The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-08 00:00:00

SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE.

The barque G. J. Jones, of Newport, Monmouth-
shire, Captain Norton, bound from Charlestown, Bull
River, to Falmouth, for ordars, with a cargo of phos-
phorous ore, was completely wreckcd at Ferrari, six
miles from Penzance, on Saturday night during a
severe storm from the south-west. Two of the crew,
named M'Cartby and Oldridge, succeeded in getting
ashore, the remainder and a Falmouth pilot being
drowned.—The following account of the disaster has
been given

It was nine o'clock on Saturday evening when the
first intelligence was made publicly known in
Penzance that there was a vessel in the Mount's Bay
in distress. All day a heavy sea had raged, and in
the afternoon the wind swept round to the south-east.
Signals were fired by the coastguard, and the greatest
excitement prevailed in Penzance, the lifeboat being
at once pulled forth, and when it was ascertained
that the vessel was expected to go ashore inside St.
Michael's Mount the lifeboat was deepatched, dravan
by nine horses. The G. J. Jones was the vessel in
this position. On July 20, the barque, which
belonged to Messrs. Jones Brothers, steamship
owners, of Newport, left Charleston), Bull River, with
phosphate rock, for Falmouth. A week after leaving
she lost several spars in a severe squall, and a barons)
which bad been previously in sight was not afterwards
seen. All else went well down to Saturday, when the
vessel was boarded by a pilot 18 miles off Scilly. There
was then a fairly heavy breeze ft om the south-south.
west, and soon after the maintopgallantsmaet was
carried away. A jib could not be set and the vessel
would not hold the wind properly, carrying the helm
up almost all the way. Upon the mainsail being
taken off the barque steered well. At two o'clock
the pilot sighted the Lizard, and he said to
McCarthy, "If I go any further than I am now
I shall fetch nowhere, so I will bring the ship
round and put her on another tack." This was done,
and it was anxiously hoped the vessel would be out of
the bay, and then run into Falmouth. But all efforts
were fruitless. The middle staysail was next carried
away, and Captain Norton took the wheel. Kennedy
soon after approached M'Carthy and informed him
that he saw land on two sides, and both expressed the
opinion that the vessel was in great peril. The
vessel was kept close to the wind, but she reached
to the shore the whole time. At last the pilot
saw the barque could not get out of the bay; and,
with the concurrence of the master, he determined
to run her into Penzance. The men began to put
the anchor over the rails, but the vessel was tco
far in shore. She was in Perran Cove emba/ed, and
was carried on towards a dangerous reef of rocks on
which the sea beat fiercely. The anchors were let go,
but when 80 fathoms of chain had been run out the
vessel at ten o'clock struck violently. There were the
coastguards staffs of Marazion and Prussia Cove
ashore, and the rocket apparatus was used. The vessel
struck stern first, and directly after turned broadside
on to the seas, which raked her terribly. So strong were
the waves that although the rocket lines went over the
barque the men could not, from sheer inability, use
them. The crew could see the people ashore carrying
lights about. The vessel rolled and strained fright-
fully, and with every sea she was ripped and Corn.
Oaptain Norton, the first officer, and others, clung
to the forepart of the barque, while aft were the
two survivors, the pilot, second officer, and others.
While standing by the cabin door, the pilot, a
stout old man, fell headlong down the ladder.way.
The others were powerless to help ; there was
considerable water in the cabin, and there can be no
doubt the old man was drowned. When he fell the
position of the crew was fearful in the extreme
there was proffered aid near at hand, but the surf
rendered succour impossible. The night was so
dark that only the dim outline of the vessel could
be pereeived ; the lifeboat had not arrived, and had
it come it w.)uld have been of no service. The boat
could not be launched in such a sea. Tbree.quarters
of an hour after striking the three masts went over
the side with those who were forward, the poor fellows
giving a despairing cry as they disappeared. The re.
mainder had not long to wait. They knew the vessel
was partisg from under them. The two boys clung
to the neck of M'Carthy, imploring him to save
them. In such a sea and among dangerous rocks
M'Carthy knew he would find it difficult to save
himself, and he entreated the boys to do the best
they could for themselves. Little Garland, thirteen
years of age, clung against .the bulwarks, and im-
plored his companion not to desert him. The second
mate, a large man and a powerful swimmer, lay on
the deck in a semi.consciona state, and seemed to be
most concerned about his wife. A big sea came, the
vessel parted, and with a cry the man fell into the
waves. M'Carthy caught hold of the lines from the
shore, and pulled in, ()ply to be thrust back into the sea.
He, however, succeeded in pulling himself ashore, and
was then assisted up the rock, bruised and bleeding.
Oldridge could not buffet the waves, and threw him-
self on his back. He was carried in, and was found,
cramped in every limb, on the rocks. The lifeboat
arrived, but its services were, of course, not required,
On Sonday morning the vessel had wholly disappeared,
and the coast is strewn with wreckage. Had the
vessel come ashore half-a-mile further down all would
undoubtedly have been saved. Captain Norton had a box
on board, in which were R4OO, hie personal savings.
The carpenter has one son, a child, and an uncle died
a few weeks ago, leavirg him £2,000. The two sur-
vivors only joined the barque at Bahia, after having
been shipwrecked off Brazil.
The following is a list of the crew :—Saved: John
M'Oarthy, Carrickfergus, Antrim; Harry Oldridge,
Tintern Abbey, able seaman.
Drowned: Captain William Norton, of Menday,
Newport ; Robert M'Llaren, first mate, Montrose ;
Frederick Norton, second mate, Plymouth; the car.
penter, a foreigner, shipped at Bristol; William
James. coloured man, St. Vincent; Pinday, London;
John Kennedy, Edinburgh ; William Morris. Victor
Andersen, a Ituisian, shipped at Bristol ; William
Garland, of Menday, Newport, boy; Falmouth pilot,
name unknown.

The bodies of Captain Norton, the mate, carpenter,
and two of the crew of the wrecked barque were
picked up at Ferran Beach on Monday. All were cut
and bruised more or less severely. The name of the
pilot drowned in the ship was James Andrews.