The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-17 00:00:00

SINKING OF A NAIL STEAMER OPP BELFAST.

PERILOUS POSITION OF PASSENGERS AND
CREW.
_ __.

Intelligence has been received of a collision be-
tween two royal mail steam packets, the Wolf, Captain
Macaulay, bound from Belfast to Glasgow, and the Prince
Arthur, Captain Humphreys, from Fleetwood to Belfast.
The collision occurred six miles outside the latter port
Smut 6 o'clock yesterday inorliog. The circumstances of
the accident. acoordingito testimony from persons on board
the steamship Galvanic, Captain Green, which vessel
warted from Belfast about the same time as the Wolf, and
arrived at Liverpool last evening, are as follow :—The
Wolf left the quay at Belfast shortly before 10 o'clock on
Tuesday evening, and was followed by the Galvanic.
In consequence, however, of a dense fog arising be-
fore the vessels bad proceeded far on their re-
'costive destinations they had to east anchor in
Belfast Lough, where they remained the whole of
the night. They resumed their voyages about a
quarter to 6 o'clock in the morning. The Wolf started
Mat, and was soon lost sight of, as the fog still continued
to be dense. In about fifteen or twenty minutes the
Galvanic came up with the Wolf and the Prince Arthur
from Fleetwood, which were in collision in the Lough.
The Prince Arthur had struck the Wolf on the star.
boanl side forward, and had done great damage,
as the latter vessel soon began to settle in the
water. At the time the Galvanic got up to them i
no persons were to be seen on the deck of the Wolf, and it
is concluded they had all escaped sate on to the Prince
Arthur. No assistance was required from the Galvanic,
and she soon after proceeded on her voyage to Liverpool,
where she arrived about 5 o'clock. When she left
the scene of the accident the Prince Arthur was
still remaining near the Wolf. The stern of the latter
vessel was at that time • considerable height out
of the water, but she WAS sinking fast by the bows.
Two other vessel, were also there the Countess
of Eglington, another Glasgow and Belfast pas-
senger boat, and a tugboat. As from • telegram
subsequently received it appears the Wolf was
about 30 minutes before she finally sank, it may be taken
as • certainty that all who were on board after the colli-
sion were rescued. The only matter for doubt is as to
whether any person was lust overboard at the moment
when the vessels came in contact.

The latest telegram rec;;;:lOn the subject states that
it is thought no lives are lost, and that the Wolf went
down in about :10 feet of water, the top of the funnel being
level with the surface at high water. The Prince Arthur
Lad arrived at Belfast Quay, and was much damaged
about the bows.

Few, if any, of the cattle were saved. The Wolf, which
was commanded by Captain Macaulay, was comparatively
a new vessel, being not more than two and a half year■ old,
and was one of the finest of Messrs. Burns' magnificent
Beet. She lies sunk in about six fathoms of w►ter. The
Prince Arthur is but a recent addition made to the line of
Mesmer, running between Fleetwood and Belfast, she
baring been employed formerly hs running between Liver-
pool And Dublin under the name of the Sheffield. She hair
slats received ver► ark= damage to her bow.

A NOTABILITY.—Another link between the past
and present generation of sportsmen has been snapped by
the death of an old frequenter of Tattersall's, Mr. Whit-
combe, who at one time filled a rather conspicuous position
at the West-end. Although attached to the Sheriff of
Middlesex, be was remarkable for the style of his dress and
his carriage, and the sight of him in the park in his tilbury
ca!med many a heart to be uneasy until he had passed by.
Ets manners were most gentlemanly and in the days of
mem., process he made an immense deal of money by his
course of action ; for whenever he had a writ against any
gentleman about whose " form" he thought he was safe
he merely left his card on him, with the expression of a
hope he might hear from him in a few days. Negotiation
followed, in which terms favourable to the interests of both
parties were entered into, and the result was that he was
enabled after a few years to retire into private life and
amuse himself on the Turf, where, by his conduct, he was
much respected.—" Argus " of the Pug.