The Express.
London, England, 1852-04-08 00:00:00

head.

the wreck. We then proceeded on to 1,and.13,,,,,
which place Captain Wright left us, and procured Some
refreshments. Next rooming proceeded to Captain Smile,
where we were clothed and fed until sent oe board he;
Msjesty'l steamer Ithadagennthus.
Memorandum —ln respect to the Loeb, I saw none but the
port paddle box boat, bottom up, with some bt.ttl or eight
hands on her, drifting towere's the shore. I heard several
voices calling loudly, and in that strain of voice that 1 f,
tied some boat or boats very near at hand ; and if then, bad
been any best or boats present to have takes' the a•.cu from
the floating pieces of wreck, they might, with good nu•
nsgemcnt, have been safely 'andel: in the None cove
where Captain Wright and myself were' landed, and could
have made several trips to and fr., to the shore, and saved a
largo slumber of men, as they were some time kept up,
the surface of the water Ly the floating ~.ieces of unlit.
In my opinion the boat that had the women and ehildol,
saved timo and lives by getting the assie Lance of the
schooner, there being a great number on at, d about the
wreck.

(Signed) JOHN AR. 111111LIII, f, utintr,
late liirkinimud,
To Commodore Wyrill, Simon'a Bry.

SECOND STATEMENT OF MIL. Cl:l,llANre
ASSISTANT SLAW EON,
As to leaving the wreck in the gig, also leaving the boats.
Enclosure No. 9 in No. 12 of 1852 from Commodore Wye&U.
Naval Hospital, Simon's Town,
Maack 1, 1812
Sir,-1 have the honour to inform you that I was the last
person who left the wreck of lu r Majesty's steam vessel
Birkenhead when slse got on the reeks off Danger Pint.
ii. The poo was on a level with the sea when I swam from
her, • et that time 1 could not see any of the boats. 1
sumo. ed, after swimming about a mile or more, in reach-
ing the second gig, and when I got into her we mustered ID.
I remained there fur some time. Could hot see the wreck,
being dark, and did nut see any men near ; the two cutters
were near, and they left and we followed, thinking to make
the allele, but at daylight Mr. Richards saw a sail, and we
all determined to pull for it, but after chasing the scheme r
for at least 20 miles in the gig, as I had eight men who
volunteered from the cutter to pull fur the schooner, she
got ahead of us, and we did not give up until she was out
of sight, and then thought it the most expedient way to
reach you, in order to let you know the melancholy loss of
the men and of who were on board, except those who
were on the mast. When I left the wreck we pulled fur
ten hours before we reached the shore, and were six miles
ahead of the cutter, when we gave up all hopes of reaching
the schooner. The people in the cutter say that they made
signals to us, but the eight men and m)self can assure you
that we did net see any signal to us. 1 reach, d 1
Durban about three o'clock, pen. The day after the wreck
I rode on horselmek from there to Cape 'town, and arrived
at Simon's Bay in about 20 hours trum the time I started;
and, after pulling a share of about (Al miles, and riding
about 110 miles across the country, I um sorry to hear that
it has been said that I lett the boats. We saw the
schooner tack and come in the direction of where we last
saw the cutters, and she I one to, as if to take them on
board, and afterwards steer towards the wreck. We should
be very glad to he there at the time, as we dreaded that we
could not get a landing place. I assure you that I tried
every effort to reach yuu, in order that you may be able to
send a steamer to the wreck, and that was the object of the
other eight of the boat's crew.
I have the honour to be, air, your most obedient servant,
cSigned) Wu. CU LIIA ri X, Assistant burgeon.
C. 1% yvill, Esq., Commodore, Commanding
in Chief, Simon's Bay.
STATEMENT OF MIL. BARBER, ASSISTANT
ENOINEEIt,
As to the engine turning astern, dic.
Enclosure No. 10 in No. 12 el Mil' from Commodore
Wyvill.
11.M.5.V. Rhadamanthus, Simon's Dar,
March I, 1852.
About two a.m, on the morning of the 26th February,
1852, I was awoke by the ship striking, and ran into the
engine-room, where I found Mr. Kitchiogman, who was ••
watch, standing by the starting gear. Ile informed me he
bad just stopped the engines. We remained there until
Mr. Whyham ordered the safety valves of the three boilers
to be opened, which I did. Shortly after the order was
given to turn astern, which was done The fire. wire
afterwards extinguished by the water rising rapidly in the
engine-room. Wo then went ou deck. Soon alter the
ship parted. I went to the dingy's full, and lowered myself
into the water, but the weight of the soldiers who clung on
me forced me to let go and take to wine of the main rig-
ging, where I remained until the ship went dews, taking
me with her. I came up again, and held on to some of the
wreck until picked up by Captain Wright and some more
men on a part of thu foresponson, en which we succeeded
in reaching the shore at about one p.m.
(Signed) BENJAMIN BAllltEll, Assistant Engineer.

