UST 2. _

THE ROYAL CHARTER AND THE. . AUSTRALIAN WUTE. The Melbourne correspondent of th Times has the following remarks:—

“The principle upon which the Royal Charter is built and equipped seems to me to be that which is most likely to reduce the voyage from England to Australia to as

near an approach to a certainty as is poss ble.

speed which"tias yet been attained by

den.

2-3rds knots per hour. the Lightning on her first voyage 336 miles,

or M ltnots per hour. The Lightning also nautical miles in seven days, or

ran nearly 300 miles a day.‘

During the voya e of the Royal Charter Her

steam was rosortc to on 14 ays. best day’s run under steam was 252 miles,

with a consumption of only I0} tons of coal ; her worst day's run under steam was 166 miles, with a consumption of M tons, Her total consumption The

and 8 cwt. of coal. ofcoals was only I93 tons I7 cwt. pressure of steam was lllb.

Thus her remarkable voyage was made

principally by means of her extraordinary sailing powers, and her screw propeller was emphatically auxiliary.

Her engines are only of200-horse power,

and, with all the fuel that she can possibly goquire, occupy but a moderate porportion of her tonnage, thus leaving ample space for cargo as well as passengers. Contrast this with the Great Britain, the first great experiment of the same enterprising firm. She was under-rigged as a sailing vessel, and her screw, which could not be uiiship- ped, was alivays in requisition. Her con- sumption of coal was from 35 to 50 tons per diem. She consumed about 1,200 tons from Melbourne to the Cape, and must have consumed about 2,500 on the homo- ward voyage. She had to seek for and take in coal at Algoa Bay, zit Simon’s Bay, at St. Michael's (Azores), and at Vigo Bay in Spain. Large as she was, she had little room for cargo, and although she had plenty of passengers, her voyages must have on- tailed loss on the owners.

After the failure of their first great ex- periment, one cannot but admire the thorough English pluck of the owners of the Royal Charter in thus trying a new venture. I firmly believe they will sue- ceed. The Ship is “ booked full” for the homeward voyage already. She will have a full cargo, and will most likely carry home every ounce of gold accumulated for shipment up to the date oflier sailing, name- ly, the 22nd of May.

The prevailing character and direction ofthe winds between the coast of England and Melbourne seem to me to prove that the auxiliary screw fitted to a ship of the best sailing powers fulfils all the conditions upon which a rapid voyage depends. The north-east trade is a fair wind, the south- east trade is now made a fair wind by the present method of great circle sailing, or rather the “ Composite course,” as it is called ; which is as near an approach to the great circle as is practicable. The wester- ly winds which prevail to the southward of the latitude ofthe Cape are always fair all the year round. With these fair winds, which cover about live-sixths of the voyage, steam is only an incumbrance. Auxiliary steam power is useful and necessary in

three localities. 1. From the port of de-« parture to the northern limit of the" north- east trade. This is not always necessary, as the wind that blows has often, I may say generally, plenty of northing in it. 2. Steam is necessary in crossing the belt of equa- torial calms. Thisa he is greatly narrow- ed by the courses steered in recent tlmes. Ships used to cross the eqeatoras far to‘ windward as possible, say, about’22 west longitude~—lhey now cross much further west--say 32. As the belt of calms nar- rows gradually to the westward. it is fre- quently only three or four degrees. By crossing well to the westward, ships have carried the north-east trade to 4,!!! north latitude, and have met the south-east trade even-north of the line, vlrying with the season of the year. 3. After losing the

She is, in the lirst lace, a fully rigg- ed clipper ,ship, cspab e of the greatest clip- pers of the first class, and best construction. She is built of iron, and of 3lXl0 tons bur- Her greatest day's run under canvas was 359 miles, being an average of I

The best run of

‘south-east trade, there is the “belt of varia-

bles" to be crossed, until the ship is rlli into the prevailing westerly wind. In all the above three localities, the auxiliary screw comes into play. Four, dvo, or six days run the ship into_ the north-east trade; two days (and perhaps even lcll than one, under‘ good management) ppshher across the belt of equatorialgcplnu. Four, five, of six days more carry her “the southern edge of the south-east trhdipcross the vari- ables to the latitude of the wilerl winds—a latitude which also varies with t oseasons. Sometimes even in the generally constant northeast trade,there will happen an unusual or abnormal check. In the south-east trade, this is less unusual; a south-east gale will

I-

during more than 15 days. The voyage must, in fact, be made by the sailing pow- ers of the ship ; the screw must be treated as auxiliary.

