The Sun. — London, England, 1859-10-29 00:00:00

VIE GREAT EASTERN IN THE GALE. HOLYHEAD, OCT. 27. Daring Tuesday and Wednesday last the Great Eastern has been most sharply tested, and has had to weather as heavy a gale as has swept into the harbour of Holyhead for years past. Most fortu nately, the tempest was of short duration, or none can say what the consequences would have been. While it lasted, however, it equalled in violence any of the fiercest Channel storms that ever strewed our coasts with wrecks. On this part of the coast, indeed, we already know that the destruction of life and property has been great and wide-spread, for, though brief, the gale was one of terrific vio lence. A large part of the breakwater works at Holyhead have been destroyed, and vessels anchored far inside and sheltered, compared to where the big ship lay, have either gone down bodily, or been driven high and dry ashore. For one hour or so the Great Eastern herself was as near destruction as she is ever likely to be, and nothing but the unceasing vigilance and long experience of Captain Harrison and the officers under him could have saved the vessel from driving ashore with the others. For some days past the weather has been break ing and unsettled, and as unfavourable as can well be conceived for water excursions of any kind, and the visitors to Holyhead seem to have been quite alive to this most unpleasant discovery. Each day during this and the last wsek has shown a consi derable diminution in the number of venturesome tourists who have put off to the great ship, and when all the circumstances were taken into consi deration, the wonder was, not that there were less, but that there were any at all. On shore the wea ther has been sloppy and damp, at sea the air was raw and keen. During the greater part of this and last week little squalls, with hail and sleet, have oc curred at short intervals to vary the monotony of Holyhead harbour, to which the Welsh mountains, now thick with snow, form a dreary and cheerless background. The season for excursions, whether by land or sea, was evidently over, and more than enough had been seen of the Great Eastern's pre sent anchorage to show that Holyhead was no place for ber to winter in. She could not come inside the most awkwardly constructed breakwater, but lay abreast of its eastern extremity, exposed (luring a north-easterly gale to a heavy sea, and with what was supposed to be but indifferent holding ground for a vessel of such size and with such an area for the wind to act on. Both these circumstances told strongly to her disadvantage during the late most fearful storm. Since last Thursday night the weather has been more or less severe with heavy squalls,_ driving clouds of snow and hail, and brief intermissions of storms of lightning. The fires have, therefore, been kept banked up day and night, and every pre paration made for the vessel to steam out to sea at a moment's notice. On Friday night, indeed, the gale increased to such an extent that Captain Harrison was obliged to let go a second anchor, and occasionally keep the paddle engines moving gently head to wind, to relieve the strain upon the cables. During that night the frozen snow and hail covered the decks thickly. Since then the weather has been tolerably calm (though with the usual nightly interludes of hail and lightning) till Tuesday night last. When it does begin to blow at Holyhead, it blows very hard indeed. The gale rises slowly, but does its work well. Tuesday ap peared a calm cold day, though the air seemed un naturally clear, showing every cliff and crag among the Snowdon mountains with as much distinctness as the awful and gloomy-looking group of rocks on which the Skerries Light stands a little way out to sea. _ _ The wind g radually freshened towards the after noon, though not very much till over the moun tain came a thin black haze, which rose into the air with ominous rapidity and overspread the sky. Then everybody seemed to guess with sur prising unanimity that it was going to blow, while the wind hummed among the spars and rigging, loud and more loud, as the storm advanced. B. six o'clock it was pretty generally_ seen that it would be a " dirty" night. The sea and wind kept rising as the glass fell, and before eight it blew a heavy gale from the eastward, with fierce squalls and storms of rain. The night was very wild and dark as pitch, though tolerably clear too, showing with sufficient distinctness the dull red light on the head of the breakwater and the lamps on the pier astern, but that was all. Everything seemed to augur very badly, so that the fires were carefully' attended to by the indefatigable chief engineer, Mr. M'Lennan, and Captain Harrison gave orders to have steam ready in case of being suddenly obliged to slip and stand out into the Chnnel. As night wore on the wind increased and came in fearful gusts, tearing away among the spars and rigging with a hoarse, sustained , roar that was awtul to listen to, especially when one bore in mind that the glass was still falling, and that what we then saw was only the commencement of the gale. Sea after sea ran tumbling by, only dis cernible through the darkness by it.-; snow-like foamy crest, or the heavy jerk it gave to the great ship as the chains surged and rumbled in the hawse holes, as though she was going adrift altogether. Vessel after vessel could be seen in the gloom by their bright lights dipping and rolling over the heavy waves as they bore up for the protection of the breakwater, glad to run for any shelter in so wild a night, and one which was hourly becoming worse and worse. At 10 o'clock the rain set in like a second deluge. Each gust of wind seemed longer and worse than the last, striking down upon the ship, as sailors say, with a blow like a hammer, and testing everything in the way of masts and rigginn to the very utmost they could bear. Still, in spite of all, the Great Eastern rode steadily and lightly head to wind, and without perceptible motion, though a fierce sea was rolling in, and we could see by the rapidly moving lights among the other shipping far inside the harbour that they were dipping heavily and making the worst of their bad weather. _ _ _ From 8 o'clock Captain Harrison never left the deck or bridge, but was either sounding the lead overboard to see if she dragged, giving directions about the steam, or watching the chain cables, as under the strain they rose up out of the water like bars of solid metal. Everything that could be done under the circumstances was done, and there was nothing for it but to hold on and wish for daylight. This latter Captain Harrison did most devoutly, for the wind almost equalled the force of a hurricane at times, jerkin.. at the masts as if it would snap them off at the deck, and making the Great Eastern tremble perceptibly throughout her immense length and breadth, as if some giant hand was shaking her. From this time, till between two and three o'clock in the morning, the gale increased in violence till the din was appalling, and the rain and hail, driving with the force of small shot, made it painful to face it. The gusts revelled over the huge expanse of deck till none dared stand before them. Well was it for the great ship that nothing happened at this time, or her chance would have been poor indeed. The air was filled with spray, torn from the rugged waves—the darkness was impenetrable, while the hoarse roar of the wind drowned every other sound save the dull, threatening booming of the waves upon the rocks and breakwater, the sound of which came up on the gale like peals of distant thunder. Words of command would have been useless, and even if heard, neither men nor ship could have stru g gled long against the gale which was rushing past. Those who heard its deafening roar that night from sea are never likely to forget it. Between one and two o'clock Captain Harrison went forward and endeavoured to pierce the thick gloom, and see what was going on ahead. On his way along the deck his waterproof coat was blown to ribands off him, and he himself at last carried before the gale and thrown down, and tumbled along with such violence as to receive some most severe contusions. Towards two or three o'clock in the morning the gale seemed at its worst. To the roar and scream through the shrouds other and more unpleasant sounds were soon added, as the wind blew up the saloon skylights, dropping them down with a bang and crash of glass that to those below was startling in the extreme. Crash after crash the glass in these skylights went, one after the other ; the rain and wind pouring down through the apertures into the saloons, and, above all, into the grand saloon, to decorate which so much that was really needed in the ship has been deferred. It wanted not such aids to let in wind and water, for the upper wooden deck was leaking at every seam, so that on all the sofas, carpets, and tables below was an array of ves sels of