a village and nearly in every hut were two or three dead and putrid bodies there are only three men, and three women, and two children left of this unfortunate tribe. This is a capital climate, only very cold, but its severity is not felt unless there is wind, and then it is as bad as can be imagined. [Our chart, which includes the Polar Sea as far as Bhering Strait, has been lithographed, by that eminent geographer Mr. John Arrowsmith of Soho Square, who has also published a neat chart of these discoveries. The Admiralty has also published a sheet on a large scale, shewing the discoveries of Capt. Austin's expedition with the very important additions of Victoria Channel by Capt. Penny.-ED.] SETTLEMENT OF CRESSON Africa. WE have received late, an interesting letter from our esteemed correspondents, Hon. L. A. Benson and Rev. Mr. Davis, of Cresson, Liberia. They give us the pleasing intelligence, that having peacefully overcome the diffi culties long presented by Grando, a savage chief, formerly engaged in the slave trade, they had occupied that important position. On clearing away the forest they found it even more beautiful, and well adapted for the site of a commercial city, than they anticipated. The noble springs of water for which it had been celebrated by the slavers, whose favorite resort it had been for two centuries, chiefly on this account, gave improved health to many old colonists: and the soil pleasing proof of its fitness to produce fine fruits and vegetables: but above all, the noble harbour so rare along that coast, cannot fail to render it a favourite port to our naval and commercial marine. Mr. Benson, who is an enterprizing merchant and extensive planter, is most anxious that our steam ships may avail themselves of its advantages as a coaling station; the fine bold water close in shore, affording greater facilities than any other African port, when taken in connection with the anxious desire of its industrious and honest citizens to render it the interest of vessels to call there. As the staples of the St. John's river, near the mouth of which Cresson is situated are rich and varied, several commercial establishments had been resolved on; and Mr. Benson after building twenty houses for the protegés of the Pensylvania Colonization Society, was preparing a large warehouse for his own use. The natural breakwater afforded by the point of the rocks, behind which our correspondents assure us vessels may find snug berths and smooth water, cannot fail to make it a favorite place of resort for our shipping; and Mr. Benson adds, that he will be glad to provide an ample supply of salt provisions, biscuit, ship bread, and other suitable stores from the United States, if vessels in the African trade and cruizers will give him a prospect of fair moderate remuneration. We hope the owners of the new line of steam packets will direct their captains to call at Cresson and avail themselves of his services, to say nothing of the fair prospect of bringing home freights of palm oil, coffee, cam-wood, &c. Cotton will soon become a prominent export, as the industrious planters of Bassa county have commenced its culture with commendable zeal, and their agricultural society has given a great impulse to the cultivation of the soil. THE LONGEST SHIP IN THE WORLD.-Messrs. C. Mare and Co., the shipbuilders, of Orchard-yard, Blackwall, and Messrs. Penn, of Greenwich, engineers, have taken a contract to construct for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, an iron steam ship, of the following dimensions and power-viz: length between the perpendiculars, 325 feet; breadth of beam, 43 feet; depth, 32 feet. She will measure about 3,000 tons, and will be propelled by four engines of the collective working power of 1,200 horses; will have feathering paddle wheels, and a guaranteed average speed of fourteen knots, equal to sixteen statute miles per hour. Some idea may be formed of the size of this gigantic vessel, when it is compared with that of some of the existing steam-ships most celebrated for their large size. She will be fifty-one feet longer than the "Great Britain," sixty feet longer than the largest of the Cunard or North American mail steamers, the Asia and Africa, forty feet longer than the large steamers, such as the Parana, Oronoco, &c., now constructing for the Royal Mail Company, and 100 feet longer and 500 tons larger than the Caledonia, first-rate, of 120 guns. She is the first of an improved class of steam ships about to be constructed by the Peninsular and Oriental Company for the East India mail and passenger service, and it is confidently estimated that she will effect the passage between Southampton and Alexandria, a distance of 3,100 miles, in nine days. The passenger accommodation in these vessels is to be on the most spacious scale, and replete with every comfort and convenience. THE CHALLENGE BETWEEN THE AMERICA AND THE TITANIA. This exciting contest, in which all the yachting world has evinced such deep interest, came off on Thursday, Aug. 28th, off the Isle of Wight The American was undocked at Portsmouth dockyard at half-past 9 on Wednesday night, and went out of that harbour at half-past five on Thursday morning. At 10 A.M., she started from Cowes, and ran down to the Nab. When the vessels took their stations off the Nab light, at the extreme eastern point of the Isle of Wight, the wind was blowing a strong breeze from the N.N.W. At a quarter past eleven the signal gun from the Commodore's vessel, the America soon spread her canvas and proceeded on her destination, taking the lead, but had scarcely got more than three times her length of the Titania, when her opponent, through having her square topsail quickly set, drew a little upon the America, but no sooner had the "Yankee" got her fore and aft square sails set, than she ran like lightning before the wind. She carried no fore-top-sail on the present occasion. She continued to run on one jib and then on the other, running before the wind, and still gained ahead of the Titania. After a run, however, of about two hours, a serious accident occurred to the America, for the "jaws" of the gaff gave way, and they were compelled to lower her main-sail, which was lashed and set again, a delay being caused thereby of three or four minutes, and losing in distance at least halfa-mile. This untoward event had not been long repaired, and the main-sail set, when it slipped out of the grip again, in consequence of the heavy wind that was blowing at the time. This caused a further delay, and the mainsail was then kept down for some time until an opportunity was afforded for her to jibe on the opposite side. The Titania now kept making sail, having her square sail, gaff topsail, and mainsail all set, and appeared to be very well handled, but evidently had no power to overhaul her American rival. The America had not long got up her main-sail for the third time, when the signal was hoisted on board the steamer that the required distance had been run, and, at the same time, notice was given to return. The America then luffed, and rounded the steamer on the larboard hand, which was done as follows:America........ Titania...... 2h. 3m. 50s. On rounding the steamer the America received the congratulation of the numerous company on board, and on the first tack she reached in towards the the Owers light ship, about fifteen miles south-east of the Nab light, then stood towards the westward, and continued tacking towards the shore. She then fetched by a long reach to the Princessa Shoal, off Bembridge. From this point she then reached, went round the Nab light, bearing south-west, and thus concluded the course. The Queen steamer, having preceded the America on her return, had made fast to the light ship, and on rounding it the clipper was for the second time declared the victor, beating the Titania in the entire run by 52 minutes. The following is the time of arrival:- America........................ ......................................... 5h. 30m. 15s. During the greater part of the return the Titania was hull down, and on the America reaching the Nab she was at least eight miles astern. METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER. Kept at Croom's Hill, Greenwich, by Mr. Rogerson, of the Royal Observatory, From the 21st of August, to the 20th of September, 1851. TO CORRESPONDENTS.-Our present number is occupied by a much larger share of Arctic matters than usual, but the more than usual interest belonging to them now, will account for it. Various communications which we have received have been therefore unavoidably deferred for our next. Hunt and Son, Printers, 6, New Church Street, Edgware Road. PROCEEDINGS OF H.M.S. SPHINX: Extracts from the Remark Book of Com. C. F. A. Shadwell. Quæ Regio in terris nostri non plena laboris? * H.M. Steam Sloop Sphinx, sailed from Plymouth, March 2nd, 1850, en route to the East Indies and China Station, calling at Madeira, St. Vincent, (Cape de Verds) Sierra Leone, Whydah, Ascension, Rhio, and the Cape, and arriving at Singapore, via the Straits of Sunda and Rhio on July 24th. A voyage over such well frequented fields of ocean as were traversed in the above passage, necessarily offers but few points of hydrographic interest; nevertheless, a few brief remarks may not be out of place, and we, therefore, proceed to discuss them. The magnificent harbour of Porto Grande in the Island of St. Vincent in the Cape de Verd Group, lat. 16° 55′ N., and long. 25° 1′ W., seems to be too little known and too little appreciated. The harbour is on the west side of the island, open to the northwest, but completely sheltered from wind and sea by the lofty Island of St. Antonio, which lies opposite to it eight or nine miles distant, forming a perfect natural breakwater. The bottom is coral and shells and *A most appropriate motto, even applied to Hydrographical subjects, and one well worthy of being more generally adopted than it has been. It may be thus freely rendered. What portion of the sea or land Does not find labour for the willing hand?-ED. NO. 11.-VOL. XX. 4 c affords good anchorage in a depth of from 7 to 10 fathoms. The approach is perfectly clear of dangers, and the harbour has plenty of room for a numerous fleet. As a depôt of coals for the line of steam communication which may hereafter be established between Europe, the Brazils, and the Cape, this harbour may be found highly valuable. It is true that the island is very barren and affords at present but few supplies, but if ships were in the habit of regularly calling there, the "auri sacra fames," would no doubt soon remedy this inconvenience, and vegetables, poultry, and such other stock as is usually required by ships would soon find their way there from the neighbouring islands, which are said to be more fertile and better supplied. After leaving Whydah we crossed the Equator in long. 1° 30' E., and experiencing continually the prevalence of south-west winds, did not get a steady south-east trade till in lat. 6° S., and long. 8° W.; the transition from south-west winds to south-east being quite gradual, and without any intermediate interval of calm. I had been desirous at the request of the Hydrographer to endeavour to obtain soundings on a supposed bank off the coast of Brazil, said to be in lat. and long. 21° S. and 38° W., but on approaching the supposed position and shaping a course to pass over it, boisterous squally weather very unfavourable for shoal hunting came on, and it being night at the time, I judged it prudent to discontinue the search and resume my former course. In the run from Ascension to Rhio we continually experienced the influence of the equatorial current from fifteen to thirty miles a day in our favour. The passage from Rhio to the Cape offered nothing worthy of special notice. In the passage from the Cape to Singapore we ran down our longitude under sail, with the wheels disconnected, in the parallel of 37° S. We had several strong but not violent gales from the westward, and had almost always a good breeze and a favourable easterly current. The wind held from the westward till we approached St. Pauls; passing to the northward of this island we experienced a sharp gale from the north-east, after which we had northerly and north-easterly winds for some days. By the assistance of steam when the wind was not favourable, we passed to the northward by a gentle and elegant curve, exhibiting a natural application of the principle of Great-circle-sailing, far different from that recommended by the empirical sciolists of the present day, who enamoured by the simplicity of their theory, propose impracticable voyages in high latitudes with a sublime disregard of adverse local winds, cold and icebergs, and then make a great cackling as though they had made some wonderful discovery: the so-called principle of Great-circle-sailing being merely a revival of methods proposed years ago, and long since abandoned by the common sense of our forefathers;-facts which may be easily known to be true if people will only take the trouble to consult the earlier treatises on navigation. The wonder is that intelligent persons now-adays should be so cap |