GALATEA'S VOYAGE TO THE CAPE.

Southland Times, Issue 860, 6 December 1867, Page 2

GALATEA'S VOYAGE TO THE CAPE.

The South Australian Advertiser, of Oct. 31 ji>;-— ll. m r..lU.— :.. o ...r^ f ..f-'tliu-f vj age of tilts Galatea : — The Galatea was commissioned on January 22, and left Plymouth on February 26 for Lisbon. After remaining there a few days she proceeded to Gibraltar, whence after a short refit she went on to Malta. At that time the home Government had spnt an ultimatum to Spain about the Torando affair, and on the 6th March, H.R.L.. the Duke of Edinburgh was entrusted with despatches, to be forwarded from Marseilles on that subject. After remaining there for some time awaiting orders from England, when the rumors of war with Spain had blown over, His Royal Highness obtained leave of absence, and proceeded to Paris (to visit the Exhibition), England, and Germany, whence he returned on the Ist June, and joined his ship. During the stay ot the Galatea in Marseilles she was moored in Napoleon Basin, which turned out to be an exceedingly unhealthy anchorage. All the sewage of the town empties its elf into that basin, and there being little or no tide in the Mediterranean the extreme filthiness of the place may be imagined. Fever broke out amongst the ship's company, and one of the patients — a first-class boy — died there. Upwards of forty case 3 succeeded at intervals, many of them rather severe ones, and several, including the surgeon of the ship, are still on the sick list. Just before going into Bio, a very fine mishipman, the Hon. R. J. B. Willoughby, son of Lord Middleton, took the fever, and died the day after the ship arrived there. From Marseilles the Galatea proceeded to Gibraltar to coal, and make preparations for her start on her journey round the world. On leaving that place on the 11th June, His Eoyal Highness (at the suggestion of Lord Clarence Paget, *he Admidral commanding the Mediterranean squadron, who was there with a portion of his fleet) hoisted the Royal standard and commenced his cruise under a salute from the batteries and different ships in harbour. She arrived at Maderia on June 14, and left again on the 17th for Rio, which in consequence of adverse winds, she did not reach until 15th July. During her stay there, a grand ball was given by the English Minister, and another by the English residents, at both of which the Emperor and Empress attended to meet the Duke. The Emperor " inspected" the ship before she left, and dined on board in the evening. On Tuesday. tb.9 23rd July, she left Rio, and was drivrn down as far south as 37 deg by strong south-easterly winds, touching at Tristan d'Acuhna on the sth of September. His Royal Highness, with princeyl liberality, supplied the people with the following articles of clothing and provisions, iiz. : — 34 yards blue cloth, 80 yards flmnel, 40 yards serge, 151 b tobacco, 9 gals rum, 9 gals vinegar, 5001 b sugar, 501 b tea, 3301 b flour 241 b chocolate — worth in all about £110 — and purchased supplies of fresh beef and vegetables for the ship's company. There were fifty-three persons remaining on the ialand, sixteen of whom had been born since the Rev "William Taylor left them, and were baptised by the chaplain of the Galatea, who went on shore for that purpose at the request of Mr Green, tho oldest remaining inhabitant. His Royal Highness and suite and a party of officers landed and visited all the families, who were in good health and quite contented. It appears that a heavy westerly gale on the 12th May blew down two of their houses. Some time ago they had got two fine English sheep from a merchant vessel for the purpose of improving their breed, butthey unfortunately happened to be infected with scab, and contaminated the whole stock, half of which perished. They still however, had 200 left, and SOU head of cattle, as well as 200 bushels.ofpotatoesfrom their lastyear's crop. Their wild goats had disappeared in an unaccountable manner. As recently as three year 9 ago they used to be seen in flocks of 500 together, but they have not since that time se n one alive or found the remains of dead ones. People from this time will call their village Edinburgh, after the title of His Royal Highness, 'lhe last ship which visited the island was the Stirling Castle, Capt. M'Gown, who looked in on the 30th June last. The voyage from Tristan d'Acuhna to Simon's Bay occupied ten days. If the stranger is at all of a nautical tendency, the number of the Galatea's boats will bo a noticeable feature. There is a berth occupied by the Prometheus, a steamer tender, fitted with twin screws, for communication with the shore. Towing toats or carriage of of guns or stores comes alike to her, and in either case she does her work well. The best bower anchor is a delicate piece of Tubal Cain handiwork, 71 cwt. 2qr. 131 b. On the maindeck the armament 13 thirteen guns on either side, or twenty-six in all. There are four 7in bore muzzJe-loaders, weighing six tons and a half each, beautiful pieces, with carriage-gear, breeching, andtackling in such order jisjwould do ere. lit to any factory. TEen tnere are four ■45 r pbuhaers, shunt muzzle-loaders, and eighteen 10-in. guns, each 57 cwt., and two 12-pounder Armstrong breech-loaders for boating purposes, and one field- piece of similar character and calibre. In the arm-racks are 173 Enfield rifles, 52 Colt's revolvers, and 172 cutlasses ; so that His Royal Highness is not ill-prepared for war, although on a mission of peace. Abaft the after hatchway the state cabins are objects of special interest, with their walnut Venetians, mahogany styles, gilt mouldings, and upholstery. Deeper still to the 'tween decks, where the tars find quarters before the officers' chins, the latter occupy the greater portion of the space abaft the engines, which is sunk down in the vessel's skin. They are Perm's trunk engines, the cylinder of the lesser being 36in., and of the greater 88£ in. in diameter. Three feet eight inches is the stroke of the piston ; and while the engines nominally are 800-horse power, they can work up to 1000 horses, consequently it is not astonisliiog that she speeJs away at the rate of thirteen knots per hour in favorable weather. She is furnished with Griffiith's patent feathering screw, which enables the pitch to be altered from twenty-five to twentynine,' besides affording means of lifting it when under sail. The total weight of the machinery is 575 tons. There are 2756 tubes in the six boilers, which are supplied with fuel from bunkers capable of carrying 600 tons. The report of the voyage from the Cape contains no very interesting feature, beyond its accomplishment in twentythree days. The first part was marked by westerly weather until reaching a position off the Island of St Paul's, where a cyclone was experienced. No inconvenience was felt f. om the storm, aud the vessel careered on her way until within three days sail of our port, when the baffling winds induced the engines to be set to work, and the conclusion of the passage was made under steam.