every size and kind which could contain the ceaseless drippings from above. Yet, in spite of all this, the lower decks were sopped and plashy, and seemed. under the mattings to be much like walking on an ill-d ra i ne d mars h . A t 4 o ' c l oc k , a wistful' look out was I;:ept for the light on the breakwater, for it was evitlent that if the gale continued much longer the Great Eastern must urlearour to run out to sea. Two anchors were down, one of seven tons, with 80 fathoms' chain, on the starboard bow, and one of 3-1 tons, with GO ' fithim s , to port. The cables of both :eemed taughtened to the er v ut most which they could bear, and though it was quite pos3ible they w ould hold on through still worse weather, yet, with what was then feared to be bad holdin,g-ground and a rocky lee shore , it would not do to calculate too finely. Therefore was the light on the breakwater kept anxiously in view as a point to be carefully rounded in case of the worst. Fortunately, it was easy enough to see this dim, red beacon at intervals, that is to sa y , when the sea allowed it, for the tremendous rollers came tumbling in, lashing over the timber work on the head of the breakwater and shielding the light in a cloud of foam and spray. At last, after a most anxious night, the cold dawn broke in a thin gray light, with sky and sea mingled in a doubtful haze, till it was hard to say where the water ended and the clouds began. Above, all was thick and gloomy ; below, the water seemed lashed to fury, and the waves came hissing and writhing in, " curling their monstrous heads," and breaking upon the rocks like avalanches of snow. It was, in truth, a very wild and dreary scene. Over the lighthouse on the inner pier-head the waves seemed to surge almost unimpeded, while the breakwater itself was so completely hidden that the tremendous jets of spray and foam which cloaked it from end to end more resembled in their distant boom and snowy clouds the constant dis charges of heavy artillery than 'the break of waves, however dangerous. Within the very extremity of the breakwater, where one would have thought the Channel fleet might have ridden through any (sale much damage had been done. Hi g h and dry a ashore, under Holyhead mountain, lay a fine bark, and around her, in the same predicament, were three smaller vessels. Out in the centre of the harbour the tops of two slender tapering masts showed where Captain Henry's beautiful schooner yacht, the Mariquiti, had gone down bodily. Im mediately behind this was another and larger ve ssel, which had apparently only escaped the same fate by driving on the rocks, and which, with a fi e rce sea breaking over its hull, and its jagged and tattered sails blown out to riband streamers by the wind, looked the very picture of a melancholy wreck. Other vessels there were, too, which al though still afloat seemed very little better off than those which were ashore, and which, dipping bows under to the angry sea, appeared about to illus trate by fresh examples the force of the tempest which now howled and worried round on all sides. It was indeed what sailors call a " wicked" gale. Very little could be distinguished through the drifting snow, half rain, half cloud, which was driving through the air. Only occasionally could the headland to the north be seen, like a heavy . fog bank, with the breakers surging up 100 feet into the air as they came thundering in against the iron coast. Round this point, as we afterwards learnt, a still more dreadful scene was enacting, for here at a place called Red Beach, the Royal Charter had been driven ashore, and was then breaking up. Beneath this headland, also, later in the day, as we were informed, a smaller vessel stranded, and re mained amid the roaring surge, with the sailors clinging to the rigging, waving their rags of shirts aloft as signals of distress, beseeching the succour which, alas, to such a place, could never come. A.t 6 o'clock there were symptoms of the storm breaking, and, as usual, the last gusts were the worst, and the situation of the Great Eastern was a matter of deep anxiety on the part of Captain Har rison and his officers. There was scarcely room to .steam out, yet it was evident that, if the gale con tinued, it would be impossible for her to remain much longer where she was. Inside the breakwater the sea ran high, with waves of a deep yellow hue, while the ocean without resembled hills of muddy half-thawed snow, reflecting their whitish glare upon the clouds above, as if the very laws of nature had been reversed and light came from below. Both wind and tide were rising, and as the great billows came dashing in upon the massive frame work of timber which marked the end of the break water, it became a nice calculation which would yield first, the timbers or the gale. Wave after wave swept in upon the mass of stone and wood, and seemed to explode in a cloud of smokelike spray. Yet still the red light in the lighthouse held on, and shone out cheerily above the desolate and angry scene around. Sorely was it tried minute after minute, and well must the framework have been put together to hold aloof so long the destruction which all could see was now inevitable. At last, soon after 6 o'clock, a monstrous wave came in upon the horizon. Nearer and nearer it rolled, a white crest towering high above the green wall of water as it reared up its monstrous bulk, and seemed to gather might for one great rush upon its prey. In another second the foam towered a hun dred feet over the head of the breakwater, and the red light was seen no more , whil e the wave, broken, but not disabled, came tearing on, hurling aloft, as if in triumph, a black mass of timbers, which seemed like rocks among the seething waters. This was introducing, so to speak, the thin end of the wedge, for the work of demolition once com menced went rapidly forward, and the massive timbers began to disappear Is3' a hundred feet and more at a time, melting away into the angry sea like, a mere fretwork of sugar-candy. The cranes and machinery at the top dropped off into the water one by one, as if the sea possessed the properties of an universal solvent ; for when once the waters covered them obstacles were seen no more. Some lengths of framework, however, held out long and gallantly, resisting every effort to overthrow them, till the tide was at its height, and at last they too disappeared, some in splinters and elkips like fire wood as the beams were rent to pieces, some in great angular masses, as if an island of timber had come to sea. The whole harbour was covered with such rafts, till their black masses showed up like reefs of rock in all directions. Still the storm swept on as wild as ever, and where the breakwater makes that most injudicious inward curve and forms a concave surface for the sea to act on the waves broke high and fiercely, even here damaging the cranes upon the high scaffolding, and threatening a clean breach into the harbour. This scene of destruction - was, for the time it lasted, as grand and awful a sight as can be well conceived. The great waves not only looked irre sistible, but showed themselves to be so in sad and sober earnest, and everything went down like sand before their terrific onset. Matters now began to look very bad, and such tremendous evidences of danger•on the part of the wind and sea were by no means overlooked by those on board the Great Eastern. In fact, it was with most considerable anxiety that Captain Harrison saw the turn affairs were taking, for the wind was now dead from the northeast, and the whole sweep of the Channel was pouring into the harbour. Some profitable bargains might have been made in Great Eastern shares had the shareholders been on board and seen the state of the weather—the lee-shore behind, and th 3 timber work of the breakwater (the great and only shield ahead) disappearing by hundreds of yards at a time. Yet still the Great Eastern rode out lightly for her bulk, and without a sign of dragging, though the chains apparently could bear nothing more. The whole harbour was now one immense mass of wreck-wood, the huge piles tumbling over and over one another, and rearing up 15 and 20 feet from the water, as the waves tossed them to and fro like playthings. The sea had set in, too, so violently that it was necessary at once to do something to relieve the ship from the strain upon the cables, and to effect this the screw was set to work. But here an obstacle intervened of the most serious kind, as the masses of timber wreck were round the ship, going down upon the screw at every minute, and once or twice so foul ing it as to force the engines to a dead stop. To clear these it was necessary to put the helm bard a-port, though this was only a choice of evils, as the vessel's head payed round and threatened soon to foul the anchor chains. The latter accident, in fact, took place at last, and the heaviest anchor and longest scope of cable on the star board