The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-18 00:00:00

RETURN OF THE CALEDONIA STEAM-SHIP.

It will probably be in the recollection of some of our read-
ers, that, when noticing the short delay which took place in
the arrival at this port of one of the royal mail steam-ships,
from Halifax and Boston, about twelve months since, we en-
tered into some not very unlikely speculations as to the acci-
dents which would in all probability sometimes befal our
ocean-going steamers. We stated that the most scrupulous
care could not invariably provide against every disarrange-
ment of the steering gear, which is of course liable to the same
contingencies as in our ordinary sailing vessels.
Such a casualty has unfortunately taken place. The Cale-
donia, which left Liverpool on the 4th instant, after having
been at sea seven days, and experiencing a most terrific gale,
has been obliged to put back, with some damage, which we
hope will prove immaterizxl. The following extract from a
letter of a passenger on hoard the Caledonia will explain the
difficulties which that noble vessel has had to encounter, as
well as the reasons which have led to the untoward event of
her return. The letter is dated off Cork, 15th February.
" For the first three days after we sailed, we got on ad-
mirably with a fair ;wind, but on the morning of the 7th the
wind chopped round, and commenced blowing very hard.
On the Bth, the storm increased from the westward, with a
heavy head sea. It continued throughout the 9th. On the
10th, the sea was tremendous, and carried away our fore-
starboard bulwarks and ice-house ; filled the fore-cabin with
water; completely washed out the passengers, whose births
were in that part of the vessel, and thoroughly saturated all
the bedding, and sprung the rudder. Part of the after-
larboatd bulwarks and the non-rail on the taffrail were
twisted off, the wheel-house damaged, and the paddle-box
partly stove in. _ _ _

`• The gale continued unabated during the 11th. We had to
steer by the sails whilst endeavouring to secure the rudder
(the maim piece of which was completely twisted in the case)
by lashing chains round, passing iron bolts through it, and
fixing chains over the stern. At six, p.m., (11th) being then
in latitude 49 20, longitude 29 W., the captain and officers
found it would not be safe to proceed on the voyage, as they
were all of opinion the rudder would not hold together for
two hours more in such a heavy sea. The captain, therefore,
put her head about for the purpose of running into this place
for repairs. Lieut. Parsons, R.N., also coincided with the
captain and officers.
" Notwithstanding all our misfortunes, I must say the
Caledonia is a most excellent sea boat, for she rode through
the whole gale like a duck, Too much praise cannot he
given to Captain Lott for his courageous and seamanlike con-
duct through the whole storm—in fact, on all occasions; and
I refer you to a series of resolutions you will see published,
drawn up by the passengers, acquitting him of all blame."
This unavoidable accident does not diminish in the least our
confidence in steam navigation across the Atlantic the
damage is merely what might.have. happened to the best
sailing vessels afloat. The machinery, of the Caledonia
has not suffered, we arc informed;the'slightest injury, which
certainly goes a long way- to prove that a well appointed
steam-ship is equal to a sailing vessel under the worst cir-
cumstances, and greatly superior in general difficulties.
With the energy and promptitude which characterise the
agents of these steam-ships (Mesirs. M`lver), we find that
the Acadia is now ready for sea, and will leave Liverpool at
two o'clock to-morrow, taking to Halifax and Boston the
mails and passengers, returned per Caledonia. We under-
stand also that' an extra mail will be made up in Liverpool,
to be forwarded by the Acadia. The latter vessel was hauled
out of dock yesterday, and is now quite ready for sea.
The Caledonia, after remaining a short time in the Cove of
Cork, proceeded to this port, which she reached about seven
o'clock last night. The preceding letter succinctly conveys
to the reader the damage which she has sustained.
On the 13th instant, as the Caledonia was returning to
Cork, the passengers unanimously adopted a memorial, ex-
pressive of their confidence in the seaworthiness of the
vessel, and in the skill and judgment of Captain Lott, her
commander. We subjoin the letter addressed to the cap-
tain, together with the memorial just alluded to :
" TO the Directors of the British and North American

Ro-yal Mail Steamers

"The misfortune that caused the return of the steam-ship
" Caledonia" induced the passengers to hold a meeting to
take the circumstance into consideration.

