Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-11-17 00:00:00

THE ROYAL CHARTER.

TO THE 'EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.
SlR.—Will you please place on record Mr. Espey's
storm map, which accompanies this letter, as an adver-
tisement in your paper, as the investigation regarding
the Royal Charter has commenced, and may continue
several days. I would be glad to ascertain if any pilot
or captain can be found that registers the Dew Point.
If that can be watched hourly, the indication is certain,
twelve or twenty-four hours before the height of the
storm, that any captain is running into certain death.
I have proof of this myself in Captain Withers--dead
and gone as he is—viz., in 1842-3 he was going on a
voyage of discovery—he did not knew where—at least he
said so. I gave him Reid's "Law of Storms." I told
him if he would study it closely, it wouldsave his life. I
gave him also Espey's Lecture at Glasgow, 1840, taken
from the Athenmum of that year, which Gawthrop
republished for me, in 1841 —2,000 or 3,000
copies,,,of which were issued gratis at the time :
this etplained how to take the Dew Point. He (Cap-
tain Withers) ,sailed all round Africa, 12,000 miles
(except within the Mediterranean). He was in search
(man° islands fer_Mr. . Robert Lee Bolton, in
the ship Colchester; he found none. When he was
running up the Red Sea, near the end of his secret
orders, he was studying his book in his cabin ; the
glass all right when he went down, but in an hour
or less, after finishing his study, coming on deck, his eye
caught the glass, as usual, when he found a serious fall
—examined his log ; he could Rot believe the fall ;
thought some accident had occurred, as it was beau-
tifully fine above—sun in full splendour. But he
resolved to take in all sail, and make all safe for the
worst. He had some difficulty to get his crew to work,
and it took nearly three hours to do so, when all of a
sudden thestorm, hurricane, or typhoon came down, threw
her on her beam ends, and for about six hours they were
in great peril of foundering. When the storm was over
they found "they had not lost a spun yarn,"—his
.words to me. Twenty or thirty vessels were in
sight, and nearly all were more or less dismasted,
lost sails, &c.,—peihaps some foundered, for there
are always many Egyptian, Persian, and other craft in
the Red Sea. I wanted him to publish it at the time,
but be made light of it ;—modesty and time wanted,
is the general plea, and to prevent criticism, captains are
mute. However, in about three days after the storm, be
found guano, above Aden, and brought it to Liverpool,
which sold well ; and his merchants made him a com-
pliment, as I understand, of five hundred pounds. He
sailed again to the same place for another cargo ; but,
when he got into the Red Sea, the same fortune did 'not
attend him. Ile lost the said ship, gad saved nothing
but the crew, with the clothei they had on. Some '
years after, he lost another, ship in the South Pacific ;
and now, coming home, he is gone down in the Royal
Char ten—Yours,
DAsso.s.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE AGAINST A putsoN
CHAFLAIN.—The Rev. J. H. Hatch, the chaplain- of
Wandsworth House of Correction, was on Monday
committed for trial, for unlawfully assaulting two little
girls—sisters. The evidence is altogether unfit for
publication. The magistrate offered to accept bail, but
no. sureties being forthcoming, the reverend prisoner
was locked up.
LIBERALITY OF THE OWNERS OF THE ROYAL
CHARTER.—In addition to the £250 given by the owners
of the Royal Charter, in aid of the sufferers by the
wreck cYf that vessel, they have also forwarded £lOO to
th Rev. Stephen Hughes, of Moelfra, one half of which
is to be distributed among the poor of the place, and the
other placed at the service. of Mr. Hughes, as Messrs.
Gibbs, Bright & Co., "feel sure 'that he has, through
his kindness of heart, been put to some expense."
THE LATE INCENDIARY YIRE AT THE CASTLE
TIONIcARD REFORMATORY.—On Monday, a lad about 16
ears of age an inmate of the Reformatory, was charged
r9le magistrates at Malton,
_ with having set fire
stacks burnt at the late fire. The lad acknow-
vowed having committed the act when the labour
master was but a few yards distant, and that he after-
wards helped to Pump the engines to quench the fire.
He was remanded until Saturday, for time to communi-
cate with the Government respecting the case.