It would not surprise nie,iltht-. Lightning, the James Baines, and the Donald M‘Kay, with some of the fastest of the rival line,

8Cl'8WB.

dient, and with ships ofa larger class.

Fiiiourrui. Exri.ostoN.

sliiro, wlioii the loss of human life was most friglii."ul. About I80 men went down lshort time l|'ilt'I', the liari-owing intelligence of an explosion of" tire-damp ” spread through the works. The news ran like wildfire through the district, and hundreds of wives,cliildreii and friends, rushed to the colliery, as quickly as possible, took all the necessary precautionary iiicnsures for pre-

things below. When the “damp” had been somewhat cleared away, a part de- scended to their work, and a truly horrible spectacle met their eyes in every direction. By eleven o'clock, 24 black and lifeless bodies were exhumed from the pit, and dur- ing the day, continued exertions on the part of the courageous men who were en- ed in their perilous search, succeeded in bringing 62 to the surface. The scene around the pit’s mouth was most distressing. Hundreds of women were there in ugonis- ing suspense, examining the countenance of the dead to discover the lineaments of a husband ora son ; and when this fright- ful recognition took place, the screams were most painful. During the whole of the day, this dreadful state of things con- tinued, and even in the following night, amidst the storm of rain and hurricane of wind, the poor creatures hung about the mouth of the pit, still awaiting the dead. By Wednesday, no les than I10 dead bodies had been taken fi'om the pit ; out of I16 who had gone down, only six were saved, and these in a frightful state.

ruarnsii rut-ricuuiiis.

Mr. George Owerton, of Merthyr, commenced his inquisition on Wednesday morning at the Ty Newyed, or Newhouse

at their homes invarions parts of the val-

ley. The spectacle, in the great majority .

b

if there was any foul air o reaiicendedat about six o‘ oek, practiti- eing tlie'£lt safe.

alto:-i ed, before some had strippod’lifl' their clothes to commence work—the ter- rible gas explodcd, and the slfrighted peo- ple ran hither and thither for a few mn- ments. Then one fell in the dark, and others staggering alon dead companions, and gl some were struggling amid the tortures of the

and in other places, in sidings or niches in the level, men had sat down to await their fearful doom, and had died with their ol-

If’ in theldt In less than ufhflir

stumbled on their ldeadalsoi. Hero,

re. There was a tram full of boys all dead;

ows resting on their knees and their faces

sometimes overpower the prevailing wester- ly winds. These would, of course, increase the deninnds upon the screw; but, on the other hand, these anomalous winds will he sometimes compensated by a fair wind out ofthe Channel, and by equal luck across the belt of variables. On the whole, I do not think the screw will often be needed

buried in their hands. Some had struggled forward, no doubt hoping to reach the air- way and possibly escape. Workmcn were immediately put on to supply coflins for the dead. There they were, working homily with the saw and plane, to construct rude shells in which to deposit the unfortunate dead in their untimely graves, amid the crowds of eager people, still waiting to see

the last of the dreadful catastrophe. were in the pit at the time of the explosion

killed.

OwNsas.—We learn from Thomas Ryan. P

There

bout thirty horses, which have been also

A Viu.inni.I: Tiiinsit Snir in Sxancn oi‘

i

should be at once fitted with auxiliary If the London owners wish to maintain their position in the passenger trade, they must resort to the same expe-

Another of those fiiglitful and desolating explosions of coal gas which have so fre- quently occurred in the VVelsh basin oflnte, took pliice on Tuesday morning at the Cym- mer colliory, ncar Pontypridd, Glainorgan-

lto their li:i-/..~iidous occupation, and in a

paring to descend to examine the state of

Vice-Consul for France at this port, tliatiulie has received a letter from the French aut'iiori- ties at the Island ofSt. Pierre (off the on at of Newfoundland) containing the following suite- ment:—-On the 6th September, 1854, the lhench steamer *‘ Ln Vesta” met with a Britis' A built vessel of some 400 tons burden, wit‘; poop- cabin, laden with timber, abandon ad and waterlogged, at sea, and brought her v into St.

