The Express.
London, England, 1849-03-10 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE FORTH.

The subjoined account of this comity is given in
a letter from a pessenger on board the Forth at the
time of the wreck to a relative in London.
The Royal Mail Mean-ship Forth sailed from Hannah for
Vera Cruz at Bh. 30m. a.m. on the 12th of January, the
wind at the time blowing fresh from N.E. At noon the
latitude observed was 23 8 N., lon. by throe. 82 69 W. The
weather was beautifully fine, and the ship wee running from
eight to nine knots per hour, with all available mil set. On
the 13th the wind increased to a fresh gale, with a heavy
sea, and gradually hauled to 8.8. E. At noon the latitude
observed was 22 56 N., lon. by elm. 86 40 W., which,
when compared with the deed reckoning, showed that dur-
ing the preceding 24 hours we bad experienced a current
setting N. 31° N. 8 miles. The south end of the Alamenes
reef, on which the Tweed was lost in 1847, now bore
S. 790 W., distant 175 miles. The course, which bad been
We,by 8., wee altered to W.B.W , which, if made good,
allowing 6° for easterly variation of the compass, wouli take
a eighteen miles to the southward of the extreme end of the
reef, and mid-channel between the " Triangle*" and " Baxo
Neueve." The point now to be ascertained was, whether dar-
ing the evening this course was made good. This could
only be done by observations, and herewith is submitted the
result of those taken for that purpose between the hours of
noon and midnight, with the bearing and distance of the
south end of the Alma= (lat. 23 N., lon. 89 42 W.)
at the time of each being taken, together with our position
by dead reckoning : At 2h. 20m. : Long. by citron.,
86 59 30 W. ; diet. by log since noon, 19 miles; lat. by dead
rec./maim' 23 80 N., long. 87* W. ; South Allman's,
8. 80* W. 164 miles. At Bh. 60m. Lat. by Aldebaran,
22 33 ; dist by log slam noon, 72 miles ; lat. by dead
reckoning 22 38 N., long. 87 55 W. ; South Macrame,
8. 82 33 W. 100 miles. At 11h. 4m.: Lat. by Sirius,
22 29 N. ; dist. by log since noon, ISIS miles ; lat. by dead
reckoning, 22 29 N., long. 88 17 W.; South Alternate,
S. 85 68 W. 86 miles. Than figures peeve that up to eleven
o'clock p.m. the course steered was made good. That is a
fact which ate man can doubt, en he mast condemn all faith
in chronometers or stellar observations; sad no reasonable
perm an deny, with these feels before him, then Captain
Stages was justified in retiring to bed se he did, shortly
after midnight, having come to the meelusion that there wit
ao chance, within the reach of human esleulatiea, of the
ship being in the immediate vicinity of Ow reef before day-

light. At two o'clock in the morning he rose again, exa-
mined his chart and calculations, re-assured himself of thi
ship's position, and then lay down spin. At sh. 15m. a m.,
perhaps • few minutes sooner, the ship struck. Had the
wane steered been made good subsequently to 11 p.m., we
should have ;been in lat. 22 15 N., lon. 89 11 W. (having
ran by log 145 miles since noon), with the south en:i of thi-
reef bearing N. 73 49 W., distant 29 miles. The chip
struck, as near as can be judged, in lat. 22 28 N , lore.
89 38 W., from which it follows that during the six boars
from eleven p.m. to five a.m. we had experienced a current
setting N. 66 W. 274 miles, or at the rate of four and a half
knots per hour. Public opinion in England is apt to jump
at (neurone conclutions, end then can be so greater injus-
tice than condemning a man in a case of this kind for th.
loss of his ship, without a careful examinstion of the facts.
The above figures and calculations, which have not b• en
hastily put together, and the 'emu! of which can be tested
by any one who will take the trouble of so doing, speak
volumes. They are such as will net only exonerate the cap-
tain from all blame, if tried by an impartial tribunal, but
prove him to have exercised a greater degree of caution than
most would have done under circumstances inspiring •
similar degree of confidence.
It will be seen that so far no mention has been made of
soundings or the 100k-out, both of which it will naturally be
supposed would have given some intimation of the approach-
ing danger. With regard to the first, the lead was hove at
8 p.m. and at midnight, giving 27 and 32 fathoms, with no
bottom. When the captain went to bed, he le't strict orders
that another cut was to be taken at four s.m. This order,
however, through some inadvertence, does not a: pear to
have bees attended to ; but even had it been, the sound-
ings would have given no intimation of our position, being
the same along the course we made as along that which we
expected to make. With regard to the second, it must be
confessed that at first sight it does appear strange that those
who were stationed on the look-out did not see the breakers
until it wss too late to avoid them. The ma rning. however,
though fine, was haay,and those who have been at sea know
that the moon frequently casts a broad belt of light en the
water, termed a "moon-blade," which of itself bears a strong
resemblance to breakers. Now it so 110 -.vilest that on the
laming or ;Le ilipwreclr this belt or 113 t Mai cast name-
mediate), on the reef, and hence three on board were de-
ceived as to its vicinity ; and it was not until it was seen be-
tween the inner edge of the moon-blade and the ship, that
any one was aware of the danger which was at hand. The
helm was immediately put " hard-a-starboard " but it was
too late, for the ship had not room to conic round. The en-
gines were then reversed, but this likewise was of no avail.
The next moment she was precipitated on the reef, where
she now lies, and will lie, a melancholy and complete wreck,
till the first gale raises a sea which will break her to pieces.