The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-12-12 00:00:00

THE HEAVY GALES.

In the early part of this week high gales from the
south and south-west have swept over the whole of the
southern and western parts of England. On Saturday
the wind was very high in London, and accompanied
at intervals by heavy showers. It had subsided on
Sunday forenoon, but at night it rose again, and on
Monday morning it blew with great violence, causing
damage to property in many parts of London.
On Sumlay last the force of the wind at midnight
is reported from Sheerness to have been as great as on
the memorable night in October, 1858, when the
Royal Charter was lost. From the fact, however,
that the dockyard, basins, Ike., were well sheltered by
the houses of the town, no serious damage was sus-
tained. The shipping in the harbour also escaped
injury. is.fot isi, however, the gigantic Bermuda dock.
From the position in which she was anchored, and as
a consequence also of her vast bulk, she was unable to
resist the fury of the gale. She dragged her anchors,
and it being utterly impossible to render any assistance,
she drifted to the adjacent mud flats
About 8 o'clock on Sunday evening, as the fishing
smack Fawn, of Ramsgate (Miller, master), was
entering the Royal Harbour of that port, the foresheet
gave way, which caused the smack to strike the east
pier, and she became a total wreck. Efforts were im-
mediately made by those on the pier to save the crew,
which consisted of the master, two men, and two boys.
Lifebuoys and ropes were thrown over to them, and
the master and two men were pulled up. The two
lads, however, were drowned, and their bodies were
picked up on the sands on Monday morning. Their
names are William Hopkins, aged 18, and Frederick
Auburn, aged 14. Both lads belonged to London.
The gale swept with great violence along the coast
of Cornwall. len lives at least were lost, and shipping
has Buffered severely. The bark North Briton, from
Quebec for Southampton, with a thousand loads of
timber, struck very near Penzance. The crew took to
the ship's boat, which capsized, and six men perished.
The captain and four others were saved at Penzance.
The lifeboat rendered all possible assistance, and three
of the crew are very ill from exposure and over
exertion.
A small foreign vessel was seen on Monday in great
distress off the Land's-end, and it is believed she went
down at midnight with all hands. Two other vessels
are reported to have been seen about 5.30 p.m.,
labouring very hard.
The ship Castilian, of London, 1,063 tons, laden
with timber from Quebec to Liverpool, came ash ,re on
the south side of Portmadoc bar, North Wales, on Fri-
day night about 12 o'clock. There was a heavy sea
running, and it was blowing hard from the S.W. at
the time. As soon as she was seen on Saturday
morning Captain D. Richards got the lifeboat John
Arlibury, of the National Lifeboat Institution,
launcaed, and orders were given for the tug to run
down to Criceieth to tow her up, as the wind had
shifted more to the southwaril. There was a great
deal of surf alongside, but with great care they
managed to get 18 people safely on board the steamer,
which landed them at Portmadoe at noon. Three
nien were drowned while attempting to get ashore in
the night.