The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-12-12
The Prince. Pn..ag. and Arrival Home.

| oetaiieo account OF the Prince Of Wales pas
sage hume from Portland, Me. The line Of
battle-ship, the Hero, which conveyed the heir
| is an uncommonly slow craft. and the Ariad-
| ne, which accompanied the Hero as consort.
was with difficulty kept in her proper place
that is, in the rear, so superior are the latter's
sailing powers. The Times letter, dated Ply
| mouth, November Is, says:
For the first two or three days ont both the
| Hero and Arfadns were under steam. The
former was at full sreed, and the latter at less
| than half, and having to resort TO every nau-
tical artifice 10 keep her place behind the flag
snip Now and then the Ariadne ranged up
80 close alongside that both parties could con
verse from their respective Quartsr-decks by
writing out their questions on black boards.
and hoIdiLg them up. Once, indeed the Art
adne came so close that both could speak with
ease. This experiment, however. was only at
tempted once for heavy swell was running
and the two ships were within hairs bread ID
OF coming orosdside sgainsi each other, when
the consequences miEst have beec serious -
Their yards actually touched and nothips
but the speed Of the Ariadne and the ind, m i
table cooiEess OF Capt. Vansittart saved them
from actual collision. Even IA II was many
ran below, thinking that The masts and spars
would be about their ears. After this slisht
escapade open order was kept, except in fOgs
when the Ariadpe had to follow, almost
touching ths Princes vessel. These logs were
as frequent IS on the voyage ont, and We're
source of peri etual anxiety. The Hero used
TO go ahead, sounding her fog whistle Till the
shrill alarm was flint in the distance, and
sthed IN the thick air. Then the Ariadne
would follow, sounding hers, till close upon
the nas-ship, when the Hero again took up the
scream and went ahead and in this manner
moving step by step, the nights and days would
pass.
On Friday, the Goth the Ariadne took the
Hero in tow, and actually dragged her along
through heavy rolling swell at the rate of nine
knots an hour. Both vessels were rolling rather
n 10 hA lyn.a4
vibrating like a harp-string. II went at last
with terrible snap at about ~ NJ, on the
2Tth. AT that time the long wished for wind
had come at last from the Northwest The
towing, therefore, was not renewed, but both
went on under all sail. On Sunday it blew
more than half gale, and hour by hour reef
after reef was taken in. About 3 A II, on
Monday, this briet storm was at its worst and
struck down upon both ships in & succession
OF angry squalls. The quail which the cop
per colored clouds foretold came on her lrst
with hoarse, loud roar, as if Il mountain
was ia motion. At once il split both her fore
sail and her mainsai!, and heeled her sharply
over.
Ths Ariadnes turn came next With loud
premOnitory rush Of hal, and dash of sea up
over her Sides The wind struck her as sailors
say, " Ike q hammer" The reeted maIutopsaIl
spit at once. Then the foresIay sail weut.--
win mis- sQuall the thickness of the " Gather
Increased, tlli even the bious greasy light OF
the moon was damped out. AT last the clouds
partially cleared at six O'Clock, and then the
Hero was nowhere - be seen. After d. lay
OF two hours and more, Captain Vansittart
came 10 The conclusion that the Hero must
have run before the gale, and was still ahead.
Acting upon this supposition-which proved
10 be quite correct-all the sail which the
Ariadne could safely Carry in such u heavy
breeze was crowded on, and away she went,
tearing through the waves al the rate Of more
than thirteen knots an hour. All our trOu-
bles were forgotten, when, though the gale
still blew, the we tthcr cleared aad the man at
Th.a TpGs fhA2H hAF lnH fTan IYA~,
sight, about fourteen or sixteen miles ahead
ln less than five hours aiier first sighting her
from the masthead. the Arladue was alongsd de
once more.
wind we had-died away. and lett both ships
rolling helplessly 10 the bidding of the long
smooth swell. Then came Gains by day with
logs by night, then NOR idung and roiliEg
getting a start OF wind for levy hours TO raise
mumeutary hopes of sun making d fair eas-
sage; then again Gains, and yet more togs, tiIl
The chances OF reaching England under il day 5
waxed fainter and more !aInt with each Iong
days non pr"gTess. Then the ArIadne would
low again. ct before me towing had las ted
haitian hour the shackle broke, and lett The
Hero adrItt. A larger shackie was then got up
and with this the ArIadne again set to work
and pulled lhe Hero through the water some
| 2UU miles, making every timber in the ship
| creak and work awfu!ly under the strain
| After twenty hours Of this work the hawser
parted Oh board the Hero, and as there WAS
| then a little wind, the wing was lot rene wed
| but both vessels crrpt on under sail In this
| manner, now creeping on for teW hours with
| a faInt wind then steamiug q little through
| Gains and tUgs, me lst OF Noyemb Der found Tie
ships in that part OF the ocean called I" the be-
| ginning OF the Chops of the Channel" with
| the sea ike glass, tOgs by night with a long fog
| swell, and y steady easteriy wind against US
| during the day. On this, the LIST of November,
| wewere GOO miles from the LiZard-at noon on
| Monday, the 5th, We were 430. = x On
| the morning of the iIh the wind came deci-
| dedly tair-a strong sou'wester, under which,
| running before the wind both ships went hiss
| ing and rushing through the water at the rate
| OF more than twelve knots an hour.
The run to Plymouth was soon made, and
| before 10 A. NJ. the Hero and the Ariadne cast
| anchor inside the breakwater, the ships in the
| Sound and III the harbJr, and the batteries on
| shore, salutlng the Princes flag. In very
| short time his Royal Highness was ready to
| land For the last time the ships manned
yards, salu es were fired as the ROYAL standard
| came down from the Hero, and, amid cheers
| from the crews of the Hero and Ariadne, The
Prince OF Wales quilted The Royal So uadron,
| and his long progress was brought 10 G close
| HIS Royal Highness landed at the Royal viii
| liam FIciuaIiing- yard, " here he " as received
| by the Plymouth Volunteers and a guard OF
/ honor Of The 18th. a. the station, Colonel
| Llmbrick and 100 Royal Marines formed a
| guard OF honor on the platform.