Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899), Tuesday 10 April 1855, page 2


"COMMODORE PERRY" FROM LIVERPOOL. This splendid ship, belonging to Messrs Baines and Co., commanded by Captain Mundle, arrived from Liverpool on Satur day last, after a passage of 85 days. She sailed from Liverpool on 11th January, with about 800 passengers for this port and Sydney, and experienced fine weather throughout the passage, but the last fort-night or three weeks the winds have been light and baffling. On 10th January, exchanged signals with the ship Sebastopol, outward bound from the same port; crossed the equator on 6th February; on 4th March, in lat. 46° 5' S., long., 16° 55' E., passed the first iceberg, and continued to meet with berg and field ice until 9th March, when the last berg was passed in lat. 49° 9' S., long. 34° 10' E.; the highest southern latitude reached was 51° 38' S. ; passed the longitude of Cape Leuwin on 23rd March, since which the wind was easterly and light. The greatest run made in the 24 hours was 300 miles. On 4th April the Harriet Armytage, for Melbourne, was spoken off Cape Otway. There are about 350 statute adults for this place, selected by Joseph Bonney, Esq., for the St. Andrew's Society; and 50 Irish laborers sent out for the Fingal road trust; there are also about 300 German vine dressers and planters for Sydney. The deaths have been--amongst the Scotch 10,

one adult, one sixteen years old, and eight three years old and under; amongst the Germans 18, all children; amongst the Irish there was no mortality. On Sunday morn-ing the president and committee of the St. Andrew's Society, with several other gen-tlemen interested, including the Rev. R. K. Ewing and Captain Mundle (who came up to town the previous day in the Titania), proceeded down the river in the steamer Cobra, taking a supply of beef, potatoes, apples, &c. for the emigrants. On ap-proaching the ship, although prepared for wonder, all were astonished at the immense object floating before them, and as the steamer drew alongside some seven or eight hundred heads were thrust over the bul-warks - Scotch, Irish, Germans - men, women, and children. Great surprise was expressed at the state of cleanliness in which the ship was found, and very great praise is due to Captain Mundle for the prudent exercise of that forbearance and decision which secured for himself the esteem of all, and the observance of those regulations so essential to the harmony of a large number of people. Acting as cicerone, Capt. Mundle led his visitors all over the vessel, pointing out and explaining the most noticeable objects of his floating empire. In the first place, the vessel's sides are some twenty feet out of the water; she has three decks, -the lower one being occupied by the Germans. Over the main deck are beams supporting the boats, spare spars, &c., and a gangway on both sides, railed in, leading from the poop to the top-gallant forecastle. In the latter part there is a fire engine capable of throwing a jet of water the entire length of the ship. The lower masts are, like those of a man-of-war, built of several lengths of timber, nicely fitted, and secured by numerous and massive hoops. On looking aloft the eye is arrested by the singular appearance presented by the double topsail yards attached to each mast. This arrangement is to facilitate the taking in of canvas in bad weather. The lower yard is fixed to the lower mast by a truss, like the main yard, a short distance below the top; the upper yard traverses the topmast in the ordinary manner, the sheets of the upper one hauling down through the lower yard, and those of the lower through the main yard. In fine weather both topsails are set, but when it becomes necessary to shorten canvas the upper yard is lowered down to the cap of the mainmast, thus doing away with the difficult and dangerous operation of reefing. The rudder is worked by Robinson's patent steering apparatus, the novelty of which consists in the employment of the screw instead of tiller chains; and its superiority is manifest in the slightest motion of the wheel being sufficient to influence the rudder. On the rudder head, and coming up through the board that covers the other part of the apparatus, is a brass hand, which moving horizontally and in unison with the rudder, indicates its exact position. The duty of steering the vessel is exclu-sively confided to six quarter-masters, whose office is portrayed upon their caps in letters of gold. Passing now from the deck into the saloons, one is astonished at the extent to which ease and elegance have been attained. The sides are formed of highly polished satin wood, maple, and rose-wood, thickly studded with fretwork and columns in gold. Mirrors, marble-top tables, splendid carpets, and velvet cushions assist to make up a display of magnificence unknown to even oriental luxury. About twelve o'clock, the people having been assembled, the Rev. R. K. Ewing held a short service on the deck, addressing them from the 27th verse of the 7th chapter of Ezra,-" Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers." He reminded them of the gratitude they owed, the privileges they possessed, the religious freedom which they would here enjoy, and the glorious future before them; he charged them solemnly to take God's word to be their guide - to select and constantly attend upon the ministry of the teacher under whose instructions they expected to derive most profit, and in all their transactions to exhibit those virtues which are the offspring and adornment of the Christian character. The service being concluded, it was intimated that there was an infant to be baptized, which ordinance was performed: as there will probably be a few curious to know the names given to the "ocean child," we annex them: Joseph Mundle Chisman M'Kenzie Bucha-nan. The Scotch emigrants having dis-persed, the Germans took possession of the deck, and held a service in their own way, as usual: the Irish paid their devotions below. We may here mention that Mr. Chisman, the respected chief officer, con-ducted divine service every Sunday during the passage. Altogether the emigrants for this port are an intelligent and respectable body of people, and likely to prove a valuable addition to our population. Captain Mundle speaks in the highest terms of commendation as to their conduct on the passage; and they, appreciating the kind-ness of the Captain and his desire to make them as happy as possible, give expression to similar sentiments in reference to him. This is not the first occasion on which Captain Mundle has visited Launceston. Some four or five years ago he commanded the Martha, taking horses hence to India and New Zealand. We congratulate him upon his advancement, and especially upon the success of his last passage to Australia. He has been exceedingly fortunate in holding together so large and varied a number of people without any disturbances, or even a complaint. Long may he be spared to discharge duties for which he has proved himself so well qualified. The Commodore Perry is anchored at Lagoon Bay, and will not come up any higher. Should the steamer Pirate arrive in time, she will bring up the immigrants and their luggage. The hiring will com mence on Saturday morning. The following are the dimensions of the Commodore Perry:-Length, 202 feet; breadth amidships, 42 feet; depth of hold amidships, 28 1/2 feet; tonnage, 2143 N.M.