Herald of the times. [volume], February 26, 1846, Image 2

About Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846

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(Continued from first page.)
tiguity, enforced by other considerations.—
‘Vhe strongest of hivke was that it conld
oot consist w.th oathesl law, that the Br.
ih colonics With u population ol near
twa milions, ¥hould be confined 10 the nae
row delt of land hetween the Atlantic and
the Alleghany Monntaing, and that the right
derived from the discovery of the main niver
should be carried 10 such an eatent as
nllow the French colonies, with a population
of fifty thousand, rightfully 10 cinim the
whole valley of the Mississippr. "I'he con
test was decided by the sword, By the trea.
ty of peace of 1762, the Mississippi, with the:
exception of New Orleans and its immedinte
vici . was made the bowndnry, The
l“rm nut only lost all that part of the valley
which :Iy east of that niver, bat they were
compellod to cede Canada 1o Ureat Britain,
{t may, however, happen that all l?fl vari
ons claims from which a title may be derived,
instead of pertaining o several Powers, and
giving rise Yo conflicting pretensions, are
wnited and rightfully bhelong to one nation,
Thin union, if entire, may justly be consider.
et ax giving & complete and exclusive title ty
the sovereignty of that part of the country
embraced by such united claims,
The position assnmed by the British Gov
ernment, that thase various claims exclude
ench other, and that the nssertion of one
torbids an appeal to the other, 18 obviously
untenable. All that can be #aid i that re
apect s, that if any ope cinim 14 nlone authi
cient to eatablish a complete and indi-puta
ble title, an appeal to others is supe:fluons,
T'hos fur, and no tarther, can the objection
be mmntained, The argument on the part
of the United States in renlity was, that the
government considered the title derived from
the ancient exclusive Spanish claum as -
dimputahle 3 but thar, 1 this was denied, 01l
the other just elaims of the United Sites
taken together constituted a complete utle,
or at least far superior to any that could be
addnced on the part of Great Britain,
[t i# not intended 1o enter into the merits
of the question, which hnz been completely
thscussed, mince the übject of this paper 1+
only to show that there remain on buth sides
dedatable questions @ wnd that therefore both
governments may, it g 0 disposed, recede
from some of their pretensions, without any
abandonment of positive nghts, nnd without
impairing of national honor and dignity,
Although Great Britain seems, in this dis
cussion, to have relied almost exclosively on
the right derived from actunl occupancy and
eettlement, she cannot r ject ahsolutely those
derived from other #ouices. She must admit
that.bothintheory and practice the claims de.
rived from prior discovery from contiguity, from
the principle which gives to the first discover
erof the mouth of a river and of 118 conrse »
elain to the whole country drained by such
river have all hewn recognised to a certain,
thonghnot well-defined vxtent by all the Euro
pean natiens clauning varions portions of
Amerien, And she eannot deny the facts, that
us (Mr Greenhow justly coneludes) the sea
shore had heen generally examond trom the
42dnad wnurely from the 45th 1o the 48th de
gree of latitnde, Nootka Sound discovered,and
the general direetion of the coast from the 48th
to the 58th degree of lnnitude sscertuined, by
the Spanish expeditions, in the years 1774
and 1775, of Perez, Hecetn, and Bodegary
Qoadra ; that the American Captain Gray
was the first who, in 1792 entered into and
sscertained the existence otthe River Co
fonchia and the place where 1t empties into
the sen 5 that, prior to that discovery, the
Spaniaed tleceta was the first who hind been
within the bay, called Deceprion Bav by
Menres, into which the niver does empty ;!
that, of the faur navigators who had heen inl
that bay prior to Gray's final discovery, the |
Spamard NMecevn and vhe Ameiican ey
were the gnly onea who had asserted that o
grent river ewptied itself into that bay Hee
eta having ¢ven given a name to the nver,
(3. Rocjand the entrance having been desig.
nated by s own name (Ensennada do Hee.
eta) whilst the two Hogiish nuvugn'nrs,llvurcn’
ard Vanconver, had hoth eoncloded that no
Inege river iad i 3 month there ; that in the |
year 1805, Lewis and Clark were the first |
who descended the river Columbia, from one
of s principal westeen sonrces to 118 mouth ;
that the first setunl occupancy o that qonr
ter was by Mr. Astors company, on the 240
of March, 15811 thouzh Mr. Thompson, the |
adtronomer ot the Brti-h Northwest c¢om
pany who arnived at Astaria on the 15th uf’}
Infy, may have wintered on or near some
nonhern gource of the river in 52 devreos
worth datitnde 3 that amongst the factories
“estublished by that Awenean company unv!
was situated ar the confluence of the Okana
gan with the Columbia, o about 49 degrres
of Bntitade § that the 320 dogree 18 the houn.
dury west of the Stony Mauntains, estabhsh
ed by tieaty between Npain, now Mexico,
and the United States; that the 4Ooth degree
i likewise the boundare, from the Lake of
the Woaods: ta the Stone Mouieina establish.
od by treaty berween Great Britan and the
United States ; and that therelore the right
of the Umted Sintes, which may be derived
from the principle of contiguity or cmmumly,‘
embraces the territory west of the Sty
Mountaing contamned between the 424 and
ANh degree of latitade. |
Omitting other considerations which apply
principally to the teeritory north of Fuea's
Straie, where the cla:ms of both parties are
almost exelusively derived from their respec.
tive discovenies, ineloding those of Spamn, it
mAy be rationally inferced from the preceding
@onmeration that there remain various gues
gtogn which must be consudered hy Great
Bewetn ns being sull doubttul and debatable,
and that she may therafore, without nny
sbandonmont of positive richte, recede from
the extreme pretensions which she has nd.
