THE LIFE-BOAT,

OK

JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL SHIPWRECK INSTITUTION.

No. 9.] IST JULY, 1853. [PRICE 2

been rendered alike by MANBY'S mortar and EFFECTING COMMUNICATION WITH DENNETT'S and CARTE'S rocket apparatus is STRANDED VESSELS. undoubted : the question of their compara- THE mortar and rocket apparatus around tive merits we need not enter on, further the coasts of the United Kingdom, as stated than to state that we beleive no material in an early number of this Journal, is for the difference exists in the range obtainable from most part under the charge of the Coast- each. The rocket has the advantage of guard, who have frequently performed in- being more portable for conveyance along valuable services with it, and who, from shore, and is therefore better suited for many being a disciplined body, acquainted with localities; but it is sometimes uncertain in the art of gunnery, and being constantly on its action, is more liable to deterioration the look-out, are, without doubt, the fittest from damp or the effects of time, and, being persons that could be entrusted with its more costly, those having the management management. of it cannot be so frequently practised in its There are, however, many places where, use as may be the case with the mortar, from there being no Coast-guard stationed where only a few ounces of powder are on the spot, or from other causes, it is com- expended at each discharge. mitted to the care of private individuals, The mode of discharging a rocket or who may not always be equally acquainted mortar is so simple and generally under- with the mode of using it, as has of late stood, that we need scarcely occupy our been painfully illustrated in a British Port. space by describing it; besides, it will be Again, the crews of merchant vessels are much better learned by practice: we shall, sometimes so ignorant of its use, that they therefore, confine our remarks to the ma- know not what to do with a line after it has nagement of the apparatus subsequently to been thrown over them. As an instance of a line being thrown over the wreck, and which, on one occasion, as many as five men especially to the manner of communicating tied themselves in a mass to the end of the by signal between the rescuers and those to line, and jumped overboard together, wherf be rescued, which we believe may be im- they were hauled to the shore by it to be proved upon. sure, but all, excepting one, were drowned Much of the success of the operation will in the operation of dragging them through now depend on the fitness of the gear as the water. well as the proper use of it. In addition to These are both extreme cases, but having the lines attached to the shot or rocket, and happened once, they might occur again; a projected by them over the wreck, the few explanatory remarks and suggestions on articles required are the following :— the subject may not, therefore, be inappli- 1st. A whip, formed of a small line (about cable at the present time. l£ inch), rove through a single block with That invaluable services in the cause of a tail to it; the line to be at least twice as " Preservation of Life from Shipwreck" have long as the mortar or rocket is capable of

No. 9. THE LIFE-BOAT, ("Jtrar, 1853. conveying the first line, and the tail of the may be readily conceived that cases might block about two fathoms in length; the often arise where it would be of the utmost ends of the whip to be spliced together, and consequence to avoid the delay occasioned so converted into an endless rope, by securing and setting up the stay, although 2nd. A hawser, or stay, as it is termed, where no such immediate baste was required which should be half the length of the whip we should recommend its being employed. line, and of 3 or Si-inch rope. An ingenious mode of setting up the stay 3rd. A chair, sling, basket, or other such to the cart which is used for conveying the contrivance, for securing the rescued person, apparatus, employing one of the wheels as a and hauling him along the stay to the shore. windlass, has been proposed by Capt, JEE- 4th. A double block-tackle purchase, for KJJTGHAM, E.N., a description of which will setting up the stay with, be found in the Report of the Northumber- 5th. A piece of stout plank, about 5 feet land Committee, Appendix, p, 59; as, how- long, and having a fathom of chain, with a ever, a cart may not always be on the spot, ring at the end of it, attached to the middle we have included the tackle amongst the part of it. This is to be sank four or fire feet articles required to be used. deep in the sand, shingle, or earth, with the We will now suppose that all the before- ring above the surface to receive the stay named necessary apparatus is supplied, and through, and set it up. that a shot or rocket with line attached 6th. T%ro or three spades or shovels, and has been thrown over the wreck. The some small line for lashings or seizings, in proceedings can then be no longer conducted case of their being required. by one party alone but jointly by two, at The whole of the rope should be of Ma- the opposite ends of the line. It will there- nilla line, as it will float on the water, and is fore be of importance that some signals or much, lighter than hemp for conveyance means of communicating to either, the pro- along shore. ceedings and requirements of the other, Several stations on the East Coast of should be established, England are supplied with an article of the We will first describe the operation from following description, for conveying persons the moment of the communication being along the stay from the wreck to the shore. effected by a line, and then the signals to be A large circular cork ring-shaped life-buoy, employed, similar to those known as Mr. CAKTE'S, has As quickly as possible after the line has secured round its inner circumference a been thrown over the wreck, make the in- strong linen or canvas bag, with two large shore end of it fast to the whip, bending it holes in it for the legs to go through, making round both parts of it about two fathoms it similar to a pair of trousers with the legs from the tail-block, and make the signal to cut off at the thighs. The buoy is slung so those on board to haul it off. as to hang horizontally by four small lines, As soon as it is perceived, either by with a thimble ia the centre to run on the signal or with the assistance of the telescope, stay, and the person to be conveyed along it that the whip block is made securely fast on sits in the bag with his legs through it and board, those on shore will make the bight of his arms above the cork ring, by which he the whip (which as before stated has an holds on. The advantage of this contrivance endless fall) securely fast to the stay, three is, that if the hawser from any cause becomes or four fethoms from the end, which they too slack and hangs in the water, the buoy will then haul off to the vessel by it. will float the person within it upon the When the stay is (by signal or otherwise) surface with less risk of his being dragged ascertained to be made fast on board and under water than in the common sling. the whip detached from it, set up the former On the Norfolk Coast several persona have on shore by the luff tackle, or a capstan, or been successfully brought on shore in one of any other available means, to the plank of these buoy bags by the whip alone, without wood or spar previously buried three or four a hawser being rove at all. And indeed it feet under the ground, and having a pendant EFFECTING COMMUNICATION WITH STRANDED VESSELS. 27

with ring attached to it and brought to the short inscriptions on them, hauled on board surface. This will be found to bear a much by the whip at each stage of the operations; greater strain than an upright post, however one made of parchment or canvas, being deeply driven down. attached to the mortar or rocket line, at a The bight of the whip will next be secured short distance from the shot or rocket. to the sling, or seat, which will run on the A black board, having the required com- stay, either by a snatch-block inverted, a munications written with chalk in large leaden horse-shoe collar, or a large thimble; characters, might also in the daytime be of either of the two former methods being great service, when the vessel was within a preferable, as being less likely to get jambed. short distance, although beyond hail from Having command of both parts of the the shore. whip, the party on shore will then be en- Again, as the persons on board may often abled alternately to haul the traveller on be so situated as to have scarcely any means board and the wrecked persons on shore, of making a signal in return, probably no- until the whole have been landed in safety. thing more should be required of them than Throughout this process, it will be seen that they should signify the affirmative, or that all which the wrecked crew will have show that they have made fast the whip, to do will be— stay, or shipwrecked person in the traveller, 1st. To haul on board the whip by the by holding up their hats, handkerchiefs, or rocket or mortar line. their hands, if they have nothing else; their 2nd. To bend the tail-block of the whip to doing neither being considered a negative, the rigging, or the mast, or other secure or sufficient proof of their unreadiness, since place that can be most readily got at. every sailor, when he has made fast a 3rd. To make fast the hawser or stay in hawser or other rope, is accustomed to hold like manner, near to the whip-block, and up his hand or hat, to show that it is in cast off the whip from it. readiness to be hauled on. 4th. Having first sent on shore any women The signals would then stand thus:— or others who may be helpless or disabled, From the vessel to the shore— each person to secure himself to the travel- By day:—A hat, hand, or handkerchief, ler. held up, signifying " Yes," " Ready," And it must be borne in mind, that wrecked " Made fast," &c. persons are often nearly exhausted, and dis- By night:—A light of any description qualified from helping themselves, through exhibited. fatigue, or from being benumbed with cold From the shore to the vessel:— before assistance can be conveyed to them ; In the daytime:—By tallies sent off to and that it is, therefore, of great importance her, or by writing on a board as follows :— that no more exertion should be required of 1. Haul on board this line. them, or more of the success of the-under- 2. Make fast this tail-block. taking left dependent on them, than can be 3. Bend this hawser near to the whip- avoided. block, and then cast off the whip from it. Signals:— 4. Secure one person in this sling, to be Since persons on board a wreck, with the hauled on shore by the whip. apprehension of "death upon them, will pro- In the night:—One pistol shot, or a light bably often be much confused, and have shown once and again concealed, would their wits only half about them, it will be suffice for each stage of the operation, in advisable that any system of signals which case the persons on board should have no may be established should be of the most light to read the tallies by, which would simple character, and as few in number as often be the case. possible. Indeed, whenever practicable, as In the codes of signals proposed by Captain suggested by Capt. JEKNINGHA.M, R.N., and MANBY and others, the shipwrecked persons others, information would be better conveyed have to reply both in the affirmative and to them by means of wooden tallies with negative, thereby requiring an exercise of THE LIFE-BOAT, [JULY, 1853, the memory as to which signal would ex- Mr. PALMEB received the rudiments of press the one and which the other; but at Iiis education under the late Dr. BCTKFOSD, such a time men's memories may well fail at Chigwell; and the incendiary fires in them, we think, therefore, that it would be London, seen from his school play-ground, better they should only have to reply in the during the riots of the year 1780, when, affirmative, as above explained. misled by Lord GEORGE GfoRuosr, London As we have remarked elsewhere, we be- was for three days at the mercy of a mob, lieve that no perfect or uniform system for may have sensibly impressed upon his the rescue of life from shipwreck, either by youthful mind the horrors of insubordina- " Life-boats" or the "Life Apparatus," will tion and mob-law ; and thus laid the be effected until some supervision o?er the foundation of that love of order and re- whole, having the weight of authority with spect for duly-constituted authorities for it, shall be established. Societies or private which he was afterwards distinguished. individuals can but offer suggestions on the From Chigwell he sooa proceeded to the matter, and until some better be proposed, Charterhouse, where, under Dr. BEAED- we earnestly hope the above may be SIOBE, his education was completed; and attended to. where the late Lord LIVERPOOL, (who was the first President of the Shipwreck Insti- tution,) giving little promise as a boy of his THE LATE QEOBGE PALMER, ESQ. future eminence as a statesman, but show- WE recently had to record the death of ing in the event, how ntnch may be achieved our late valued Chairman, Mr. WJLSGH, and by diligence with steady conduct, was then now his old friend and coadjutor in the canse his intimate friend and schoolfellow. Mr. of humanity, Mr, PALMER, late Deputy- PALMEE always looked back to the Charter- Chairman of the Royal Shipwreck Institu- house and his classical studies with fond tion, and Inventor of the Life-boats long remembrance; and often referred to the adopted by that Institution, is BO more. example of Lord LIVEEPOOL to encourage The grave has closed over the earthly re- the young to persevere. mains of a firm friend of the shipwrecked; and some notice of his life may therefore be The desire of acquiring an early inde- acceptable to our readers. pendence appears, with his fetter's consent, to have determined his choice of the sea as Mr, PALMER was descended from the a profession; and, quitting the Charterhouse Yorkshire family of that name, through the at an early age, he entered the maritime ser- PALMEBS of Wanlip, in Leicestershire; of vice of the Honourable the East India Com- whom ABCHDALE PALMER Esq. was M.P. pany, making his first voyage as a midship- for Leicester in the year 1695; and one of man in the Carnatio, commanded by the late his sons, THOMAS PALMER, was the grand- Captain LESTOCK WILSON, which sailed from father of the subject of this memoir. the Downs in April, 1786, and returned Mr. PALMES was boru Feb. 11, 1772, from China to England in July, 1787. He to use his own words, of " most estimable appears during this first voyage to have had parents," He was the eldest son of the late several narrow escapes, which he has thank- WILLIAM PALMER, Esq., of Nazing Park, fully recorded. Once he fell from the jury Essex, by MARY, the daughter of the Eev. mizen-mast-head on to the top-sail sheet bit- JOBS HOESLET, Kector of Thorley and New- head ; another time, he fell from the upper ington Butts, whose SOB, Bishop HORSLEY, deck down the after hatchway and was taken earned for himself a distinguished place up insensible, though with no bones broken; among the great men of his age. From and again, losing his balance on the mizen this good stock Mr. GEOKGE PALMKB was top-gallant yard, he was saved from falling descended; and his father was an active he knew not how, but with a strong impres- magistrate, and served in due course as sion of great danger. During his next voyage high sheriff for the county of Essex. made in the Boddam, BOW purchased by his THE LATE GEORGE PALMER, ESQ. 29 father and commanded by Captain ELLIOTT, weathering the land. He returned from he met with other perils of the sea; the first China to England on the 24th April 1792, of which, combined with another boat-acci- and, after remaining long enough at home to dent he had experienced (when the officer participate in the general horror felt in this in command of a boat which had shipped country at the violent issue of the revolution much water in a rough sea, made the crew in France, made his fourth voyage to Madras sit down in the water at the bottom of and China, now as second officer of the the boat), first directed his attention to the Boddam, under Capt. JONES, in, the years equilibrium of boats and the means of pre- 1794 and 1795. Shortly after his return venting them from sinking, from which he he married ANNA MAKIA, daughter and was led to the invention which has rendered coheir of the late W. BUND, Esq., of Wick, so much service to the cause of humanity. in the county of Worcester, whom, with The accident now referred to, occurred in four children, the issue of their marriage, the year 1788, in the Macao roads, when a he has now left to mourn his to them irre- boat, sent from the ship under his command, parable loss. with twelve seamen and a coxswain, was But he was soon again afloat, sailing in upset by a sudden squall, and the crew only May 1796 on his fifth voyage, for the first saved by clinging to the bottom of the boat. time as commander, in the Boddam, in stir- Her buoyancy was not sufficient to keep all ring times, and with new dangers to meet. their heads above water; and, as the boat There was now war with France; ships of kept rolling over, there was great danger of war could not be spared to conduct the their perishing. In this emergency Mr. merchantmen separately; and the Boddam PALMER, to lighten the weight, bade the therefore sailed (18th May 1796), after sailors throw away their clothes, promising waiting upwards of a month at Spithead, in them new clothes; and, while two of the the great East India fleet, with 48 sail in best swimmers swam from the boat, reach- company, under the convoy of Admiral ing the shore with difficulty; the rest were HARVEY. Great firmness, with equal kind- still supported by the boat, until they were ness and good humour, were features in picked up by some Chinese. The other peril Captain PALMER'S character; and assisted to which we have alluded occurred in 1789, him, under God's providence, in preventing on his return from China, when, owing to a serious mutiny, for it afterwards appeared the ignorance of a pilot, the ship was nearly that plots had been laid for seizing the ship, wrecked on the fatal coast of Boulogne, and the boatswain being the chief mutineer. only saved by the daylight breaking and a favourable shift of wind. Proceeding from Madras to China, with four other East India Company's ships, he Mr. PALMER was nothing daunted by encountered a new danger, and honourably these perils of the deep, nor by others escaped capture by an enemy of superior which he had yet to encounter. He was force, five large French frigates, which had attached to the sea-service, and used to been sent from France to intercept the China say it was an excellent school, to teach a fleet, and had been cruising for six months man order and discipline, activity, tem- on the look-out for them. Two English perance, and economy; independence of seventy-fours had previously fallen in with, other men, doing all things (if necessary) and had been beaten oflfby these frigates; and, for himself, but dependence on God's pro- after refitting, had convoyed the China fleet vidence, while enlarging his views of the during a part of their voyage, but had left world. He sailed again, now as fourth them, as having escaped all danger; when mate of the Boddam, under the command one morning (28th January 1797), after of Capt. JOHN JONES (formerly of the driving before a squall through the Straits Eoyal Navy), and had a narrow escape, at of Bally, they unexpectedly found themselves starting (25th February 1791), from being in sight of the five French frigates. Dis- wrecked on the Casket Rocks; the ship just covering what they were, the Commodore 80 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JULY, 1853,

