Tar, in her last homeward passage, having also
sustained the violence of the heavy gales which have
lately been so prevalent, both on her outward and home-
ward passages, sprang a leak, but of so unimportant a
nature that only two passengers and the Admiralty agent
on board, beside the Commander and officers, were. cog-
nizant of it ; she brought the mails in regular course.
The story of the passengers baling out the water with
their hats is really too ridiculous for grave notice. The
Royal Tar is nearly 800 tons burden, and her depth of
hold being 18 feet 4 inches, it would require each
hatful of water to be brought up a 19 feet ladder to
reach the deck, thence to be carried to the ship's side for
ejection, and to descend again by the same lengthy
process for repletion. It has been reported that an " old
sailor," at Falmouth, stated this by way of " hoax." I
do not know that such was the fact, but I mention it
from its probability in accounting for so absurd a state-
ment, and in extenuation of it, although this, and the
mixture of hardihood and ignorance evinced by the
assertion that the vessel was going five knots an hour,
against a head gale, with only seven revolutions a minute,
together with the repeated reference to the working of
the pumps, and which was merely to put water into the
boiler, scarcely admits of an excuse.
This Company, so far from having shrunk -from the
due execution of their mail contract, which was obtained
by them in the face of a public competition, have actu-
ally furnished vessels of an aggregate power of 500 horses
over and above what their contract requires—five vessels
of 140 horse power each, in all 700 horses, whereas the
power of the vessels employed amounts to 1,200 horses.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
JAMES ALLAN, Secretary.
Peninsular and Oriental Steam-Navigation Company's
offices, No. 51, St. Miry-axe, London, Dec. 23.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
(From the Devonpnrt Independent.)
PLYMOUTH, JAN. I.—lt is currently reported in the
laval circles that the uniform of the several classes is to
he forthwith changed, and that the white collar and cuff
are to be again substituted for the red.
Her Majesty's ship Isis, 44, Captain Sir John Mar-
shall, Knight, has received a draft of fifty men from the
Caledonia, in addition to seventy others put on board
her from the Alban, steamer, on Monday last. The
Isis is to 'proceed to the South American station, and she
is expected to sail very shortly.
Her Majesty's brigantine Spy, 3, Lieut. Potbury, was
paid advance of wages on Monday, and sailed the next
day for Bristol. Lieut. Potbury has not yet been super-
seded in the command of this vessel, although appointed
Flag-Lieutenant to Sir Samuel Pym.
Her Majesty's steam-vessel Megmra, arrived on 'Wed-
nesday, from the West Indies. She will sail for Ports-
mouth on Sunday, Vice-Admiral Warren taking a pas-
seage in her to that port, and then go on to Woolwich to
be paid off.
_ _

Her Majesty's steamer Alban, Master-Commander J.
King, sailed on Thursday for Deptford, with stores.
Her Majesty's ship Volage, 26, Captain Sir W. Dick-
son, Bart., was paid advance of wages yesterday (Friday).
Her Majesty's packet Sheldrake, 6, Lieut. A. R. Pas-
singham, arrived here yesterday (Friday), from Fal-
mouth, and will come into harbour to-day, to be paid off.
Her Majesty's sloop Snake. 16, Commander the Hon.
W. Devereux, will call at:this port, from Portsmouth, on
her way to the Mediterranean.

Her Majesty's brigantine Forester, 3, lately paid off at
this port, from the Coast of Africa, is ordered to be sold
out of the service.

Her Majesty's ship America, 50, at this port, is to be
fitted with Capt. Couch's Patent Safety Channels, orders
to that effect having been received from the Admiralty.
Her Majesty's brig Lapwing, 10, was warped along-
side the sheer-hulk on Wednesday, to have ber masts
taken out.

Ships in Harbour—Caledonia, 120, Capt. H. Eden; San
Josef, 110, Captain F. W. Burgoyne ; Minden, 24, (hos.
pital ship), Captain M. Quin; Fly, 18, Captain Francis
P. Blackwood ; Bramble, 10, (tender to Fly) ; Ferret,
10, Com. Josiah Oake. •

In the Sound—lsis, 44, Captain Sir John Marshall :
Volage, 26, Captain Sir W. Dickson, Bart.; Serpent,
16, Commander William Nevill ; Dido, 18, Capt. the
Hon. Henry Keppel; Nightingale, 6, Lieut. Barnes ;
She'drake, 6, Lieut. A. R. Passingham.
The Lieutenant's commission, given by the Admiralty
half-yearly to one of the mates, studying at the Royal
Naval College, was awarded this Christmas to Mr. James
Francis Ballard Wainwi ight.
The Admiralty have contracted with Messrs. Acra-
man, of Bristol, for building an iron steamer of 60 tons.
Her length is to be 90 feet ; breadth, 12 feet 8 inches ;
depth, 7 feet ; draft of water, 2 feet 8 inches. Her en-
gines are to be of 20-horse power.
ADDRESS TO VICE-ADMIRAL WARREN.
Plymouth-yard, December 29, 1841.
HONOURED SlR—The workmen of the dock-yard, in-
fluenced by a grateful remembrance of the many favours
they have experienced whilst they have enjoyed the pri-
vilege of your superintendence, avail themselves of the
opportunity presented by the cessation of that official
relationship, to express the deep sense of their obliga-
tion, and respectfully to request you will be pleased to
accept their honest and hearty thanks for the solicitude
which you have always evinced to promote their interest.
They cannot but appreciate that urbanity of manner
which has encouraged the most diffident individual in the
establishment to surmount the difficulty which generally
attends the approach to persons of distinguished rank,
and that patient attention to their various applications
by which you have demonstrated that the most affable
condescension, and the maintenance of the strictest im-
partiality are not incompatible with the discharge of
high and important duties.
The auspicious circumstances which have caused the