vanced iw the discussion respecting a divi
mion of the territory. But, althongh conjee
tures mry be lermed, and the course pursned
by the Government of the United Srates may
have an influence on that which Great
Britaia will adopt, it dovs pot belong to e
to disenss what the Government may or will
do. “Ihis paperic inteuded tor the American,
pwd not for the Boghsb pablc ;and oy atien
tion has been prineipally directed to those
porstz which may be comsidersd by the
U ced States as doubiotuf pad debaiabie
It was oxpreesly stipnlated thet sothing
cotaiaed g the conventione of JRIR and
1207 Lo b constrned 1o impair, 67 in any
manner wfjec!, the elaims which either of the
eonlracting partics may have to any parf of
the country westwaid of the Stony or Rocky
Moonutaing. Alicr the most eool and impar
tial anvestigation of which [ am capable, |
have not been wble to pereeive any claim on
the part of Great Brtan, o debatable ques
ton respecting the termtory south of Fuea's
Brearts, but the spocies of occupancy by the
Bratish Fur Companes hetween the year 1813
and October 40, 1818, and this must be
considered 10 counexion with the restoration
ol “all terntury, pingos gl posseasione what
soever, tahen by cvlior party from the other
doring the war” peovided dur by the treaty
of Ghent, To thus Yraoeh of the lllh""c‘ he
longs alao the questioe whether the estab-
Hshment of trading factores with fndians may
eventunily give w aght fo wovereignty, My
own opinion was cxpregecd o the Amernean
counter saatement of the case, dated Wih
M eembor, 182 G 4t s believed that mere
factories, esabliched «oicly for the purpose
of teafficking walk the watwes, and withowt
fany view 1o culiwation sad permanent set .
‘Uement, cannat, of thewmselves, and unsup.
‘ported by anv other consideration, give any
better utle o donvmion snd absolute soy |
fercignty than similar establishments made
wna ewihzed country.”™ However troe this
may be o oan abstenct proposition it mnst be
dmptted that, practically, the modest British
'hm.ry at Calentta has actually grown up
o abisolute and unidisputed spvereignty over
# population of eighty millious of people,
| The questions which, an it appenis to me,
lminy be allowed by the United States to be
(debdatnble, nud therefore 1o make 1 guestion
able whether they hisve a camplete night o
JAthe whale Oeegon territory, are @
. 1t I'he Nootka Cowvention, which ap
plies to the whole, and which, though not of
primary importance, is nevertheless o fact
cand the inferences drawn from it a matter of
argument,
~ dly, ‘rhe discovery of the Straits of
Fuea,
| 3dly, North of those straite: along the
(#easshores,the discovenes of the Betish eon
[trasted with those of the American and
;flpunian navigatora : in the interior, the ques.
tion whether the discovery of the wouth of
}lllw river, imphes without excephion a com
‘;plelo right to the whole conntry druined by
Call the tributaries of such river ; and also the
i. British elnin 10 the whole werrnory drained
by Frazer's river—ita sources having been
(discovered in 1792 by Sir Alexander Macken
zie, factories having been established upon it
by the Botsh as estly as the year 1806, snd
(the whole nver thence to its mouth having
'heen for a number of yenrs exclusively nav-
Hgated by British subjeets,
" It uppears to me sufficient generally to
nggest the controverted points, T'hat whieh
relates to aca’s Straits 18 the most impor
tant, and deserves particnlar consideration,
| I Fuoea’ vayage w 1592 conld be proved
[to be an anthentic docoment, this would set
tle at once the question in favor of the United
(States : but the voyage was denied i the
[introduction to the voyage of the Suul and
‘Mexicano. ‘l'his was an official docoment,
"pubhished under the auspices of ihe Spanish
Guovernment, and intended 1o vindicate Spain
ngainst the charges that she had contributed
(nothing to the advancement of geography in
those quarters. “I'has negative evidenee was
‘coufirmed by Homboldt, who says that no
trace of such vovage cun be fonnd i the
nrchives of Mexico. Unwilling 1o adduce
any donbifal faer, I abstaimed from alluding
to 1t n the etatement of the Awmerican case
fin 182 G, Later researches show that, al.
though recorded evidences remamn of the
vovages of Gali from Mucao to Acapuleo in
1524, of the Santa Ana (on board of which
‘was, ns he says, Fuca himself) from Ma
Totlla to the eoast of Cahiformin, where she
T" was captured in 1557 by Cavendish, and of
L Vizeamno in 1602-1603, and even of Maldonn
do's fictitious voyage in 1588, yet no trace
has been found i Bpain or Mexico, of Fuca’s
Lor any other similar voyuge, in 1692, or there-
Cabont,
On reading with attention the brief ae
count published by Purchas, | will say that
the voyage itself has much internal evidence
of its truth, but that the inference or con
felusion throws wuch diseredit on the whole.
The only known acconnt of the vovage is
that given verbally at Vemce in 1506, by
'Foeaa Greek pilot, to Mr. Lock, a respecta
‘ble Enghish merchant, who transmitted it to
Purchas,
i;’ Fuea savs that he had been seen by the
{ Viceroy ot Mexico to discover the stiaits of
| Aninn and the passage thereof into the sea,
l which they ealled the North Sea, which s
Cour Northwer sl Sea ; that between 47 and 48
[ degrees of latitinde he entered into a broad
Limlet, throngh which he sailed wmore than
Ctwenty days 3 and, bewng then come into the
' Narth Sea nlready, and not being suflimenlly'
| nrmed, he returned agmin to Acapuleo. He |
offered then to Mr. Lock to gointo England |
“and serve her Majesty in a voyage for the
~discovery pertectly of the Northwest pnsangnl
into the Sonth Sea. If it be granted that
‘the inlet throngh which he had smied was
crenlly the same ns the straits which m-wg
vear his ninme, that =ew into which he emery
edy and whieh he snys 1o be our .\’orlhwral‘
Sea, mnst have been that which is nuw,
enlled Queen Charlotte’s Sound north of
- Quadra and Vancouver Island, in abomt sl|
Cdegrees of latitude, ludson’s Strane had
not been discovered, and the discovery nf,
Davis’s Strans might not be known to Fucu.|
ÜBnt no navigator at that time, who, Jike him, |
smiled across both the Atlantic and the I’n-|
cific Ocenne, conld be ignorant that the |
northern extremity of Newfoundland, which !
hes neari s the same lantude as the north-|
ern entrance, ‘T'he only way to rccnncife‘
the account with atself is, to suppose that
["uca believed that the continent of Amerivn’
did noty on the side of the Atlantie, oxlend'
turther north than abont the GOth degree, and
i was bounded northwardly by an open acn.,
whieh extended an far west as the northern !