FAKQDHABSOM thought by stratagem to than an officer from H. M, ship Alfred came escape, proposing to ran down close upon on board and pressed eighteen of her com- them, and then tarn away. A signal was, pany ; sending his own people to remain oa therefore, made to bring-to on the larboard board in their stead, so long as the Boddam tack, and prepare for action; and the remained in the Downs, but obliging Captain Soddam, being a fast sailor, was presently PALMER to hire eighteen other men to assist close upon a French frigate of about 32 guns. in carrying her up the river. The secret prayer was uttered; and then all In the following year, 1799, Captain were ready. The decks were cleared for PALMER again sailed to Madras and China, action, boarders prepared, ports up, and as Commander of the Boddam; and meeting guns shotted; and Captain PALMEE was with another typhoon in the China Seas about to have given the enemy a broad- (October 22), he profited by the experience side, and board; when the commodore gained in his last voyage to bring a country made a general signal to tack, which he ship, the Friendship, safe into port: making obeyed. If at this time the enemy had a steering machine for her when she had lost pursued, the Boddam conld scarcely have her judder, and standing by her in her dis- escaped capture; but mistaking the signal tress, though suffering from the gale him- to tack for a signal to engage, or having self. For this assistance Captain PALMEK mistaken two of the East Indiamen for the sought no salvage or reward; bat received men-of-war with which they had been en- from the owner, Mr, ALEXANDER ABAMSQH, gaged, the Frenchmen continued on their of Bombay, a handsome silver tnreen and former tack, and bore away. For his con- cover, inscribed—" In grateful testimony of duct on this occasion Captain PALMEE, on the high sense entertained of the generous, his return, received a letter from the Court spirited, and effectual assistance rendered to of Directors, bearing date July 21, 1798, the ship friendship, Captain DAWSOX, when i " to signify the high sense they entertained disabled by a tempest in the China Seas." of his conduct in his strict observance of the Commodore's signals, the orders of sail- This was Captain PALMER'S last voyage. ing, and the readiness he manifested to He would have again sailed to China, in support him had he come into action." command of the Soddam, in the following year, but was taken ill; and the medical Scarcely was this danger past when an- men certifying that his life would be en- - other occurred; and (Feb. 1st, 1797) in a dangered by his proceeding, he was induced strong gale with violent squalls and rain, to abandon his intention. the SocMam narrowly escaped wreck on the Scheidam Rocks, Though Mr. PALMEK had now given up the profession of a sailor, his heart and sym- But greater danger of shipwreck awaited him on the return voyage. On the 19th of pathies still remained with those who fol- June, 1797, while the BtxHam with several lowed it, as was abundantly evidenced both by his public and private acts during the other ships in company was still in the China remainder of his long life, to the very close seas, she lost her rudder and every mast in a violent typhoon. of which their welfare occupied a large portion of his thoughts. ! It would occupy too much space to detail | the further proceedings of the JSoddam, In 1802 Mr. PALMEE entered into part- ! which, after encountering three hurricanes nership with his father arid brother (Mr. and other dangers, safely arrived in China HORSLEY PALMER) and Captain WILSON, on the 29th June 1797, and ultimately in who were extensively engaged in the city the Downs on the 7th July 1798. of London as East India merchants and shipowners; and it is worthy of record, that Pressing for the navy was now in fall while he continued a member of the firm, he operation, and no sooner had the Boddam would never allow any of the ships to go to anchored after her long and perilous voyage, sea without being well fitted «nd provided THE LATE GEORGE PALMER, ESQ. 31

