The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-04 00:00:00

LAMENTABLE WRECK OF THE DUKE OF
SUTHERLAND STEAMER.
UPWARDS OP TWENTY LIVES LOST.

ABERDEEN, FRIDAY NIORT.
One of the most awful calamities that has visited
this place within the memory of living man occurred here
this evening, shortly before ail o'clock, and resulted, so frr
as at the prima moment can be aseertaihed, in the less of
about twenty live., and the complete wreak of a valurble
ship, with a considerable cargo.
Thus Duke of Sutherland, belonging to the Aberdeen
Steam Navigation Company, left London on Wednesday
evening at haft-past seven o'clock, with 25 passengers on tl
b lard. The passage during that night and the whole of
Thursday was a calm and pleasant one for the season ; but
during the night between Thursday and Friday symptoms
of a storm were manifest, which came on about 4
a.m. on Friday. It was not, however, so much
felt, owing to the direction of the wind and the
vour,e. of the vessel, as it would otherwise have been.
The ve,sel came into Aberdeen Bay between 5 and 6
o'clock; and, seeing the flag hoisted icti:nating that the
state of the tide adulated of entering the harbour, the
master took her a turn to the north, and made for the pier-
head. 'llia north pier, built of granite, extends a consider-
able way ont to sea, and just as the vessel neared it, the
water, which is eaten calm, eves in a storm, at the spot,
was lashed let, fur:: the vessel mined the channel, turned
off to the nor:h of the point of the pier, and the helm,
with live men at it, became completely powerless. The
ship now struck the rocks, and, being built of iron, the
bottom immediately stove in, and the cargo began to float
out. She now stuck fast, and within a very few minutes,the
fore-part of the vessel,lrom near the paddlebm s, parted.
Son atter a rent was made across by the quarterdeck,
Tile c.:iiiien on board was naturally very great:
ab clung to ropes or whatever part of the wreck
effaed the smallest chance of safety. The lifelmat
belonging to the steamer was, with much deiiculty,
lowered, and by this means some were saved. .1 life-boat
also put out from the beach and assisted iu landing some :
lint on a second attempt to go out, the boat %se' stove in and
li id to desist. A salmon cable was launched, and, it is said,
took c tf one or two persons from the wreck, but was itself cap-
eized, and, with one exception, all perished. Another
boat also put out from the shore, but the attempt proved a
(same. Same of the poor men on board attempted to
swim, by the aid of belts, but it is believed not one reached
the shore in safety, the chief engineer and others being V=
'to 2 i down within a few yards of the pier. In the mean-
whi.e, a large rope was thrown to the lasted by means i f
rocket and communication established between her and the

pier. Captain Howling, in attempting this mode of safety,
perished. Fifteen to twenty persons, of both sexes, the
chiefly belonging to the vessel, ly:wever, thus got to
shore, for the most part fearfully exhausted ; bat it is
thouzlit every one of them will survive.
Thu greatest excitement prevailed un shore ; and tens of
thousandi crowded the pier and beach, which presented a
most melting spectacle.
The Duke 01 Sutherland was built in 1847 ; and had just
made hi r last voyage for the season between Aberdeen and
London—it being intended to pot her on the line from
London to Inverness, between which ports she has gene-
, rally plied.
The conduct of the had steward, a young fellow named
Christie, who preserved his self•pessession, and directed the
cammunication from the pier to the vessel, himself being
tke last to leave the wreck, deserves to be recorded to his
honour. Had it not been for his firmness and intrepidity,
there seems every reason to believe that many mere lives
would have Leen lost.

PI:RTHEEL P:

SATURDAY.

The following is a list (somewhat imperfect and un-
avoidably so at present) of those on board :
First cabin—Master Stewart (boy), Miss Brebner, bliss
Lawrence, Miss Leask.
Second cabin—Miss Milne, Mr. Barnett, Mrs. Metcalfe,
Mr. Finnie, fire female and two male servants of C. C.
JICTVOI.9, Esq., of Ness Castle end London.
Deek—Mliabe, eight seamen to form the crew of Ci'y
of Aberdeen.

Crew of Steamer—Master, first mate, second mate,
boatswain, c►rpenter, eight seamen, eleven engineers and
firemen, three stewards, and one stewardess—in all fifty-
two. . _ .

Master Stewart, who was in charge of the steward, is
safe—so is Miss Leask, Mrs. Metcalf:, and three, at least,
of Mr. Jervois' servants (females). Reckoning 4 who were
lost in a hut, in all close upon thirty souls mot a watery
grave.
Among thesetwere Mr. Howling, the master who cause
off up a ripe, and was washed off by a sea; John Fybe,
' the first engineer; and Margaret Paul, the btewardeat.
Part of the cargo will be saved. The ship has gone
nearly to pieces.