bow appeared to be doing nothing to retain the vessel, while the" small anchor ap peared to b© doing too much, and its cable flipped out of the water with every surge in a startling and ominous manner. Towards 8 or 9 o'clock the wind went round more to the N.E., sending in a beam swell, to which the Great Eastern began to roll very heavily. As the surge swept in, the position of the vessel hourly became worse, and at last, at 10 o'clock, Captain Harrison had no alternative but to try and raise the heaviest anchor, get the vessel's head more under the lee of the breakwater, and then let it go again. This was a difficult and most critical task, for every part of the harbour was now so completely covered with drifting beams that the screw could on'y be used with the utmost caution. The paddles, unless in ease of a most dangerous emer gency, could not be used at all, as the timbers would of course knock the floats to pieces. Gradu ally, therefore, the Great Eastern was brought up to her starboard anchor, though with the utmost difficulty. Before the screw could well get play it was fouled and had to stop. Directly this occurred the steam from the screw boilers was let into the paddle engines, which in turn went ahead, till the propeller was free and able to work again. At last, after some time, the anchor was under the bow, the slack chain hove in, and the huge mass-of iron got up to the bow ready for letting go again in a better berth. But the wind now allowed no choice of situations. The vessel had partly swim , . off into a beam sea, whic h was then sweeping ' over and past the Breakwater with awful force, and the Great Eastern began to roll quickly and heavily. In spite of the relief afforded by the screw, the cable of the remaining anchor kept taut ening more and more, until at last, at about half past 10, it sprang like a cord out of the water, and in another moment the Great Eastern was adrift, rolling and tumbling like a drunken ship towards the shore. So quiet and orderly was everythini , when this most alarming; incident took place, that very few knew what had' really happened, though all could pretty well guess by the heavy lurches of the vessel that something had indeed gone wrong. Captain Harrison and Mr. Kett were forward, and in an instant all was ready for letting go a second heavy anchor, while word was passed to go ahead with the screw, for the great ship, lurching from side to side was making rapidly for shore. , The second anchor was let go and the screw moved 11 ,.; - 1E SUN, LONDON SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 29, 1859. ahead, but the vessel had now great way on her, and could not be easily stoppedon what seemed her road to destruction. Just as the screw began to tell an immense mass of wreck wood fouled it and brought the machinery to a dead stand. Not a second could be lost in waiting till it cleared, so the steam was at once turned into the paddle engines, which were driven round at great speed, though the floats got hurt among the mass of wreck, and the great ironwork of the wheels was bent in many places. To avoid this and the serious damage it might occasion, the screw was set to work again the instant it was freed, but it was seldom able to revolve more than a few moments without becom- ing jammed again, when the paddles were again resorted to. But for the Great Eastern's double engines very little could have been done. The an chor which was let go "bit" at once, and as much scope was given to the cable as dare be let out When the vessel had driven back so far and the lee shore loomed so close astern. Still, for a time, the position contiued dangerous in the extreme, as, in spite of both wind and steam, the great ship lay open to the sea rolling dangerously for such a place, and making way as if nothing would hold her. At last she brought up, though she seemed to make desperate efforts to break from the grip of hew new holdfast—tugging and rolling to her chain as though she would pull up a mountain. Fortu nately both chains and anchor held fast, as they did before in heavy weather at Portland, when two screw colliers, each with 800 tons of coals on board, two brigs, two dummies, and a large galliot t all hung on to the Great Eastern, riding at the same single chain and anchor. After one or two more in effectual efforts to break away, her head at last swung round, and she rode lightly to the gale as before, In this last struggle some of the links of the chain cable were actually dragged cut one-third longer, and one which passed under the sharp bows of the vessel was bent nearly double. The cable on the port bow was then hove in, when it was found that the shank of the anchor, after bending con siderably, had been torn in half about a foot below the crown, showing good anchor and holding ground both. From this time (about 12 o'clock) the glass began to rise fast, and the worst of the gale was over, though it.still came down occasionally in wild and heavy gusts, rendering every precaution necessary in the way of full steam power, for with such a ship and such a sea none knew what next might happen. Soon after one o'clock two schooners came upon the coast ; one with good way on her stood right down upon what remained of the breakwater, un aware of the fact that much of it had been swept away, and that the head which they ran for was far inside a dangerous reef of breakwater debris, on which : even the Great Eastern herself would be beaten to pieces in an hour. Fortunately, both vessels saw their danger when almost on the breakers, and. one weathered safely round the awful shoal. The second, in trying to recover her self, lost way and drove too much in shore, and for the next two hours had to struggle with the gale, poised between life and death, and hundreds look ing on at the unequal contest with breathless inte rest, but unable to aid in any way. Happily for the little ship and all on board, she fought a successful, though arduous battle. One minute she seemed carrying on well, and hope beat high DS with her little rags of sail she faced the storm, and, all hid with foam, broke doggedly through the great antagonists which rose around on all sides. Another minute, and, reeling over under the effects of a tremendous wave, she fell off before the wind and again drove rapidly towards the dismantled breakwater, over which the sea was now roaring in a succession of cataracts. Twice did she seem overpowered, amid these fearful breakers, and yet again emerged, her little black hull rising sharp and clear above the line of foam. Her utter destruction appeared almost impossible to avert, and Captain Harrison had ordered 12 hands to be ready for lowering• away in one of Gladstone's boats, in order that no effort might be spared to save those on board, when the little vessel made another effort, aided by a momentary lull, stood further out to sea, weathered the dreadful reef, and reached the harbour. From this time out the gale continued to decrease in violence, so that in the afternoon the Great Eastern again screwed ahead, and dropped a second anchor more under the lee of the breakwater, and rode se cure. Then, and then only, was Captain Harrison enabled to leave the deck, and take that rest which was so much needed after his labour and long anxiety. In the evening the wind went round to the north west, and then, sheltered by the breakwater, the Great Eastern rested quietly, though still with all steam ready. To-day ('Thursday) the weather is fine and mild, and steamers were again able to come alongside. On shore the gale appears to have done considerable damage, and, as we are informed, chimneys were blown down and houses unroofed at Holyhead. Part of the line between Bangor and c.i. way hag been col rt plot° ly wn rd. away by t dash of the sea, and the engineering triumphs of the late Robert Stephenson have been laid waste in hideous gaps. At these places the surf seems to have swept in with awful violence, carrying before it both the sea wall and the outer line of rails. Thus at present the long railway trip to Holyhead is diversified by having to dismount and continue the journey by coach round the steep headland of Penmaenmawr. The company have done their ut most to remedy a disaster which was no f ult of theirs; but the mountains of North Wales afford but few facilities for remedying mishaps of any kind so the primitive inhabitants of these districts are occasionally refreshed by the sight of first-class pas sengers struggling up a mountain road under a heap of carpet-bags, or looking with anxious excitement after their luggage, which comes after them in carts. It has been many years since any easterly gale has ever done such mischief. The place where passen gers to London re-enter the train is about three miles beyond Conway, and if the officials there showed a little more alacrity the company would be saved some blame and the public unnecessary delay. Among the valleys and mountain passes of