The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-29 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 29, 1848.

frigate. We sailed at half-past 10 on Thursday meriting
last on a trial trip, as I understood. I do tot know the
name of the captain. We went by the New Channel,
and passed the Bell Buoy. My attention was called to
the ship on fire about an hour after. I went on
de*, and observed the flames between the mainmast and
asinenntast as out of the cabin windows. The wind was
newly W., and was blowing pretty stiff, and them was
rather a jobble of a swell. Her bearing to no was right
ahead, and her distance from us was about seven or eight
miles, and all her masts were then standing. I observed at
tide time a great number of vessels about us, going to the
westward. Some orders were given by our eom,sander, but
MI I do not understand th dr language I could not make out
what they said; but I saw tour boats immediately manned,
and kept in readiness to be toweled. The frigate was then
steered direct to the ship. I weat down to the engine room
to attend to my duty, and remained there about 20 minutes,
and on coming again on deck I observed that her mizenmast
was gone. Soon after I saw the mainmast sta over the side.
I could then discover a great number of persons on the fore
part of the ship. We came up to her, within about a
quarter of a mile, and anchored. The four boats were about
this time lowered and seat to the ship to render all possible
assistance. There was also a warp got out from the stern
of the frigate to the burning ship, and everything was done
that was likely to be of service. The warp was hove in so
tight as to bring the stem of the frigate within two ships'
length of the burning vessel. I myself was in the boat
which saved about sixteen of the passengers of the Ocean
Monarch. I saw the mate in a boat alongside the ship
trying his utmost to save life. Two of the hands that were
with him were exhausted with being s e long in the water,
and he requested that two of the hands of the frigate might
replace them. I picked up the body of a little girl who was
in the water. She was not quite dead when placed on board
the frigate, but 1 heard when I came on board afterwards
that the child was dead. I saw the two Bangor
steamers runuieg in for Liverpool about a quarter
of an hour before the alarm about the ship was
given. When I first saw the steamers they were on our
larboard bow, about a mile and a half off is shore. They
could not have been more than six miles from the burning
ship. When I went on deck, after hearing the alarm of fire,
I saw these two steam, n both pursuing their inward eourse
they were then on our larboard quarter. They were at that
time about nine miles off the burning ship. They did not
alter their course or make any attempt to render assistance
to the vessel. There was nothing, either in the state of the
tide or weather, to prevent them rendering assistance. I
observed about the burning vessel, before and at the time of
our rendering help, a gentleman's yacht ( which I learnt
afterwards was the Queen of the Ocean) rendering assistance.
I maw the Prince of Wales lc), bound to Bangor, hover
round the vessel, and at last anchor in a position the
most likely to render help.—Cross-examined by Capt.
Evans, R.N. : Both the first and second time I was
on deck I ole.erved the yacht about the vessel, but
I could not discover what they were doing. From the first
time to the period of our reaching the vessel an hour had
elapsed.—Cross-examined by Mr. Wright, the clerk of the
peace, who attended on behalf of the corporation if there
had been other boats there before us 'think more lives would
have been saved. The New World was one of the ships
sailing to the westward. Some of the boats which I saw
about the Ocean Monarch might have belonged to her. She
was hove to with her mainsail to the mast, tacking about
with a view to render assistance. All the steam-boats that
I have ever been connected with have had a watch both be-
fore and aft, for the purpose of keeping a look-out all round
the horizon. It there had been a watch on board the Bangor
steamers the burning ship could not have failed to have
been seen by them. I think they are opposition boos
—Cross-examined by a juror : The Bangor boats might
have been at the burning ship at least an hour before us
By Capt. Evans : When I say that these steamers might
have reached the ship before us, I take it for granted that
the ship must have been on fire when I first saw them on our
larboard how.—Cross examined by Capt. Bunter, of the
Cambria : When I first saw the burning ship I obe eyed the
flames as before dere.theci, earning out of the cabin
windows. The steamers were then on the larboard quarter.
—By the Coroner : There was about half a mile's distance
between the steamers. I did not observe any signals of dis-
tress flying, et-cause the smoke ascended very high.
Wm. Rober:s.—l was a seaman on board the Ocean
Monarch. We sailed on Thursday morning about 6 o'clock.
There were 31 seamen and on- boy belonging to the ship,
besides the officers. A little before 12 o'clock I went to the
mate, who was forward, and asked him for my tobacco,whieh
I get, and soon after beard a cry of " lire " away eft. The
captain was on the quarter-deck ordering water-
buckets along with water to put the fire out.
I saw smoke coming up the ventilator away aft,
on the starboard side. I assisted in passing water
aloug. The captain then sung out to go below—to get the
passengers on deck. I assisteu in doing this. Whilst I was
so employed, the flames burst through the cabin, and soon
extended along the ship. In 15 minutes all between dicks
was in a lease. This took place about half-put 12 o'clock.
I law the New World, but cannot say how far she was from
us. I entertained no fears, as I have been in similar situa-
tions before. and did not particularly look out for any v. owls.
I got on baard the swinging bowsprit, and went overboard
with a woman, who war afterwards drowned. The mate
hauled me into his boat, which was filled with passengers,
who were put on board a fishing smack, and we then re-
turned to the ship to render fresh assistance. I got terribly
fagged, and went at last on board the Alfonso. This was
about 4 o'clock.—[Lelt sitting.]

