Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-05-30 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE,

NEW YORK, May 18.—The belligerent aspect of foreign
affairs has not as yet seriously disturbed our money market.
Capitalists are less desirous of granting long loans, but on
call and short time, on first class securities, money is in easy
supply at 6 per cent., and large sums on call can be had on
easier terms. The general belief is, that the effects of the
war will be favourable to the general interests of the United
States. The sound stocks cannot be permanently affected
by foreign war. Much foreign capital will doubtless be
sent here for investment, and without any speculative influ-
ence, our best securities will generally be taken as they are
put into the market, at fair prices. The recent decline in
railroad shares, is a natural consequence, after a steady
advance of some weeks, without any foreign panic. But
the_e eircums:aices combined have doubtless cause I
greater reaction than would otherwise have occurred. Prices
are, however, fast gaining their former point. Speculation
will occasion a fluctuation in prices, but no permanent decline
need be looked for under the present state of affairs. Business
is moderate as usual at this season. The imports are
large, much in the excess of the previous year. The
Produce and Provision Markets have been in an excited
state. The Cotton Market irregular, and sales have been
made to some extent at a reduction of lc to .1c per pound.
The weekly statement of the New York city banks, of their
average condition for the week ending May 14, shows, as
compared with the returns for the preceding week, an
increase of $160,503 in loans, and a decrease of $313,764
in circulation, $915,207 in specie, and $175,404 in nett
deposits. We annex the averages for the week, for last
week, and for the corresponding date of last year :

Date Loans & Disc. Specie. Circulation. Deposits.
May 7, '59 129,519,905 26,086,632 8,804,697 88,872,043
May 14, '59 129,630,408 25,171,335 8,490,393 88,696,639
[Same time last year : —]
May 15, '53 114,119,288 34,730,728 7,502,975 83,599,295

WRECK OF THE POAIONA.

OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE INQUIRY

The Editor of the Wexford Independent has obligingly
forwarded us a copy of the official report of the inquiry
into the wreck of the above unfortunate ship, which we
subjoin.
" To the Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council
of Trade and Plantations.

"We, the undersigned Justices of the Peace for the county
of Wexford, having been requested by an officer appointed
by your Lordships to enquire, in pursuance of the Merchant
Shipping Act, 1854, into the circumstances connected with
the wreck of the emigrant ship Pomona, on Blackwater
Bank, on the 28th of April last, beg to report that we pro-
ceeded to make such inquiry on the 7th and 9th inst., and,
after hearing the evidence, which we herewith transmit,
and availing ourselves of the co-operation of Capt. Harris,
Nautical Assessor to your Lordships' Board, submit the
following as our report :---The Pomona, an American vessel
of 1,202 tons register, sailed from Liverpool on the 27th of
April last, bound to New York. She had on board a
cargo of general merchandise, 400 emigrants, a, crew of
44 men, and four tithe" - -••'nnsed to have been

persons,

smuggled on board, making a grand total of 448
souls, and of these only 24 were saved. All the regula-
tions of the 18th and 19th Victoria, called the Passengers
Act, had been complied with ; we therefore infer that th,
ship was properly found, and in all respects seaworthy. T'