North Wales the gale appears to have raged with dread ful fury. Trees have been uprooted, rocks set roll ing down the sides of the mountains, and cottages unroofed or entirely destroyed. Tuesday or Wednesday next is the date at present fixed for the departure of the Great Eastern for Southampton ; the latter is most likely to be the day, as the tides will then suit better for taking the vessel through Spithead, and up to her moorings in Southampton Water. The spot selected for her winter berth is about half a mile distant from the new military hospital at Netley, and some two and a-half miles from the town of Southampton. The moorings which are being laid are chains of 41 inches square, and, of course, of the best con struction. The vessel rides to a swivel on what is termed a " bull ring," the mooring chain being laid in the form of a cross, up and down and across the stream. The chains going up and down are secured by two iron mooring lumps of eight tons each, with two shackles of three tons more, backed by two an chors of 98cwt. each without the stock. Those across the stream, where no tide way is to be dreaded, are secured with anchors. Light as the Great Eastern rides, she must be well secured to rest safe iii' a strong tide way. It has been stated repeatedly that it was by a de cision of the Board of Directors that it was an nounced that the Great Eastern should leave Eng land for America on the 27th inst., and that this sudden change of destination from the United States to Southampton argues great infirmity of purpose on the part of the directory. We believe that no Board resolution was ever passed that she should leave on the 27th. It was merely hoped that she would be able to leave this month, and the idea was given up for the very best of all reasons—namely, that when the company' surveyors and arbitrators came to inspect the ship they at once emphatically declared that she was not in a fit state to cross the Atlantic. In the face of such a declaration there was, of course, no alternative but to postpone the sailing sine die. That this decision was a wise one none can doubt, and it is sincerely to be hoped that no divisions in the councils of the directory may arise to set aside a resolution which is not only prudent, but actually necessary. Many may quastion the propriety of having a body of directors to manage the affairs of a single ship, and nothing but the most perfect unanimity on all matters concerning the welfare of the undertaking will reconcile the public to such administration: As regards the ac tual departure of the Great Eastern for America it will make very little difference if the directors decided that she should start for the United States on this day week, for the whole question as to the date of sailing now rests with the Board of Trade. Until their requirements have been complied with no passenger certificate will be given, and the precau tionary measures which they insist on are only likely to be completed at Southampton, and cannot possibly be done in less than two months at the earliest. Fire hose have yet to be , fitted to the auxiliary engines aft, more sails have yet to be bent, spare spars, extra boats, and feed pumps to the engines have all to be completed. The fixing of the wheel and tiller chains must be altered, cast iron stanchions placed amidships bencath the iron upper-deck, and sonic apparatus or another devised fur warming the saloons. The cold on board the vessel during the last few days has been very severe, though, of course, a mere trifle to what must have been endured if the Great Eastern had started for America this winter. In fact, it is not too much to say that without some means of in creasing the temperature in the forecastle and be tween decks scarcely any officers or men could have been found hardy enough to venture across the Atlantic at this season of the year. American gentlemen best acquainted with the feeling which prevails in. the United States with regard to the Great Eastern think that any voyage there now must prove a perfect failure for showing the vessel, while, on the other hand, they are as confident that if the ship starts for New York in the spring she must realize between 600,000 dols. and 700,000 dols. clear of all expenses. How far this estimate may or may not be etaggerated we cannot take upon ourselves to say; but there must, doubt less, be a wide and most important margin between the receipts if taken this winter and those which may be fairly expected next year. But in real truth, as we have said, these speculations are quite beside the question, when the plain fact remains that the ship should not leave England till thoroughly com pleted, which at present she most certainly is not. It is said that the berth chosen for her at Southamp ton is a perfectly safe one, and it is beyond a doubt that that port offers such facilities for completing the vessel as makes it imperative she should go there at once. A great many rumours are afloat as to a pro gramme of winter voyages, but for this we believe nothing definite has been settled. It is just possible that before leaving England the Great Eastern may visit Glasgow and Kingstown, but beyond suchmere plausible conjectures nothing whatever is known or determined on. On leaving this port on Tuesday or Wednes day the course will be made under easy steam for the Scilly Islands, and a very general hope is entertained that Captain Harrison will give them a sufficiently wide berth to enable the Great Eastern to try her power a little way down Chan nel, where at this time of the year a sea will cer tainly be met with. If such a route is adopted the question as to the speed of the ship may be fairly settled. It can never be tried in smooth water. In justice to the captain, the shareholders, and the contracting engineers, both engines should be tested to their utmost speed, together and separately. Until this is done, and the number of revolutions, indicated horse-power and consumption of coal carefully registered, no one can form a correct estimate of what the Great Eastern is capable of doing. If either screw or paddle machinery is at all wrong, the sooner the fault is found the better. It will never do to find out in a trial trip in the centre of the Atlantic that the piston or air-pump rods of the paddle engines are too weak, or that the screw boilers do not generate sufficient steam to drive the propeller at 45. We by no means intend to say that such faults will be discovered, but merely that it is as well that all matters of this kind should be placed beyond a doubt. As we have before pointed out the Great Eastern is not in good trim for testing speed. Her paddles have too little immersion, and she ought to be a couple of feet more down by the stern to put her screw blades fairly under water. On ordinary voyages she must start with at least 3,000 or 4,000 more tons of coal than is yet on board, and this, with cargo, will bring her down some five or six feet deeper than her present trim. It must not, however, be forgotten that with a deeper immersion there will be greater bulk to drive, so that on the whole the gain in rate of speed cannot be anything greatly beyond what was attained during the late trial trip. Her present displacement of water is a little over a million cubic feet, to propel which through the sea her nominal horse-power is only 2,600, or at the rate of about one-horse power for every 7-1 tons. It is most important that the daily consumption of coal at full and easy steaming should be ascer tained as soon as possible, in order to afford a basis from which the future expenses of the ship may be calculated. As far as could be seen during the run round from Portland, it appears very probable that her average will not fall short of 300 tons a-day. It is not easy, however, to tell off-hand the amount of fuel required daily for a vessel which, when all her machinery is at work has no less than 118 furnaces blazing away together. Taking it at 300 tons the consumption is very small when compared not only with the power developed, but with the consump tion of other fast sea-going steamers. 