Lexiremity of the inlet through wihich he had |
satled. Trls true nevertheless that, between |
the yenars 1774 and 1792, there waws a prevails |
g opimon amongst the navigators that Fuca |
Chad actunlly discovered an et leading to- |
~wards the Atlantic, Prior to the year I7S7|
Cthey were engaged ain seeking for it, and the !
Spaniards had for that purpose explored in |
~vain the scacoast lying south of the 48th de- |
“gree ; for itis well known that Fuca’s ('n-i
trance lies between the 48th and 49:h, andf
(ot between the 47th and dBth degiees of |
atitude as he had annonnced. |
- Tle wodern discovery of that inlet is dig
to Captain Barelay, an Eoghishman, com
manding the Impernal Eagle, n vessel owned
by British merchants, but which was equip
ped at and took its departure from Ostend,
and which smiled uvnder the flag of the Ans
trian Kaot Indhia Company. T'he British
Government, which has objected to the A
merican claun denived from Captan Gray's
discovery ot the mouth of the river Columbia,
on the ground that he was a private individ
nal, and that Ins vessel was not a public ship,
cunnot certainly claim any thing i virtue of
a dizcovery by a private Englishman, sniling
under Aunstrinn colors, o that case, and re.
jecting Fuoee’s voyage, neither the United
States nor England can lay any claim on ac
connt of the discovery of the straits,
Subsequently, the Enaglishinan, Mearcs,
aniling wnder the Portaguese flag, penetra
ted, in 1758, about ten milvs into the nlet,
and the Amernican, Greay, in 1729, abont fifty
miles, I'he pretended voyage of the sloop
Washmgton throughout the straite, under
the command of either Greay or Kendrick,
hias no other foandation than an assertion of
Meares, on which no reliance can be placed,
C I the year 1790 [1791 according to Van- |
‘couver) the Spaniards Elisa and Quimper ex- |
plored the straits more than one hundred
wiles, discovering the Port nmcnvory, the |
entrance of Adunralty Inlet, the Deception
Poesage, and the Canal de Haro, In 1702
"Vuncouver explored and surveyed the siraite
throvghouf, together with their various bays
and hachore, BEven there he had been pre
ceded in part by the Snuland Mexicano ; and
he exprosses hue gegret that they had ad |
vaneed before hun ns far as the Canal del)
Rosario, % ;
Under o)l the er=cometances of the ease, it
eanuot be doubted that the United States
et adinit that the diseovery of the straits
and the varous inferenecs which mny be
drawu from 1, are doubttal and debatable
f4uestions,
Thot whneh relates to a presaomed agree
et of Commissioners appooted ander the
troaty of eecht by wineh the northern
houndiory of Cannda was, from a cortnin point
north ot Lake Supenior, deelared to extend
woateely along the 400 h parallel of latitude
dovs net uppwne to me defimtely settied, A
taw had twn weeamad, many years before,
ae 0 poctiee dget, and bad never been contren
dieted, § algn wesined 1t as soeh, and did not
W lily avestigate the =ubject, Yet |
Lad betore e ot least one map, (name ol
hlisier ot roeatlosted ) of which 1 have a
wid v bl ctpon, on whwh the dividing
woe wepr Datetly marked wnd expressly
HERALD OF THE TIMES,
designated, as being in conformity with mei
agrecment of the Commissioners under the
treaty of Utrecht, The evidence aganst the
fact, though in some respects strong, is pure
ly negative, The hae, according to the
map, extended from a certain point near the
source of the river Saguenay, ina westerly
direction, to another designated poiut on
another river emptying either into the Bi,
Lawrence or Jumes’s Boy; and there were,
in that way, four or five lines following ench
other, all tending westwardly, but with dif
terent anchinations northwardly or southward
ly, and all extending, from some apparently
Cknown point on a designated river, to sncther
[sinnlar poiot on another river ; the rivers
Ilhcml(‘le emptying themselves, some into
(the river Bt. Lawrence and others 110 Janes’s
‘lhy or [lndson's Bay, untl, from a certain
poist lying north of Lake Supenor, the Line
was declared 1o extend along the 49th de
]gm-e of latitude, as above stated. It was
with that map before me that the following
paragraph was inserted in the American
stotement of December, 1820 :
[ *l'he hmits between the possessions ol
|Great Britmin in North America, and those
(ot France in the same quarter, nnmely, Can
'uda and Lomsiana, were determmed by com-
Lmissioners appointed in pursusnce of the
i-rony of Utrecht. From the coust of Labra
{dor to a certain point north of Lake Superior,
l'huse limits were fixed according to certain
lmetes and bounds, and from that point the
lline of demarcation was agreed to extend in
[defimtely due west, along the forty-ninth
putallel of north latitude, [t wne in con
lt'mmuy with that arrangement that the U.
nited States did clawn that parallel as the
{northern boundary of Louisiana. It has been
|nccordingly thus settled, as lar on the Stony
[Mountains, by the convention of 1818, be
tween the United States and Great Britain,
‘iund no ndequate renson can be given why
'the same bonndary #hould not be continued
‘as far as the cluims of the United Siates do
(extend, that is to say, as far as the Pacilic
{Ocean,”
‘ It appears very extraordinary that any geo
grapher or map maker should have imvented
|a dividing line, with such specific details,
lg without having sufficient grounds for baliev
|lng that it had heen thus determined by the
|| Commisgioners under the treaty of Utrecht.
