The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-31 00:00:00

2'HE GREAT STORM OF MONDAY.

UPWARDS OF ONZ RUIRSZFIXESSEIAWRECIEED,

•A26LAidiNTABLE WEE OF LIFE.

The terrific gale from the N. W. on Monday last,
• most unusual occurrence at this season of the year, told
with most disastrous effect upon the shipping off the coast,
and the destruction of life and property has been truly
appalling. As far as the present accounts furnish, no fewer
than 150 wrecks and casualties occurred during its ravages ;
several steamers are missing, and one on an excursion trip
foundered with 80 people on board. The steamers from the
North Sea, which arrived in the river yesterday, report that
the gale almost equalled the hurricane which swept the
emit in the latter part of last October. The cattle boats
from Hamburg, Rotterdam, Flushing, and other Dutch
ports, had most of their live stock washed overboard,
amounting to some hundreds ; the decks were swept, bah
warks stove, sails split, and boats carried away, and rn sonic
instances it is a miracle how the ship outlived the storm.
It was upon the eastern and north-eastern range of coast
that the pie produced such dreadful results. During the
height of the hurricane on Monday, about mid-day, eight
ships, having from 40 to 50 souls on hoard, went down in
the sight of thousands of spectatore on Yarmouth beach, and
not a hand was spared of the crews. The fearful cha-
racter of the gale became unmistakably apparent before
noon, and the sea rose and lashed with terrible fury.
About twelve • fine brig was seen to drive upon the Scroby
sands, abreast of Yarmouth. She was almost instantly
submerged ; the crew (eight men) were we to take to
the rigging, and to waive their caps to attract the attention
of those on shore. Calls were immediately raised for the
lifeboat, and several beachmen rushed to go off with it. Un-
happily, however, a wrangle took place as to who should
have charge, which detained the boat on chore, and while this
quarrel was going on, the poor fellows who were clinging to
the wreck were observed to be washed one by one out of the
rigging and thus they all perished. Had the boat been put
off when the brig first took the sand there is little doubt
that the crew or some of them would have been saved. The
spectacle created the greatest sensation along the beach, and
an inquiry is to be instituted into the conduct of these
who caused the delay in sending off the boat. Shortly after
this catastrophe • timber barge beat over the sand and want
down with all on board. In the course of as hour or co
another brig and schooner were observed to be driven upon
the Scroby, and in a few minutes the brig disappeared—her
crew numbering probably about eight. The schooner with.
stood the fury of the sea for • quarter of an hour and then
went to pieces. Three or four of the seamen were noticed
clinging to the masts. Throe other brigs were seen to go down
the Cockle Gat with the whole of their crews, those on shore
being unable to render the least aid. By the interference
of the coastguard the Yarmouth lifeboat was eventually
got off, but it returned without doing any good. The names
of the ill-fated easels which thus perished are not precisely
known, but it is believed that two of them were the Useful,
of Shields, and the Gem, of Exeter, as they were seen
riding near the Scroby shortly before the bad weather
came on. On the Hersey beach, in the vicinity of Yar-
mouth, the brig "Ails, Peet sod Richards, bound to the
Thames from the .ne, coal laden,was dashed to pieces in
• few minutes, and the whole of the crew were drowned,
with the exception of the master and • man named Thomas
Miney. The Maria, echooner, of and for Yarmouth, was
also totally lost on the Hersey beach. A fleet of disabled
vessels, with loss of masts, span, In., put into port
for 'shelter and to repair damage. In the adjacent road.
stead off Lowestoft there were hundreds of colliers and
coasters, and the confusion amongst them to run for • place
of refuge was most exciting and led to innumerable mill.
nom. Upwards of fifty put into the harbour,with the less
of sails, anchors, cables, and other damage. Off Southwold
• large brig was seen to founder 8 miles from the shore,
and the worst fears are entertained for the fate of the crew.
At Lowestoft a portion of • guano warehouse was blown
down upon the railway just after a train had passed, and
the country inland mama to have suffered severely. At
Holkham-park, the seat of the Earl of Leicester, hundreds
of fine oak and other trees were torn up by the note.
Higher up the oast, to the northward of Flamborough
Head, the most serious havoc was occasioned. These.% sud-
denly burst forth on Monday morning with the fury of •
hurricane, and on the south shore of Filey Bay 13 fine yawls
were driven on to the rocks at Speeton, entailing a loss of
upwards of 10,000 f. to the fishermen of the place. The
calamity, as may be imagined, has created the deepest sym-
pathy throughout the district. It is stated that had there
been • harbour of refuge in the bay, every one of these
boats would have been saved. In the neighbourhood of
Rattan, at the mouth of the Tees Bay, the gale raged with
destructive fury, and about 25 sail were driven ashore.
&Amongst them were the Corn Linn, Captain Robins, laden
with guano, from London to Stockton, the whole of the
crew being drowned ; the Zion, of Grangeworth ; Betsy,
of and from Yarmouth for Seaham; Liberty, of Weymouth;
the Reuske, from Southampton for the Type ; Percy, from
Dieppe ; Ant, of Scarborough ; Agnes, of Folkestone ;
Beeswing, of Whitby ; Soleby, of Loweatoft ; Cornelius,
of Scarborough; Sr William Chayter, of Sunderland;
Abeons, of Colchester, and George and Elisabeth.
Between seven and eight o'clock on Monday morning,
while the gale was at its height, a fine barque called the
Jam Green, Captain Taylor, was driven ashore near the
Black Hall Rocks, four or five miles to the northward of
Hartlepool, and speedily went to pieces, the unfortunate
master and six of her crew perishing with her—five being
saved. The barque was from London, bound to Sunder-
land. The names of theme who were drowned, in addition
to Captain Taylor, were William Keeley, of London ; Wit-
ham Blanc* and Hugh Pottinger, of Hartlepool ; Henry
Sutton and Paul Calvert, of London ; and John H.
Plummer (boy), of Sunderland. The captain was much
respected, and has left • family of eight children. A tug
steamer named the Robert and Mary, belonging to Sunder-
land, is supposed to have foundered with all hands on
board during the storm. She left Sunderland on Sunday
night and has not since been beard of. Every port along
this district of coast furnishes sad tidings of the severity of
the gale, and it is feared that thefull extent of the mischief
is yet to be learned.
The Belgian steamer which arrived in the river yesterday
• frightful catastrophe on the coast near Flushing,
TE;re.t where Dutch steamer bound on an excursion from Rotter-
dam to Zwolle encountered the hurricane, and foundered
with all on board off a Oboe called Mondyk. The number
who perished is stated to be about 80. Another steamer
was lost about the same time at Schevening. She was the
Theresa, screw steamer, on • voyage from Leith to Bolter
dam, but no mention is made of her crew. It is feared
that from the severity of the weather, other English ves-
sels were wrecked on that (Dutch) coast.