300 tons a day is only at the rate of 21 cwt. per horse-power, whereas the Persia consumes no less than 180 daily, or at the rate of 4 cwt. per horse-power. For the Great Eastern to consume at the same rate in pro portion to horse-power with the Persia, she would have to burn upwards of 600 tons a day, and be only capable of carrying fuel for a 20 days' run instead of as now for a voyage to Australia of from 36 to 38 days. If the Great Eastern makes a long stretch out to sea in going round to Southampton ; so as to get within scope of the swell of the Atlantic, a very fair estimate of her consumption in a heavy sea way can be formed, but till the test of driving her head on to a south-westerly gale is applied, the estimate of her cost in fuel must be more or less conjectured. While at Southampton the ship will be thrown open to visitors, though at the same time the work of fitting for sea will be diligently pursued. Up to th e proac.nt, In stpi to of all thatiaaa latoly been done, an immense amount of work remains to be accom plished during the winter. THE LOSS OF THE ROYAL CHARTER, LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY, No further intelligence of importance has been received from Moelfra, the scene of the wreck. Measures have been adopted by the authorities for the protection of the property of the owners of the vessel and cargo, and of the passengers, and also to take care of the bodies as they are cast ashore. At 4 o'clock an order is given to clear the beach of those who are led to the spot by motives of plunder or curiosity by a strong force of coastguardsmen and detachments of the military. With the ex ception of two, who were unable to leave owing to injuries received, all the survivors arrived in Liver pool last night. It is stated that one of the crew of the Royal Charter at the time she struck rushed to the store-room and broke all the bottles containing spirits, fearing that his fellow-seamen might intoxi cate themselves. Many of the crew on the day after the wreck expressed themselves to the effect that the sad event appeared as though it had been a dream. • On the landing-stag e , and at the office of Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., some affecting scenes have taken place among the relatives of those who were on board the Royal Chador. There appears some probability of another gale to-night. The following is an amended list of the saloon passengers, as far as can be ascertained : Saved—W. H. Morse, F. Gundy, and H.C.Taylor. Lost—Mr., Mrs., and two Misses Fowler, and one servant ; Mr., Mrs., and Master Murray ; Mr. Tweedale, Mr. and Mrs. Grove, Mr. Molyneux, Rev. Mr. Hodge, of New Zealand, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Fenwick and six children, Mrs. Halton, Dr. Hatch, Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard, two children and servant, Mrs. Beams, J. S. Henry, La Fargol, Mrs. Woodruff and child, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins and five eons, Mr. and Mrs. Davies, two daughters and two sons, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce, child and servant, Mr. M'George, Capt. Withers, 11. C. Taylor's daughter and nurse. List of Saloon Passengers landed at Queenstown : Mr. Gardner, Mr. M'Evoy, Mrs. Nahmur and child. The following statements are published in the local papers : " Numerous people in Liverpool had relatives on board. Dr. Churton had a son among the passen gers. A on of Mr. Walton, of the Theatre Royal, was an assistant steward. " The captain succumbed to a sailor's fate. He was seen on deck from nine o'clock, exerting himself to make all right, until he was exhausted. Time after time was he knodked down by wave and spar, and had to hold on by a rope. He was seen giving orders on deck, with a spar lashed to him, so that he might be prepared to float: He was again seen struggling in the water, laying hold of a yard-arm, and it every now and then being washed from his grip. On recovering his spar by a determined:effort,he in two occasions cried out cheerfully, "There is hope yet." After this he and Mr. Bowie, the second officer, were seen on the lee side of the ship, struggling to reach the shore, when a boat fell from the davits and struck them both on the head, after - which they were seen no more. One incident i 3 related, that when the captain had been struck prestrate on deck, ex hausted, he saw the water steal a child from its mother's arms—a Jewess—and dash it about the deck. He cried out to the chief officer, Mr. Stevens, to give a hand there, and to lash_the child by a rope, no doubt expecting at that time that help would soon be available. Not a superior offi cer was saved, neither a female nor child. "The following is thenarrative of the boatswain's mate, John Suaicar, which is given nearly in his own language:— " ' On Monday we left Queenstown in the after noon, after putting some passengers on board the pilot-boat Petrel who desired to be landed. We proceeded on with calm weather and water smooth. We made Ballycotton light at half-past 7 p.m., and Youghal light, on the Irish east, at half-past 8. Reached the Mcnai light ate, trade the Nook light in half an hour, and sighted Toskar at about half past 11. On Tuesday morning saw Bardsey, at which time the wind began tokeshen. The wind heading, we took in the square sails; and at 10 a.m., the wind increasing, took it all the fore and aft sails. In the afternoon made Holyhead at half past 1, and at half-past 4 were right ahead of Holy head harbour. Could see the steamship Great Eastern. Off Bardsey the steam-tug United King domnl e l sN r - i s g p g a e p i e .s r , s , a a s s l k v i e n g w i e f re w e g 0 7 : give a free passage t o came al ongs id e , an d h an d ed on b oard some tug was not going until sh 1 af t o Liverpool, and the a tow, The riggers , were taken on board. At a quarter to eight on Tuesday evening were abreast of the Sherries, dis- ,ant about a mile and a half. At this time the wind had increased to a heavy gale, and the ship was making, little or no progress through the water. She was driving up with the strength of the tide and nearing the shore ; the steam had no effect, but we did all we could to keep the ship off. The maintopsail was lowered, but she still drifted. Clewed up the maintopsail, and the hands were sent up to furl it. The wind had now increased considerably, almost blew the sail from the yard, and it became entangled on the starboard side. It was difficult to get the sail stowed. At this time Mr. Bean, the third officer, with several seamen and myself, were trying to make the sail fast, but could not succeed in accomplishing it. Shortly afterwards orders were given to cock-bill the port anchor, and let go. This was done, giving her 75 fathoms of chain. The vessel was steaming the whole time. Finding she was dragging, we let go the starboard anchor; still finding her dragging, we paid out all the port chain. The vessel was still steaming, and the wind had now increased to a perfect hurricane. We then .went, to get the stream anchor up, and while doing so the starboard chain parted. I then felt the ship canting over to port, and fancied the wind had changed. Orders were then given to cut away the mainmast, which was done, and in a few minutes afterwards she struck on a bank. The captain gave orders to the engineer to give her as much steam as he could, to harden her on the bank. It was then about three quarter ebb tide. The place where she struck was to the west of Moelfra, eastward of Point Lynas. Heard the captain give orders to starboard the helm, to keep her on the shore, so that the sea would not have so much power on her broadside. When she became hardened on, the chief officer gave me and the boatswain orders to cut the main and maintopmast stays, as they were lying across the boat, so that the boat could be cleared in case of need. We did so. The chief boatswain and myself were afterwards sitting on a spar on the deck-house, the sea at the time making a complete breach over the ship. I then went forward to look out, and ascertain whether we were on sand or rock, when, I discovered the land. distant about 30 yards. I went back, and told the chief officer that it was land, and he said, We will loose the foretop mast staysail, and when the tide makes run her up. I said it would be as well to give her the fore sail. It was then getting daylight. I volunteered to go ashore with a line to get a hawser ashore, im mediately after which I felt the ship striking heavier than ever, supposing it was in consequence of the tide making. The sea still broke over her with even greater violence than ever. The captain was at this time on deck, standing by the steam telegraph. I told the chief officer again that I was willing to go ashore with a line and do everything in my power to save life. Asked him if he would allow 'me a few minutes to put my lifebelt on, and he said of course he would. I afterwards told the boatswain I was going to try to get a line on shore, and he said it was useless, the sea was running too high. Afterwards had a small line slung round my body, and wished some one to attend to it while I swam ashore. After some hesitation, a man volun teered. Just as I was being lowered into the water some one called out that there was a line on shore from forward. Upon hearing that I did not go. A hawser was got on shore and made fast to a rock, and with this myself and some of the other seamen saved our lives. The hawser was made fast by several of the inhabitants on shore who came to render assistance. After the ship struck all the passengers were directed to go aft until the hawser could be got properly out, so that as many as possi ble might be saved. Shortly after this the vessel parted amidships, and a large number of passen gers, standing on the deck where she parted, were swept into the sea-and drowned. The boats were smashed to pieces by the fury of the gale, and the others could not be lowered, so that none of them could be made available. The passengers saved were driven on shore by the force of the waves. 