ierre harbor. The name of the vs "at had been broken_oll', and no papers or 0th gr means of ascertaining her ownershi or p- ,1-3 of do- parturo were .found_on boar , exce[ icing that some of the timber in her bare tht , mink of “ E. & C0., llllltltlwfllkll." Tl‘! _g ci]-gum. stance was duly reported to the Imp "int Min- ister of Murine am the Colonies. li y “mo” in. structions the St. Pierre autlio rm“ now, through Mr. Ryan, advertise the fun. of the case, that the owners of the vessel ,0; cm-go, if belonging to Canada, may take s up. for their recovery. The mark on the timbi ". (John Egan &Co.) would almost certainly indicate Que. bec as tho ort of departure of t ,1“, .i,,,.,.1oned vessel.— arilreal Herald.

A SKETCH. Not long ago, as we eat Broadway, we hailed on oi ped in, the better to cnjc tacle.

In that omnibus sat a 5 mean, that there was on nor need you smiliugly

no slowly down litiibus and step- .y that gay spec-

inncr. \’Ve do not ly one person in it.

mkwdultfléed, or into the fact of whose ad rat , . e wpnldnotia u Ilte"Iat Iirdladiemwflo Mary told Maria,-the wostl her. while all the-time ill“ she was rejoiced at ’MIria’q.II§!coming

ire. Oppo- sweetly, and ighted to see r secret heart

bonnet, becauseshe lttidw ll’? Would both meet Adonis when all I! ‘llll she was no sorry, tlierefiro‘, that ‘ if°U'l bonnet sh Id be unbecom' i’ o

other side of the sinner sat a who had “ made an operation ” inteflonally to put a fellow speculator into " a tight place.“

The sinner knew both the gentlemen. Both the gentlemen had supped with him. They had both cashed little notes with him One of them had privately _inip|ored the sinner for the sake of his wife and chil- drsvn not to be hard with him, and the sinner had listened to him. Both the gen- tlemen eould not possibly know him in I public conveyance. Morality, decency, and social order required that they should not well—-we mean should not recognise in an omnibus—such a public sinner. This sinner did not claim any acquaintance. There was not even a sly wrinkle about the mouth or crushing ofthe eye—uoihmg that betrayed any kind of consciousness.

This sinner was a gambler, but in every gambling transaction there are two parties. When men go at night to _ quiet holllel with the blinds drawn, and with no remark- able illuminiition, and tap gently or ring and nod to the porter tranquilly, and take a little supper at the liospiiablo board, and also take it cuniary interest in the cards which are salt, and play until one or two o'clock in the morning, _or, some- times, even ltitor, they go as intelligent and responsible parties to a contrnct,and if the host is a criniinnl, n blackleg. and "0 gentleman, they are criminals, blscklegs, and no gentlemen. _ The question in our mind ‘was how to treat this sinner. He was a sinner; l!'_'““" ed ; but so was every body in the omnibus. He was a critninal, he had broken the laws of the State ; true, but so Iind our worthy friends who visited his modest mansion. He was, so to say, a professional sinner 5 true, but the wrong is in the sin, not in the profession. He lived upon men’s credulity and weakness ; yes,_but the same may be said of many pursuits esteemed reputable Patent medicines, hack books, political newspapers, are in the seine category. In one word, this sinner was a gambler true, and he was also a man and a brother. It is singular, to the mind of ti Chinese philosopher, that in a Christian country the Christinii view of people and things is the

add that when the

omnibus started again, I “mm were No sin.

ners sitting in it.’ abstract human sinfu' and recognized sin. or was one ofthe o whom stock spec‘ acknowledged ; w to false invoices \ whom gentlemen inau must look the seller is by the purchaser, whom, in line steal, in the wnys—il', ha have utterly