It 18 also believed that Douglass’s Summary
(not at this moment witlun my reach) adveris
to the portion of the hue from the coast ol
Labrador to the Sanguenay, Finally, the
‘tnllu.uun to the 49th parailel, as a boundary
fixed in consequence of the treaty of Utrechr,
“lm«l been repeatedly made in the course of
oreceding negotiations, as well as i the
'c"nh:reucuo of that of the year 1326; andl
| there is no npparent maotive, if the assertion
| was known by the British negotiators not to
|be founded n fact; why they should not at
once hnve denied it. It may be, however,
' that, the question hauving ceased to be of any
Cinterest to Great Britwin since the ncquisition
- of Canada, they had not iwvestigated the sub
CJeet. Itis of some Importance, because, 1f
ivnulhvnucnlcd, the discnssion would be con
verted from questions respecting undefined
claims into one concerning the construction
(of a positive treaty or convention. “
Itas sufliciently clear thaty under all the
Ccircumstances of the case, an ameable di l
viston of the territory, 1" at all practicable, |
“must be founded in o great degree on expe l
!diency. This of course must be left to the |
'wisdom of the two goverminents, ‘l'he uul_vl
natural, equitable, and practical line winch |
“has occurred to me, 18 one which, running
throngh the middle ot Fuca’s Straits, from its
[entrance to a point on the main ®itnated
[ south of the mouth of Frazier’s river, should
Jleave to the United Statea all the shores and
harbors lying south, and to Great Beitain all |
";uum- onorth of that ine. inciuding the wlmh-l
lof Quadra and Vancouver's lsland. i
'would be throngh Fuca’s Straits a nearly ons- |
[terly line, along the parallel of about 48 1 2|
degrees, leaving 1o England the most valoa
ble and permanent portion of the fur trade,
‘dividing the sea-coast as nearly as possible
linto two equal parts, and the ports in the
l‘moul cquitable manner, To leave Admiraly
Inlet and Its Sounds to Great Britain, wou'd
|gave her a possession 10 the heait of the A
(merican portion of the territory., \\’hclher[
from the point where the hine would strike the
(main, 1t should be continued along the same |
paralicl or run along tie 49:h, is a matter of !
|secondary nnportance, i
| If such division shounld take place, the
right of the inhabitants of the country situa. |
[ted on the upper waters of the Columbia o |
(the navigation ol toat river to its mouth, 18|
founded on natural law ; and the principle
has alinost been recognised as the public law |
ol Eorope. Limited to commere)al purposes,
it might be adontted, but on the express con
dition that the eitizens of the Unied States
‘#hould in the same manner, and 1o the same |
‘extent, have the right to navigate the River
St. Lawrence. l
But T must way that, whatever may be the
ultimate destinies of the Oregon territory, |
would feel great regret in seeing it in any
wiy divided. An amicable division nppenrs
to me without comparison preferable 1o a
war for that object between the two coun.
tries. In every other view of the subject it
18 highly exceptionable. Without adverting
for the present to considerations of a higher
nature, it may be sufficient here to observe,
that the conversion of the northern part of
the territory into a British eolony would in its
effects make the arrangement very unequal.
The United States are forbidden by their
Constitution 10 give a preference to the
ports of one State over those of another.—
The ports within the portion of territory al
lotted to the United States would of conrse
remain open to British vessels; whilst Amer.
ican vessels would be excinded from the
ports of the Britieh colony, unless occasion.
ally admitted by special acts depending on
the will of Great Britain, |
ALBERT GALLATIN.
[ The law ¢fficers of New Orleans, are de.
(termined to prosecute to the utmaost the
parties engaged in the late doel. T'wao
years ago this wonld have met with con
fdemnation by the poblie, but now, s great
18 the change of feeling on this subject,
‘there 18 a great desire to suppress duelling
‘altogether.
Whale Story —t'he New Bedford Mereury
«totes that the Sarah at Mattapoisett from
Atlantic Ocean, took a 100 bbl sperm whale,
i the blubber of which was tound the head
and about a foot of the shank of a harpoon
marked © Lyra” “ondoubtedly™ (anys the
Mercury) “belonging to the ship Lyra of this
port, which vessel satled henee July 33, 1828,
and was lost in August, 1829 on s reel near
Oahn.” "Vloe 18 a steange adventure for a
prece of Iron, but by ne means waprobable,
Ocean Sream Suivs —We lewrn that the
contenct has been entered o by the Gov.
cenment ot the Unied Brates with
Ocean Steam Navigation Company, charter.
vd i tins statey for the establishiment of o
hine ot steam ships, to ron between Now
York and Europe. A veseel 18 1o take hier
departure teace in ench month, for Cowes
and Bremen. The Government s 1o pay
FAOOOOO per annnm for the convevance o
the mail, &e, T'he veescls are to be of no
s than 1400 tons burthen, and they are 1o
make their voyages with speed not less
than that of the Conard line. The arrange.
ments for the bmilding are in active progress,
and it expected tint the first will he ready
to start on the Tet of Janvary, 1217, - N ¥
Com Advertiser.
A Bhipwreck Scene.
Ture Joun Maxrurs.—We have the
particulars of the melancholy loss of the
ship John Minturn ; and it is indeed an
afflcting accownt. The details subjoin
ed were communicated by Mr. King,
who was one of the crew, to the editors
of the Courier.