ship sailed on the morning of the 27th ultimo, will). a fair
wind, and between four and five o'clock that afternoon,
passed Holyhead at a distance of about ten miles. From
thence the course steered was W.S.W., till a quarter to
eleven o'clock p.m., when a light was observed about one
point on the starboard bow. Shortly after this the ship
was hauled to the northward and eastward, or away from
the light. and was so continued till half past four o'clock
a.m., when the helm was put up, the yards squared, the
course steered west, and in a few minutes the ship struck.
Such is the brief account of the disaster which led
to the loss of the Pomona. As often happens when
these calamities occur, few survive to record the par-
ticulars, and those few as in this case, for the most
part illiterate seamen, devoid of all responsibility, and
ignorant of the lights or position of the ship. We can,
therefore, only form our conclusions from the evidence
brought before us. The first position then in which we
find the ship, as deposed to by the third mate (and that
without any great certainty) was between 4 and 5 p.m. on
the 27th ult., then abreast of Holyhead, at a distance of
about ten miles. The mate states that he thinks the course
steered from that position was W.S.W., the wind being on
the port quarter, and the rate of sailing might vary from
6to 7 knots. This course, from the position assigned ten
miles off Holyhead to the floating light on the Blackwater
Bank, is W.S.W., and the distance is about 60 or 65 miles.
At 11 p.m. a light was seen about one point on the star-
board bow ; it was thought to be revolving, and supposed to
be Tuskar. Some misgivings as to its being the latter light
seems to have crossed the captain's mind, for after this light
was seen the ship was hauled to the northward, apparently to
wait for daylight. At half-past four, a.m., it being then
good daylight, but thick, showery weather, the ship was
kept away due west, and shortly afterwards took the ground.
From the evidence, it appears that the master was on deck
during the first watch, for he gave the orders to haul the
ship off on the starboard tack shortly before midnight.
Again he was on deck at half-past four a.m.' when he
himself gave the order to the helmsman to put the helm
up and steer her west. But he does not appear to have
been on deck during the middle watch, when the ship was
drifting to the northward with the helm a lee. That
morning, neither at daylight nor at any time during
the previous day had the lead been hove, to verify
the ship's position ; and after the vessel beat over the
bank, the anchor was most injudiciously let go. Had this
not been done, it is more than probable the vessel *mild
have drifted on shore, a distance of about two miles, and
many lives would have been saved. The exertions of the
Collector of the Customs and the Coast Guard, to render
assistance, were most meritorious, as also that of the
life-boat authorities at Cahore. It is much to be regretted
that, on this occasion, the shoalness of the Wexford Bar,
and the state of the tides precluded any assistance being
afforded by the large steam vessels lying in the harbour,
where this disastrous shipwreck occurred. Having maturely
weighed all the circumstances which appeare'l to us to have
led to this lamentable shipwreck, we are of opinion that great
blame is attached to the late master, Charles Merrihew,
inasmuch as that, when the light was seen at 11 p.m.,
and supposed to have been the Tuskar, no soundings were
' taken to verify his position ; and subsequently, after stand-
ing to the northward for four hours, he bore up due west,
before any indication was given either by a sight of the
Blackwater Light Vessel or a cast of the lead, of his then
position. We, therefore, find that the " Pomona" was lost
by " default of the master." Rumours have been circulated
that drunkenness and disorder prevailed on board the ship
prior to her loss. We desire to remark that the evidence
adduced before us disproves the truth of such allegations.
(Signed,) CILARLF,S A. WALKER, J.P., & V.L.
Jourt "%Vault, J.P., Mayor.

Court-horse, Wexford, 9th May, 1859.
I concur in the above report. (Signed,)
HENRY HARRIS, Nautical Assessor

DESTRUCTION OF THE SHIP DAL.RIADA

BY FIRE.