with every means necessary for the preserva- French Government was awakened to the tion of life in case of accident. object of saving life from shipwreck, and the Minister of Marine, by desire of His In 1818, Mr. PALMER served the office of late Majesty Louis PHILIPPE, wrote to High Sheriff for Hertfordshire; and at the Mr. PALMER, requesting that he might be coronation of George IV., as Master of the furnished with his plan for fitting life-boats. Mercers' Company, he attended the Lord This request having been immediately com- Mayor in his office of Chief Butler, carrying plied with, Mr. PALMER received thanks for the Maple Cup from the throne. In 1832, the same, and instructions were given that a he was elected the Chairman of the General life-boat on his plan should be built in Shipowners' Society, and in the same year London to be stationed in Boulogne, which received two numerously-signed requisitions having been found to answer the purpose, to become a candidate for the representation orders were given to have a second boat of South Shields and South Essex. built under Mr. PALMER'S superintendence In the year 1826 Mr. PALMER first be- at Limehouse. The French Government came connected with the Shipwreck Institu- afterwards gave directions to have several of tion, to the interests of which he unceasingly these boats built in France on the same devoted a large portion of his valuable time model. till within a few weeks of his lamented death; In the year 1836 Mr. PALMER entered and in 1828 his plan of fitting life-boats was Parliament as member for South Essex, adopted by it. From that period till the which he continued to represent in three year 1844, life-boats on his plan have been successive Parliaments, resigning his seat at placed by the Institution at the following the general election in 1847. As a Member places: — Berwick - upon - Tweed; Tyne- of Parliament, he was distinguished by his mouth, Northumberland; Redcar, Dur- upright and consistent conduct, and his ham ; Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire; unremitting attention to the discharge of all Cromer, Norfolk; Dymchurch, Kent; Rye, his duties. His exertions while in Parlia- Sussex; Appledore, Devon; Bridgewater, ment in behalf of the shipwrecked seaman Somerset; Swansea, Glamorgan; Laugh- will long be remembered by every friend of arne, Carmarthenshire; Aberdovey and Bar- humanity with feelings of gratitude. Only mouth, Merionethshire; Penrhyn-du, Car- those who are acquainted with the frightful narvonshire ; Mostyn, Flintshire; Moelfre, loss of life attended with distressing circum- Llanddvvyn, and Cemlyn, on the Coast of stances, and the great destruction of property, Anglesea; Ramsay, Isle of Man; Rosslare that annually took place, on account of Point and Kilmore, on the Coast of Wex- timber ships being allowed to carry deck ford; Youghal, Coast of Cork; and Derry- loads, can fully appreciate his unceasing, nane, on the Coast of Kerry. and ultimately successful, endeavours in ob Some of these boats are now fit for use ; taining Legislative enactments in the years and the services they have rendered to ship- 1839, 1840, 1842, and 1845, prohibiting wrecked persons and vessels in distress have timber-laden ships from carrying deck loads. been invaluable; some hundreds of the former We well remember Mr. PALMER relating an having been saved through their instrumen- anecdote of the celebrated Daniel O'CosraELL tality from inevitable death, and many of the in connection with this good work. latter from destruction. Mr. O'CONNELL stated to him in the In consequence of disastrous wrecks at House of Commons that he was in the Boulogne in the year 1833, resulting in the habit of deriving a considerable income from calamitous loss of the Amphitrite and other the proceeds of wrecks of timber ships on vessels, and the rewards granted by the the shores of his estates in Kerry; but, National Shipwreck Institution to the French nevertheless, he should have much satisfac- fishermen who endeavoured to save their tion in giving to Mr. PALMER'S Bill his" best crews and passengers, the attention of the support, knowing, as he did, its absolute 32 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JULY, 1853. necessity. This voluntary support on the special thanks on vellum, in acknowledg- part of Mr. O'COSNELL was the more ment of the services he and the life-boats honourable, as Mr. PALMER was always built on his plan, had rendered to the cause diametrically opposed to him on most poli- of humanity. tical questions. A life-boat, on Mr. PALMER'S plan, was afterwards stationed by the Ship- Mr. Palmer died on the 12th May last, wreck Institution at Derrynane. in his 82nd year, after a short illness of very acute suffering, borne with much pa- In the year 1850 Mr. PALMER had the tience, and concluding a long life passed honour, in company with his late much- with honour to himself and benefit to esteemed friend and coadjutor, Mr. WILSON, the community. of an interview with the Duke of NORTH- UMBERLAND, K.G., concerning the Ship- wreck Institution, which resulted in his FASTNET BOOK, CAPE CLEAR. Grace accepting the office of President to As the prevention of shipwreck is of equal the Society in the following year. Mr. importance with the saving of life after the PALMER took much interest in the result of wreck has taken place, it becomes the duty the premium offered by his Grace for the of the Life-Boat Journal, from time to time, best form of a life-boat, and often expressed to give notice to the mariner of any newly- his wish that his Grace's liberality might discovered or little-known rock or danger be crowned with complete success, as he that may happen to be brought before the was sensible that neither his, nor any other Institution in the course of its inquiries into person's plan of life-boat, was perfect. the cases of shipwreck, and the causes of its frequency on our coasts; and we may thus Notwithstanding his advanced age and lend our humble aid to assist the Hydro- considerable infirmities, Mr. PALMER con- grapher and the Trinity Board in making tinued to devote much of his time to the known the changes in sands, and other dan- affairs of the Shipwreck Institution; always, gers, which they may have occasion to give - when able, attending and taking part in its notice of to the public. And we are the periodical Committee meetings, and having more called upon to do so from the liberal occupied the Chair for the last time on the aid and support, which, both by counsel and 6th January of the present year. by funds, the Institution has always received Having been the Deputy-Chairman of the from the Elder Brethren of the Trinity Institution for a great number of years, the House, and from the am pie supply of charts Committee were unanimous in their desire of the coast which, through the kind offices that he should succeed their late much- of Sir FRANCIS BEAUFORT, have been placed valued Chairman, Mr. WILSON, in that ca- at its disposal by the Admiralty. pacity. He nevertheless declined it, on Now that the Atlantic is weekly crossed account of his advanced age and the uncer- by steamers, the Fastnet Rock, which lies tainty of his being able to attend to its duties. right in the track, at about 5 miles south- He was, however, much gratified to be given west of Cape Clear, the extreme point of to understand that his respected friend, Ireland, will become a well-known land- Mr. ALDERMAN THOMPSON, M.P. had been fall, or point of departure. It is a wedge- elected to that office. shaped mass of schist and killas rock, ex- In February last Mr. PALMER felt that tending 120 yards in a north-east direction, the time had come when it would be fitting rising 103 feet above low water, and present- that he should resign his office of Deputy ing its precipitous face, or the base of the Chairman to the Institution, which he urged wedge, to the south-west, and thus receives the Committee to do him the favour to accept. the full stroke of the Atlantic wave. On His resignation was reluctantly accepted, and this rock, the Ballast Board of Dublin have the Committee thereupon voted to him the recently, and very properly, erected a light- gold medallion of the Society with their tower, the lantern of which is 155 feet FASTNET ROCK, CAPE CLEAR. 33 above the sea, and it is expected that the note a sunken rock, and will take care, light from Cape Clear will be transferred under any circumstances, to give the Fastnet to this spot, as soon as the stability of the a berth of at least half a mile. tower has been established. There is the more occasion for this warn- But the special danger to which we desire ing, as this track is daily becoming more to call the* mariners' attention is a sunken frequented. In the early months of the rock, haviag only a depth of 11 feet over it year, March, April, and May, and not vm- at low wajer, lying about two cables' lengths, frequently in the autumn, in September and or 400 yards, E.N.E. by compass of the October, but chiefly in the spring, long- Fastnet. This rock has been known since continued easterly winds prevail with great the year 1832, when Lieutenant HOWE, tenacity, blowing hard at times from east to E.N., examined and reported upon it; but south-east: this year they blew almost un-» its position would seem to have been for- interruptedly for two months. The home- gotten until the recent examination of it by ward-bound trade, as is well known, have Lieutenant CHURCH, E.N., Admiralty Sur- great difficulty in getting into port after a veyor on the south-west coast of Ireland. So long tedious voyage, and may run short of great is the sea on the west and south-west water and provisions. In former.times, the coast of Ireland in heavy gales, or long- great majority of these vessels were to be continued broken weather, that it washed encountered knocking about the approach away last winter some of the workmen's to the English channel; but since rapid wooden houses, lashed with chains on the postal and personal communication by steam summit of the Fastnet, at an elevation of and rail have been established between 100 feet; and in the " draw " of the sea in Ireland and England, an immense number of heavy gales, the sunken rock to the north- the homeward-bound, for all parts, are too east has been seen exposed in the hollow glad to be able to fetch Cork, Crookhaven, of the waves. and the fine anchorage of Bearhaven; and many get congregated in those harbours. It has been reported by the workmen The mighty growth of the Liverpool and erecting the lighthouse, that the great Clyde trade has added, and is daily adding, ocean steamers were in the habit of passing to the number of vessels that fetch in about dangerously close to the Fastnet, probably Cape Clear, and in long-continued easterly to gratify the curiosity of the passengers winds they may be seen straggling to make with a view of the building. They stated the south-west Irish land on the starboard that one huge steamer passed so close on tack. Even vessels bound up the English the north side that they were in agony for channel, after a long voyage, and run short, her safety, expecting every moment to see are but too glad to fetch a port; and the her knocked to pieces on the sunken rock first that can be reached is often Bantry Bay, in question ; they shouted to her in vain ; Crookhaven, or Cork. her deck crowded with passengers. She appeared to the workmen to pass actually On the 18th April, last year, the winds over the position of the danger: had she from east to south-east first ceased, after a touched, not a creature would have been continuance, with more or less force, for two saved. It is hard to say how many missing months, and many vessels suffered much vessels, from remote periods, have been from privation. It is true that Government demolished on this outlying and dangerous sends steamers to afford relief, but it is rock, or on the Fastnet itself, among the chiefly to the chops of the English channel; many of which it is recorded in our wreck- whereas, in the line of bearing of south-west register, " Sailed, but not since heard of." and W.S.W. from Cape Clear and Fastnet, We trust that every master or mate of a pursued from thence out to the edge of vessel that may chance to read this notice soundings, and traversed backward and for- will immediately mark the spot in question ward, a number of vessels wanting relief on his -chart with a large black cross, to de- would be encountered. 34 EEGISTER OF SHIPWRECKS ON THE COASTS AND Comprising TOTAL WRECKS ; VESSELS FOUNDERED or SUNK through LEAKS or CoiAiS]

1852 NAME., Belonging to Big. Tons. Men. From Bound to Cargo. JUL—Y

1 Duchess of Kent London - - St. Ship - 155 1_5 Eamsgate - London - - Passengers j j Creole - - - N. Yarmouth - Schooner - 12_ 9 _ Liverpool - Beyrout General - J 9 Bee - - - - Port _Patric _ k - Sloop_ _ Stranraer - Saltcoats Ballast - 2 Daniel Dyer - Constantinople Bridgewater - 3 Mercurius - - Hanover - - Galliot - -_ _- Amsterda_ m - London - - Wheat - 4 Indus (St.) - - London - - St. Ship - _ _ - _- 6 Emblem - - New York - - Ship - - Newcastle - Philadelphia 7 Nuovo Silfide - Fiume - - - Barque - 314 13 Antwerp Newcastle - Ballast - 18 Providence - - Plymouth - - Sloop - 60 4 Teignmottth Porthcawl - Timber - 20 Olda - - - Caen - - - Schooner - 118 7 Newcastle - Toulon - - Coals - 23 Orange Branch - Exmonth - - Schooner - 54 4 Newport Plymouth *• Coals - 24 Renown - - - Alloa - - - Schooner - 87 5 Alloa - - London - - Iron & Bot 26 Liberty - - - London - - Sloop _54 4 Newport - Plymouth - Coals - » 9 Craigie - - - Wick - - - Brig - - - .. - Lime } 9 Breeze - - - Aberdeen - - Schooner - 102 5 Newbnrgh - Newcastle - Grain - 9 9 Newton - - Newcastle - - Schooner - 62 4 Thurso - - Sunderland - Flag Stone 27 Fife Maid - - Inverkeithing - Schooner - 77 3 Newcastle - Tain - - Coals - » J Sedulous - Aberdeen - - Brig - - 226 8 Quebec - - Peterhead - Timber - AUG. 1 Ann - - - Bideford - - Schooner - 79 - Newport Cork - - Coals - Christina - - > > _- _ _- _- _- - - - 4 City of the Snltan London - - Alexandria - - 7 Sally & Susannah Portsmouth - Schoone_ r - -_ _3 Hartlepool <- -_ _ Coal_ s _- 8 Elena - - - „ _ Odessa - - » I Guardian - - Londo_ n - - Barque - 430 15 Liverpool - Rio - - - General - 10 Charles - - - Smack 38 3 Cardiff - - Falmouth - Coals - 11 Cerere - - - Malta - - - Brig - - 300 15 Odessa - - Ipswich Linseed - J > Primrose - - Truro - - - Schooner - 47 4 Truro .- - Neath - - Copper Or 9 9 Active - - - Pwllheli - - Smack 28 3 Gloucester - Totnes - - Salt & Bri 9 9 Mary Ann - - Bridgewater - Schooner - 116 6 Newport Dantzic - - Iron Prometheus St. Ives - - Schooner - 80 5 Mumbles - Penzance - Coals -

9 » Merchant - - Ipswich - - Sloop - 50 4 Plymouth - Southampton Timber - * » George Stone - Dundee - - Sloop 24 - Rnncorn - - ' Coals - J » Prince Albert - Derbyhaven - Cutter - 34 4 Derbyhaven Liverpool - Herrings 9 9 Phtenix - - - Lyme - - - Schooner - - - Lyme - - Plymouth - - 9 > Penwith - - Penzance - - Sloop_ _41 4 London - - Penzance General - J » Sampson - - Cardigan - - - - - Culm - 12 Cupid - - S. Shields - - Schooner - 54 - Tyne - - London - - Lead & Co • J Bertha - - - - Schooner - 120 - Nice •- - - Hamburgh - Olive Oil 1 9 Victoria - - Liverpool - - Schooner - 101 5 Whitehaven - Newport * Pig Iron 14 Not known - - - Brig - - 300 - - - Timber - 15 Two Johns - - Goole - - - Sloop - 53 3 Goole - - London - - Coals - j > Two Brothers - Jersey - - - Cutter - 19 4 Perros - - Exmouth - Cattle - » a Hopewell - - - Sloop - - Chester - - Fishguard - - - - 9 J Ludwig Wilhelm Prussia - - Galliot - 150 - Oak Plank > » Avon - - London - - Brig - - 190 8 Havre - - Hartlepool - Ballast - 16 Ernestine - - Uckemunde Schoone_ r - 14_ 9 _6 Stettin - - London - - Zinc & Tim 18 John Beynon - Newport - - _ Middlesbro" - Alexandria - - 19 Helsingfors - - _- Barque - - Helsingfors - Malaga - *• - 20 Friends - - - Brig - - 137 7 Whitby - - London - - Coals - • j Veronica - - Sunderland Schooner - 10_ 4 5 Grangemonth Bridport - Coals - 25 Dove - - - Beaumaris - Schooner - _ -_ Galway - - Dundalk - Kel_p - 30 Erin - - - Lancaster - - Schooner - Ardrossan - Ponlton * 9 Dasher - - - Dungarvon Smack 19 7 Out fishing. Ballast - SEPT. _ _ _ _ _ 2 James - - - Arbroath - - Arklow - - Newcastle - 7 Kron Princesse - Stavanger - - Schooner - 53 4 Libau - - Newburgh - Bones - » j Briton - - - Dungarvon - Smack 15 6 Fishing. Ballast - a > Cyrus - - - Sunderland - Brig - - 233 8 Hamburgh - Sunderland - Ballast - 9 9 Janet - - - Kincardine - Schooner - 119 _6 Lerwick - - London - - Oats 8 Caledonia - - Colchester - - Steam_ Tug -_ _ - - Passengers 9 Lady of the Lake Aberystwith - Isle of Man - - Herrings 10 Amy - - - Ipswich - - Schooner - " " Ipswich - - Waterfbrd - Iron ! SEAS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, FOB THE YEAR 1852. 35 NDONED ; STRANDED and DAMAGED so as to require to DISCHARGE CARGO.

