Downs were rather full of shipping, many of the vessels riding with double anchors down, and shipping heavy seas. The Great Eastern went by as steady as possible, the paddle engines making seven revolutions per minute, being about half speed each, and the screw engines about 26 revolutions per minute. The ship was badly trimmed. She was 22½ feet at the bows and 22 feet at the stern, whereas she ought to have been nearly 3 feet deeper by the stern than at the bows. The weather off Deal was very dirty, but off Dover it began to clear up. "The Princess Frederick Wilhelm" - the fastest Dover boat came out to greet us. We could see the fore-part of her keel at every other wave. It was very rough. We went on at the same easy half-speed, making 12 to 13 knots an hour. Folkestone, Sandgate and Seabrook were all distinctly seen by us as the sun began to shine. It was about 4.30p.m., and we went below to dinner. I calculated about the time when we should be getting to Fairlight, and rose from the table. Lord Staffor, Lord Alf Paget and Lord Mount Charles also rose, and soon after, everyone left the dining saloon. About seven minutes later, the explosion took place. When the steam had cleared away, it was supposed that the ship was on fire, and the hose having been turned on, the Captain put her helm hard a-port, and so we rapidly approached Hastings. As soon as it was ascertained that she was not in any further danger, we went on our old course to Portland. Off Beachy-head, the tiller-ropes broke, but through the provision of Capt Harrison, a small chain cable was ready at hand and was quickly rove instead. The newspapers furnish all else that is interesting. There is much that we know of, and a great deal more that we do not know of, for which we have to thank God for his mercy extended to us. No one who has been in that ship on this trip but has much greater belief in her great strength, capabilities and very sterling qualities.
George Waldegrave.
Rifle Competition
A short time previous to the 6th of September a challenge had been given and accepted by some of the Hastings Rifle Volunteers and an equal number of those of the Rye District Rifle Company for a firing contest. This came off agreeably to appointment and terminated in favour of the Rye gentlemen by an excess of four points in their score. A return match having been agreed upon, it was deemed desirable to invest the affair with a little more importance than was assumed in the first match, so that the two bodies might be more formally represented. Accordingly it was arranged that the contending riflemen and as many of their fraternity as were inclined to ac-