16 of the crew got ashore by the haWser. Au endeavour was made to get a second hawser ashore to rescue the female passengers, but this could not be accom plished. Not a single female passenger was saved. In three hours after the vessel struck she began to go to pieces. Saw about 70 passengers on the port bow, all anxiously awaiting some means of getting them on shore ; but a heavy sea which struck the starboard bow stove it in, the ship gave a lurch, and the people were all driven into the sea and drowned. Some of the passengers saved were thrown upon the rocks and picked up by the crew and others who came to render assistance.' " Mr. James Russell, a passenger, belonging to Scotland, who had been seven years in Australia and acquired considerable wealth,was below in his berth when the vessel first struck. He had with him his wife and two children, one aged 10 and . the other 21 years. He was aroused by hearing a com motion on deck, and a fellow-passenger, Mr. Smith, -saying, ' Oh, Mr. Russell, we are all gone ; we are drifting on shorc.' On getting to the deck his worst fears were confirmed, as it appeared evident that little, if any, hope of rescue existed. The sea was breaking over the ship with tremendous fury, and the persons on board were running frantically about the deck in a state of despair. Having brought his family from below, he held them together as they stood on deck, the waves surging over them at every moment. In a minute or two a surging sea carried away his wife and two children, and he never saw them more. He himself was then washed off the deck towards the shore, but a succeeding wave brought him back again. Another sea then struck him, and he was driven forward on the beach, and, as he himself described it, saved by the miraculous hand of Providence. Mr. Russell had a considerable sum of money on board, the produce of his enterprise and skill in Australia, and is now, comparatively speaking, penniless. "A passenger says,—' On Tuesday night, when the gale became so strong, opposite the Skerries, the ladies and many of the passengers became ex ceedingly nervous. Fpr his own part, h owever, h e i had such confidence n the captain, officers, and ship, particularly as she had gone through such long voyages and was now near home, that he went to bed at 10 o'clock. He could only dose, and was aroused in an hour or two by the fearful storm. He knew they could not be going more than a mile an hour, for they had been dodging Holyhead all day and all evening. He heard a v o i ce i n th e ca bin cry ing out, Come directly, we are all lost ; I will take your child; come along directly.' He knew the voice to be that of Capt. Withers, a passenger, who had lost his own vessel in the South Pacific.. He jumped out of bed and opened his cabin door, but all were gone from there. He hastily put on a few articles, and ran u p on d ec k . H e h ear d the ship bump, bump, heavily, two or three times against the ground. On going into the general saloon he found it crowded w ith l a di es a nd gentlemen in the utmost state of tremour. Families were chnging to each other, the young children were crying out piteously, whilst parents were endeavouring to soothe them with cheering hopes. The Rev. Mr. Hodge, a Church of England clergyman, belonging to East Retford, instituted a prayer meeting, and a great number of passengers fervently participated in the service. The ship struck, however, so fear fully, and the huge waves came down upon her with such tremendous force, rushing into the cabins through the skylights, broken by the falling rig ging and batches, that all became absorbed in the idea of personal danger. The narrator was ex tremely anxious to know whether danger was im mediate, or whether they could wait for the blessing of daylight; but all tried to soothe the ladies and children. Capt. Withers came into the cabin, re marking, Now, ladies, you need not be at all afraid; we arc on a sandy beach, and imbedded in the sand ; we are not ten paces from the shore, and the tide will leave us dry, and in 10 minutes you will be safe.' Dr. Hutch, a Government medical officer, also cheered the passengers. Capt. Taylor came down afterwards to give encouragement, and made a similar representation, which had the effect of greatly allaying the excitement. Great order was consequently kept on board, and perfect discipline. At half-past 5 o'clock the bumping went on worse than ever, until at last the water came rushing in. When day liglit began to peep he was knocked by the force of the waves against the ship with great vio lence against the side of the saloon, and the screams now were dreadful. It was impossible to know what to do. He went on deck, but with the greatest dd• ficulty maintained his equilibrium. At this time a great sea came against the broadside, and divided the ship into two, just at the engine-house, as one would smash a pipe stump, and the sea washed quite through her. The two parts slowed' round, and' became total wrecks. Pam ties were carried down with the debris, and as many must have been killed as drowned. Having made up his mind that he had best jump overboard on the lee side, he at tempted to descend by a rope, but fell deep into the water, which was here so thickly strewn with tins her, &c., that his head had to open up a passage. He was a good switnmer, but its chief service was only in allowing him to keep afloat, to seize hold of timber. His senses were nearly knocked out, and he was repeatedly thrown ashore, and as often washed back again, until some people on shore watched him, and managed to catch him. By this time he was almost worn out and insensible. When he first came on deck he had a bag of 35 sovereigns, but he lost 25 in the st rugg l e . H e saw C apta i n Taylor in the excitement, and said Captain, this is a fearful state of things,' but the captain made no reply. When being drifted ashore be saw a poor fellow astride on a large spar, who had on a lifebelt, but some one clung to him and both were drowned. He was momentarily fearing that his brains would be knocked out by a large yard that came on the weather side of him; bat, strange to say, it was carried over him, and both were pitched on shore for a moment together. For a time he had given up all hopes of being saved, especially as his repeated attempts to fasten hold of the sea-weed were failures. He found himself much bruised and cut when he recovered his full consciousness ashore. He believed, if he had not been a swimmer, he should have been inevitably lost. " A second cabin passenger's account was, that he remained up all night, as he was appre hensive all was not right. He did not feel there was any immediate danger until half-past one, but Captain Taylor came down and assured them there was no immediate danger, and that she was righting very easily, and the steam was almost overrunning her anchors. So confident was he that he ordered coffee for himself and the pas sengers, but they never lived to drink it. One of the mates called the captain, however, on deck, and shortly afterwards they learnt she had parted with her port anchor. About two o'clock he went on the poop and could see land. The sea was run. ning tremendously high, and he could not remain on the poop unless he held by something. He saw a number jump overboard as the land seemed so near, but he only saw on e ge t as h ore. H e l e t him self down by a rope on the lee side, and made a spring out to clear the masses of people huddled about the shore side of the ship. He had on a life belt, but the struggle was so desperate that he had not the slightest hopes of being saved. He held on to a spar, and was ultimately washed on to a rock, where he held on by , grasping the seaweed until two men came to him, just as another wave was going to nip him back. The narrator believes if they had commenced operations for saving life earlier, a greater number would have been saved. All were waiting as patiently as could be, in the hope of the tide leaving them, but the tide must have been flowing at the time they thought it was ebbing, unless the storm drove the water that way. " A third saloon passenger exercised himself as long as he could in serving the other passengers. A wave washed him from the poop, and how he got ashore he is unconscious of, but believes he was left well in on land. " John Judge, a steerage passenger, of herculean size and strength, stated that he was in the forecas tle below, patiently waiting the time for action, when the ship snapped asunder, and he was washed out on the weather side. He saw hundreds of people closed up in the jaws of death around him, but he was enabled to catch a spar, and work his way to