REPORT OF COMMANDER DUNCE,
Sent in Rhaihinionthus to the setae u( the wreck to afford

Enclosure No. 11 in 1552 from Commodore

H.M.S. Castor, Simon's Bay, Feb. 29, lesi2
Sir,—l beg to acquaint you that I proceeded, in olordi-
tone to your order, in her Majesty's steanivessel Ithailaman-
thus, to Langer Point, arriving off there ou the mornia; of
the 28th, and after examining the wreck with her maintop-
mast alone above water, I proceeded in the boats to Stain.
ford's Cove, where I found four of the men who had reached
the shore from the wreck, from whom I received informa-
tion that many more were at a farm called " Klyne River,"
about 15 miles distant. I rode out to the farm and found
60 more, all of whom had been clothed, fed, and housed
most hospitably by Capt. Smales, the proprietor, with whom
I made arrangements for sending them down to Stamford
Cove in the morning, to embark them in the Ithadaman-
thus—the sick to come in waggons.
The next morning I proceeded with Captain Wright,
91st Regt. (the senior surviving military officer), and Mr.
Mackay, the civil commissioner of the Caledon district, to
the neighbourhood of the wreck, and, travelling the beach,
for some distance, found it strewed with small spars,
pieces of deck, &c., and the paddle-box boats, both of
which were rendered unserviceable when the vessel broke
in two pieces ; numbers of dead bodies had been found and
buried, and great numbers must have perished by getting
entangled is the large kelpweed which fringes the coast
about Danger Point.
From the information I have been enabled to collect, it
would appear that the Birkenhead rounded Cape Hangeliff
at about 9.30 p.m., on the lith ultimo, at the distance of
four or five miles, that a S.S.B. j E. course, by compass,
was steered, and at 2 a m.' on the 2Gth, she struck oa
• pinnacle rock on the reef off Danger Point, a short two
miles from the shore ; the r.sek went right through her into
the engine-room, and the engines being immediately re-
versed, rented her bottom, and in 20 or' 30 minutes from
the time she first struck, she broke in midships, the bow
part going down into deep water one way, and the swathe
other. The two cutters and one gig had been lowered and
manned, and ordered to be put off. All the women and
children were put into one cutter under the charge of Mr.
Richards, master's assistant, the senior surviving naval
officer. Some 30 or 40 of the men clung to the main top-
mast and rigging, some swam to the boats, and, getting
heavily laden, the boats pulled out clear of the wrick ;
many were below when the vessel broke, and went down in
her, and the rest on bundles of hay, spars, stools, doors,
tables, and the middle .box boats, bottom up, were drifting
about between the shore and the wreck. The 68 officers
and men whom I brought down in the Rhadantanthus are
the only survivors out of those who were on these rafts and
paddle-box boats, &e. Many must basic been drowned front
exhaustion and many have been knocked to pieces on the
ledges of rocks over which the sea was breaking. By the
exertions of Captain Wright and the civil commissioner of
the Caledon district (Mr. Mackay), a whale boat was pro-
cured the day after the wreck to search about, and five men
were landed by her, from bits of wood drifting about; one
soldier after being 38 hours in the water.
In communicating to you this disastrous occurrence, I
cannot but express my opinion that if the boats had kept
by the wreck until good daylight, landed the extra hands
in one of the small creeks about, and then given their at-
tention and assistance to the poor fellows floating and atrug-
ling in the water, a great many more might have been
saved, for the weather was tine, the sea quite smooth,
not a breath of wind. . . .

Mr. Culbanc, the assistant surgeon of the Birkenhead,
was in the gig and went in pursuit of a small schooner,
which was seen at daylight, but u he could neither reach
her, or succeed in drawing her attention, he bore up for
Port Durban, about 12 or 15 miles from Danger Point,
whence be communicated to you the loss of the Birken-

The two cutters succeeded in getting to the English
schooner Lioness, which vessel came into the urea, and
took off all those who were hanging to the mast and yard;
making in all on board her is it from the wreck, 117,
which, with the nine landed in the gig, and the GS in
the Khadamanthus, makes a total of 104 of all denomi-
nations saved out of the 630 she left Simon's Bay with on
board. _ _ .