Wind. Lives Lost. SITE OF WRECK—CREW HOW SAVED-REMARKS, &c. Force. Di- rection

Wstly. Sunk off Northfleet. All saved except one passenger by other steamer's boat, On the Seven Stones, Land's End. Leaky ; put into Falmouth. N.N.W Finnard Bay, Loch Ryan, Scotland. Sunk ; crew saved in own boat. Off Bridgewater, Devon. Damaged considerably by taking the ground. Nore Sand. Sprung a leak and sunk ; crew saved. Raised 22 July. S.S.E. At Blackwall. Caught fire and burnt. Put into Portsmouth to discharge and repair. Off Sunderland. Foggy weather; much damaged by drifting on the rocks. S.W. Rundle Stone, Land's End. Stranded and sunk; crew saved. S.W. Hasbro* Sand. Bilged and abandoned; crew saved. E.S.E. Lundy Island. Sunk 14 miles off; crew saved. S.E. Got on the Nore Sand and filled. Saved. N.E. Leaky and abandoned. Taken into St. Ives derelict. At Scrabster Pier, Thurso Bay. Burnt and totally wrecked. N.E. Farn Islands, Northumberland. Damaged by striking on the rocks. N.E. On the rocks near Holy Island. Stranded and sunk; crew saved; foggy. N.E. In collision with the " Helen," which saved the crew. Foggy weather. N. Near Peterhead. Damaged by striking on the rocks; got off much injured. Off the Worm's Head, S. Wales. Crew saved ; sprung a leak and sunk. Leaky. Put into Plymouth, and had to discharge. Leaky. Put into Falmouth, and had to discharge. Off Hastings, in contact with the " Emma." Crew saved. Leaky. Put into Penzance to discharge. E.N.E. Malahide, Ireland. Much damaged ; lightened and got off 10 Sept. N.W. Supposed to have foundered off the Land's End. Not heard of. S.S.W. Damaged and abandoned. Towed into Harwich waterlogged; crew saved. N.N.W Off Boscastle, N. Coast of Cornwall. Crew saved. N.W. Bude, N. Coast of Cornwall. At back of Breakwater ; crew saved. N.E. New Quay, N. Coast of Cornwall. Much damaged at back of pier. 9 N.N.W Total wreck under Tenner Cliffs. Saved by Coast-guard, &c. 10 S.E. Mount Edgcumbe, Plymouth. Total wreck. 9 S.W. 3 Dulas Island, Anglesea. All lost. [in own boat. Near the Calf of Man. Struck on a rock and sunk in a sudden squall; saved 5 Near the Shambles, off Portland. Dismasted, and seen to go down; all lost. 10 Abbotsbury, Dorset. Run on shore in distress ; saved by Coast-guard. On Newport Sands, S. Wales. Discharged cargo, and got into Newport. W. Near the Rough Buoy, off Harwich. Crew saved. 10 S.W. Tncevt. Near the Owers. Found floating bottom up; towed into Littlehampton. 5 S.E. Irish Sea. Leaky ; put into Douglas, Isle of Man; had to discharge. Towed into Inniskea, W. Coast of Ireland, derelict. Nothing further known. 10 E.S.E. Buxey Sand, entrance of Thames. Crew saved ; was got off again. 9 N.N.W Off the Start, in stress of weather. Crew saved. 8 N.E. Sunk, after striking on Carrig Thomas Rock. Saved. North Sea. Found waterlogged and abandoned; brought into Hull. Near Rye, Kent. Crew saved by Coast-guard of 31 Tower in life-boat. Orfordness. Got into Harwich damaged, with 6 feet water in her hold. Off I. of Wight. Collision with Norway barque; captain and wife drowned. Damaged. Put into Cowes to discharge and repair. S.W. On the Blyth Sands, river Thames. In contact with the " Mary Maria." N. Off Hartlepool. Sunk, by springing a leak ; crew saved in own boat. Arran Island, Galway. Struck on a rock and sunk; crew saved in hooker. Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. Crew saved in own boat. WNW. Off Helwick Head, Dungarvon. Crew saved. Run down and sunk. Sound of Islay. Struck on rock; put into Stromness. E. At Newburgh, near Aberdeen. Saved with materials and cargo; got off 17th. N.N.W Off Dungarvon, Waterford. N.E. Hartlepool. On the rocks under the Lighthouse ; crew saved. 3alm. Musa Island, on S.E. Coast of Shetland. Crew saved. Easily. Sunk on the West Edge. All saved by the " Beulah " smack. Holy Island Bay. Stranded on the rocks and sunk; crew saved. [boat. Nthly. Sunk in Broad Sound, after striking on the Hats and Barrels. Saved in own 36 ' REGISTER OF SHIPWRECKS ON THE COASTS AND I> Comprising TOTAL WRECKS ; VESSELS FOUNDERED or SUNK through LEAKS or COLLISION

1852 NAME. Belonging to Big. Tons. Men. From Bound to Cargo* SEPT.

12 Tar- - - - Whitb_ y - - Schooner 84 4 Newcastle - St. Valery - Coals - » > Elizabeth - - Schooner 64 4 Whitehaven Cardiff - - Ore - - » » Victoria - Liverpool - - Schooner 101 5 Whitehaven Newport Iron - - » » Albion - - - Crail - - - Sloop - - - Newburgh - Yarmouth - Oats j t Star- - - - Bideford - - Schooner 79 5 Cork - - Bideford - Limestone (St. Andrew's, 13 Sunderland Brig - - 241 8 Quebec - - Sun - - - - j- fife - - JTimber - 15 Pattison - - Sunderland Brig - - - - Sunderland - London - - - 16 Mary - - - Whitby - - Schooner - - Goole - - Dover - - Stone - > > L'Olivier - - Nantes - - Chasse-maree 51 3 Dieppe - - Blyth - - - > ) Caroline - - Stralsund - - Brig - - - - Plymouth - Newcastle - Ballast - 9 t Dart - - - Plymouth - - - - - Fowey - - Cardiff - - - 18 Bhurtpore - - Ship - - 987 [General anc Liverpool - - 31 Liverpool - New Orleans [ Passengen * * Ellen - - - Aberystwith - Schooner 46 5 Dublin - - London - - Oil-cake > t Miehele - - - Syi-a - - - Brig - - 228 11 Liverpool - Constantinople Coals - j i John Callum - Leith - - - Brig - - 149 9 Aberdeen - Havannah - Machinery ) 9 Unity - - - AberystwiUi - Sloop 16 3 Aberystwith Llanelly Ballast - 1 > Elizabeth - - Oldenburgh - Galliot - 35 3 Leith - - Lossiemouth Ballast - 19 Alert - - - Brixham - - Schooner 104 6 Bridport Sunderland - Ballast - j j Orange Boven - ffhitby - - Ketch - 38 3 M/ddJesbro' Whifhy- - Coals - 1 1 Felix - - - Banff - - - Schooner 9_1 _5 Newcastle - Banf_ f -_ - Coals - t » William - - Belfast - - Brig - - _ Archangel - Tar, &c. t j Jemima - - - Shields - - Brig - - 272 Taganrog - Queens town Linseed - 20 Protheroe - - Whitby - - Schooner 109 5 Dieppe - - Whitby- - Ballast - j * Providence - - Dartmouth Schooner 88 5 Falmouth - Newcastle - Mundic - 1 1 James - - - Southampton •• Brig - - 140 8 Newport Southampto_ n Coals - 9 t Violet - - - Spey - - - - -_ - Speymouth - - ) t Commerce - - Aberdeen - Schooner - Sunderland - Aberdeen - Lime 9 9 Orchard - - Maryport - - Schooner 45 _3 Glasgow Dunfanaghy Iron, &c. 21 Britannia - - Sunderland - Schooner - Caen - London - - Stone - * j Frankfort Packet Inverkeithing - Schooner 120 5 London - - Inverkeithing Ballast - » t Olive - - - Sunderland Brig - - 186 7 London - - Sunderland - Ballast - 1 1 Hercules - - Scarborough - Brig - - 124 6 London - - Shields - - Ballast - 1 1 William and Sally Swansea - - Schooner 106 6 Stettin - - Dundee - - Timber - 9 t Friends - - - Banff - - - Schooner 48 4 Sunderland - Pt. Gordon - Coals t t Maria - - - Faniie - - - Galliot - 49 4 London - - Hartlepool - Ballast - ) J Sarah - - - Shields - - - - - Ibrail - - Queenstown - J 1 Lady Frances - Sunderland Brig - - 223 8 Swansea - London - - Patent Fui 22 Paolins - - - Venice - - - Brig - - 195 10 Newcastle - Venice - - Coie - » > Balmoral - - Sunderland - - - - Sunderland - - 23 Sarah and Mary Sunderland Schooner 104 _5 Sunderland - London - Coals - 24 Fortitude - - - Brig - - - Falmouth - Trieste - - - 26 Martha - - - Sunderland - Brig - - 205 8 Sunderland - Portsmouth Coals - ) » Schembri - - Malta - - - Barque - 260 11 Odessa - - Dublin - - Indian Coi 28 Edinburgh - - SunderUnd Schooner 75 4 - Sunderland - - Harriet - - - Bangor - - Sloop - 24 3 Liverpool - Bangor - - Coals - Emir - - - Holland - - Galliot - 51 4 London - - HartJepool - Ballast - Welcome Home Yarmouth - - Schooner 35 3 Yarmouth - Sunderland - Flour, &c. Smyrna - - - Workington - Brig - - 90 4 Workington Dublin - - Coals - Celerity - - Fraserburgh - Schooner 44 5 Hamburgh - Fraserburgh Ballast - James Hamilton Troon - - - Brig - - 120 7 Troon - - Dublin - - Coals - Hannah - - - Goole - - - Sloop 53 3 Goole - - Shoreham - Coals - Providentia - - Stromstadt Schooner 61 5 Rouen - - Stromstadt - Ballast - Wave Queen London - - Steam Ship 113 23 Dieppe- - - Newhaven - Passengers Emporium - - Blyth - - - Brig _- - 23_0 _6 Eyemouth - Blyth - - Nil - - Dantzic Packet - Dantzic - - Liverpool - Dantzic - - - 9 Edward Coke - - Schooner - - Wisbeach - Waterford - Wheat - Carrs - - - Shields - - Brig - - 205 _5 Liverpool - Newcastle - Salt Elizabeth Owens - Fiat - - - Saltney Holyhead - - Harmony - - Dougla_ s - - Brig - - 163 8 Arundel - Douglas Timber - Bethsida - - Schooner 101 5 Rotterdam - Newcastle - Ballast - Suffolk - - - - - Brig - - 74 5 Southwold - Hartlepool - Ballast - t > Richard & Hannah Sunderland Brig - - 210 7 Sunderland - Amsterdam - Coals - HE SEAS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, FOR THE YEAR 1852. 37 BANDONED ; STRANDED and DAMAGED so as to require to DISCHARGE CARGO.