The ship received a pilot on board on
Saturday afternoon, and went ashore o
Sunday morning, between 9 and 10 o’-
clock, in the very height of the storm.—
She struck with tremendous violence,
and as the waves raised her up the se
cond time, she broke in two, but did not
entirely separate. The confusion at the
moment of striking was terrible, but
when the worst was known, every eflort
was made to do whatever could be per
tormmed under the circumstances, for the
preservation of the lives of those on
board, numbering in all filty-one souls,
imcluding five cabin and twenty steerage
passengers, The masts were cut away
to ease her, hut with very little effect, as
she continued to thump and grind terri
bly. T'he yawl boat was then cut loose
from the stern davits, but the surfl ran so
high, beforg she could be got around,
she swamped and was rendered useless.
The Captain, with his wife, son,
daughter and servant, together with the
cabin passengers, took refuge in the
;ipoop cabin, the only place where they
could be sheltered from the violence of
’lthe sea, which was pouring over them.
By great exertions, the long boat was
';cusl udrift, and launched over the bows,
‘ia!l of the head rigging having been pre
viously cut away, so that it should not
iinterfere with getting her off. Five of
};the crew, and vne of the steerage passen
. gers, a Portuguese, sprang int» her, and
|a long coil of line was stowed in the
ifslorn sheets, by which it was intended
|lO carry a hawser to the shore, and she
'shoved off. When near the shore, the
'under-tow was so strong it was found
limpossible to carry the line farther,
~and thuse in the boat were forced either
(1o cut it, or return to the ill-fated ship
| They chose the former course, and
landed n safety, having cut off the only
chance of saving those on board the
“wreek. I this situation they remained
‘exposed to the violence of the sea and
the cold, which was intense, for ice
formed aus soon as their clothes were
‘wet. Toward noon, all on board who
were alive, for some had already sunk
‘under their terrible sufferings, went
forward to the top gallant forceastle,’
where they lashed themseives as they
‘hest could, to prevent the sea from wash
ing them off. Capt. Stark and his mum,!
together with the pilot, remained, it is
‘thought, in the poop cabin, and about|
noon the vessel broke entirely in two, |
‘amidships, the after part drifting away |
and they were drowned. l
H All this tume the vessel was so near
(the shore that had any eflort whatever
“bheen made, by procuring a boat, every
'soul on board might have been saved,
“but it was not until eleven at night that
(any atteospt was made to reach the ves
'sel by those on land. The topgallant
(fomrecastle was crowded with the pas
sengers and crew, among them Mrs,
'Stark with her sun, a fine manly boy of
112 or 14 years of age, who had behaved
{thronghout with a coolness and cournge
lar beyond his years, her danghter, the
"female servant, and Mrs. Forbes the
‘wife of Mr. IFurbes, one of the cabio pas
sengers. Inthe early part of the day,
‘while struggling to get forward, Mrs.
Stark was throwndown by a water cask,
‘which had broken adrift, and one side of
(her face was entirely laid open,but she ut
(tered no murmurs or complaint, seeming
~anxions only for the safety of her hus
‘band and beloved children. In the af
ternoon the [orecastle broke in two, fore
‘and aft, and about half of those lashed
ilo it were precipitated into the wreck
beneath, where they met an instantane-
L ous death, Ofthe remainder, no one
‘was saved alive, all having perished
t.'l‘romllm combined eflfects of the cold
and the sea pouring over them.
| Fifteen of the unhappy sufferers, in.
clnding the captain’s wife and clnldren,
Cand a female stecrage passenger, with
~an infant, were clustered around the
(stump of the foremast, exposed for near-
Ay twelve hours to all the fury of the
‘storm, and ten of these died there be
(fure any atlempt was made to rescue
them, Mis. Stark, about five minutes
‘helore she breathed her last, turned to
King, the sailor, and begged him to save
‘her hushand and children, but they had
‘all gone before her. The female steer
‘age passenger, who had an infant at her
‘hreast, died in Mr. King’s arms ; and
‘when her body was found an Tuesday,
‘her infant was so closely clasped to
her breast, it was found impossible to
'separate them, and they were thus buri
ed.
Between 10 and 11 at night a boat
came from the shore, and ook ofl' the
survivors, viz: the second mate, two of
the crew and four of the steerage pas
sengers, who had lived through the aw
ful scene, making thirteen only saved
out of filty-one.
When the ship first struck, she was
not more than three lengths from the
heach ; and as the cargo wus washed
out of her, she was driven further on,
ontil at length she was so close that a
sttong man, unnumbed by the cold,
could readily have swung himself, by a
small eflort to the beach. In this posi
tion the entire day was passed, and no
effort was made to save one of them, the
boat, as we have gnid, not being brought
nntil near 11 at night,
The ship has gone to pieces 5 nothing
remaiing of her except the bottom,
which iy embedded in the #and by the
weight of the pig lead which formed pant
of the eargo. One of the sides and
sern and bow have dnfted away, and
are lying about a mile apart from each
uther
Ou bored tins ill fated vessel were
Capt. Babeock and mate, of the sehooner
Van Buren, which was wrecked at Gal
veston Bar, both of whom were drown
vd. Thinty-one bodies have been re.
covered, two of which were supposed
to have heen the captain and mate of
the bargue Lotty, and among them were
the wife and ehiddren of Capt. Stark.
The bodies of Capt. Stark and the pilot
have not yot been found. Many ol
'them were found lashed to the forecas
‘tle of the John Minturn when it drified
'un the shore, and twenty-three are now
;lying in a tavern near the wreck, where
'they will be kept until they nay possibly
{be recognized.