" On the 10th instant, after a succession of adverse winds,
a severe gale met us, and such was its almost unprecedented
violence, that had it not been for the deep confidence placed
in Captain Lott and in the great strength of the ship, we
should have felt most painfully anxious for the result. A
severe blow of the sea so wrenched and disabled our rudder
that it hardly held together. Our confidence in Captain Lott
was, however, most nobly answered ; the first to discover the
misfortune, he, by prudent and effectual measures, secured
our immediate safety: it was his skill and judgment that
directed every effort ; and not content with directing, he
applied his own hand to the work. The state of our rudder
defied all endeavour to repair it sufficiently to permit us to
continue our course in safety, and after many hours of severe
labour, Cap. Lott, yielding to his own conscientious opinion,
and after a consultation with his officers, unwillingly ordered
our return.

" We, the passengers, many of whom have been in the
frequent habit of crossing the Atlantic in these latitudes and
at all seasons, feeling that we owe our safety, under Provi-
dence, to his efforts and self-possession during the moments
of trial, and as much to his final decision to return, feel
called upon to express, in the strongest manner, our full and
implicit confidence in the skill and conduct of Captain Lott.
" We wait but the opportunity to evince this confidence bye
choosing the ship under his command to convey us again
across the Atlantic.

" The passengers desirous of giving a marked expression
of their esteem, have instructed their committee to present
Captain Lott with a valuable memorial of their obligation.
" At Sea, on board the steamer CALEDONIA, Feb., 1842.
PAT. D. CALVERT, Lieut. Col. Royal Engineers, Chairman.
A. Casilli, of New York,
Wm. H. Jeffery, of Canada,
Frederick A. Lovering, of Paris, Committee.
Geo. P. Oxley, of Nova Scotia,
Rev. H. Warren, of Sussex,
" Petit D. Billier, Wm. Lewis Calder, Jas. A. Ha-
milton, Henry Tobias, Wm. E. Lewis, D. L. Suy-
dam, Geo. S. Soren, Wm. Haycock, E. B. Strange.
Chas. H. Harbeck, John H. Harbeck, Joseph
Broadbent, jun., John Beck, James Beck, and Louis
Delmotti, New York ; Hobert S. Tyler, Montreal;
John Gordon, H. N. Jones, Thomas W. Caw, and
J. Musson, Quebec, T. A. Sumner, Geo. IL Booth,
Wm. Munroe, Jun., James E. Little, and Frederick
Almy, Boston ; G. Blumenthal, Glasgow ; E. W.
Fryon, Isaac Haywood, Robert Cooper, M. Power,
Andrew Maris, and Thomas Munroe, London ; John
Cooper, Leeds ; James Cocker, Hathersage ; John
M`Kenzie, P. E. Island ; Frederick Butterfield,
Keightley ; William Barton and G. Stacey, Sheffield ;
G. 0. Cjorter, Holland; Weare C. Little, Albany,
New York ; T. Bream, Richmond, Virginia ; Robert
Leslie, Virginia; James Stiff and B. B. Atterbuy,
Manchester ; John Munroe, Paris ; Matthew Wil-
liams and Chas. A. Linder, Philadelphia."
" On board the steamer Caledonia,
"13th February, 1842:
" To Captain E. G. Lott, of the royal mail steam-ship,

" Caledonia,

" Dear Sir,—The committee appointed at a meeting of the
passengers in the Caledonia, on her voyage from Liverpool
to Halifax, on the 11th February, 1842, have the pleasure of
transmitting Captain Lott a memorial addressed to the
directors of the British and North American royal mail
steam ships, unanimously adopted and signed by the pas-
sengers.—With the assurance of our high consideration, we
are, dear sir, your obedient servants,
" ALEX. CASTELLI.
CONINIII"FLE OF PASSENGERS-
" F. A. LOVERING,
" REV. H. WARREN,
" GEO. P. OXLEY,
" WM. H. JEFFERY."

As a proof that the machinery of the Caledonia has not
sustained the slightest injury, we may mention that she came
up the river last night at full speed.

PRESENTATION OF PLATE TO CAPT. HEWITT,
OF THE BRITANNIA.