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
The Prince de Joinvide left 101. for two seamen of the
Alfonso, named Francisco da Silva and Joao Candido, who
exerted themselves courageously during the dreadful scene.
Chevalier Lisboa, Brazilian Minister to our Court, forwarded
1001. for the crew of the frigate Alfonso. On Sunday this fact
was communicated to them, when they one and all refused to
receive the money, expres in g a desire that it should be
handed over for the benefit of the sufferers. We (Liverpool
Albion) unde.stand that, amongst the amounts subscribed
for the sufferers by the melancholy disaster to the Ocean
Monarch, Mr. Joseph Addison, of the Northern Circuit,
has forwarded to Mr. Rushton the sum of 1401., being the
subscription raised in a few hours among such of the mem-
bers as remained on circuit.
It has be. n stated that the stewardess of the vessel lost her
life by ping courageously down to the cabin for the pur-
pose of removing some gunpowder, when she was suffocated
by the smoke. It appears that she went down for the pur-
pose stated, was forced back by the fumes which met her, and
fell dead on reaching the deck.
HELPLESS LOOKEIOPUIT.—The chairman of the Liverpool
Dock Committee, Mr. Robinson, Mr. George Horsfall, the
secretary, and the Marine surveyor, were, it is said, making
their annual inspection of the telegraphs and lighthouers,
and were at Lysfreo-station, in full view of the melancholy
scene, but without the ability to render the slightest assist.
ante, as not • boat could be had anywhere in the vicinity, the
life-boat station being at the Point of Ayr. All they could
do was to transmit the intelligence to Liverpool, which they
did as quickly as possible.
ALLEGED CAUSE OP THE FIRS.—A correspondent says
that one of the seamen who escaped from the burning ship
thus explains the cause of .he fire: " Edward Jenkins, a
seaman on board, was seen going into the lasaretta with •
lighted candle, at about 8 a.m. and in 20 minutes after came
up again without the candle. 'About 12 o'clock a smoke was
seen issuing from under the cabin which is above the laza-
rate a the door was broken open, when the place was
found tbe on HewA seaman on board afterwards asked
Edward Jenkins where the candle was 1 He said that he
put it' in his pocket to giesse his shoes. There were
wine, ~pirits, and straw in the lazarette at the ti PC"
MEETINO OF SURVIVORS WI SUNDAY.—With the view of
obtaining a complete muster of the survivors, so that their
names, fur the satisfaction of their relatives and frimds,
might be recorded, and that the plans of relief which public
generosity is so freely cnntributing might be duly ad-
ministered to them, the Messrs. Hamden called, on Sun-
day, a meeting of the whole of the passengers that could
be found, at their offices, is Waterloo reed. Nearly 150
drew up. Although private charity had in the meantime
provided clothing for many, and had otherwise
in the
done
mu. h, a majority of the poor. wretchee were
most wretched and destitute conditou. One poor woman
who was present had lost not less than five of her children;
and it was pitiable to hear the recital of personal loss and
peril which each poor sufferer had to tell. It has already,
however, been our duty to record so many painful details
that it would scarcely be wine or necessary further to ex-
patiate here. The poor creatures who assembled were taken
under the charge of two of Mama Hamden's clerks, to
the Central Police-office, in High-street, where clothing of
the most miscellaneous kind (contributions of which had
been poured in with a liberal hand) were distributed to the

In Derry mach complaini is made of the great pre-
valence of wet and cold weathor. The consequence is
that the harvest, which flowered early, will be very
late. The flax is a fair average crop, and is now in
process of being saved, having passed the steeping.
Barley, of which not much has been sown, is fully
ripe; and wheat, says the Derry Sentinel, is " a fair
orop, with rather more straw than usual." Oats are
heavy and promising, and in the district of Finnwater
most prolific. The potato crop is, unhappily, affected
here as in other counties ; and the tillers now regret
that they kept to the cultivation of the potato, be-
lieving it had recovered, even to the prejudice of other
grain crops. The tubers, however, present as yet very
little sign of the disease, not at all so much as the
stalks would indicate.
The Rev. Mr. Corcoran, of Mullinahone, it will be
remembered, opposed himself to the formation of •
band of insurgents from his parishioners. Subse-
quently he became their apologist in the newspapers,
and he has rendered himself very active in an endea-
vour to protect some of his flock from consequences
in which their participation in some of the recent
affairs has involved them. The rev. gentleman pro-
posed to the authorities, that if forbearance was ex-
tended to a few of the people of Mullinahone he
would undertake that all should surrender their arms,
of which it is perfectly well known they have a con-
siderable quantity. Without any compact having
hem directly made, it was understood that a sur-
render of the arms should take place on Taesday
last, and Mr. Fitzmaurice, R.M., attached to the
" flying column" of General M'Donald, attended by
appointment at Mullinahone. It soon, however, was
made plain either that thelitev. Mr. Corcoran spoke
without authority from his people, or that he was
deceived by them. It is true they roduced weapons
before the magistrate and surrendered them, but they
were such as to retain would be useless. Forty-six
pikes, of which only three were fit for service, a blun-
derbuss out of which no one would dare to fire a shot,
and a gun without a lock, were all Mr. Fitzmaurice
got at iklullinahone.
The guardians of the union of Limerick have peti-
tioned, but in vain, for a remission of their portion of
the relief advances, 16,0001. They have received a
peremptory order to levy it. The amount owing by
the North Dublin Union is 20,000!.
Te stipendiary magistrate at Kilrush has formally
contradicted the statement that he had 'helped any
lady, old or young, from !he steamer to shore, on the
day search was made for Mr. Richard O'Gorman.
The country continues to enjoy quiet, and nothing
creates apprehension for the future save the harvest.
A few indications were presented in the southern
papers yesterday of the unsound and immoral condi-
tion in which society continues there. A few nights
since an armed party. attacked a house near New-
castle, county Limerick, and beat a man named
Kennedy, the owner, dreadfully. Kennedy had re
cently come into pos-ession. At Ballinaboola, in
Kerry, on Thursday night, some men attacked the
house of a person named Carroll, shot his horse,
stabbed eight cows, and burned four stacks of corn.
Pretty work fur one night!