1' We huve endeavored to procure the
'names of the unfortunate persons who
|were drowned, but owing to the con
tl‘usiun at the scene, it was found impossi
’ ble. Capt. 8. W. Thompson, an agent
|for the underwriters, is at the beach to
|take charge of such property as may be
| washed ashore, us well as the bodies of
|ilhuso not yet recovered.
| The Express adds the following :
| The most melancholy part of the tale
remains to be told. Although the
'underwriters had surf boats, and all the
‘lnacessnry means for saving the lives ol
! persons in distress, the people on shore,
|who had collected at the report of the
} wreck, and the escaped seamen, showed
|a most culpable disregard of all the dic
tates of humanity, and made no attempt
Ito render aid tu the crews. ;
The efforts of Capt. Stark, until the
{time of his death, were counstant for the
\ preservation of his crew, and the more
|precious lives of his wife and children,who
\l'culled with all the confidence and earnest
|‘ucss of children for safety at the hands ol
‘a father and husband, who had no al
l‘lernalive but to say that all human help
' was in vain, Capt. Stark was dead be
fore the ship broke apart. At this time
his wife and cluldren were forward, and
'when the ship separated, fell between
/the parts, and no sound of life was after
iward heard from them. There was on
‘hoard a laige number of cabin passen
‘gers, some of whom had a large amount
of valuables. One man who had a gir
idle containing gold, in his distress offer
(ed $5OOO to any one who would place
‘him ashore. Assistance was not to be
‘obtained, and the unfortunate man and
his gold perished together.
. The conduct of Mr, Sturgis the sec
‘ond mate, is spoken of as in the highest
[degree to be commended, he having
'done all in his power for the safety ol
‘the ship and crew. He, only, of all the
'ship’s company al, was saved. The
‘crew of the ship Chervkee was not on
board ; but the steerage passengers were
imade up of a setof vile wretches who,
after their escape, plundered the wreck
‘The trunk of Capt. Stark was nifled, and
‘the chronometer stolen, and all the val
‘uables upon which they could lay their
hands were seized. Their ill-gatten
'wealth will do them little good, as the
[underwriters have taken the most effici
‘ent measures to regain it, and to punish
‘the offenders.
~ The wreck of the ship lies but two
lengths from the shore, and the loss of
so much life is surprising. All that was
possible was done by Capt. Stark and
the pilot, and had the rest of the crew
showed the courage of Mr. Sturges, a
less melancholy tale might have been
told. As it was, with Capt. Stark’s life
ended all rule. |
| Had all the unfortunate passengers
‘kept aft they would have saved their
lives, as the cabin was, in all the gale,
habitable, and would have been a com
plete protection. Three of the crew,
‘Samson Kwing, Danicl Mullen and J.
lsilvey, arrived yesterday, and made an
‘affidavit of the facts of the Board of
; Underwriters,
' More oF Tue Suipwreck.—-The
Pilots by the New York pilot Boat Blos
‘som, which left Squam Beach yesterday,
‘at one o’clock, brought up the body of
‘Mr. Keeler, a passenger. DMr. [Nitch
had to pay ten dollars to the wreckers
‘before he could obtain the body of Mr.
'Keeler. There were in the Methodist
‘chuich, yesterday, twenty-two bodies,
‘eight 1 the dead house, and eleven
'buried. All of these, but one, belung
'ed to the ship John Minturn. The,
capain, wife, son, and daughier all lay
‘together.
' The weather was so stormy that the pilot
'hoat nad to leave. She brought the
following seamen, belonging to the ship,
to the city :—John Banunister, Wm. Hill
rand Francis Smth. By some culpable
‘neglect, no vessel had reached there
to take either the dead bodies or the
crew to this city. It is supposed Mr.
Keeler hud a thousand dollars in his
belt, around his budy. The belt was
found but no money, and it is believed
‘he was robbhed. The body of Mr. Free
‘man, the pilot, has not yet been found
‘The pilot boat will go down again, with
‘a surl boat, as soon as the weather per-l
mits,
The threa men assert that a larger
portion of the erew and passengers might
have been saved, had the people from
the shore exerted themselves. A hoat
came off ronnd under the Bows of the
ghip and then went aghore without tak
ing one man ol =N, Y. Erpress of
Friday.
CoVarestises vor Tk Miios.—FEvery bod)
is yet pressed with the Valentine fever. T'he
Judge upon the beneh may Le seen during o
momentury pnuse of business to dreaw forth
from his pucket a curiously folded missive and
watelia glimpse of its contents, hurrying
back when again called upon to exercise his
official functions. "I'he budding girl reads, and
migalos, us she rnm.-oa her first “Valeutine."”
The blooming belle “sighs with sentiment,”
and blushes with love or anger, as the ease
may bo, ns she peruses the enigmatical sheet
g 0 tnll of satire or fluttery, and even the kitch
en maid comes timdly to “young wissus,” 1o
get her to decipher the chicken tracks whiel,
Betty suspects comes from the stable boy. Al
this 18 tare sport no doubt, and expecially edi
fving to the retailers of these precious seraps
of nonsense, The postmen lough and grow
fat as they pocket the pennies which St Val.
entine thas handsomely, though wmintention.
ally o far as any one can lenrn, pitehes into
their pockets. By the way, epeaking of post.
men and Valentines, reminds us ol one of thes
‘worthies who was arrested on Wednesday by
order of Alderman Hart for carrying the joke
a little tow Inr.
Hoappears this man was employed by th,
City Desputeh Postat the Post Oflice, 1o canny
ont tetters doring the great run ot Valentines,
and wishing to make the most of Ihe Johy b
very ingomionsly placed or teked anoa bl
note or Valentine at coch end of the letter, and
charged mine conteg stnting 1o the person r
ceaving the same, that it was a donble one
conseguently o letter whieh cost him one con
ntthe Post Oflice, was chnrged pine conts (i
wtheretore, he made cight cents clenr by the
operation, and no doubt has been making &~
or 10 a day by thie process, When arcested,
he hind about forty letters done up in this way .
all ready to deliver. <N Y. Erpress.
