5 JANUARY 1850, Page 14

SIB HENRY BITLWER'S VOYAGE IN THE RECATE. TO THE EDITOR

OF THE SPECTATOR.

Cape Clear, hat January 1860. Wind, Nor'-west, fresh &reeve. t.

Sin—On Saturday last I was startled from my afternoon nap by the boom of a gun ; and, looking seaward, saw the Europa flying past at the rate of twelve knots an hour. On telegraphing my friend Captain Lott, I found he was ten days out from Boston ; and that, up to the 17t nothing was ]mown at Washington as to the whereabouts of Sir Henry L Bulwer and suite. As that date, however, would only allow him a month for his passage, I felt no uneasiness • and triclay at the annual reunion of my family, one of my Chickens informs me that the Hecate and his Excellency were safe at Ma- deira on the 26th November. As this favourite island is not exactly in the direct course to the Potomac, a good deal of curiosity was excited on the un- expected arrival ; some asserting that it was the trial of a new plan of circle sailing, invented by a talented officer of her Majesty's ship Face t, for the special use of her Majesty's steamers ; others hinting that a diploma- tist can't go straight even in a steamer ; the general impression was, that the Hecate had got there because she could not help it; but the knpwuug ones headed by the Consul, insisted that his Excellency had his own reasons for reconnoitering the coast of Spain on his voyage to the States. Be this as it may, the great fact remains that her Majesty's steamer Hecate, bound from Portsmouth to Washington, has got safe to Madeira ; and that 1' have ordered my Chickens to attend and chronicle his doings on the next stage, which I anticipate will be the "vexed Bermoothes." It is, Sir, a subject for congratulation, that thanks to that inspired black- smith Elihu Boma, and to our own Peace prophet Mr. Cobden, our Ambas- sador can thus leisurely proceed to his destination. Indeed, the mere fact of an Admiralty steamer being selected for his conveyance proves conclusively that no anxiety need be felt as to the Mosquito question, and that the advan-1 tages of a free passage across the Isthmus have been already secured. I remain, Sir, with the compliments of the season, your constant reader, "-MOTHER CA-REY."