Nature Wind. Lives 9. OnfI Casualty. Lost. SITE OF WRECK-CHEW HOW SAVED— REMARKS, &c. Fores > Di- rection.

;2 Wrecked 8 WNW. .. On the Long Sand. Crew saved by the " Celerity." Leak - - 6 N.N.W - Put back to Whitehaven leaky, to discharge. Leak - , 5 S.E. - Put into Douglas, leaky, to discharge. Stranded - - - In the river ; fell over, bilged, and sunk ; much damaged. Stranded 5 WNW. - On the rocks, near the Lighthouse, Bideford, and considerably damaged. N'orthly. - On the rocks, near the Long Pier, St. Andrews, and bilged. Stranded _8 Foundered - „ 1 In collision, off the Dudgeon ; the rest saved by the " Abeona." Stranded 10 E.b.N. - On the Beach at Palling, by stress of weather. 10 Foundered - 10 E.b. N. - Off the Galloper, after being in collision. Crew saved. Upset - - 10 E.b.N_ . - Off the Galloper, in a heavy squall. Crew saved. Foundered - - - Off the Lizard. Crew saved. fOn the Long Bant, off Wexford. Three died from exhaustion, the rest saved \V«>f>lrm1 T? 3 w recKeu ~ N .FJt I by life-boat and other boats. _ Leak - - 9 E.S.E. - Sprung a leak off the South Bishop, ran on the beach, and came off damaged. Wrecked - 8 N.E. On the rocks near Carnsore. Crew saved in own boat. Wrecked - 6 N.E. - Near Girdleness Lighthouse. Crew saved in own boat. She went to pieces. Foundered - 9 E.S.E. - In St. Bride's Bay, by springing a_leak. Stranded 9 N.E. . On the Sands at Lossiemoutli, and damaged. Wrecked - 9 N.E. - Near Sunderland, and went to pieces. Crew saved. 10 Wrecked 10 N.E. - In Runswick Bay. Crew saved. A total wreck. Damaged 6 N.E_ . - By missing the Channel, but was got in ; half the cargo lost. [Harbour. Abandoned - Fine - Off Kirkvvall, leaky. Boarded by the islanders, and taken into Deer Sound Abandoned - 9 Easily. - At sea, disabled and very leaky, from stress of weather. Crew saved. Stranded - 8 Nrthly. - Near Dymlington. Crew saved. Got off damaged, October 12th. Stranded - 8 N.E. . On the Herd Sard, and dismasted. Crew saved by S. Shields life-boat. Stranded 2 W. - In Caldwell Bay, Isle of Wight, and bilged. Crew saved. Was got off. Stranded - 6 N.E. - On leaving the harbour, and must discharge. Fire - - - 9 N.E. - The lime took fire at sea; she was run into St David's, and became a wreck. Stranded _4 S_. - Near Horn Head, and damaged. She was got off the 24th September. 50 Abandoned - - On the Middle Sand : she foundered, and was recovered by two smacks. Stranded - 9 N.E. - Near Dunbar j driven on shore. Crew saved by Manby's apparatus and the Stranded - 9 N.N.E. - NearHartlepool. Crew saved by life-boat. Driven on shore. [Coast Guard. Wrecked - 9 N.N.E. - Drove on shore near Seaton Low Light. Crew saved by Seaton life-boat. Stranded - 7 N.E. _. On the Herd Sand, and damaged. Crew saved by S. Shields life-boat. Stranded 7 H.E. On the Herd Sand, and damaged. Crew saved by S. Shields life-boat. Abandoned _5 W.b._ S ._ Off Flambro' Head, in collision, taken into Bridliugton derelict. Foundered - _ Off Cape Clear. Crew saved by the " John and Isabella." Foundered - 5 wsw. Off the Isle of Wight, by springing a leak. Crew saved in own boat. Stranded 5 N.W. - On the Barnard Sand; was assisted off, and taken into Lowestoft Harbour. ( Put into Yarmouth to repair ; sailed, became leaky, and went to Hull, where fi( T oolr ,-ou iiQaK — — ~ ~ ( she was docked and repaired. _ Foundered - _3 WSW. - Off Hartlepool, by springing a leak. Crew saved by the " Gleuelg." Leak - - „ _ Put back to Falmouth, with damage, to repair. Foundered - 2 wsw. Off Dymlington, by springing a leak. Crew saved by the engineer(s). Stranded - 1 s.w. - On the Arklow Bank; was got off damaged, with loss of part of cargo, &c. Stranded 6 Sthly. - Drove on shore at Seaford ; was got off damaged. Wrecked - 9 E.N.E. _3 On Puffin Island, Beaumaris Bay. All lost. Stranded 9 N.E. _ At West Hartlepool, and much damaged. Crew saved. Collision 9 E. In the Wear, by being run into, and sunk : damaged. Wrecked - 9 N.E. 4 On the Lighthouse wall, Dublin, by stress of weather. All lost. 170 Wrecked - 9 E.N.E. 1 In Robin Hood's Bay. Crew, except one, saved. Wrecked - 9 Easty. -_ On the rocks near Balbriggan Lighthouse, by stress of weather. Crew saved. Stranded 6 Sthly. _ Driven on shore at Shoreham by stress of weather. Was got off much damaged. Wrecked - 9 s.s.w _ Driven on shore near Dungeness Lighthouse. Crew saved. Stranded 10 s.s.w _ At Newhaven by stress of weather. Was launched off again October 10th. Wrecked 9 E.N._ E _ Near Blyth. Crew saved by the Blyth life-boat. Leak - - _9 _ Put back to Stornaway, from stress of weather, to discharge and repair. Missing . _ Sailed from Wisbeach August 9th ; not heard of since. Wrecked - 9 E.N.E_ . _ Drove on shore near Moelt're, Anglesea. Crew saved by the life-boat. Wrecked - „ _ Near Amlwch. 180 Stranded - 4 E. On the rocks near Douglas, Isle of Man, and much damaged. Stranded - 9 N.N.E _- At West Hartlepool. Crew saved by line, and Carte's life-buoy. Stranded - 9 N.N.E At West Hartlepool. Crew saved. In the North Sea. The " Sylphide's" boat upset in an endeavour to save Abandoned - M 6 - 7 the crew, five of whom and two of the " Sylphide's" were. lost. 38 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JULY, 1853.

now been placed there by the Shipwreck ADDITIONAL STATIONS AND NEW Institution, aided by local subscriptions. LIFE-BOATS. Her dimensions are, extreme length 32 ft., ITS the December Number of this Journa beam 8 ft. 6 in., depth amidships, 3 ft. 8 in., it was stated that several additional Life at extremities 6 ft. boat Stations had been formed, and new This boat was launched from Messrs. boats built to replace old ones. FORRESTT'S yard on the 9th ultimo, when In addition to those previously enume- her stability and self-righting power were rated, we have the gratification to record the tested, and we have every reason to believe following:— that she will prove to be a very superior PALLING, NORFOLK.—In the autumn ol boat. She was found, after self-righting, to 1852, a new life-boat was placed at Palling clear herself of water in about 40 seconds, by the Norfolk Association. This boat was and to require 23 men to stand on one gun- constructed by the well-known builder, wale to bring it to the water's edge. TEASDEL, of Yarmouth. Her dimensions Through the courtesy of the Comptroller- are, length 32 ft, beam 9 ft. 7 in., depth General of Coastguard, Captain ALEXANDER amidships, 3 ft. 10 in., and at the extremi- ELLICE, R. N., she has been conveyed to her ties, 5 ft. 4 in. station by H. M. revenue steamer Argus, Her interior fittings, like the other life- where she will at once be suitably fitted by boats on this part of the coast, which are those who will themselves have to manage chiefly managed under sails, are on the same her, and will be got ready for active service principle as those on the plan of Mr. PALMEK, against the forthcoming winter, when we the late lamented deputy-chairman of the trust that, should opportunity offer, the National Shipwreck Institution, although the seamen of Aldborough may both establish air-cases containing the extra buoyancy of her superior qualities and exhibit their own the boat are differently constructed. skill and courage in her management. The leading characteristic of these boats BKOADSTAIES, KENT.—In February of the is, that they have no deck or platform having present year, the Messrs. WHITE, the well- air-compartments under it, their whole extra known yacht and ship-builders of Cowes, in buoyancy being contained in large cases or the Isle of Wight, (who in the year 1850 boxes extending round their sides and at liberally presented to the seamen of their either end, and filling up the space from the native town a life-boat, built by themselves, floor to the thwarts. Whatever water finds and from their own design,) again made a admittance into the boat is therefore confined jift to them of a second, of greater capacity in the midship part of it, where it acts as a than the former, which, although she had on loose ballast, and for which object, when :he occasion of the wreck of the Mary White she is in a heavy sea, it is intentionally let ipon the Goodwin Sands, on the 6th of in, by raising plugs which are fitted to holes March, 1851, established most deservedly cut through the bottom of the boat for the wth the fame of herself and of the Broad- purpose. stairs men, was yet of scarcely sufficient size This boat has the appearance of being a o do all which might on some future occa- powerful and serviceable one, but we have sions be required of her. not yet heard that her qualifications have The dimensions of the new boat are^— been put to any severe test. ength, 30 feet; beam, 8 feet 4 inches; depth ALDBOROUGH, SUFFOLK.—It was stated, imidships, 3 feet, including the keel; at in a former number, that a more powerful extremities, 3 feet 10 inches. She is built life-boat was required at Aldborough, where if mahogany, and possesses the usual cha- a small one, on PLENTY'S design, had been racteristics of Messrs. WHITE'S life-boats:— temporarily stationed, having been removed viz., shallowness of depth; slight sheer of there from the contiguous station at Size- gunwale; hollow bow and quarter; great well. ightness compared with the generality of A new boat on Mr. PEAKE'S design has ife-boats; and lastly, the absence of any ADDITIONAL LIFE-BOAT STATIONS—MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE. 39 tubes, or other contrivances, for freeing her- native town, which prompted those gentle- self of water, with the exception of two men to present them with two such valuable small plug-holes in her floor, it being con- boats. s&eteA taafc from foe pecoV\at facm bS \iet "WmTEHvras, CUMBERLAND.— A. Yrfe- side air-cases, she will relieve herself of all boat on Mr. PEAKE'S design, has been superabundance of water over her gunwale placed at Whitehaven. This boat was by the ordinary motion of the boat in a sea- built for the Harbour Commissioners at way. that place by the Messrs. FOERESTT under We observe that water-ballast contained the direction of the Committee of the in metal tanks, ranged over the keel and National Shipwreck Institution. She was filled from within board, has been added to launched on the 24th of February last, and this boat: in all former boats of the same her stability and self-righting property being build which we have seen (except that at found satisfactory, she was shortly after con- Ilfracombe), there has been no ballast but veyed to her station, where she is kept the loose water on the floor. hoisted up within the pier, ready for any Without entering on the merits of these emergency which may bring her into boats, on points which are still matter of requisition. dispute both amongst boat-builders and sailors, we may safely pronounce the opinion MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE, that they are fast boats—that they are pos- sessed of great stability—and that Horn llth Nov. GEORGE PALMES, Esq., V.P,, their lightness (the larger one, it is said, not in the Chair. being more than about 20 cwt.) they are CONFIRMED Minutes of the previous Meet- well suited for managing amongst the ing, and those of the Finance and Wreck neighbouring sands of the Goodwin. It and Reward Sub-Committees. appears to us, however, that from the Ordered the sale of 2001. Exchequer Bills, peculiar form of their bows and their want to meet the liabilities of the Institution. of height at the extremities, they must be Granted 20Z. towards putting the Brid- much under water in a heavy broken sea, lington life-boat in a state of repair, The and we cannot but think it a point worthy boat was stationed by the Institution at that of Messrs. WHITE'S consideration, whether place in 1824, and has since that period when intended for life»boats stationed on been instrumental in saving the lives of shore they might not be improved by hav- 57 shipwrecked persons. ing somewhat more height both at bow Read "and approved the Life-boat Inspec- and stern. For ship's life-boats they appear tor's additional report on the trials he had to us perfect, and we heartily wish that made on the new life-boats on the coast of every merchant vessel were compelled to Northumberland. carry them instead of the things miscalled Reported that the hew life-boat, placed life-boats, which are carried by the gene- at Newbiggin, had already done good service rality of our steamers and emigrant ships. in saving the crews of three fishing eobles, We know that we have here been tread- Resolved-— ing on delicate ground; and, considering the 1. That the silver medal of the Institu- present state of knowledge or rather of tion be voted to Commander WARD, R.N., ignorance and want of experience of life- Inspector of Life-boats, in consideration of boats, fear that we may have been guilty of the risk of life he had incurred while making presumption in expressing an opinion upon some experimental trials with the new life- them at all. Yet, however much the boats, during rough weather, on the coast Messrs. WHITE may differ from us in their of Northumberland. views, we may at least, as we have now 2. That designs of Mr. PEAKE'S life-boats, much pleasure in doing, record our admira- of the respective lengths of 80 ft. and 35 ft., tion of the liberality—public spirit—and be furnished to the Hartlepool and Tees Bay kindly feeling towards the seamen of their Life-boat Societies. 40 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JULY, 1853.

