The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-08-26
THE FOREIGN NEWS.

The Arabia, after creating good deal of
anxiety for her safety, turned up this A. NJ,
and relieved it all. She has had hard knock
of it, but stood it we'll Her news is of high
| interest The extracts from the British Press
upon the successful laying of the cable are in
the vein of the American Press, and the British
editors, we SEE, fully appreciate the magnitude
of the great success. The Cherbourg tetes,
with the movements of sbe Monarchs, will also
interest our readers. The Arabia has been
long coming, but brings rich freight of intel
hgence. 4i4.t
The South American dates are later uia Eng
land, q fact We always announce with pain, as
We ought to have numerous steamers plying
from this port to Brazil, to be helped by our
Government, as the British Government helps
the British lines. We throw away three-fourths
of the Brazil trade by our Government stupidity.
The Agsmemnon arrived off Valentia Bay at
six A. NJ, August S.
The Niagara arrived off Trinity Bay Las
P. N. on the 9Th.
The time thus seems to have been about the
same, but the Niagara had some = miles fur
ther to go. t
This news from the Agamemnon by the old
route, of course confirms ell the reports OF
communication with Valentia Bay, that We
have had from Newfoundland, and thus dispels
the last doubt lingering in some incredulous
minds.
By the arrival of the steamship AngloSaxon
at Quebec, Monday, we have news from Eu.
rope to the llth inst. The first message by
the ocean telegraph reached Valentia at night
on the 9th. The speed of transmission and the
strength of the currents are said to be as great
as were attained in the experiments at Plym-
outh. The Great Eastern Steamship Com
pany had voted to receive offers for The pur-
chase or charter of the ship, and to advertise
her for sale by auction. Telegraphic commu.
nication between England and the Channel
Islands by submarine cable had been achiev.
ed. The Malta and Alexandra Company pro.
pose to submerge q cable between Malta and
Gambia, whence lines are to diverge to Con-
stantinople and Alexandra. The mails from
India brought no news of note. From China
we learn that special Commissioner to treat
with the European allies had arrived from
Pekin. He is q mandarin of high rank, the
second officer in the Empire. The Cherbcurg
fetes had concluded with peace speeches by
Louis Napoleon and Prince Albert. Advices
from Africa report the capture of more Ameri-
can slavers. Cotton was quiet, prices remain
ing steady at the Arabia's quotations. Bread
stuAs had experienced slight reduction. Con.
soils closed at 963 to $685.
gentleman who was a passenger on the
steamship Arabia has furnished an interesting
account OF the collision with the steamship
Europa on the night of the 18th instant.
he states that at eleven o'clock, when the
collision occurred, most of the passengers had
retired to rest All the ladies had retired some
time before. A few gentlemen were on the
hurricane deck, and half dozen we're seated
in the saloon, engaged in conversation.
Strangely enough, the theme of their remarks
was courage exhibited by persons of different
temperaments aid mental peculiarities, in times
of great danger. Individual instances of cour.
age and fear were cited in illustration of opin.
ions expressed.
In the midst of the conversation, loud crash
was heard forward, not unlike clap of thunder,
and this was followed by q grinding sound, as
OF something rubbing against the side of the
vessel. The crash startled everybody, and the
discussion on physical courage was, by tacit
agreement, postponed indefinitely. Pa: sen.
gers rushed out of their state-rooms in the wild.
est excitement several tainted, and hardly any
on board failed to betray signs of deep emotion.
Our informant had lady in his care, and his
first object was to secure information as to the
nature and extent of the damage. His impress.
sion was that they had struck an iceberg, sew.
eral of which they had seen the day previous.
Going forward, he ascertained that the star
board bow of the Arabia had come in collision
with the port bow of the Europa and learning
that there was no immediate danger, he went
| below and stated the fact
According to the usual custom of steamers
| In meeting one another, the helm of the Europa,
on observing the Arabia's light, was put hard
a.port the officer of the Arabia discovered the
Europa's lights, when he saw tina. if he ported
his helm the Arabia would inevitably strike the
Europa amidships. He therefore gave the
order to put the helm hard astarboard, which
threw her bows around, and thus prevented q
collision which otherwise would probably have
been fatal to one if not both vessels. Captain
Stone at once dispatched a boat to ascertain
the extent OF the damage sustained by the
Europa. The Captain of the Europa requested
that the Arabia stay by and keep her company
into st. Johns, Newfoundland.