O ew Favmew —With no inheritanee bu
health, with no riches bat andostey, and we
ambition bt virtoe, he s the sole king among
Pwen, and the only man among kings
31 Days Later from Europe.
Tue Sreamsmie Camoria, Copt. Jud-
kins, arvived at Bosten on \\'odneuduyi
evening the 18th from Liverpool, whence
she left the 4th inst. The news by this,
arrival is important, disclosing the in-l
tention of the British Cabinet to effect
some important modifications in their!
tariff. The plan of Sir Robert Peel, in
reference to the corn laws, is a sliding‘
scale of duties for three years, termina
ting in admitting corn (ree. l
Parliament was opened on the 22d
day of January by the Queen in person.
‘T'he House of Commons was filled with
eager spectators. The Queen having
passed though the royal gallery,crowded
to overflowing, cutered the House of
Lords, and after the accustomed for
malities delivered the following speech.
My Lords and Gentlemen.—lt gives
me great satisfaction again to meet you
i Parliament, and to have the oppor
tunity of recurring to your assistance
and advice.
I continue to receive from my allies,
and from other IPoreign Powers, the
strongest assurances of the desire to
cultivate the most friendly relations with
this country. ‘
I rejoice that, in concert with the
Emperor of Russia, and through the
success of our joint mediation, | have
been enabled 1o adjust the differences
which had long prevailed between the
Ottoman Porte and the King of Persia,
and had seriously endangered the tran
quility of the Kast,
For several years a desolating and
sanguinary warfare has afllicted the
States of the Rio de la Plata. The}
commerce of all nations has been inter
rupted, and acts of barbarity have beenl
committed, unknown to the practice of
a civilized people. In conjunction with
the King of the French, | am endeavor-|
ing to effect a pacification of lhuse'
States.
The Convention concluded with France
in the course of last year, for the more
eflectual suppression of the sluve trade,
is about to be carricd into immediate
execution by the active co-operation of
the two Powers on the coast of Africa.
Itis my desire that our present union,
and the good understanding which so
happily cxists between us, may always
be employed to promote the interests of
humanity, and to secure the peace of
the world. |
I regret that the conflicting claims of
Great Britain and the United States ini
respect of the territory on the North
Western Coast of America, alllmugh‘
they have been made the subject of re
peated negotiation still remain unsettled. ‘
You may be assured that no vfl'ortl
consistent with national honor shall be
wanting on my part to bring this ques
tion to an carly and peacelul termina
tion.
The speech goes on to state that some
increase of'the naval and military cstab-l
lishments will be proposed—speaks of
the necessity of devising measures In!
prevent the frequent occurrence of de
liberate assassinations in lrcland—ln-'
ments the failure of the potato Cl‘nl),'
which has prevailed to the ytipost ex-|
tent in Ireland—alludes favorably to llu-i
repeal of prohibitory and the relaxation |
of protective duties, and suggests llwi
expediency of a further reluxation of
these laws. |
The Queen emphasized the portions
of the speech that referred to the con
tinnance of peace and to the reduction
of the TanfT,
In the House of l.ords, an address
echomg the speech passed without much
debate and without division. In the
House of Commons a long explanation
was made by Sir Robert Peel and Lord
John Russell, in regard to the late min
-Isterial erisis.
Io the House of Commons on the 23d:
Lord John Russell expressed g desire
for some explanation of the course of the
negotiation with the United States. He
thought that the proposition for a com
promise which was made by order of the
Presidentto the British Minister,whether
admissible or inadmissible, ought not to
have been rejected, without being trans
mitted to the government. He said too,
that he hoped that the increase recom
mended in the naval and military esti
mates had no reference to the aspect of
aflairs with the United States.
Sir Robert in reply said—
On the subject of the Oregon territory, |
[ have to state that a proposal was made |
by Mv. Buchanan, with the authority of;
the President of the United States, to!
Mr. Pakenham, and that the proposall
so made suggested a division of the lcr-:
ritory. Whether or not that proposal
ought to have been accepted | cnnnotl
say. Mr. Pakenham thought that the
terms proposed were so little likely to]
be acceptable, that he did not feel him-!
sell warranted in transmitting the pro-|
posal to the Government at home ; and
on signiflying this to Mr. Buchanan, the
latter immediately stated that the propo
snl was withdrawn, "T'his is the state of
the negotiation at present, so far as |
am informed, respeeting the proposal
submitted by Mr. Buchanan. 1 have the
highest opmion of My, Pakenham ; |
have the greatest respect for his talents,
and the greatest confidence jn his judg
ment, yet [ mnst say that it would have
been better had he transmitted that pro
vosal to the home Government for their
consideration, and, of tound i wselt un
sntiglnetory it might possibly have fornn
ed the fonndation fora funther proposal
‘Henre ) Sinee that |wl'im| this eonntry
has i repeated to the United St
thew otler of reterring the watter to o -
bitration, bt no answer has vet bheey
reconed tothe praposal somade, \\ uh
respect to the proposed inerease i the
naval and military estimates, it is im
possible for any one to see the progre s
of steam navigation, aod the continned
merense of our eolonial possesEione,
without at the same time seeing the ne.
cosaty for an merease i onr naval and
mdtary establishiments. Wahin the
'last few months the colony of New Zea
land hus made a heavy «demand upon ue
in this respect ; and the continual drain
anade upon our troops ol secount ol the
necessury reliefs in our other possessions
iv 80 great that it is almost impossible
1o fill up our regiments. I think that
even while we have the utmost confi
'dence in the intentions of foreign powers,
we would not be wise to neglect the de
fences of our country, and to render it
|secure against any possible contingency.
