The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-01 00:00:00

SHIPWRECKS AND LOSS OF LIFE.

The metropolis, and, as we learn from corre-
spondee* various parte of the meet, were on
Saturday night and yesterday visited with very violent
gales of win 3, accompanied by heavy mina. Indeed
for several days pest, with short intervals, the winds have
hese unnenally high, and on the Irish end north coasts
shipwrecks and lose of life have been the result. The storm
raged on Friday with destructive effect in the Irish Channel
and along the southern coasts. The mail steamer from
Kingstown to Holyhead felt its effects, the sea having
forced its way into the cabin, and shattered two of the
ship's boat', occasioning, besides the discomfort and appre-
hension of the passengers, cenaiderable delay in the
return voyage. Another disastrous shipwreck has
oocurred at Sallycroneen Bay, the snene of the
calamity which befell the Ibis. A vessel, reported to be
the Eugenie, of Dublin port, was driven 'Lahore on Friday in
the height of the gale, and became a total wreck. Efforts were
gallantly made by the tender of the Collard steamers and
the crew of H.M.S. Black Prince, who manned the life-
boat, to save the crew ; but their efforts were unavailing,
and 14 liven have been lost.

The screw-steamer Sligo, bound to Westport from Liver-
pool, on leaving the Bosses, Donegal, where she had takes
shelter, in charge of a pilot, on Thursday evening struck cm
a rook, and immediately filled. She was beached. The
bull is considered only slightly injured, but the cargo was
much damaged. A barque, timber laden, is also ashore
near the same plane, as well as a full•rigged ship, sails
furled, jib/only set. As to the latter no particulars are
yet known, as communication from there is cut a by a
heavy tea.

The gale which swept over the port of Chatham and
neighbourhood during the whole of Friday moderated
towards midnight, bat broke out afresh on Saturday, and
during the whole of that eight and yesterday'morningblewwith
the force of a hurricane, causing, it is to be feared, serious
damage both on land cad sea, the force of the wind being
greater than has been kuown for some time. Eery pre-
caution has been taken to ensure the safety of the
Great Eastern steam vessel, which has extra anchors down
and steam up in a few of her boilers, to ease the strain on
her cables, and to be ready to run out to sea should it be
found necessary to do so. Darin the height of the g►le
on Saturday night several roofs of houses in Rochester
were stripped of their lead and tiles, the former in some
instant's, ►eing rolled up like a scroll. The force of the
gale was also severely felt at Gilliogham and Raioham.
There is a large feet of merchant vessels at anchor near the
entrance to the river, where they have been taking up their
positions throughout the day. Last evening the gale had
sensibly moderated, while the mercury in the barometer
was rising.
Our Southampton correspondent, writing yesterday, says:
" For the last forty-eight hours it has been blowing occa-
sionally a hurricane from the west and south-west. It has
blows in squalls so fierce that at times nothing hardly could
withstand it. Several boats have been sunk in Southamp-
tee Water. The Freseh and Channel Islands steamers have
all arrived here safely. The commander of the Honfleur
and Southampton packet declares that he has not expe-
rienced such a terrible sea in the Channel for twenty years
as he met with last night. It is feared that we shall bear
of Betio= maritime disasters."

