Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
By the Associated Press.
MARSEILLE, France, May 13.
M. de Gasenko, French aviator, accompanied by Mechanician Bion, left Marseille at 9 o’clock this morning in his water glider, the Sea Flea, for Barcelona, Spain, and Oran, Algeria. The weather was unfavorable but the apparatus worked satisfactorily.
If the voyage is successful, de Gasenko will continue to Dakar, West Africa, and then across the South Atlantic to Buenos Aires. The aviators hoped to arrive at Barcelona within two hours and to reach Oran this evening.
The St. Lucia correspondent of the New York Journal sends a graphic interview with the captain of the steamship Roddam, which was the only vessel saved when the awful visitation fell upon St. Pierre.
He states that they had only recently arrived, and that they still had steam up though the vessel was anchored. Then he describes the catastrophe :
“A burning mass thrown up by the volcano struck my steamer broadside. The shock was so terrible that it nearly capsized the vessel, big as she is. On hearing the awful explosion that had preceded the shock to ourselves, and seeing what looked like a great wall of flame rapidly approaching us from the volcano, all of us on board sought shelter wherever it was possible to get away from the terrible hail which then began to fall around us.
William Elphinstone, aged 22, described as a sailor, was placed at the bar, charged with feloniously uttering a forged order for monies to Moses Myers. Mr. Phillips defended the prisoner, who, it appeared from the evidence, had presented an order for 10 l., which appeared to be an order for an advance of wages to the prisoner, under an engagement of his making a voyage in the capacity of chief mate to India in the ship Madras, and which appeared to be signed by the master, Robert Slack. The prosecutor’s wife advanced a sovereign on it, and promised to give the prisoner more on the ensuing day. He, accordingly called to receive the money, when the prosecutor’s wife, having discovered by inquiry that the order had been forged, gave him into custody.
INDIA.—A letter was received in town on the 9th inst., from Captain J. Hoppe, of the 16th Bengal Native Infantry, and Adjutant of the 2nd regiment of Infantry of Shah Soojah. Captain Hoppe led the storming party, and was wounded in the attack of Kelali Ghilzie. His letter is dated Candahar, February 14: the gallant officer writes to his father thus :—” We are, thank God, all safe at this place, although in the daily expectation of the people in the town rising against us, and the enemy, only twenty-five miles off, are threatening to attack us. Our communication with Cabul and the provinces is cut off, and report says that Sir W. M’Naghten, the envoy and minister, is murdered, with several other officers. It is to be hoped, in the spring, troops will be pushed up from India—for we can do nothing at this season—when, please God, we will give them a lesson they little think of. General Nott, with a large force, went against the rebels, collected only eight miles from Candahar, and killed and wounded 700 or 800 of them, but they are increasing in numbers every day, and one of Shah Soojah’s sons (Satter Jung) at their head. It is said they dined in their shrouds the other day, and swore upon the Koran that they would either murder us all, or be killed in the attempt. At present we are all safe and well.”
The Cincinnati Gazette’s diapatch trom Memphis announces the capture by Gen. GRANT’s forces of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson and Willard’a Valley. Port Gibson is six miles in the rear of Grand Gulf. The capture of these places has given Grant possession of the Big Black river. The distance from the mouth of that river to the bridge of the Vicksburg and Jackson railroad is thirty-two miles. The Big Black is navigable for gunboats twenty-two miles.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert arrived in town at half -past four o’clock on Monday afternoon in an open carriage and four, escorted by a party of Hussars, from Claremont. The equerries in waiting, Colonel Arbuthnot and Colonel Wylde, followed in a chariot and four. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, and their attendants, occupied another carriage ; and the Dowager Lady Lyttleton, lady in waiting, and Lord Byron, lord in waiting, were in the last carriage. Her Majesty and Prince Albert were received at Buckingham Palace by the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, and Lord Colville, lord in waiting on Prince Albert.
The subject of our sketch, Maj. Gen. William H. French, U.S. A., was born near Baltimore. His parents, natives of Massachusetts, removed to Maryland a short time previous to his birth. He commenced his classical studies at the University of Maryland, and afterwards continued them at Columbia College, Washington, D. C., from which, in 1833 he was appointed Cadet to West Point, and graduated with honor in 1837, in the same class as Maj. Gen. Hooker, of our army, and J. Braxton Bragg. of the Rebel service. He was assigned as second Lieutenant to the 1st Regiment U. S. Artillery and ordered to accompany an expedition to Florida. He was promoted 1st Lieut. July 11, 1838, and served on the frontier until the Spring of 1840, when his Regiment was ordered to Houlton, Maine; from there he was detailed on duty with the joint Commission to run the Northeastern Boundary. Early in May, 1846, he was sent with the first reinforcements to Gen. Taylor at Brazors, Texas, and was assigned to the command of the siege train (Mortar Batteries) in front of Matamoros. After he surrender of that city, and war was formally declared, he served with Taylor’s Battery, whose command lauded in the first line at the siege of Vera Cruz. He served throughout the war with Mexico, and was brevetted Captain for gallant and meritorious conduct at the battle of Cerro Gordo, April, 1847, and Major for gallant and meritorious services at Contreras and Churabusco, August, 1817.