(Hear, hear.) Isay then that the pro
posed increase in the estimates may be
(entirely justified on purely defensive
grounds, and that her Majesty’s Govern
‘ment have felt it their duty to propose
'an increase of the estimates for our
‘naval, military and ordnance establish
ments, without reference to the dispute
lwith the United States.
On the 27th Sir Robert Peel brought
forwurd his early expected sche:ne for
the repeal of prohibitory and reduction of
protective duties. His reform is not
limited to corn and flour, but it extends
also to all agricultural products and to
manufactures, Corn is to be subjected
to a new but much lower sliding scale,
which is to continue for three years, and
alterwards a nominal duty to be substi
tuted. The duty is to be 10 shillings on
an average price of 48 shillings, and to
fall one shilling for every shilling in
crease in price.
On the 20th and 21st ult., in a debate
in the Chamber of Deputies the relations
between this conntry, France, and Kng-
Nland, arising out of the annexation of
Texas and the present position of the
Oregon question, came up for discussion.
‘M. Theirs spoke at length upon the sub
!ject, taking for his text the declaration
‘of President Polk, n his message, that
|‘cven France our ancient ally’ has sought
to prevent anuexation, and that “we
ought to rejoice,” &c., at our triumph
over the combined attempts of France
‘and England. He blamed government
for interfering at all in the matter, aigu
ing that, since France had given up
Louisiuna and lost Canada, she had
nothing to do with the “balance of power
in America,” and implying that if she
imust interfere in the matter, he would
‘rather that she should be arrayed against
England, than agaiost the United States.
} M. Guizot,as Minister of Foreigo Al-
Mairs, replied the next day, Ie main
tained that France had only offered ud
vice and assistance to Texas 1o maintain
her independence. Since she had de
clared for annexation, FFrance had en
tered no protest. Ile went on to com
ment upon the President’s Message, re
ferring particularly to the part in which
European interference upon this Conti
nent is declared against, and asserting
the right of France or any other Euro
pean nation to make treaties at will with
Mexico or any other Awmerican power,
The speech seems 1o be an eluborate
reply 1o Mr. Polk’s propositions with re
gard to Kuropean non-interference, and
the whole of it will be read with interest
in this country.
Inpia axp Cuina.—The overlgnd
mail reached London on the 224 lanu
ary.
The intelligence is from Calcutta to
the 7th, and Bombay to the J6th of De
cember,
The most important item of domestic
intelligence is the great rise in the price
ol rice, consequent on the large exporta
tions to Great Britain,
Chinese papers have come to hand as
late as the 29th November. ln trade
some shghtimprovement had taken place.
The armval of the Chinese diplomatist
Keying, now govemor general of Can
ton, had created some wterest, theogh it
was not known with certainty whether he
had come on a diplomatic nission or not,
The death of Mr. Ley, the Foghsh
Consul at Amoy, is mentioned in terms
of great regret 5 and a mortality had ta
ken place in the detachment of Royal
Irish stationed at Chuck-chew. Theto
tal quantity of tea exported from China
1o Gireat Britain, between the Ist of July
and the 20th of November last, js 27,-
822,361 Ib., 21,304,328 Ib. being black,
and the rest green. _
Fushions for February.
From Berger's Ladies Gazette of Fushion
- Our-Dook Dress.—Some new manlelefs
have appeared, both 1 sable and erme
jthoy are of a very large size, the hind part
forming a very deep pelerine, and are made
with sleeves. T'hey will probably, in some
'dcgrcc, supersede fur cardinals among oyr
very high fashionables, as they are quite ae
'wnrm, and much more advantagepus o the
ligure. For trionungs have increased in
)fnvur: and chinchilla 13 a good deal agdpptey,
both for mufis, trunmings, and Victorjns, -
\choul clonke, of very fine ladies’ cloth,
have appeared; they were most of them
ade in the La Valliere style, that 1s to eny,
Jong and ample,
’ CHareav.—Some new shapes have ap.
peared, ncither xo wide as the pamelas, nor
s 0 close as the chapeanr of the Inet few
years. \We do not, however, conceive that
the decline of the Pamelas—we mesn those
of moderate size—will be repaid ; they sre
very becoming to some faces, and tashion no
longer exacts that sirict unitormity of cos
tume which wae formerly so indispensybice,
Roses.—Every day ncicoses the yogue
ot robes de chambre ; w fact, they are both
for form und material of snch extreme rle
gance that a lady eannot have 8 more be.
conmg or costly deshabille. For belles un
der twenty, a cap may be dispensed with :
but above that age it wonld be bad taste not
to wear one. Last yeor they were bronght
very forward, at present they are placed
much farther back. ‘T'his is particularly the
case with dinner or evening caps, In speak
ing of morning deshabille, we should pot for
get the cambrie and juconet robes worp un
der robes de chambre ; some have the front
of the corenge embrowered in the form of a
bib, and tiat of the skirt en lablicr, olhera
form a chemisette, and have narrow shoulder
straps and short slecves, also embroidered,
Thongh velvet 18 very much in request,
passementerie 15 more ®o; 1t seems, indesd,
ws il every succeeding sesson sinee 1t was
first mtroduced, nereased both s vogue
and Its beanty,
We enn assnre ong fuir renders that thergy
1< ot the least fonvdstion for a peport that
fong trams will be itroduced this Winter }
the width of shirts hine neither wer ased nor
drmimierhed 5 faer, we do it pererive any
netuni slteration o the forms ol robies ; hut
the elegance wna vanety ol their garmture
gives them, especinlly 1o those in evening
dress, novery groat sppeninnes ol novely,
Robew, fur deoss ball<, nre thie s meon of
extrome cplemdor,
M A wwrsery st b a growt place for
daneng Wiy so 0 a 0
dom b e Low,”" At 4 nure Iy, * ".'“l."
/I’I" FiN .