The total loss by fire of the Dalriada, while on her
voyage from Bombay for Liverpool, is thus reported by the
captain :—" The Dalriada sailed from Bombay February
3 (seed, cotton, and oil) for Liverpool, having a crew of
thirty-six men all told ; and Captain Ewing having also his
wife and child on board. They had a pleasant voyage with
light winds up to March Ist, being in lat. 9.50 S, and long.
69 E, when at 5 p.m. an alarm of fire was raised, and smoke
was found to be forcing its way from under the covers of the
chain pipes forward ; these being taken off, the ship was
found to be all in flames on the port side, as far as could be
seen. Alt hands set to work to pour water down
through holes cut in the deck, but in spite of the most
strenuous efforts, at midnight the fire was spreading very
rapidly over to the starboard side, and working more
slowly aft ; also the foremast commenced to burn, although
some hands had been pouring water upon it from
the time of the discovery of the fire. At this time there
were two feet of water in the well, which was attributed
to the quantity of water poured down, as the ship previously
was making little or no water. The scuppers were stopped
up, and the decks flooded to keep them cool, and water ran
down through the holes that had been cut forward. At one
a.m., on sounding the pumps, the ship was making no more
water than usual. About this time a crackling noise was
heard, close to the water's edge, a little abaft the fore-
rigging, and, on examination, they found the pitch boiling
out of the seams, the smoke coming through, and the planks
scorching hot. Finding the fire to be increasing, and work-
ing aft very rapidly, the decks, fore and aft, as far as the
front of the poop, scorching hot, and the pitch in several
places melting in the seams, although there were two or
three inches water on deck ; and expecting every moment
to see the flames bursting up fore and aft, the longboat and
lifeboats were got out, in preparation for abandoning the
ship. At 3 a.m. there were 31 feet of water in the well,
and the flames were bursting up forward as high as the
top-mast stays, setting fire to the sails, the smoke and flames
driving all hands aft. At 4 a.m. a heavy squall struck the
ship, causing the flames to burst up with redoubled fury,
with volumes of smoke filling the poop and cabin. The ship
was put before the wind, which cleared the cabin of smoke,
and enabled them to get some provisions on deck to take in
the boats. At six o'clock there were 9 feet water in the well,
the fire having burned the ship's side close to the
edge, and the flames bursting up the port bilge pump an
poop ventilator. All hope of saving the ship being lost, the
boats were got alongside. At 7 a.m. the ship gradually
settling down forward, and the foremast beginning to totter,
all hands got into the boat, and pushed off from the ship. In
about fifteen minutes the flames burst up for and aft. At 8
a.m. and at 9 o'clock the main and mizen masts fell with a
tremendous crash, and the ship was enveloped in one mass of
flame. The crew, being divided into three boats, made sail,
and stood to the north-eastward, hoping to meet with a ship,
or to fetch some of the isles of the Chagos Archipelago. Next
day, finding that the small boat could not sail so well as the
others, the people were taken out of her, and she was set
adrift, and they proceeded on their way, the captain, his
wife, and chid, and 21 men in the long boat, and chief mate
with 13 men in the lifeboat. Providentially they encountered
only fine weather, and for five weary days and nights they
held anxiously on their course ; and in the afternoon of the
sixth day from leaving the burning wreck, all being well,
they reached the Island of Diego Garcia, where there fare
three cocoa oil manufactories, by the managers of which
they were most kindly and hospitably received and cared
for. The captain describes their kindness, and especially
that of his entertainer, Mons. Gassian, as beyond all
expression. Here, too, they were so fortunate as to find the
Futteh Salaam, Captain Croade, who had put in for water
for the coolies on board. The captain received them on
board his ship, and treated them with the greatest kindness
on to
on their passage to Calcutta, and Captain Ewing es
take the opportunity publicly to express the gratitude felt
by him and his crew, both to Captain Croad and to their
kind hosts at Diego Garcia."

water's

COURT OF EXCHEQUER—May 27.
(Before the Lord Chief Baron, Mr. Baron Martin,
Baron Watson, and Mr. Baron Channell.)
GIBBS AND OTHERS V. THE MERSEY DOCKS AND HARBOUR
BOARD.—This action was tried before Mr. Baron Martin at
the last summer assizes at Liverpool, when a verdict was
found for the plaintiffs. The Attorney-General moved for
a new trial on three grounds, but the court only granted it
on one : viz., on affidavits of surprise and fresh evidence.
The plaintiffs are very extensive merchants in Linden,
and agents for the Peruvian Government. A ship called
the Sierra Nevada, of 2,000 tons burden, arrived in the
river Mersey with a cargo of guano for them, valued at
$20,000, and on the 16th of April, 1858, about a quarter of
an hour before high water, she attempted to get into the
Wellington half-tide basin at Liverpool, bat before doing so
she had discharged enough of her cargo to decrease her
draught of water one foot five inches, leaving her draught
22 feet 10 inches forward, and 22 feet 9 inches aft. A
steam-tug towed her nearly to the basin, and with a fair
wind upon her she was making her own way in, when from
some cause or other, her progress was suddenly stopped,
and every endeavour to move her afterwards proved of no
avail. When the tide fell she was discovered resting
across the sill of the basin, and being thus left without
Suppor, t the immense weight of her cargo broke her in

no was e

irely destroyed, and the wreck

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