I enclose to you • het of the officers, soldier,, sailors,
women, and children, who have been saved.
I hare the honour to be, sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
B. H. BCNCE, Contuuder.
To Commodore Christopher Wyvill, Commanding
in Chief, tic. &c. &c.

STATEMENT OF CAPT. WRIGHT, 91st ItEGT.,
of the circumstances connected with the wreck and saving

of lives by rafts, &c.
Enclosure No. 12 in No. 12 of 1552 from Commodore
\l'j rill.
Simon's Bay, March
About six, p.m., of the 25th February, 11.)1.ship Birkeu.
head, sailed from Simon's Bay on her panoige to .tlgoa Bay,
to land the drafts of the 12th, 91st, and 7 ith, and then to
proceed to the Buffalo to land the remainder of the drafts,
vie. 12th Lancers, 2nd, 43rd, 73rd, 13th, 6th, sod t;Oth
Italics. About half-past 10 1 was on the deck, and the
officer on watch, Mr. Speer, observed to me that he had
passed the light, at the same time pointing out to me a light
on the port side of the vessel. I made the remark at the
I time, " Surely that is not Lt. Agulha's light, for if so the
Cape must have moved nearer the Cape (meaning Cape
Point) than it was when 1 was here five years age.'•
the appearance of the light I was satisfied that it was from
a light-house, and not from a fire on the hills, mail of
which were burning, and therefore I concluded that another
light-househad been built since 1 was here in 1547. I thin
went to bed. About two, a.m., on Titur-day, Iwu med.'
by a severe shock, and on mtting up found that the v,-41
bad struck. I came up on dock and wand the commaialcr
Mr. Balmond, and Mr. Davis, second master, on tit, roP.
I was standing alongside them. The commander asked Mr.
Davis how the light was bearing when he last saw A. Mr.

T

D'
...anal by miming some point of wseam& Whoa
Mae/ vaned away, Mr. Davie vomarkad to art
isld where that light wr, sod lut 210
te anda.nhahtl th at ho alluded to a lied boom light,
▪ 04 a lire on the hills. I have now err, r 99•011 to
dud the light wich was sn was • are lihted of ,
tornp' mu,i,h
e, to act aee. • signal flre to g
the fish
Latat. which ito out from that point. I saw the light Ow
▪ og him. myself. and certainly considered it a hi/Athos,.
• n. I have betore stated. After the vessel struck, the
.aaaisuder remained on the poop, and gave his orders to
" myself.td The utmost order was observed
Me`s
to ',mot. and until the resod totally disappeared,
IbK was wit a cry or murmur from soldiers or sailors. It
k as living inn. of the most perfect instances of what
grar.. i • •oatthet, end almost led me to believe that not a
ssiorato
son ward know the cruel was likely tu go down. About
wastes after tht ',ail struck, the commander sent me
W. vrpaie, who was on the bridge, to know what sa-
l? ebe required to get the paddle-box boats out; he
paw it get l/ turn put on to each tackle, so as to get the
pay elf 1 d:d so, and then went to the eonintabder osi
see if be had any more orders; he told me to
• L 3 more men to the chain pumps. I directed Lieut.
talc Ord, to do this and it was dune. Almost
die sear-l's bows snapped off, the bows part going
st,rotM air toward. the firs mast, the funnel fell over to
garburd at the same time. almost carrying sway the pad-
&tat% and taut 00 the starboard side, the °awe pniale.
kis bad wY being elated over just at this tone, and Mr.
ipda eisiiipt an .1 Iron the briilge, having been kuocktal
far I,.auh iw nth. r.
Jet e.0.m.. the vcsst: broke at the bows the commander