shore. " Wm. Barton, a rigger of Liverpool, said that he and 10 others having taken the Typhoon round to Cardiff, went on board the United Kingdom, tug steamer. Meeting the Royal Charter going towards Liverpool they got on board to work their passage home, at 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning, when off Bardsay Island. As evening came on a strong gale from the N.E. sprang up. They fetched Point Lynas about 9 o ' c l oc k, and hove to for a pilot. They fired rockets and guns, but no pilot came. About 12 o'clock they found them selves on the lee shore, off Malvery, and still no pilot, when they let go the port anchor in 15 fathoms water. The anchor parted about two o'clock, when the second anchor was sent down with 110 fathoms, the 'port having used 80 fathoms on the starboard. The steam was up, and the vessel was turned with her head to the wind ; but she continued to drag stern in ashore, with Point Lynas light on the port side. The ship struck on an iron-bound coast, in Mal very, not far from Amlwch. She beat against the rocks very heavily, and, after striking and dragging about half an hour she parted her star board anchor, and she fell right foul close into the land in four fathoms. The tide was ebbing about the last quarter at this time. It was as dark as pitch ; they could not see their hands before them. The boats were all in readiness, but they were in total ignorance as to what sort of a coast it was, and the sea was so rough that no boat could have lived five minutes in it. Under these circumstances the boats were given up. They made up a tar barrel, ready to set fire to, as a torch, to send ashore, to light the coast and let them know what kind of a place it was ; but the ship thumped so heavily and danger was so imminent that the idea was not carried out. About 6 o'clock, the dawn of light, they saw a man on the shore, to whom they called. He seemed quite bewildered at what he saw and ran to fetch assistance. He brought five or six men to the shore. In the meantime the ship was rapidly giving way, and a Portuguese sailor, Joseph Rogerson, tied a rope round his waist, and swam ashore. By this means a hawser was run and fastened to the rocks, on which a boatswain's chair was fastened so that it could be hauled to and from the ship and shore. The crew got into it, one by one, and were hauled to land. They commenced landing parties in this way about half-past 6 o'clock, and got about a dozen ashore, when the ship sud denly parted in two, giving way amidships. The whole of the passengers had been kept below by the captain and officers' advice ; and on the vessel break ing up they were instantly swallowed up along with the iron and machinery. As soon as the ship struck the masts were cut away, the foretop going with the mainmast. He last saw the captain hold ing by the rigging on deck, giving orders, with a spar lashed to him. The riggers had recom mended the cutting away the masts at 10 o'clock on the Tuesday night, but it was not then done. The ship broke up at a quarter to seven, and not a vestige was left above water. The greatest order and discipline prevailed on board. " Patrick Devine and Thomas Cunningham,:also riggers belonging to this town, gave similar state meats. The last man saved came ashore about 8 o'clock. The sea rolled tremendously, and the ship thumped constantly. Walter Hughes, an apprentice on board, whose parents reside at No. 1, Toxtetli-street, is lying in bed at the village of Malvery, near the scene of the disaster, suffering from severe crushings and bruises, he is not in a hopeless state. His ac count of his escape is of a marvellous character. He was standing on the deck amidships when the vessel suddenly parted under his feet. He was precipitated with the crashing ironwork deep into the water, but ascended immediately. He was then thrown ashore and secured. In falling, the tumbling lumber and machinery struck ag ainst him, and h e f e lt as if h e was being killed. The skin was torn off his face and hands by coming in contact with the rough and pointed rocks. He saw just before the ship parted three little children, holding each other's hands, screaming. They had fine weather until 6 o'clock on Tuesday evening, and at the time she hugged the shore she was trying to get her head to wind• ward, but her screw was overpowered by the severe gale, and she was drifted ashore stern foremost. Every effort was made to get her head to the sea, but the cables parted a little before 12 o'clock, and she struck with her broadside to the rocks. " Mr. Councillor Wagstaff, of St. James's-street, who was a. passenger by the steamer Druid, from Bangor yesterday, has kindly furnished us with the following particulars, which he ob tained on the spot. Mr. Wagstaffs statement is as follows I was at Beaumaris yesterday (Wed nesday), and heard there was a large vessel on shore at Moelfra, about three miler from Dullas-head. I went to the Custom-house agent, who confirmed the intelligence, and showed me a communication as follows :—' The Royal Charter is on shore-400 passengers drowned.' I and some friends imme diately took a car, and started about one o'clock for the place named. When we reached the spot there was very little of the vessel to be seen, but so near to the shore had she been stranded that I could easily pitch a coin on the wreck. The first thing I saw was the body of a man lying in a field close by. He was a stout able-bodied man, and dressed in corduroy trousers and pea jacket. Some sort of a cloth had been thrown over his face. His head had been injured and was covered with blood, and as I got over the style into the field my hands were staine d with it. Upon getti ng t o th e b eac h I found a large number of people, apparently belong ing to the locality, with a few of the survivors from the wreck. One of the passengers was rambling about the shore more like a maniac than anything else. The poor fellow had lost wife and child. While standing on the poop with his child in his arms a tremendous sea washed the young creature from his grasp and his wife from his side. He then became insensible, and could not say how he got on shore ; but on recover ing consciousness he found himself clinging to the seaweed on a rock. I also spoke to two men— Cornish miners—who had been long in Australia. They were returning home with their savings, and had lost all but 10 sovereigns. After conversing with these men I spoke to William John Ferris, one of the surviving passengers, who told me that the ship struck between 2 and 3 o'clock on Wednesday morning, and that those on board ' set the bay on fire' with signals of distress—that they set off blue lights and rockets, and fired cannons in the hope of obtaining assistance from the shore. We heard it said that as long as the screw was kept going the vessel kept to her anchors, but as soon as it stopped she began to drift upon the beach. It was also said that a coloured man swam on shore with a hawser, Avhich was pointed out to us as the one which the seaman succeeded in bringing to land. " Some of the survivors, it was said, had been saved by this means, but soon afterwards the ship went to pieces, and the hawser was no longer avail able. The vessel broke in two at seven o'clock in the morning. At this time about 200 passengers were sheltering amidships, and, of course, with the Part in; of the ship, the whole of the m were engulfed in the sea. " We saw a . portion of the screw of the vessel, and near it was pointed out something which was stated kinecl the gold on to be the bullion chest, w hi c h con board. The masts, which had been cut away when the ship stranded, were high and dry on shore, where they had been washed by the sea, and plates of iron had been thrown up and were twisted into all manner of shapes. We observed a portion of the deck, about five yards square, lying in a pool of water, high up. The woodwork appeared as if it had been burnt. " We saw a number of people busily looking among the stones, and when we asked what they were looking for they replied ' For geld f and on were told that one man had picked up a bag coa taining 100 sovereigns, and that altogether £2OO or £3OO in gold had been recovered. The whole of the money found was handed over to the Custom-hous e agent, who took the names of the finders. I saw a man bringing two sovereigns, and he seemed to part with the money very unwillingly. A photo graphic likeness was picked up by a man, wha was about to appropriate it to himself, when he Was observed, and obliged to hand it over to the Custom house agent. The photograph was retained for On purpose of identification. There were about 20 men employed in taking charge of the property that was washed up on the beach. We saw many bodies brought up which had been washed ashore. Among these were the bodies of two children, one of whom it was said was supposed to be alive when taken out of the water, but upon a man taking it into his arms, life