The brigantine Princess of Wales, about 180 tons burthen,
Captain Campbell, master, front Demerara to London, with
• full cargo of rum and sugar, came ashore, broadside on, at
half-past Bon Friday evening, daring • heavy gale, about
150 yards east of Sandgete Cantle, and • mile west of
Folkestone harbour, At 6 o'clock, when near Dungeness
Point, • man fell from the fore-yard-arm into the
see, and the mate jumped overboard with a rope to save him.
The rope slipped, and the mate was obliged to let go the max,
who then seized the mate's leg, and the mate gripped him by
the Dollar, but after • while the shirt collar broke away,
and the man sank and was drowned, and the mate was
brought on board much exhausted, having been in the
water half an hour. Daring this time there was some con-
fusion on board, and the ship had drifted to leeward. The
gale now increased, the wind being S S.W., and sail after
sail was carried away, till the ship was left almost with
bare poles ; and there being no other sails on board she had
become unmanageable, and drifted ashore at the spot
named. All on board were saved by means of • line and a
life-buoy.
The weather was so rough in the Channel yesterday that
the South Eastern Railway Company's passenger boats
between Folkston and Boulogne did not venture to see,
Another terrible gale broke over the north-east coast on
Friday. Shortly after 3 o'clock a stiff breeze began to blew
from the S.S.E., and towards 4 o'clock swelled into •
heavy gale. The sea rose high on the bar, and rolled with
tremendous force on to the Black ldiddens. About i
o'clock • vessel was descried southward of the south pier,
making for the Tyne, in tow of • steamboat. At that
time a sudden squall of wind came away from the
S.W., and while the vessel was just about to take the
bar she was caught and driven right tato Prior's Haven.
So sudden was the squall that the 'Sorts of the steam-
tug to keep hold of her were entirely useless. Her
name was ascertained to be the Union, a barque, Captain
Parsons, belonging to Shoreham. Not many minutes after
the Union came ashore, another vessel, the brig Wynyard,
of Blyth, was driven ashore only a few yards to the south
of the barque. The see was now running high, and making
a heavy breech over the two vessels. The coastguards at
the Spanish Battery at once fired the alarm gun, which
brought to the spot a number of the members of the Tyne-
mouth Volunteer Life Brigade and the inhabitants of the
village. The rocket apparatus was got out, and • line
fired over one of the vessels. Meanwhile the men at
the "Look-out" at the Low Lights, North Shields, sod
the Pilots' Haven, South Shields, had observed the
dangerous position of the two vessels, and gave ea
alarm. The men at the "Look-out," North Shields,
speedily got the salvage boat William Wake launched,
and the South Shields men launched the Tyne lifeboat.
Both boats were well manned, and bravely made their way
through the angry sea to the distressed vessels. It was
just getting dark as the two boats were going on their
errand of mercy, and as the foaming waves came rolling
into the harbour, the boats could scarcely be distinguished
by the crowds of people on the shore. The Constance life-
boat also put off th the vessels. The line fired by the Life
Brigade was made secure to the mast of the Union. Another
line was then fired to the Wynyard, but the crew did not
appear to understand how to work it, and a communication
could not be established. The twollifeboats by this time,
however, had reached the bar, and as soon as the crew of
the Union saw them they left working with the line, and
made signals to those on shore that they would get ashore
by the lifeboats. The William Wake got alongside of
the barque, and, while making the tow-line fast, a terrific
sea broke over and half filled the boat with water.
Nevertheless, they aunneeded in their errand, and the
crew were taken on board and landed at the Low Lights,
North Shields. Another vessel, On Levee, Capt. Pyres,
from Yarmouth, was driven further south than the other
two vessels, and came ashore on the Battery Rocks. the
South Shields lifeboat made towards her, and succeeded in
getting alongside and saving the crew. The William
Wake made a second attempt, and got all the crew of
the Windon aboard, and landed them at the Low Lights '
shore. The crew were taken to Mr. M'Colloch's public.
house, where they got a change of clothing, and had their
wants attended to. The three vessels axe all in ballast,
and were making for the Tyne at the time of -the gale.
The clothes of the men belonging to the three ships ere
still on board, and the salvage boats went off to them last
night, to bring whatever was valuable ashore. The gale
abated considerably about six o'clock, and hopes were en-
tertained of getting the two vessels in Priors' Haven afloat.
The last vessel is lying amongst rocks with her stern to
the Black Midden Rock,. Should the gale come away
afresh, there is a probability of her becoming • total
wreck. We have been told that the Levee belongs to Mr.
Edward Oliver, of North Shields, and the Union belongs
to Mr. Gates, of Shoreham. The Tynemouth Volunteer
Brigade remained on duty all last night at the Spanish
Battery, under the command of Captain Robson. We
must call attention to the want of a proper person to look
after crews in the event of such casualties as those of
last night. When the crews of the vessels were landed
at the Low Lights they were taken to Mrs. M'Calloch's house
sad supplied with refreshments at her own cost. Our
reporter was informed by that lady last sight that when
' crews of wrecked vessels are taken to her house she in-
variably receives no recompense. At the time of the wreck
of the Earl Percy she provided for the crew, and to this day
has not received a penny remuneration.
The Northern Daily Express, in its latest particulars
written on Friday at midnight, says :—" We have again to
record the particulars of a serious disaster which occurred
yesterday afternoon, when a heavy gale was blowing from
S.S. E. A little after four o'clock, three vessels were bound
for Shields harbour, when a very strong southerly wind
blew one of the brigs on to the Black Midden rocks, close
' to the Spanish Battery. The other two vessels, which
were about fifty yards apart, were also forced on to the
rocks. The vessels were all in tow of steamers. After
the vessel got on the rocks, two guns and • sky rocket
' were immediately fired as a signal of distress, when the
members of the Volunteer Life Brigade assembled.
The rocket gear was speedily taken down near to
the scene, and a line was fired right earths the
barque and one of the brigs ; but fortunately one of the
South Shields lifeboats, and the William Wake, of North
Shields, had reached the vessels by that time, and had com-
menced to land the crew. The South Shields lifeboat
rescued two crews, and the William Wake, of North
Shields, one. While rescuing the =ewe from their dange-
rous situation, the wind blew fearfully, which was partly
snbdned by 6i:heavy fall of rain that followed. The names of
i the vessels are—the us Union, of Shoreham, and the
brig Levee, of North • lds, baollijog to Kr. &bowl