tokn .1 the busses to be pushed overboard, and directed
hichirds to get iota the cutter to receive the women
sal ,al:...ita .111 this was done with the utmost regale-
bei...a.l the nuts stood otf about 100 yards
ofom the
IL? the tontuainsler also ordered out the larg host in
thi r.titte of the sltip. but it could not be moved as the ship
er...ht”'sur.; Cl' at Me bows.
Jag !atom the vessel broke a second time, which was in
.▪ .N 1 await,* front tint stalking. the commander culled
pc ta ad vat, r. 111, It 1.110 CIAO I swim to Jump Over.
WWI 4.1,1 ha the buts ; I.teut. tiirsrilot was stand•
in Avowal. of nit by the 'loop rail at the time. We
anal oat to the men nit to go overboard to the boats
• we Farad their Bing swamped, they being full
sf stall awl i'aildreu (at least one of them we knew
• rely sew MI 11 went, and the rest remained an the
r.war till that part • ink. and then down we all went to-
;no si non board the vessel when she sank,
oar*. global.. who was on board the cutter, and
pc iielkaaM th, ship, who got into one of the gigs,
MI thee mule the S.: of his way to but River, some 14
N ind.•• torn th. wreck, rowed then by eight of the
rew. I cum.'s .....iress how much the lees of this boat was
11'.1• as had rt r. tarried alter binding Dr. Culhane, I have
so Itesdatim in uying that nearly every man of the 200
t, who ai n .in the .Irift•wo..4 between the wreck and
have been saved, as they could have been
pLd ad the span and 1.04.11 on which they were when
eye were eutsalr the d, which prevented them from
mow. m t he boat -sold have mode 40 or .50
• t.• shore between daylieht and dark, and landed the
Per.,•• .• OW boat in a cost put to the eastward of Danger
a. • os in I got on shore, the party I was with (ias
g. ilratiruesD sad myself proeetded to Stanford's Cove,
ettre there is a lishing station, about silt or seven miles
pa pager I',.int. as there was nothing to be had to eat
tba. I ton the men sad went toe fur house, about right
L..* :rem Oren.% and seat provisions for the men. I also
j,itle sans h. at day. and then bad the sea removed to
(41 sassOis' isrm..akont 15 Riles further up the country,
asiisa 4 at. tiirorlot sad Cornet Bond with them. I
than writ down to the roast and put up in a hot, and was
nearest daring Friday. Saturday, and Sunday, in cumin-
be envy part the rocks fur at least 20 miles. 1 fell in
• tbr crew of • whale boat, who were employed staling
a: NW* lidand. I got them to take the outside of the
a, wall. sheet a quarter of a mile from shore, whilst the
guar's steward of the Uirkenbead and myself examined
stilts. The hoot gut two men, sal we also two, who
bo, I her 1a huar•in the water ; they were sadly trahautted,
Is saakt". n •t in the hut made them ell right, except a
1,,, seams. or the second and thud day that I was on
e. root. 1 was jinni dby Field Cornet Villien and Mr.
X „1... and commissioner of Caledon, and they bad with
ism o numb rat men to assist in burying the dead, and
t, shot things were washed up on shore.
1, iy tor Ladies were found. On sanctity, at 8 p.m..
4t.,4 is rt,tly mystlf that no living soul could
s. no the shore, awl the men who were at Captain
fa., • haling bete ordered down te the Cove to embark
6-.. te,rd the libadonionthus, I left along with them, and
Liaod it thorns• of 10l soldier. and two uMeen at Simon's
Ise. at 3 am. this morning. Ensign Lucas, of the 73ed,
usable to travel. I had to leave him at Captain
ft....• hum. leannut conclude this memorandum with-
.

