The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-15 00:00:00

THE LOSS OF THE SHIP CLNRENDON.

In a former publication we gave the mere fact of the
wreck of the Clarendon, Captain Noyes, from Miramichi to
this port, with a cargo of timber consigned to Messrs. Miller,
Houghton, and Co. We are now in possession of the full
particulars of the disaster, which we proceed to give.
The-Clareudon is a new ship, this being her first voyage,
and is about 750 tons register, so that her carrying capacity
may be taken at upwards of 1,000 tons. She left Miramichi
about a mor.th ago, with a crew of ,14 or 15, and notwith-
standin e some severe weather, made the coast of Ireland in
about 19 days. Whether from defect in construction, or
some mishap on the voyage, the ship made a good deal of
water, and being driven out of his course, the captain put
into Westport on Sunday week, with between-five and six feet
of water in her hold. The crew became mutinous, and
refused to go to sea again until the ship bad received
an overhaul. Captain Noyes at once communicated
with the consignees at Liverpool, who sent over
a crew of fifteen runners and the steam tug Fury,
belonging to the Liverpool Steam Tug Company. to navi-
gate the vessel to Liverpool. After having received on
board the fifteen fresh hands, the Clarendon left Westport
in tow of the Fury, but as a strorg gale was blowing up
the channel, several ropes broke, and it took 36 hours for
the two vessels to round the point of Ayr. On Saturday
morning, about nine o'clock, the last available rope for
towing, either on board the ship or the tug, broke, and
from that time the Clarendon had-to trust to her sailing
powers. It was determined to make for Whitehaven, the
captain of the tug undertaking to pilot the way. The
two vessels appeared off that port about four o'clock in the
afternoon. 'l'o the people on the lock out in the harbour it
appeared as if the Clarendon was in tow of the tug, so close
were they together, This impression was strengthened by the '
fact that as they approached the harbour mouth the ship took
in her sails Immediately after this she was observed to be
drifting in the direction of Redness Point, and though the
captain of the tug called out to the captain of the ship to let
go his anchors, two of which were hanging over the bows,
he neglected to do so. Some men who had gone out in a 1
small boat from the harbour also told the captain to let go
his anchor, but, though his own hands went aft to request
him to give the order he positively refused. A few minutes
after striking she broke in the middle, and both ends sunk
about two feet. The life-boat, under the command of Mr.
Plullipson, was ma❑ned by a crew of ten volunteers. The
boat went out in tow of the fug Prince Albert, which cast
anchor at a distance from the Clarendon. When the crew
commenced slaking off the boat in the direction of the
wreck, the tug begin to drag her a❑chors and drive toward;
the rocks. In order tllt'save his vessel, Captain Sanderson
steamed out to sea, and returned to Like up a fresh position.
Still the anchor would not hold, and the same manceuvre
was again gone through. At length the crew of the life
boat threw off the tow rope. and committed themselves to
the surf, trusting to nothing bat their oars. On approaching
the vessel the first time one of the compartments was stove
in. At length the band of daring fellows succeeded in
obtaining a position close by the ship, and to ,k off 12 of
the ere et. The captain and, eight others, however, refused
to leave unless the captain of the life beat would bring away
their luggage too. This the latter could not do, and he had
therefore no alternative but to instruct the men to pull off.
They did so, and we are glad to report that the boat be-
haved admirably, and, having reached the tug, was towed
into the harbour, Between ten and eleven o'clock, when
the water had ebbed nearly to the vessel, a considerahle
number of people collected together on the rocks,
wish a view of rendering assistance to enable the captain
and the remainder of the crew to get on shore with
such of their luggage as could be saved. Several of
the spectators repeatedly hailed the vessel, but no
one answered. At length two men rushed through
the surf, and clambered up a chain cable hanging
down from the starboard bow of the vessel, from whence
one of them managed to seize hold of the ropes under the
bowsprit, up which he made his way on board. Others
followed in the same manner, and after one or two of them
had been art to communicate with those on board, Captain
Noyes made his appearance, and decided to come on shore.
A rope was accordingly rove, and the men were all safely
got on the rocks with their luggage, the captain's papers,
&c. Captain Noyes laid the whole blame for the loss of
his vessel on the captain of the Liverpool tug, who, he said,
had " humbugged" him.