The Royal Mail Steam-ship Britannia, during her last out-
ward voyage, experienced continued gales and a heavy sea.
On the 10th ult. she encountered a most terrific gale, in
which her life-boat was stove, and some trifling damage ex-
perienced. In this gale especially, as during the whole pas-
sage, Captain Hewitt won the approbation and praise of all
the passengers, for his indefatigable exertions for their com-
fort. Amongst them were the Earl of Mulgrave, who holds
the office of aid-de-camp to Sir Richard Jackson, Lieutenant-
Governor of Canada, and Charles Dickens, Esq., better
known by his literary title of " Boz."
The Britannia arrived at Boston on the 22d ult., and on
the day before a meeting of the passengers was held, Lord
Mulgrave in the chair, when resolutions were passed deter-
mining to present Captain Hewitt with a piece of plate, as a
sincere expression of their high appreciation of his nautical
skill, and of his indefatigable attention to the management
and safe conduct of the ship during a more than ordinary
tempestuous voyage.

The service of plate, consisting of a pitcher, two goblets,
and a salver to match, and valued at seventy pounds, were
presented to Captain Hewitt at the Tremont Theatre, where
a great number of the gallant captain's friends were assem-
bled, by ?Ir. Dickens, who delivered the following address
on the occasion :

" Ladies and Gentlemen,—l am assured by your presence
here this morning, that you have become acquainted with the
nature of the welcome duty which I have to discharge, and
which is most pleasantly contidfd to me in a double
sense; firstly—because it cannot tail to be gratifying to a
worthy man who has established a strong claim upon my in-
terest and esteem ; and secondly—because it affords me an
opportunity of meeting you, whom I have a thousand rea-
sons for loving to see, here or anywhere.
" We are most desirous to impress you with the fact that
this is very far from being an ordinary or matter of course pro.
ceeding ; that it is not a matter of form, but of good sound
substance; that in presenting Captain Hewitt with these
slight and frail memorials, we are not following out a hollow
custom, but are imperfectly expressing the warmest and most
earnest feelings ; being well assured that with God's blessing,
we owe our safety and preservation, under circumstances of
unusual peril, to his ability, courage, and skill. You will
please to understand that these tokns on the table, are an
acknowledgment not in themselves, but in the feeling which
dictates their presentation, of many long and weary nights of
watching and fatigue ; of great exertion of body, and much
anxiety of mind ; and of the prompt and efficient discharge of
arduous duties, such as do not often present themselves.
" In a word, this is anything but an extraordinary return
for really extraordinary services; and we wish you to regard
it in that light, that our present may have a value it was in-
tended to bear, and which is far enough removed, Heaven
knows, from its intrinsic worth or beauty. Captain Hewitt,
continued Mr. Dickens, addressing that gentleman,) I am
very proud and happy to have been selected as the instrument
of conveying to you the heartfelt thanks of my fellow passen-
gers on hoard the ship entrusted to your charge, and of en-
treating your acceptance of this trifling present. The inge-
nious artists who work in silver do not always, I find, keep
their promises, even in Boston. I regret that instead of two
goblets which there should be here, there is, at present, only
one. This deficiency, however, will soon be supplied : and
when it is, our testimonial will be, so far, complete.
" You are a sailor, Captain Hewitt, in the truest sense of
the word ; and the devoted admiration of the ladies—God
bless them—is a sailor's first boast. I need not enlarge upon
the honour they have done you, I am sure, by their presence
here. Judging of you by myself, 1 am certain that the re-
collection of their beautiful faces will cheer your lonely vigils
upon the ocean for a long time to come.

" In all time to come, and in all your voyages upon the
sea, I hope you will have a thought for those who wish to
live in your memory by the help of these trifles. As they
will often connect you with the pleasures of those homes and
firesides from which they once wandered, and which, but for
you, they might never have regained ; so they trust, that you
will sometimes associate them with your hours of festive
enjoyment; and that when you drink from these cups, you
will feel that the draught is commended to your lips by
friends whose best wishes you have; and who earnestly and
truly hope for your success, happiness, and prosperity, in all
the undertakings of your life."
Capt. Hewitt replied in the most feeling and appropriate
terms, to the speech of Mr. Dickens, and appeared to feel
most keenly the kindness of his friends.

On Wednesday, Wombell's menagerie left Yarmouth, and
in proceeding over Rollesby-bridge the large caravan, con-
taining the elephants, partially broke down, plunging the
colossal animals in a cold bath. With the assistance of a
number of men, sad twenty-eight horses, they were, after
considerable delay, again placed safely on terrafirma.—Esser
Herald.