The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-13 00:00:00

WRECK OF THE S.INTIPORE.

FOLKESTONE, Ocr. 12. '
This port has been the scene of much excitement
during the last few days in consequence of the wreck of the
Santipore, a fine ship of 650 tons, the property of Messrs.
Gilmore end Company, of George-yard, bound for Hobart
Town, which, after losing her rudder on the reef known as
the Church Rocks, near this place, came broadside on to the
heath, and is now lying " high and dry," at ebb tide, within
150 yards of the Pavilion Hotel, and close to the harbour
terminus of the South Eastern Railway. The Seutipors
left the London Docks on the 2Gth ultimo, with nine first
class passengers, and a cargo valued at 50,000/., and after
encountering the full force of the prevalent south-westerly
gales, against which she drove same distance below Dunge-
ness, her commander, Captain Jewell, ran back into the
Downs. On Monday, the 3rd instant, the weather having
moderated, another attempt was made to run down channel,
arid on Tuesday evening the ship was within six miles of
Dungeness, in mid-channel. As night drew on the weather
became very thick and hazy, with occasional heavy rain,
during which it was impossible to verify, with any degree
of certainty, the ship's position. A strong south-westerly
gale sprang up at the same time, rendering it impossible to
carry more than the storm sails. About midnight the tide
set strongly on to the English coast, and the current and
wind together baffled all the attempts of the captain to keep
headway on the ship. There was no apprehension, how-
ever, of the vessel's dangerous proximity to the coast, until
within five minutes before she struck. The thick weather
and the darkness of the night prevented the land being
Bighted until half past five o'clock, when the ship was
within a cable', length of the dangerous reef before men-
tioned. An attempt to wear her off' was made, but
proved ineffectual. She struck heavily, and remained
fixed on the rocks, rolling fearfully with every sea. The
captain bad not bad Isis clothes off for four days and
nights, and the crew were in a state of great exhaustion,
but there was no lack of energy even at this dreadful mo-
ment. An order to furl the gaily, given by the captain,
was gallantly responded to by half a dozen of the crew,
although the masts were swinging to and fro with the
elasticity of horsewhips. The catastrophe was observed by
an officer of the tout-guard,who immediately ran into Folke-
stone and gave an alarm. Several boats soon put off to
render assistance, and 40 or 50 boatmen were in the vicinity
of the wreck in a very short time. The first care of the
captain was to save the lives of his passengers, and they
were sent ashore in charge of one of his officers. Captain
Jewell then called the boatmen together, and informed
them that he was fully aware of the dangerous position in
which his ship was placed ; but that he did not intend to
give up her command, nor should he leave her while two
planks held together. He added that, if 20 of those
present chose to lend him assistance at the pumps, he
would accept their services and pay them, but under no
other circumstances would he allow them to act. The
required number of men responded to the captain's in-
vitation, and consented to work under his command.
Telegraph messages were at once despatched to Dover and
Ramsgate for steam-tugs, and Capt. Hathorn, naval super-
intendent of Folkestone harbour, who was early on the
spot, ordered the Princess Mary, one of the Seuth-Eastern
and Continental Steam-packet Company's fleet, to proceed
to the spot, and render what assistance she could. Nothing
could be dose, except to keep the pump" going until the
tide flowed. During the morning the ship was an object of
intense interest to many thousands of spectators assembled
on the beach between Folkestone and Sandgate. The force
with which she struck on the rocks,and afterwards relied to
and fro, would have broken up any vessel of lees substantial
frame ; but the Santipore, being a teak ship, of Calcutta
build, and only five years old, maintained her first-letter
character admirably, and held together long after old and
experienced sailors imagined she would have been dashed to
pieces. At noon, a Dover tug-boat bore down to the spot,
and, with the Princess Mary, endeavoured to make fast a
warp to the vessel's bows. In consequence of the gale and
the dangerous reef upon which the ship was lying, It was a
long time before this could be accomplished. The Princess
Mary first succeeded in making feet, and at flood tide all the
men being kept hard at the pumps, the Santipore floated,
and came off the reef into deep water, with loss of rudder
and false keel, and ten feet water in her hold. Captain
Goodburn, of the Princess Mary, immediately put on all
steam, and made for the harbour, distant net more than
half a mile. Unfortunately, although the warp was a new
one, the service it was required to perform was too severe,
and at the first strain it snapped. The ship was now again
at the mercy of the wind and waves, without rudder or a
stitch of sail set, and within a few hundred yards of the
beach. At this moment the Merry Andrew, tug-boat,
' arrived from ltamsgate, and her captain, having dexte-
rously backed astern under the bows of the Santipore,
succeeded in getting a warp on board. It was, however,
too late. Before he could get the full strain on to his
boat, the ship, drifting rapidly inwards, scraped the
ground, and directly afterwards stranded upon her broad-
side on the spot above indicated, heeling over to the sea-
board with a tremendous list, threatening the momentary
destruction of the vessel. Captain Jewell instantly gave
orders to cut away the muts,each of which fell in rapid suc-
cession, and the ship, being thus cleared of her top weight,
lay comparatively quiet on the beach. Capt. Hathom had
been watching the wreck from early morning, and he now
directed all the spare laboarera in the company's service to
assist the coast-guard in protecting the ship. A great deal
of anxiety now prevailed as to what was best to be done,
and it was only through the presence of Mr. C. M. Sputter,
representative of the underwriters in London, who had been
sent down on telegraphic intelligence of the wreck being
received, that anything could safely be determined upon.
Mr. Sputter was on the spot when the ship came ashore, and
after consulting with Capt. Mohnen, and satisfying himself
' of the impossibility of floating the ship in her present state,
he at once directed that the cargo should be removed. About
la all the carte in the port, ha been since
'engagten
in thiswork.anave
The goods are first hauled up out of
the hold, then lowered into carts, and conveyed above high
water mark, where they are deposited, previously to being
transmitted to London. The labour is vastly increased owing
to the position of the ship, which, resting on a very steep
beach, has a grtat list towards the sea, the deck being at
an angle of about 73 degrees. The cargo consists of a
general assortment of goods for the colonies, including a
large quantity of silks and cotton goods, ready-made cloth-
ing, boots, shoes, spirits, been, wines, some iron, a quan-
tity of malt and oats, and some sawn deals for building
purposes. The ship has 12 feet water in her hold at every
flood tide, and the work of unloading necessarily only pro-
ceeds at low water. The ship is underwritten for 8.0001. •
and the cargo, it is said, will involve a low of about 30,0001:
to the Royal Exchange and London Assurance Corpora-
tions. Capt. Jewell is an old experienced officer. The
catastrophe is not attributed to any want of skill on his
part, hat rather to the terrible weather which has pre-
vailed during the put fortnight. His crew consisted of
nearly 'lO, all of whom are said to have behaved with great
gallantry. Among the passengers was a Mr. Webb, of
Sydney, who was on his return to the colony. He had pro-
perty on hoard valued at 4,0001., not one farthing of which
is insured.

REPEAL OP TIIE STAGE CARRIAGE DUTT.—Peti-
dons are being got up fur the repeal of the stage carriage
duty on (minibuses, &c., by which *leans the public will
obtain cheap conveyances. Little or no benefit will arise
to the public unless • limit is flied to the fares. In the
Metropolis, in the year ended the bth January last, the
mileage duty at the rate of one penny half-penny per
mile, amounted to 136,3184. 16e. 7d., and the license duty
to 4,6631.19 e.