1 siding to Mr. Archbold, the master gamier, who was
et IL, ..ime raft with me for some time; whilst there, be
eo. a. wheal, attire to a degree, and encouraged the other
saa who were also on it ; but this was no mute than his
t...y custom when on board the ship, for there he was pia-
at work, sad to some purpose too. The skip's
vend, James irffreys, although nisch exhausted, after
toait been in the water so long a time, accompanied me
am! wareh roans' the rocks on the oast, and did his best
me all the assistance in his power. lam happy to
x!!! hardly a man of those saved of the party with me
i thing the worse, except a few bruises.
(Signed) E H. C. Waluur, Copt. 91st.
STATEMENTS OF THE LOOKOUT MAY:

1g.,: the wheel in the first watch, the sergeant of marines
carried the orders of the commander, and of the

re.. rs in the engine.roun.
bleary X..). 13 in N 0.12 of 18:i2 from Commodore Wyvill.
Castor, Simon's Day, Feb. 28, 184.
Join Humes, able seaman of her blegestv's steamship
limeshead, state., that on the night of the Vith February,
he bad the first watch, and took the wheel at tan
Vika it was a etarlicht night, smooth water, with a
swell. Mr. Spear, second master, was officer
el
th, watch, keeping it on the poop and latterly on the
)al4 hot, looking out for a light (Algulhu). The enure
I.w asuing was S.S.E. E. That the officer of the
ve.chlrtspiently looked at the compass, and save orders
at t- .tier to the eastward of the course, but a quarter of
a point to windward of it. He was relieved by Francis
Liditch, A 10. There was a leadsmen in the chains all
to watch, but no soundings given. The course was the
use lot two hours previously. A particular look-out was
On ho ing relieved be turned in.
The first ititelligence of ship striking which he got, was
bine bawls Icing turned up to save ship. He thought
to crack twier. Ou the first cutter hying called away (to
nick heat he belonged), he turned out and went into her,
ul remaiard by the ship as ordered by the captain. Mr.
Lhards, master's-assistant, was officer of the boat, but
atterwuJs went into the second cutter to take cuing* of
be wouha and children by the captain's directions. The
me was afterwards picked up by the schooner Lioness.
Ike ship struck the rocks about 2 o'clock. his
(Signed) JOIIN 64 Haezvas.
mark
Witens, C. A. Pritchard, Secretary.
1 wane Daley, ordinary seaman, states, that he was look-
eat mum the starboard bow when the ship struck ; he had
since one o'clock ; the water smooth and • star-
lst Ile saw the land about three points on the port
h,. The ship struck about ten minutes to two o'clock,
ail thine was no appearance of breakers.
the cutter being called away, to which boat he be-
l'ez.d, he went into her and remained by the ship. Mr.
Ls,. wend master, was officer of the watch. The cutter
Otto events picked up by the schooner Lioness.
his
(Signed) THOMAII 64 Daisy.
Wittier, C. A. Pritchard, Secretary. mark.
Able Stone Ord, states, that he was leadsmen in tie
nazi at one oeleek ; hut got no soundings. At about 20
mar, s tete° o'clock he got soundings in 12 fathoon,beit be-
h. got another cast the ship struck, and he got seven
wholes aeongWde. Mr. Davis was °Meer of the watch.
Tki. nicht was fine with smooth water. The land was seen
sa 0a ion bow about four points. On the boat's crew
being tailed away he sweat to the gig, to which boat he be-
kneed, sad laid by the ship as ordered. his
(Signed.) MILL :01 STOMI, ORD.
Witness C. A. Pritchard, Secretary, mark
N.rnaat Drake, It M., states that he was on the fore-
taste *hes the ship struck, about a quarter before 2 o'clock.
Hi saw the land about four points on the port bow, the
'urn perfectly smooth. On striking he went to the gust-
tenh.ek, sad was directed by the captain to carry hisorden
to fir. Brodie, muter. The teepees had been stepped,
sad `rah red to take a back turn. He carried orders to
Mr. bridie to let go the small bower anchor, to get east
vet peddler's,' boat, and to get the women NM
thi.u.a bats the boats. He states that the p•dilbobsa
kart c. 44 sot be got over by • pin jamming ; that ablest
to. sty minutes after striking the ship broke into two, the
how sad stem cocking up; that the ship began te Mali, be
fowl himself ia the water, and the captain, Mr. Salasoads
el.r to him, swimming for a plank , that something struck
Mr sabre:est, and he went down. After being about four
W her minutes in the water be observed the mainmast and
aka topsail-.yard out of the water ; be swam to it and got
ea it with 30 or 41, tithe's. The ball of the shire was
wW r water. He stabs that the military onmn
c 4 the Nth went in attendance on the cesz=i,
me had sent the soldiers to the pumps as o
Wt all heads were steady and obeyed cedars with air
etty until the last moment; that the ship struck twine,
U • brit shark stove in thy hoes and drowned many mom
f :wird that the second shwa broke the ship is tms. Ths
sea ea the yards hi hayed with great coolness and
01,661 swain tn the shore on piece. of spar and aasl=2
k sassier reached the land. Mr. Davis, par,
master,
tai Aar of the watch ; ha was picked sp after clinging
lithe .pan twelve Fours.
(Si/11./K1) JIMA DRAKE, Coloor Ser RM.
John Ashbolt, stoker, states that it was hie watch ia the
411116,1156 a when the ship struck ; that Mr. Kitchenettes
uu tagiane of the watch. The Int order givtll was to
11, the eastine, and shortly after to give a back turn, which
,_l4. ism, and the engine made about eight or ten reeols-
mts and the ship struck again. The water began to rush
IS' tbe engineruom and put the fires out. When the
1,,. stopped he west on deck, the ship broke in t•vo,
sad I. hued himself picked op by one of the cutters.
Mt. Chase, stoker states the same. The engineers were
the enainor .
(b 41666) WILLIAM C 61•61, Jou, ASHBOLT.

A t.. 4 toN DING WY A ILIIILWAT MANAGFIL— SoMC
nr_',moot hos tx-ra orro.iontd in the railway world in eon-
esp., wee of a truffle ntan.iscr on one of tie principial nai-
ve,.
ks. haring abscoadttl. Ills accounts ate sow midst*,
IC it is leafed that thty will cihibit NM actions dell-
mi