3. That drawings of Col. COLQUHOUN'S coast-guard station; and 151. 10s. to the life-boat carriage and limber be furnished to crew of the Blyth life-boat, for saving the the Redcar Life-boat Society. crew of the Russian barque Victoria, wrecked Voted one silver medal, one second ser- near that station during a gale of wind from vice clasp, four thanks of Committee on the eastward, on the 28th October last. vellum, and 54Z. 7s. in rewards, as follows. The thanks of the Committee, on vellum, Dec. 9. GEORGE PALMER, Esq., V.P., to Mr. GEORGK BCRTCHAELL, chief officer in the Chair. of coast-guard at 31 Tower Station, Rye; Confirmed Minutes of the previous Meet- and 21. 2s. to his crew, for saving, with ing, and those of the Finance and Wreck the life-boat of the Institution, 3 out of 8 of and Reward Sub-Committees. the crew of the brig Avon, of London, Read letter from the Aldborough Life- which came on shore near that place during boat Committee, stating that they had in a gale of wind from the S., on the 18th hand 521, towards the building of a new August last. life-boat; and that they had built a boat- Also the thanks of the Committee, on house, 37 ft. 9 in. long by 14 ft. 9 in. wide. vellum, to Lieut. GEORGE FRANKLYN, R.N., Resolved— chief officer of Black Rock Station, near 1. That a 32-ft. life-boat, from a design Brighton (to whom the silver medal of the by Mr. PEAKE, be ordered to be built, to Institution was voted in 1839) ; and 51. 5s. be stationed at Aldborough, Suffolk. to other parties, for savir.g, with the life- 2. That a 27-ft. life-boat, on Mr. PEAKE'S boat, the crew of the schooner ffonoria, of design, be ordered to be built for Cemlyn, Dover, during a heavy gale of wind from Anglesea. S.S.W., on the 4th October last. Read and approved the Inspector's Report Also II. 10s. to Mr. R. PHILLIPS and relative to the build and state of the several two others, for putting off at midnight to life-boats which he had inspected, from go to the assistance of a fishing-boat, which Berwick-on-Tweed to the banks of the had been wrecked on Gresholm Strand, Thames. near Milford, on the 26th October last. Determined on receiving the Filey life- Also the thanks of the Committee, on boat to be in connection with the Institution, vellum, to Mr. R. O. WHITE, R.N., chief and ordered the same to be put forthwith officer of Cornhill Station, near Dover; and in an efficient state of repair, as well as the 51. to his boat's crew, for saving the crew boat-house and roadway; and that Rear- of the schooner Brandon, of Falmouth, Admiral Mitford be requested to form a wrecked under the clift' of that station on local Committee to manage the boat, in the 26th October last. conformity with the regulations of the Also the silver medal to Mr. A. BAR- Institution. NARD, chief officer of coast-guard, Clogher Voted four silver medals, one second ser- Head, coast of Louth; and 101. to his boat's vice clasp, and 151. 5s. in rewards, as follows. crew of five men, for rescuing the crew of A reward of 21.15s. to four men for their the brig Fidelity, of Dublin, which went to timely assistance to the passengers of the pieces on the rocks near that place on the smack Horatio, which had come on shore 26th October last. near the Fleet coast-guard station, Dorset Also 151. to the crew of the lugger Diana, on the 8th November last. The smack had of Deal, for saving, at great risk, and after been in collision with a Swedish schooner, repeated attempts, the crew of the brig and had drifted a distance of 60 miles when George William, of Shields, which was she came on shore. driven on the Goodwin Sands in a gale of Also the second service clasp to Mr. wind from S.S.E. on the 26th October last. A. BARNARD, chief officer of Clogher Head Also second service clasp, and the thanks coast-guard station; and SI. to his boat's of the Committee, on vellum, to Mr. J. crew of three men, for saving, on two trips, KEARNEY WHITE, chief officer of Blyth the crew of the schooner William Pitt, MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE. 41 wrecked near that place during an E.S.E. tow the two boats by the revenue cruiser gale of wind on the llth November last. Sylvia, from Penzance to their destination. Also the silver medal to JAMES M'CAR- Also from Captain OMMANNEY, R. N., THY, coast-guard chief boatman, Dundmm stating that instructions would be given to station ; and 4?. to his boat's crew of four convey the two sets of CARTE'S rocket men, for going off on two occasions to apparatus, which the Institution purposed the rescue of the schooner Martha Grace, placing at Noss and Fetlar, Shetland, on wrecked on Dundrum Bar during a heavy board the revenue cruizer Victoria, arid that gale of wind from the East on the 12th Lieutenant SICKLEMORE, R. N., commander November last. of the same, would be desired to teach the Also 10s. to P. O'SULLIVAN, coast-guard people the use of them. Both communica- boatman of the river Boyne station, on the tions to be acknowledged with the thanks of coast of Louth, for rushing into the surf to the Committee. save the master of the barque Minerva, of Captain WARD, R. N., the Inspector of Greenock, wrecked near that place during a Life-Boats, called the attention of the Com- heavy gale of wind from E.S.E. on the 12th mittee to a life-belt which had been November last. It being impracticable to designed by him, with the view to meet launch a boat, 15 out of 17 of the crew the different requirements which he deemed perished. a life-boatman's belt ought to possess. It Also silver medal to Mr. WM. BARRETT, was made of Macintosh's patent cloth, and R.N., chief officer of Balbriggan coast-guard was divided into four compartments to afford station, Mr. WM. BARRETT, Jan., and the greater security. Its buoyant power was Rev. ALEXANDER SYNGE ; and 51. to five equal to 281bs., and its price was 18s.— (See other men, for having, on three attempts, Life-Boat Journal, No. 7, p. 121.) which occupied six hours, rescued 16 of the Determined on making a gangway to the crew from the rigging of the barque Young Tynemouth life-boat house, at a cost of £24. England, of Glasgow, which had come on Elected Lord ALFRED H. PAGET, M.P., a shore near that place during a heavy gale Member of the Committee of Management. of wind from the East on the 14th Novem- Voted three silver medals, three thanks of ber. Committee on vellum, and 68L 7s. 6d. in rewards as follows:— 6th Jan., 1853. G. PALMER, Esq., V. P., The sum of 51. to the coxswain and crew in the Chair. of eight men of the life-boat stationed at Confirmed Minutes of the previous Meet- Moelfre, Anglesey, for saving the crew of ing, and those of the Finance and Wreck the schooner Emma, of Cardiff, wrecked and Reward Sub-Committees. near that place during a gale from the east- Rear-Admiral TAYLER, C. B., presented ward, on the 10th November last. to the Institution, through His Grace the Also 12?. 10s. to the coxswain and crew President, the DUKE OP NORTHUMBER- of eleven men, of the Llanddwyn life-boat, LAND, K.G., a sketch of his proposed Ship- for saving the crew of the brig Athena, of wrecked Sailors' Asylum, on the Goodwin Candia, wrecked in Carnarvon Bay, during a Sands, which was ordered to be acknow- S. W. gale, on the 20th December last. ledged with the thanks of the Committee. And 21. 10s. 6d. for expenses incurred on Read a communication from the British the shipwrecked crew. and Foreign Steam Packet Company offering Also the silver medal to Lieut. PARSONS, to convey to Penzance the Sennen Cove and R.N., chief officer of Bournmouth Station, Budehaven life-boats free of expense. To and 4/. to his four men for going oft' in the be accepted, with the thanks of the Com- coast-guard galley to rescue eight persons mittee. from the barque William Glenanderson, Also from Captain OMMANNEY, R.N., wrecked near Bascombe, Coast of Dorset, Deputy Comptroller-General of the Coast during a heavy gale from S. to S. W. on Guard, stating that orders would be given to the 27th December last; and afterwards 42 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JULY, 1853.

