Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-19
From the London Times of March 30
Visit OF the Emperor OF the French 20 the
Queen OF En gland.

10 this country are now said to be complete
and on the 10th of April the Imperial Court O
France IS expected to arrive on a visit to hei
Majesty the Queen, either at Windsor Castle OF
in London. Engaged as the two nations Of
France and England now are in an intimate
alliance, and in the joint prosecution of an ar
duous campaign, no surprise can be felt that
the same courtesy and confidence which have
long been happily established between the
ministers, the generals, and the troops of these
two great powers should also mark the personal
intercourse of their soveregns. Such an ex-
change OF civilities is consistent with propriety,
with the usage of modern times, and with good
policy, for the public will view with satisfaction
every incident which strengthens the ties on
which our success IN war and our security in
peace so materially depend. But this visit to
England is not the less an extraordinary oc-
currence in the life of an extraordinary man.
just seven years will have elapsed since he
who Yields with great vigor and ability the
sceptre and sword of France, took his place
among the special constables of st. James's.
and mounted guard with the population of
London to protect the property and order of
this metropolis. Soon afterwards he Quilted
this country with Belgian passport an UNI
certain destiny, and precarious subsistence
lie returns 10 it under the most opposite cir
cumstances-the Sovereign of powerful ma
ton allied on equal terms to the Queen of these
realms-exercising power at home and abroad
which has not only subdued all its rivals but
annihilated all MISUNDERSTANDING by his
Consort, a lady whose beauty and whose talents
shed lustre on her private rank, but whom his
will alone has placed on the throne of the EN-
press Josephine-and received by the people Of
England as a man who has not only success.
fully mastered one of the paroxysms of the
French Revolution, but who has established
the closest union between the two great EN-
pres of the West, and has drawn the sword, in
conjunction with ourselves, to defend the per-
manent interests of Europe. In the eventful
history of these times it has not fallen to our
lot TO record more striking contrast or an
event suggesting more singular reflections.
Terrible Suffering OF Shipwrecked Crew.
We have already announced the loss of the
ship William Layton, Capt. Tucker, on the
passage from New York to Antwerp, and the
drowning of three of the crew. She encoun-
tered terrible gale on the Goth of February,
and on the 22d became complete wreck.
Lashed to her floating and helpless hull, the
captain and the remainder Of the crew passed
six days and nights without single drop of
fresh water and without mouthful to eat, ex-
cepting single rat that was found swimming
about the wreck, and which was fortunately
caught and shared among the sufferers. The
captain has published thrilling account of
their miraculous escape from death, from which
we take the following:
The first day past at our lashngs, and we
were weak with hunger. The second day, and
the cravings of hunger made all other suffer
ings insignificant in comparison The third
day, and our thirst and hunger together held
us in tortures but little short of the pains of
hell itself. Death at this time would have
been relief. In the meantime the matches Of
The ship had burst open, and the cargo was
floating around us, but none of the provisions
within our reach.
The knowledge that our ships hold was full
OF provisions, and we were starving and unable
20 reach it, only added to our sufferings. Still,
TO aggravate our pains, the potash in the ship
was dissolving, and making ley that was eat
ing into our flesh. Having no water, we each
took piece Of cold lead into our mouths, and
chewing this kept our mouths moist, and was
found to be great relief. AT this period of
our sufferings, rat was seen swimming about,
and coming near enough to one of the sailors,
it was captured. Never did hunter secure his
game with greater satisfaction than did the
seaman secure this drowning rat. The rat
was shared among the company; and never
was a moroccan received with better relish.
All that we had in addition to this rat, were
the boots and shoes upon our feet which were
mostly used up at the time of our rescue On
the third day of our suffering-on the 18th Of
February-a vessel hove in sight, and We were
all elated with the prospects relief In this,
however, we were again disappointed. This
vessel the name Of which do not now re-
member, came whiting hailing distance of US,
and speaking the captain asked him to send
me boat The reply was, he could do nothing
for us; and leaving us to our fate, we were
compelled to see this vessel sail away from us.
On the fifth and sixth days some of the crew
said they did not feel so much the want Of food
as they did on the third day. This was the
feeling of most if not all of us The fourth
day and night passed, and no assistance came
The fifth day came, and with it succor; on
this day we were hailed by the barque Sylph,
Capt Hallox, from Guadalupe, bound to st.
Peters, Newfoundland. This vessel spoke us,
and learning our situation, promised to lay by
till the storm abated. It still blew gale, and
the sea was very heavy. This promise revived
us.
During the night of the ffth day Of our suffer.
ings-the 9th of February-the Sylph drifted
away from US and the next morning was out of
next morning dawned up, and again showed us
nothing within our vision but the tempestuous
ocean. Capt Hollox, however, upon ascertain
ing on the morning Of the 28th that he had lost
us, crowded on all the sail his barque could
carry and commenced the search for us. He
was successful and found us after few hours
search, and at 10 o'clock on the morning Of the
18th we we're taken from our lashings and taken
on board the Sylph When relieved none of
as were able to stand, although all of us~till
retained our senses. One Of the crew, when
taken from his prison Of ropes, lost his toes,
which dropped from him as he was lifted from
the ship. The potash I've had eaten the feet Of
the sufferer to this effect.
HARDT TINES IN TE&As.-"Hard times" is
the subject Of a leader in the Austin Gazette,
of the 3lst ult.. The Gazette says:
We are experiencing very serious crisis in
our country. The farmers, with large corps on
hand, landholders, with immense tracts Of land