termination of your official duties, forbid the expression
of regret which they would otherwise have felt at your
premature removal. But they beg to assure you that
their sincere esteem will follow you into your dignified
retirement, and they trust that under the blessing of
Divine Providence, you, and your respected family, may
long enjoy the happiness that a retrospect of your emi-
nently valuable life is calculated to impart.
The Address was signed by the Committee, on behalf
of the workmen.
To Vice-Admiral Warren.

WOOLWICH-SATURDAY.
ROYAL ARTILLERY. . _ _

Further experiments with the percussion lock on a
six-pounder gun have been very satisfactorily carried
on in the Royal Arsenal during the week, and it is fully
expected they, will ultimately be adopted for heavy ord-
nance. _ _

The retirement of Lieutenant-Colonel Sinclair on full
pay, which is daily looked for, will promote Major Ro-
mer, the Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-G6neral, to
the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Rumour gives the situ-
ation of Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-General to
11Iajor Sandelands, Royal Horse Artillery ; and the
troop which will consequently. be vacated by him to
to Captain Bloomfield ; and it is also expected that Ma-
jor Romer, on his promotion, will proceed to Plymouth
to take the command of the Royal Artillery at that
station.

Colonel Dyneley, C. 8., Commanding Officer of the
Royal Artillery, gave a splendid dinner to the Staff-
Sergeants of the brigade at the Queen's Arms Tavern,
on the occasion of his promotion to Colonel and Aide-de-
Camp to the Queen. There were 18 present, and the
chair was filled by Quartermaster-Sergeant Bowman, the
oldest non-commissioned officer in the brigade, and per-
haps in the army, as he has been 47 years in the regi-
ment. The vice-chair was filled by Quartermaster-Ser-
geant Hunter, the next in seniority. The usual loyal
toasts having been drank, the health of Colonel Dyne-
ley, their respected commanding officer, and long life to
him to enjoy his new honourable appointment, was given
from the chair, and drunk by the company with the
greatest enthusiasm. The evening was spent in the
most delightful harmony, and the party did not break
up till a very late hour. It was rather remarkable that
this dinner took place accidentally on the anniversary of
the day on which the Gallant Colonel commenced his ca-
reer as an artillery officer 40 years ago.
At the conclusion of the year it may not be considered
inappropriate to make a few observations on the benefit
the service has received by the publication, in a fair and
impartial manner, of matters immediately connected
with it. It is more than ordinary gratification to know
that during the last six months there has not been a sin-
gle instance of corporal punishment being inflicted on
any person belonging to the Royal Regiment ot Artil-
lery in the garrison at Woolwich, and there is reason to
believe the same could not be said of any similar period
of time since the formation of the corps. This most
pleasing result has arisen, not so much from the fear of
the infliction of the punishment itself, as from the know-
ledge that the names of those who should be so de-
graded would be made public, and their relations and
the friends of their youth become acquainted with
the crimes for which they were made to suffer. On
former occasions it was too often the case that the
infliction of corporal punishment, however justly the
party merited it, obtained for hint the sympathy of
a portion of the press. and the consequence was he was
held up as a martyr, and many others, from bravado
alone and the hope of being noticed, were induced to
commit crimes which they were aware would render
them liable to the same punishment, Fortunately for the
men, a better system now exists, and its good effects
have already been felt and appreciated both by officers
and those under their command.
NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Drirer, steam-Yessel.—Commander S. Harmer, pro-
ceeded from Woolwich to Deptford dockyard on Thurs-
day, and was taken into dock there to examine her bot-
tom, and have her defects made good. •
The Vixen steam-vessel.--Com. Boyes, left Woolwich,
on the 28th, uuder orders, to proceed to South America.
The Growler steam-vessel.—Mr. W. F. Castor has been
appointed Surgeon,and Dr. C. Forbes, Assistant-surgeon.
The Lightning steam-vessel.—Hugh Berners has been
appointed to the command of this vessel, vice Waugh,
promoted.
The mates of the Royal Navy are to take rank in the
Navy List in future according to their first warrants as
such, agreeable to the following regulation :
" The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are
pleased to direct, that in cases of a midshipman having
completed the required time to entitle him to pass for a
Lieutenancy, when the ship to which be ,belongs shall
happen to be detached so as to prevent his obtaining at
the moment an examination according to the established
regulations, the captain or commaxder of the said ship
or vessel in which such midshipman may be -serving,
with the senior Lieutenant or.second officer, and the
master or second master (according to the class of the
ship and the rank of the officers on board of her), as-
sisted by the naval instructor, if there be one on board, may
proceed to examine such midshipman as to his qualification
to perform the duties of a Lieutenant of her Majesty's
navy, and if they find him to be in their opinions duly
Su ed, . they uro IA) givt, hitu a cell/float° to that effect,