was found to be extinct. We sauntered about the shore, and picked up what informati °ll we could, but saw everywhere nothing but &- tress. I got tired at last of the heart-rending scene, and wanted to go away, but being in,: formed that some bodies were b eing brought "P from Red Wharf Bay we went i n th a t direction . On our way we saw, in a field just above the shore, the body of a stout able-bodied man, whose face wag dreadfully bruised. We waited th ere a f e w minu t h and I asked a man what they were goi n g to do with the body ? He replied, ' I cannot get the peopl e here to do anything.' I said, 'lt is not likely Y: r will get them to assist you unle ss th e y ar e paid it.' He then said, 'I am churchwarden of ' l a parish, but do not know what I can do ; 111 it be right to put the body in the boat-house ?' replied, ' Certainly ; do not let the bodies lie her; all night ; put them in the boat-house and ina them up.' At this moment I saw them bring" up another body, and of all the frightful sights, ever witnessed I never saw anything like t_ 11 , 111 :, Both legs were broken about a foot a b ove the an i ti and the feet, which only hung by the skin, ha been bent backwards, and tied to keep them :a gether. The bones were visible, the head was twists round, and the bowels protruded. Another bet; we noticed with half the head off. One ear ITT hanging down, and the brains had been washed oil: We went to the beach, and the first object that 4 o f observed was the body of a girl, apparently 1 15 years of age, but a friend said he noticed a I ' l l on her finger. She had on a black jacket an',`„, petticoat. Her face was very much cut with hesm e ; knocked about among the rocks. While we e h standing there another body was brought up,w l l,; e , was identified to be that o f th e sa il ma ker—s powerful fellow, who p resen t e d no mar k s of ,'" ," There were some four or five bodies further on, , we did not go near them ; in f ac t, our f ee lings so harrowed by what we had seen that we ivnu go no further, and we came away. " Among other affecting incidents of the stert one is mentioned by a ontleman who returned fo rt. the neighbourhood of Conway on Wednesday nig; t l During that afternoon two little boys, one 1 1 t ee the other only nine years of age, lashed to a P, l OO of plank or small bit of timber, were washed o°, o at Conway, both still alive. It appeared that tu b . ',. had been thus launched on the stormy waves their father, from a little vessel, on its proving seaworthy. COUNTRY MA.RKI3TB. LIVERPOOL—Oet, 28. The arrivals from Ireland and coastwise since Toe s ,„, o l have been light. From foreign ports we have recto, only 2,170 qrs of Indian corn and 500 barrels of t a t The exports in the same time comprise 942 qrs of Vat, 1,349 qrs of oats, 429 qrs of,lndian corn, 282 loads is meal, and 1,280 sacks of flour. The weather has l e r e .. milder of late, but very stormy. There has been eon% i s is able firmness in the trade during the past two days , a a ,i e nd• rates. Our market this morning had a rather thin : le d ante of the town and country trade, and only a Ic l u ss• sale was experienced for wheat and flour, at about n ot day's prices. Oats in rather fair request, and otttnioahiers with a better sale, at late rates. Barley and pea s -o o tir well supported, as also beans, at retail quotations., :Ace/ met little inquiry. Indian corn met a f ree sa le, aria r" 6d dearer. WAKEFIELD—Om 28. " n g The arrivals of wheat are very fai r , an d there uZ."—•asl rl firm demand, prices were at th e ex t reme o f th ose o f x oh ile last. Fine heavy b ar l e y i n reques t , at l ate ra tes, A te . inferior qualities wer e d u ll, an d pr i ces st ill t en ding "„b o tat wards. Beans rather dearer. Oats and shelling at previous prices. rk , sod Wheat, per qr. of 8 bushels 601 b., Essex, St iff '.- reu l t Kent, white, old, 48s to 51s; new, 48s to 51s; ditto, old, 42s to 445; new, 42s to 44s •, Lincolnshire and shire white, new, 45s to 50s ; red, 41s to 445. MANSFIELD—Our. 27. tg $ We are tolerably supplied with wheat, which n ineol slow sale; bat we make no alteration from the tfor r w of last week. Fine heavy barley in request ; ~• scriptions almost unsaleable. Beans and other articles altered. EXETER—Om 28. The business to-day was at the following prices -- Wheat, white 5s 9d to 6 8 Od I Barley.. ...... 40 Oa W oo OS Ditto red 5s 6d to 5s 9d. Oats ... 38 od , a t e jc. Flour, fine, 32s to 338; seconds, 30s to 318 1140'4 . . . , CATTLE. at' The market was fairly supplied with stock, and the or teudance was not numerous. Pork carcases in larg o ply. A d t. q Fat beef, p score, 9s to 10s6d Ewes, per lb ... • - - , A 0 6h- Pork carcases,d o B s Od to 9sod Wethers, do. ..... ur td to Oa Sheep, per lb. Rough fat, 4d per lb. BRISTOL SUGAR—Ocr. 2S. he re Only a moderate amount of bu s i ness h a s been d i tl ne r'i since our last report, but prices ar e una ltered. - dose produce of all descriptions is in v er y goo d d e mand, 1.0 , ""47 very large sales are reported at fully late prices. still quito neglected. FOREIGN _HAIL PACKET LIST' t In the following table E signifi es th a t l e tt er s are desP llo3 i c . by evening mails from L on d on, an d M b y mo rning Inais :.> by evening mails from L on d on, an d M b y mor ning ro r - --- NO $ ll DESTINATIONS. Despatch Port o f d )1 ue•_, of Mails. Despatch. __.----- ---- Australia and Mauritius, via o`f• ° 1 Sou thampton N0v.12, M Southall* NO. lt Ditto, via Marseilles Bahamas and Havana via New AI O A 11 ' Yor k Oct. —, E Liverpool. • ‘T ." - '. X Canada, &c. (by Canad a . pc kt ) Nov. 1 , E Li ver pool. • ' a Cape of Good Hope, Ascen- Deg sion, and St. Helen a N ov 5 , E D evo npoet China, Penang, and Singa- N01 , ,, d 0 pore, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseilles Gibraltar, via Southampton Nov. 4, M SouthanlP• soy.. Honduras and Blewfiel ds, Nov.l7, M Southanall. India (Calcutta) and Ceylon, Sol r .,a Va Southampton Nov. 4, M Southanll)• itto, via Marseilles India (Bombay), via South- o ve r d ue 4 ampton N0v.12, M SouthanlP. sof. Ditto, via Marseilles Lisbon, Brazils,Bueno s A yres NO' I 1 , aud F. Islands Lisbon, Vigo, and Oporto Nov. 7, M Southamp. ble Blalta, Egypt, and Aden, via v er , . Southampton Nov. 4, M SouthamP. ° e r.l ll ' . Nov,4 Ditto, via Marseilles Mexico and Havana Nov. 2, M SouthamP. ...- Newfoundland Nov. 4, E Galway ..• • United States and British N SO* 2 America (by British packet) Oct. —, E Liverpool. • Ditto (by IL S. packet) West Coast of Af r i ca , M a - SO 0 deira, and Teneriffe Nov. 23 E Liverpool.. . West India, California, Vane -1 zuela, Chili, Peru, Grey- Nog. town, New Granada, &c. ._:11 .W . l r A -.-- - [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Mr. just published a new illustrat by post for two stamps). It 1 about buying a watch, as it c, information as to—What wat and how to use it I Benson, ted pamphl should be 3ontains pri tch to buy Ludgate-hillf let on watches read by l ices and line-it j where to DuY BIRTHS. t , L a GALLIVEY.—On the 27th i ns t., a t Thi r klebY-1321-' Payne Gallwey, of a daughter. the lIETGATE.—On the 25th inst., at the Hill, Carlisle, wife of Captain Heygato, .E., of aso A n. MoNcnrEvr.—On the 25th i ß nst., at St. ndrew's, th e of Major-General Moncrieff, of a son. h 01 14' WHITE.—On the 25th in s t., a t P ar k- ga t es , R.; elll green, the wife of Henry White, Esq., of a son. MARRIAGES. rau ra i IREY—SAumAnn.—On the 27th inst. , at St. r Knightsbridge, th e H on . M r. Irby, only son 9, 1 100 e; Boston, to Augusta C a r o li ne , secon d d aug ht e r 01 `-'"Doro the Hon. John St. Vincent Saumarez, an d niece to de Saumarez. of LOCOCK—DEALTE.Y.—On the 27th i ns t , at - , t f .p t oo' Church, the Rev. A. H enry Locock, incumbent .-- mbentYr ford, Hertfordshire, second son of Sir Charles I ''Dlte Bart., to Anna Maria, the youngest daughter of the Archdeacon Dealtry, rector of Clapham. DEATHS. T t,,,a101 BAYLEY.—in s t., On the 23d at Oxford, Thomas • Esq., formerly o f Hampton Gay, aged 73. the Box.—On the 24th inst. at the residence of his faL" - Rev. Charles It. Box, B.A. of Feathe rs tone-stree t, Cl eJ road, son of th e Rev. Charl ' es Box, o f W o olwich, I'D 40. DIDDEAR.--011 the 2lt inst., at Quatford. near B¢ r ed north, Charles Bannister Diddcar, Esq., late of Roysl Covent-garden and Drury-lane, aged 61. sari ham the 26th i ns t . , a t th e R oya l M ews , Dtl e er rit ham Palace, M a j or John R. Groves, Crown Eq" aged 56. oraIMANSELL—On the 23d inst., at H as l er Hospital. - ora l william Mansell, M.D., 8.A., D e p u t y I ns p e ctor- o ° ll of Hospitals and Fleets, aged 50. -tread' VreanY.--.on the 27th inst. at at Exeter, Gilb e rt D. T Esq., aged 54. • LONDON : Printed and Publi s h e d by MURDO 01 of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The San Office , I ,„ °. t y ei Strand, in the Precinct of th e S avoy , i n the c°' bifddleaex, Saturday, October 29, 1869,