Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-01-06
yankee Assurance In the English seas.

The London correspondent of the New York Cou-
rier & Enquirer in his letter OF Noy To- writes as
follows
An incident IN the history of the visit OF the Sow
eIeign of the Seas, of an interesting nature, was
made public this week, although known In private
circles, for some time When the noble clipper
named reached Liverpool her owners advertised ner
for Australia and offered to carry freight at spe-
cited rate, deliverable i'll particular port within
number of DAYS named, and to allow draw back tor
each and every day she might be detained beyond
the period specified This took the Liverpool mer-
chants aback.'' and they were indignant at the
bodness of the offer, considering 1t as likely
to seriously injure their trade The proposition
was accented and in short time the Sovereign of
the Seas had her choice of freight, and more was
offered than she could take. The Captain, at the
same period, issued proposals for the mails at hx
ed rate subject to like conditions to the frelght In
a few days he received communication from the
Post Office Department, informing him that the Gov
eminent could not accept his offer but he would be
expected to take the mails nolens Uotens under an
old statute of some centuries standing, winch pro-
vides that ships sailing from one British port to az
other shall carry His Majesty's mails, it the De-
partment insists at the rate of twopence letter.
This took the Captain aback in his turn, and as
neither our Consuls nor our Minister knew of the
statute it puzzled them Mr.. Buchanan wrote to
the Foreign Office the subject and as an answer
is long while coming from that source, he advised
the Captain of the noble clipper to take the mails
under protest and leave the affair to the respective
Governments concerned. This he did, and the Sow
ereign of the Seas accordingly sailed on her adver
tised day. What Mr. Buchanan's further action
was knew not but presume it was entirely correct
In due time the steamship Golden Age, Captain
Porter, u S. n, made her appearance at Liverpool,
where she attracted extraordinary attention. She
was advertised for Australia, and her Captain made
proposals for carrying the mails, subject to the
conditions offered by the Sovereign of the Seas and
surprised to receive from the department no.
ice exactly like he ven to the skipper of the
clipper. This, Porter would not comply with, and as
he had brought the government of Cuba to rea-
son. and nearly taken the island with his single ship
he placed himself the defensive, averred he would
not take the mails under such an arbitrary lava
law intended to apply to American ships, and
if driver straits would take the island of Great
Britain itself.
A correspondence was opened with the depart
ment calling their attention the fact that the law
could not apply to American vessels, nor, in TRUTH
to any ships just now the department has a
standing advertisement for proposals for the Aus
tralian mails in all parts of the country. This is
sue was referred to the solicitor of the department.
and that functonary decided against the Golden
Age 1t then referred to the law officers of the
crown, and while they unable TO agree, and
before much was known about their opinions, an
article on the subject appeared in the Advertiser.
This had good effect and in short time, Claren-
don informed Mr.. Buchanan that the law did not
affect American vessels and that the Golden Age
would not be compelled to carry the mails So mat
tiers stand and Captain Porter advertses in the
daily papers carry letters to Australia for the
commodation of merchants and others, the Govern
ment having declined sending the mails with him
on his terms. His ship leaves her dock, at Liver
pool, tomorrow, the GOTH and will carry out large
freight ard many passengers.
The law under which the department wants to
act, cannot we'll apply to American ships because it
made years before the repeal of the navigation
laws effected. Capt Porter has, however, set
tied the affair, and removed what light have been
a very troublesome affair to other vessels
EXAMPLES OF GREAT AGE AMONG THE JEws.-The
Art of Prolonging Life " says From the history
of the Jews we are enabled to collect the following
facts, Abraham, of great and resoue mind,
who fortunate in all his undertakings, attained to
the age of IT'S years; his Isaac, chaste peacea-
BILE and fond of tranquility. 10 1870; Jacob. who
, also a lover oil peace but crafty and cunning,
lived only LAT years Ishmael. warrior, 1877 Sarah
, the only female of the ancient world with whose
duration of life we are acquainted, lived 1877 years
Joseph, Of great prudence and political talents
much afflicted in his youth, bnt greatly honored in
his latter days lived 10 the age Of 10.
Moses, man of extraordinary strength and spirit
rich III deeds but weak in words carried his life, dur
ing which he was exposed to great care and fatigue,
to the age of 100. But even he complains that the
life OF man endures only three-score-and ten, al
most four score years; and we hence find that, in re-
gard to age the case was exactly the three thou
sand years ago as it is at present.
The warike and active Joshua lived 10 the age O.
: llO. Ell, the hIgh priest a COrpuent phlegmatlt
man, of resigned disposition, lived TO be only 80
but Elisha, severe towards other, and towards him
self, who despised convenience and riches lived fal
above 100. In the latter period of the Jewish State
Y the prophet Simeon full of hope and conf
dence in God, distinguished by life of SO years
e However replete with fables the history of the
Egyptians may be, the age of their kings, recorded
from the earliest periods present nothing remarkable
e The longest reign is somewhat above fifty years
+. AN ENTIRELY New STYLE OF NAvIGAr1oN-A let
ter from Venice TO the 22d ult in the New Prussia
Gazette, says: A young nobeman, NJ s., nephew
: Of The Baroness de W., who by his Hercuea
; strength and his acts of rashness-such racing O
horseback against a railway train, and swimming
from this place 10 Mestre carrying an open umbrella
u in his hand-has acquired kind of renown, recent
4 made bet that be would perform the passage fror
II Venice 10 Trieste alone, and standing two plank
i four feet long by foot and four inches thick
S strongly athed each other in the middle by a
g iron clasp, and with no other help than pole.
{ On Friday morning last, this young genllema
IL made his appearance before the Prazetta this raj
: of his own invention, which It very diffcu
10 stand upright and preserve equilibrium. Scarce
ly had he passed Lido than he upset by wave
/ He did not, however, lose courage, but bringing hi
raft 10 the shore repaired it, and after placing on
> box containing provisions, again started Aftt
;, SIX hours uninterrupted movement of his arms
d was from the steepe of St. Marks Church at
short distance from Caorle, when he disappeared frol
d sight. The Trieste Gazette adds that this extrao
Of binary voyage was accomplished, and that M. s.
arrived in that port safe and sound The distanc
n from Venice TO Trieste is mere than 10 English mile
aIIowng for the necessary deviation from the sregl
h course
H. D..