in saving four persons out of five from a life- saving the crew of the brig Louisa, of Riga, boat belonging Sir PEECY SHELLEY'S yacht, wrecked on the North Gars, near Seaton, which had upset in attempting to go off to Durham, during a strong E. S. E. gale of the wreck. wind on the 29th October last. Also 31. 17s. to eleven men, for going of! in their boats to save the crew of the schooner Janet Gibson, wrecked during a dense fog, WRECK OF THE STEAMER " DUKE near Lerwick, on the Coast of Shetland, on OF SUTHERLAND." the 8th September last. Also 4L to eight fishermen for going off in ON the 1st of April in the present year their curraghs to the assistance of several occurred one of those fearful wrecks which persons who were upset from a coast-guard ever and anon startle even the inhabitants galley, near Blacksod, Belmullet, Coast of of these sea-girt islands, accustomed as they Mayo, on the 5th November last. Three out have been from time immemorial to the of eight persons in the galley perished. periodical sacrifice, by shipwreck, of large Also 10s. to two fishermen for going off numbers of their fellow-countrymen; and in their boat to the assistance of two persons which, if there were not an instinctive re- who were upset from a boat near Innis Free pugnance in the human heart to discover Island, on the Coast of Donegal, on the 30th its own nakedness, would surely be suffi- November last. cient to raise the questions amongst us, Also 31. 10s. to JOSHUA CHAED and his whether or not we have adopted every boat's crew of five men, for rescuing the available means for preventing such sad master and mate of the brig Ann and Mary, disasters ?—whether or not we have evinced of Sunderland, wrecked close to Sizewell that care for the preservation of human life Bank, Suffolk, on the 19th December last. which its value demands of us, and which The mate was rescued from the rigging, and our duty towards our neighbour requires at the master from a floating piece of the our hands ? wreck. In bringing to the notice of our readers Also the thanks of the Committee on an account of the wreck of the Duke of vellum, to Captain WILLOUGHBY, R.N., Sutherland, we are not actuated merely by Lieut. IEVINE, R.N., of the Coast Guard, a desire to excite their compassionate sym- Lyme Regis, and Mr. HENEY HAEVEY, pathy ; or to wound their feelings by a commander of the revenue cruiser Frances, recital of the circumstances connected with for their assistance to the crews and pas- it; still less do we do so for their amuse- sengers of the barque Herione, from London ment only; but we conceive that it may to Australia with emigrants. Also the silver serve a practical purpose, as illustrative of medal to Mr. WILLIAM BBIDLE, who was the imperfect system which still exists in rescued from an upset boat. The barque this country for saving life from shipwreck. struck on a rock off Lyme Cob, Dorset, The facts of this sad catastrophe, as ex- during a hurricane, on the 26th December -racted from the public accounts of it, are last. Four out of five persons lost their as follows. lives by the upsetting of their boat in en- On the 1st of April, 1853, the steamer deavouring to assist the ship's boat into Duke of Sutherland, having on board 52 harbour. Granted 20?. in aid of the funds souls, made her appearance off the harbour of for the relief of the widows and orphans of Aberdeen, having performed her periodical the drowned men; and 91. 10s. to nineteen ourney from London with her accustomed other men, who assisted at this and two ease and punctuality; while those embarked other wrecks, which took place on the same n her, amongst whom were 24 passengers, occasion. male and female, were anticipating an almost Also the silver medal and 21. to Mr. mmediate landing, amidst their friends CHBISTOPHEE DAY, master of the steam- awaiting them on the shore. Nor does tug Contractor, and II. to his two men, for here appear to have been any reason why WRECK OF THE " DUKE OP SUTHERLAND." 43 they should have entertained any doubts of flood, as the current then sets strong against their voyage terminating as favourably as it the pier on the north side of the harbour. had hitherto been performed. Their ship " All these incidents combined in the was a good one and well equipped, and no destruction of the unfortunate Duke of one has impugned the skill of her com- Sutherland. The Dee had been flooded for mander and officers, who had, moreover, the several days past in consequence of the advantage of being well acquainted with the melting of the snows among the hills in its port. The time, too, was in broad daylight, upper course, and the wind, which had and as the vessel had been delayed without been fresh and blustering all day from the the harbour until the signal was made that south, had raised a considerable sea, which there was sufficient water on the bar, there broke in great sheets of surf upon the sandy was time for her to be placed in the most beach to the north and south of the harbour. favourable position for entering it. Every- In the main channel of the stream, however, thing, therefore, so far as human foresight there was nothing to alarm, nothing to pre- could perceive, concurred in her favour; vent any ship from taking the harbour. but all was to be of no avail. We will, The sea was rolling high, indeed, but it however, narrate the circumstances in detail, rolled in what sailors call whole water, and in the words of eye-witnesses, as published hence when the Duke of Sutherland was at the time :— seen rounding the Girdleness-point, about " On the afternoon of Friday, the 1st half-past five o'clock in the afternoon—that April, the city of Aberdeen was thrown into is about the usual time that she was ex- a state of great excitement by the wreck of pected to make her voyage—no fears were the steamer Duke of Sutherland, Captain expressed by any one of her safe entrance. ROWLAND, just arrived from London, at the It was a grand sight to see the magnificent very mouth of the harbour, and the loss of vessel battling with and mastering the many lives before the eyes of thousands of swelling waves as she rounded the head- their fellow-citizens, who, though almost land. That feeling lasted but a minute, within speaking distance, and recognising however; she had scarcely cleared the rocks amongst them their own personal acquaint- to the south when the experienced eyes of ances, felt themselves powerless to save some old fishermen saw that she was too them. far to the northward, and comprehending " The harbour of Aberdeen has long been the impossibility of her beating off against known as an unsafe one; and several vessels the united force of wind and tide, the —among them one or two steamers—have exclamation was raised that she was ' a before this been lost in attempting to enter gone ship.' The prediction was but too it. Lying immediately behind, and to the fatally verified. In less time almost than it north of the promontory of Girdleness, the takes to tell it, she struck with tremendous last link of the great Grampian chain, the force against the rocks lying seaward at the channel does not run straight out to sea, head of the pier, and then, turning broadside but takes a slight northerly direction. on to the waves, lay a helpless log on the Hence it is easy of access for ships coming waters. The alarm was soon spread, and from the north; but when vessels arrive in a few minutes the pier was crowded with from the south they cannot run in directly thousands of spectators, the more adven- after rounding the promontory, but must turous of whom rushed to the extreme point still hold a north-westerly course till they of the pier, within a very few yards of have cleared the rocks to the south of the where the ill-fated vessel was stranded, harbour; after which they must come sharp though the sea occasionally broke right over round, or they will go ashore on the pier- them, as it was already doing over the head. The danger of this catastrophe is ship's decks. The full peril of those on much increased when the wind is blowing board was instantly comprehended. She fresh from the southward, and still more was an iron vessel, and it was feared would when, in addition to this, the river is in not hold long together, especially as it was 44 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JuLsr, 1853.