The individual oll'end-

7 no means the keeper

For this discountenaneed. f . I -sinner was a gambler, a pro- e.°5'°"° mbler ; a man who occu- p'°d 9"" adsome house, of a very modest enerlor I aspect, furnished with luxury, and pi whom it hospitable board a seductive sup- Per mi 5 nightlv spread. This sinner was 35:2‘ lcirian whose acquaintance was im-

3-

'he question is not of , mess, but of concrete

ntlawed sinners, a man 3'“_“° ulators would not liave-P""“s llotn traders who swear vould not have spoken to; whose creed is, that every out for liiniself, and that, of1Y°“ would have overlooked ;i

, people who swear, lie,’ and recognized and conventional ply, any such there be—wou|d

who could easily have told the

IT

cases, was frightful,the major part of the un- fortunate deceased having met their deaths from the fire, not the choke-‘damp, the for- ' mor causing the body to become charred

duty it was to examine the pit, to ai

Inn at the upper end of the valle . The um, F °f ‘Ml’? °f "'9 P"'°"_$°"° l". ""3 jury then proceeded to view they bodies, 0"" iibus and have nddefl 3°_m° _l'"l° l“"""° which lay amid their sorrowing relatives, fa. “'9'”! ‘l°“"'- Th" "M9" ‘'3' P0"

stly well dressed and modest, Iiitl gentle- ianly in his department ; his" boots, in

.ruth, were of unusiialpelish, and his he of an unparalleled glo

i

ladies stepped in _or out, was v_ory attentive ' in passing up their moneyvand in rotectiii .

and literally scorched to almostacindr " ll'°l" ‘l""°" TM’ 'i'"'°" ' m M‘

while the “datnp" causes death b sat "- worn-n c-ruins bake“ WM Pl“'’l!l'' 5"- cation and loaves’ but little u on the or ‘f°' 1001! l>l|¢i|' l"“k°“ °'f°f“l'Y “ld. h°lP°‘“ °"‘ tenande except an expressionp like th’ fin’ ‘O "'1" ‘ml P"'°d ‘mil’ W959?» l‘°l‘""K sleep. it apps". gin; gg Tug“). mo ‘*0’ his hand. for the change. is sinner, 117 men and boys went down’ int '50” yooation in life was“ wing"! ‘:‘hl.‘°'" °"'""°' Pr *'° to: :.°:::":.:. '.'::.":.’....*‘.'..°.:::';*° .3‘; :::..':.=.

‘“'“l" a merchant who sold liquors, that he knew

as. This sinner,when

one which is uniformly omitted.

Let us only understand the rule. Let it only be clearly settled, that we are not to bow to any man whom we know to have d, or to have sinned up to a certain and the matter is easily arranged. We shall then have some palpable measure of virtue. It might be understood, for in- lstatice, that no niiiii’s hand was able to be ‘shaken who had defrauded to an amount be- d twcnty thousand dollars. Gamblers should be acknowledged by n ceremonious nod, the nod as being of itself indicativ'e of intimacy. Forgers should receive a cold bow ; and murderers the ctit direct.

But who are to be considered murderers? The other day one gentleninn killed another hy way of ropiiiriiig his honor, which had been insulted iii a drunken Bprfie illlld l workman killed a fellow workman who had wronged his sister and refused reparation; and Deacon Schiedam sold live hogslieads of that pure old Bung brand which lasts such an enormoustime. In t esams paper it was -recorded, that a boy. had slain his employer and robbed the till, and that a “girl had killed the baker who had refused to give her a loaf of bread except upon his own conditions. ‘ _

Who ol' all these has committed murder.

That may be diflicult to decide. But it is not ditiieult to decide, for we all know it, that Reginald and De Courcy, went to Bob Shat‘loe's last night and gambled, and that thpy will go a great ni_aiiy more nights d ' " ble ; and it that point be clear, and itbe conceded that we most ‘not’ speak to Bobshalloe when we met hall in III 0|? nibus because he,ls gambler. llloti we ' mill! not speak to Rignald and De Coursey, who are also gamblers, whenever and wherein!‘ we meet them. What is sauce for Shattoo

is sauce for the Emperor of Siam.

t