seen that she had grounded amidships. The saving other persons, by manning her with event too speedily realized their worst fears. a fresh crew from the land, was frustrated. Within less than ten minutes from the time " While these things were taking place she struck, the bow of the vessel was torn on board, other and highly praiseworthy shear from the waist and was drifted up exertions for their safety were made ashore. the harbour, while the main part remained A life-boat, which was left lying in the hard and fast upon the rocks. So rapidly harbour, ready to be launched either to the had the sea broken her up and found an north or the south side, was very early entrance into her, that within a very few resorted to by the spectators; and, as soon minutes from the first shock the waves could as hands enough could be got together, she be seen from the pier dashing up from the was launched into the surf behind the pier, interior of her hold black and discoloured and manned by a crew of twelve hardy sea- by the coals. No lives, we believe, were men. With incredible labour and exertion lost when the fore part of the vessel was the boat.was impelled through the waves, torn away, for the sailors had, when the and reached the steamer in safety. Here a vessel first struck, ran aft to lower the life- scene of great confusion and excitement boat that lay on the starboard paddle-box, occurred. It was impossible to allow the i being that nearest to hand. Some parties boat to come close alongside the steamer, said they could hear the captain, who was or she would infallibly have been dashed to on the paddle-box at the time of the acci- pieces against the ship's quarter, which was dent, give orders for their doing so ; at any swaying fearfully from side to side, giving rate it could hardly be his orders that the 'warning of the fate which soon afterwards ship's crew should save themselves in her. befell it; the only resource for the passengers, Such, however, was the case. The life-boat therefore, was to spring from the ship's side on the starboard, or shore side, was got out, into the boat. In doing so many seemed to and was immediately filled with persons be severely hurt, others fell short and dropped from the wreck ; but, with the single excep- into the sea; and though several of them tion of a little boy about ten years of age, were rescued by the boat's crew, yet it was there was not a single passenger among inevitable that many perished. They suc- them. They were the seamen and firemen ceeded in filling the boat, however, with of the ship, headed by the chief mate. It rather more people than was consistent with may be that after landing the greater part prudence; but it is gratifying to add that of their number, the rest intended to return the boat, with her precious freight, was and bring off the passengers; but however speedily and safely got ashore. The voyage that might be, their intentions were not put to land was accomplished much more easily to the test; for after pulling a short way than that to the ship, as the sea was now through the surf at the back, or north side nearly at high flood, and the current was of the pier, a tremendous sea struck the setting in strong upon the land. The same boat and upset her, throwing some ten or cause that brought the life-boat so speedily fifteen persons into the boiling ocean. In ashore of course impeded her return, which all probability most of them would have the brave fellows on board showed great perished but for the gallantry of the spec- alacrity in attempting. It was fruitless, tators on shore; some of the stoutest of however. For a long time they put forth whom dashed into the sea, and being held the most strenuous exertions in contending by the linked hands of others nearer the against the wind and the sea; but, scarcely shore, succeeded in bringing every one, the had they gained a few yards, in a comparative boy among the rest, safely ashore. It is to lull, than a tremendous sea rushing in upon be regretted that, in the eagerness to save the land would overpower all their exertions, these unfortunate persons, all thought of and drive them farther in than they were securing the capsized life-boat was forgotten, before. After continuing for a considerable so that she drifted away to the northward, length of time at this fruitless task, it was and all chance of rendering her useful in at length suggested that the boat might be WRECK OF THE " DUKE OF SUTHERLAND." 45 towed out beyond the extreme violence of reach the land in safety; all the others were the surf by the people on the pier, she was swallowed up in the foaming surf. brought accordingly close below it, and a " While these things were going on, the rope being handed np, she was dragged a waves were doing their work of destruction short way through the surf. But it was on the devoted steamer. We have already soon found that this course was equally ftitile mentioned that in an inconceivably short with the other. The boat was dragged space of time she parted in front. In about along, indeed, but she was dragged through half an hour afterwards the stern and the the billows instead of rising to them; quarter deck were swept away. The masts and in a short time it was found that she had gone some time before; the last that was fast filling with water. The attempt was seen being the mizenmast, which was, therefore, given up, and we are not swayed fearfully to and fro in the water for aware that a fresh crew was thought of. some time before it finally disappeared. At all events the life-boat made only one Nothing remained but the middle part of voyage to the ill-fated ship. the ship, with the starboard paddle-box, on " A still more disastrous event befell an- which the survivors of the crew, now re- other attempt that was made from the shore. duced to some dozen persons or so, were One of the boats used for the purpose of congregated, and whose cries could be salmon-fishing in the districts, and whose heard above the howling of the tempest, as flat bottoms and other peculiarities cause their persons were distinctly seen from the them to be considered good sea boats at least, shore. It is probable that even this part of as they can be kept head on to the sea, was the vessel would have followed the others, lying on the beach at the time. The brother but that the weight of the machinery had of Captain ROWLAND, his brother-in-law, and caused it to take a firmer hold of the rocks, four other persons, resolved to make an and to present a more solid resistance to the attempt to reach the vessel with this boat, waves than the forecastle or the poop. The and endeavour to rescue some of the persons disappearance of these latter portions of the on board. For a time all went on well. ship was so rapid as must have appalled the So long as they kept under the lee of the stoutest hearts. Hence the impatience of pier, they made way and actually succeeded many on board to trust to their own efforts in reaching the ship. But there their success to escape, and not to wait for the exertions ended. When they reached the steamer, —torturingly lingering as they must have and thus became exposed to the full fury of appeared to them—made from the shore. the wind and current, the frail craft was At an early period of the catastrophe many whirled away in an instant, nor could all the persons were observed rushing to the life- exertions of the crew keep her more than a buoys and other apparatus for saving life minute near the vessel. During that brief that were to be found on board. A seaman period two individuals leaped from the ship belonging to Her Majesty's ship Archer and attempted to get on board. Both fell (lying in the harbour), who was standing into the sea—one perished, the other was on the pier, with extraordinary bravery caught by the boats' crew and got on board, leaped right off into the surf, and made thus prolonging his life alas! but a few his way to a man apparently clinging to minutes; for, in attempting to bring the the stakes of a net. His gallantry was boat's head round so that they might pull fruitless, beyond the universal admiration its for land, a heavy wave completely swamped brilliancy excited ; the man was found to be her. She sank immediately, amidst the dead, and not clinging to but entangled by shrieks of the crowd, who thus saw the the net. It is gratifying, however, to add, horrors of the scene inconceivably increased that the seaman, whose name, we under- by the destruction of the brave fellows who stand, is ROBE, succeeded in reaching the had gone to the rescue of the others. Of shore in safety. the seven men thus thrown in the sea, only " We have reserved to the last another one managed, by laying hold of an oar, to attempt to communicate with the ship, THE LIFE-BOAT. [JULY, 1853. though, in point of fact, it was attempted arm all severe criticism on his conduct, was before some of those efforts we have been among the first that attempted to prove the narrating, Captain MANBY'S apparatus for efficiency of the life apparatus. From this firing over the ship a ball from a mortar, list, however, must be excepted the head having a line attached to it, was brought steward of the steamer, Duncan Christie, down to the pier end and was early brought who remained by the vessel till he had seen into action. It happened, however, that every one else out of her, giving directions there was no one—not even the person in and assisting with praiseworthy energy in charge of it—who understood its manage- securing the lines round the females and ment, and several attempts were made to others that were to be passed over the gulf discharge it, which just as frequently failed. between the wreck and the pier, and then— The impatience and excitement of the by- it is gratifying to be able to add—himself standers rose to a great height, and in the succeeding in getting safely to land. same proportion the flurry and nervousness " We are happy to be given to under- increased of the persons who were attempt- stand that a public subscription, which ing to discharge it; and it is probable the already amounts to a considerable sum, has apparatus would have been wholly useless been opened for CHRISTIE, in acknowledg- had it not been for a party of the officers of ment of his meritorious services on the dis- the Archer, already mentioned, who made tressing occasion." their way to the place, and succeeded in discharging a rocket right over the heads of Such is a recital of one of the latest of the survivors, now huddled on the paddle- those tragedies whose periodical recurrence, box, amid the joyous exultations of the as before observed, we have become so crowd. Even then, however, the apparatus inured to, that we apparently receive them was incomplete. The cradle or basket in as matters of course—as fatal necessities which to place the persons that were to be which it were useless to prepare against—or handed along the lines was wanting, and the as the decrees of a Providence who has seen only mode of securing them was the neces- fit to mingle gall with the cup of human sarily imperfect one of fastening them by happiness, and which it were therefore un- small lines. The consequence was that availing to resist. more than one or two individuals dropped Whether, however, such be or be not the into the sea; and among them, we regret to causes of the apathy and indifference which, say, was the captain himself. He was so far at least as any practical effects are among the earliest that attempted to come concerned, is exhibited on this subject, we ashore in this way; but before he had passed have this fact before us, that up to the pre- half across the yawning gulf his strength sent time, in an important British port, and failed him, he lost his hold, and fell into that acknowledged to be an unsafe one, no the sea. The majority, however, were more pi-eparations have existed to meet a casualty successful, and before daylight had utterly which might at any moment have occurred, gone all the survivors were got on shore in and even the Rocket or Mortar apparatus this way. (for the accounts vary as to which it was), that had at some former time been supplied " It will have been seen that there was no to afford assistance on such occasions, had great amount of heroism displayed by the been suffered to fall into a state of neglect crew on board. We Lave already men- and no persons had been taught its use; so tioned that the mate and part of the crew that had there not fortunately been a man-of- were the first to leave the wreck in the war lying in the harbour at the time, some ship's life-boat; the men generally displayed of whose officers on their arrival at the spot great anxiety in escaping by the life appa- successfully brought it into play, it is ques- ratus, taking precedence of the women for tionable whether any person would have that purpose; and lastly the captain himself, been saved but those who landed in the whose untimely fate, however, may well dis- boats ; whilst on the contrary, so far as can WRECK OF THE " DUKE OP SUTHERLAND "^-CORRESPONDENTS. 47 be judged from the published accounts, had CORRESPONDENTS. there been an efficient life-boat in the port, J. K. W. (Framore).—Many thanks for and had the rocket or mortar apparatus been your communication. If our friends would in a state of readiness and in proper order, do likewise the number of our subscribers not a single life need have been sacrificed. would be greatly increased. Our object is We think it may be useful to consider not to make a profit by our publication, but to diffuse useful information respecting this sad calamity— the means of saving life from wrecks. In 1st, As showing the constant liability to this our subscribers can materially not accidents of even the powerful, well-equip- only assist the circulation of The Life-Boat ped steamer, up to the very moment of her Journal, but also the cause of humanity; entering the port she is bound to, thereby for they may, by calling the attention of evincing the necessity of a constant prepara- sailors and fishermen to some practical hint in one of its numbers, contribute to the tion and the folly of supposing that because saving of a fellow-creature's life from a a particular port has not for a long time been watery grave. the scene of shipwreck, it is therefore entitled "A FISHERMAN."—We shall be glad to to expect a perpetual immunity from it. receive your paper. It is to you and the 2ndly. As affording an instance of the de- boatmen on our coasts we look, in cases of ficiency of preparation and means of succour wrecks, to man our life-boats; and such to shipwrecked persons which actually does practical observations on subjects relating thereto, will always receive our attentive exist in this country at the present time, and consideration. the almost impossibility of those on shore " NAUTICUS."—Yes. Lieut. R. E. ME- rendering any important services, however THERELL, R. N., while coast-guard chief close the wrecked vessel may be to them, officer at Ardmore, Cork, was presented unless they are supplied with all proper ap- with the gold medallion of the Shipwreck paratus and .with hands practised in their Institution, for his gallantry and prompti use. tude in saving, with one of Palmer's life- boats, the crew of the brig Medora, wrecked 3rdly. As showing the call which there is in Ardmore Bay, near Youghal, on Feb. 23, for the establishment of a governmental 1840. He had also the previous year ex- supervision of the means employed for sav- erted himself in a conspicuous manner in ing life from shipwreck around the whole saving the crew of the ship Mary, from New coasts of the United Kingdom, and for the Brunswick. enactment of a law which should compel A. B. (Bristol).—Captain WARD'S inflated every port to maintain adequate means for and cork belts can be seen at the Poly- the succour of vessels in distress, as they technic Institution, Regent Street, and at are already to support an efficient police for the Great Exhibition, Dublin. the protection of persons and property on Z. Z.—Mrs. CARTE, of Hull, continues to shore. supply all the life-preserving apparatus which her late husband invented. This is a subject which we may return to; P. L.—One of Col. COLQUHOUN'S life-boat but, for the present, we will leave it to our carriages is placed at Cullercoats, Northum- readers to consider whether the existing berland, and a drawing of the same can be state of things is satisfactory, or whether, seen on application at the office of the when we reflect that six or seven hundred National Shipwreck Institution. lives annually perish on our own shores, so " INQUIRER." — Captain MANET'S appa- great a sacrifice of human life, and so con- ratus has been the means of saving some tinual a drain upon our nursery of British hundreds of lives of shipwrecked persons on seamen, are not evils of sufficient magnitude the coasts. The Shipwreck Institution has to be deserving of some more serious endea- granted rewards for saving 198 lives by it. vours to alleviate them than have hitherto It is supplied through the Board of Customs. been attempted. " LlFE-BOATMAN."—Capt. WASHINGTON'S Lecture on Life-Boats can be had of Mr. BOQUE, bookseller, Fleet-street; it costs 6d. Hational Institution FOB THE PRESERVATION OFJLIFEJFROM SHIPWRECK. ESTABLISHED IV 1824. SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTIONS. PATRONESS. HEK MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY THE QUEEN. VICE-PATEONS. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT, K.G. HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS, K.G. PRESIDENT. REAR-ADMIRAL HIS GRACE ALGERNON DUKE OP NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G., F.R.S. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Mr. Alderman THOMPSON, M.P., Chairman. THOMAS CHAPMAN, Esq., F.R.S., Deputy Chairman. Vice-Admiral BOWLES, C.B. Captain'J. B. B. McHARDY, R.N. Colonel BLAXSHARD, R.E., C.B., Commandant WILLIAM SKINNER MARSHALL, Esq. Royal Engineers, Woolwich. Captain OMMANNEY, R.NV Dep, Comp.-Gen. Coast HENRY BLANSHARD, Esq. Guard. Colonel COLQUHOUN, R. A., F.R.S., Director of Car- Lord ALFRED H. PAGET, M.P. riage Department, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Major PALMER. 'WILLIAM COTTON, Esq., F.R.S. JAMES PEAKE, Esq., Assistant-Master Shipwright Yice-Admiral DEANS DUNDAS, C.B. in H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich. Captain GEORGE DAVIES, R.N. Captain LAMBERT PERROTT, E.K.M. Captain A. ELLICE, R.N., Comp.-Gen. Coast Guard. JOHN PISTON POWLES, Esq. Captain STEPHENSON ELLEKBY, Trinity House. Captain C. R. PRESTON. Lieut. F. W. ELLIS, R.N., Southwold. Rear-Admiral SAUMAREZ, K.L. Sir AUGUSTUS WM. HILLARY, Bart. Captain Sir BALDWIN W. WALKER, R.N., K.C.B., Rear-Admiral Sir THOMAS HERBERT, K.C.B., M.P. Surveyor of the Nary. Captain W. H. HALL, R.N., F.R.S. Captain WASHINGTON, R.N., F.R.S. Captain G. A. HALSTED, R.N., Secretary to Lloyd's. Commander J. R. WARD, R.N. EDWARD HURRY, Esq. ISAAC WATTS, Esq., Assistant Surveyor of the Commander E. A. INGLEFIELD, R.N. Navy. Captain A. JERNTNCHAM, R.N. FRANCIS WILSON, Esq. GEORGE LYALL, Esq. H. S. H. WOLLASTON, Esq. TRUSTEES. WM. SKINNER MARSHALL, Esq. I JOHN DISTON POWLES, Esq. FRANCIS WILSON, Esq. TREASURER—HENRY WILLIS, Esq. AUDITOR— G. C. BEGBIE, Esq. BANKERS—Messrs. WILLIS, PEKCTVAL, & Co., Lombard Street. SECRETARY—Mr. RICHARD LEWIS. LIFE-BOAT INSPECTOR—Commander WARD, R.N. The COMMITTEE of MANAGEMENT would earnestly call the attention of the public to the fact, that during the past year 1100 wrecks took place on the Coasts of the United Kingdom, accom- panied by the fearful loss of 900 lives. They have, however, the satisfaction to state, that during the same period they have voted, in addition to 23 silver medals and 13 other honorary rewards, a sum of 314/., to persons who have assisted in the saving of 773 lives, or nearly double the number of any former year, many of whom were rescued by means of the life-boats of the Institution—a gratifying circumstance, both on account of the amount of actual good done, and of the share which the Society has had in the encouragement of laudable exertions to save life. Thus, since the establishment of the Institution in 1824, 78 gold medallions, and 523 silver medals for distinguished services, have been granted by it for saving 8,151 lives, besides pecuniary rewards amounting together to 8,790Z. Additional Life-Boats have also been placed by the Society during the past month at Atdborough, Suffolk; Barmouth, and Cemlyn, on the Coast of Wales; others are building, and will be ready in the course of the present month, for Lyme Regis, Dorset; Penzance, and Sennen Cove, Cornwall. The cost of each of these boats, including carriage and boat-house, cannot be reckoned at less than 300/., in addition to a permanent annual outlay for the pay of the coxswain and exercise of her crew. The Committee, therefore, confidently appeal to the public to contribute towards the safety of the mariner, who, to provide them with many of the comforts and luxuries of life, is exposed to all the fury of the storm, by the establishment around our Coasts of a well-organized system of Life-Boats, and every practicable means for the preservation of life from shipwreck. Donations and Annual Subscriptions will be thankfully received by Cheques or Post Office Orders by Messrs. WILLIS, PERCIVAL, & Co., Bankers to the Institution, 76 Lombard Street; Messrs. HEHRIES, FAHQUHAR, and Co., 16 St. James's Street; Messrs. COUTTS and Co., 59 Strand; LONDON and CouNTr BANK, 21 Lombard Street; by the principal Bankers and Army and Navy Agents in the Metropolis; by the Country Bankers, and at the Office of the Institution, 20 JOHN STREET, ADELPHI.

Published by CHARLES KNIGHT, 90 Fleet Street; to be had also at the Office of the SHIPWRECK INSTITUTION, 20 John Street, Adelphi, and from all Booksellers.

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