WRECK OF THE ROYAL CHARTER.
BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY.--SECOND DAY.
The official inquiry ordered by the Board of Trade rela-
tive to the loss of this unfortunate vessel was resumed yes-
terday, in the Crown Court, St. George's-hall, before J. S.
Mansfield, Esq., stipendiary magistrate, of this town, and
Captain Harris, R.N., nautical assessor of the Board ,of
Trade. As on the previous day, Mr. O'Dowd, solicitor
to the shipping department of the Board of Trade,
attended. Mr. J. B. Aspinall instructed by Messrs.
Lowndes, Bateson, Lowndes, & Robinson, attended on
b 2half of Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, & Co., owners and con-
signees of the vessel.
Owen Williams was the first witness examined. He
said : I was late quarter-master on board the Royal
Charter. I remember our ship coming abreast of Holy-
head on Tuesday, the 25th. Our watch was from eight
to half-past twelve in the forenoon. I was at the wheel
from ten to half-past twelve, when I went below. I
came on deck again at four o'clock and remained until
six. I was not at the wheel. I was doing general duty
during the two hours, and at eight o'clock I took the
wheel. The course give me was east by south. Only
the fore and aft sails on the ship when I took the helm.
the maintopmast staysail and spanker ; but I cannot tell •
what was on her forward. I remained at the wheel to
twenty-five minutes to twelve, and-before that time the
lower maintopsail was set. In order to stay the ship, we
braced the yards the other way and squared them, but
she did not stay. The helm was put hard-a-starboard
for the purpose of staying the ship. All the time I was
at the wheel she carried starboard helm ; but it was not
put hard-a-starboard till the yards were squared. The
port anohor was let go at eleven o'clock; the starboard
anchor was also let go about dquarter of an hour after-
wards ; but I do not know what chain was given, as I
remained at the helm. The helm was still hard-a-star-
board, and when the anchors were let go, she came A•tp
E. N., and fell off to S. E. by E. The wind, as far as
I know, was about N.N.E. when the anchors were let
go. The ship was very steady when the anchors were
let go, and did not appear to me to be driving. The
screw was kept going all the time, and she continued in
that state till she parted the anchors. The lower
maintopsail was furled after the anchor was_ let go, and
some time after the anchor was brailed up. The main-
.topmast staysail was hauled down in the second dog
watch from six to eight, when it was reefed and set
again. About a quarter past two the port cable parted,
and about twenty minutes past three the ship struck
upon the Aand. The engines were still working up to
the time she struck. It was about five o'clock when she
struck upon the rock. I was in the forecastle at the
time. In about three quarters of an hour after she
struck on the rock, she began to' break up. The spars
came down about our ears when she was bumping on
the rock, and the bulwarks were previously washed
away. I was one of those who got ashore by the aid of
the hawser. The last time I saw Captain Taylor was
about four o'clock, and he was then on the fore part of
the poop. I have already said that when both anchors
were let go she steadied a little, until she port anchor
parted. I cannot say whether she would have drifted
less if' the masts had been cut away.

To Mr. Aspinall—lt might have done some good had it
not fouled the screw. Mr. Stevens, the first mate, gave
orders to get the hawser ashore. As soon as the hawser
was got ashore, and hauled tight Mr. Stevens ordered
me to go aft and get the lady passengers forward for the
purpose of sending them.first ashore; but before I got
aft the ship broke in the middle. I was on the port '
side, which was the highest, and I was on the fore part
'of the break. I saw Mr. Stevens when I went forward,
and he would not allow any men to go on the hawser,
except two or three to haul the chair back and forward;
and when I told him that the ship was broken at the
mainmast, he walked. aft towards where the passengers
were, and I never saw him afterwards. • Mr. Stevens
could have gone ashore at first but for his anxiety. to
save the ladies. The third officer, Mr. Bean, took charge
of the hawser after Mr. Stevens left it, and he, like
Mr. Stevens, did not try to save himself.
To Captain Harris—l was only in the ship from the
9th of May. We had a fine passage out, but we had
strong westerly winds coming home. We had head
winds; but light winds about fourteen days before we
made land. I never saw her stayed under sail. We
had about 700 tons of coals when we left Melbourne,
but we did not use our steam till we were on this side
of the Horn. We had about 300 tons when we reached
the Channel. I remember passing the Tuscar Light on
the middle watch of the morning of Tuesday, the 25th
ult. It wan very fine, and the wind was rather ahead.
I was at the wheel from two to four o'clock, while we
passed the Tuscar Light. When it came about five
o'clock in the evening of that day the wind freshened up
a bit. When I name on deck in the evening we were
about off 'the Skerries, and the wind was ahead, but
not much of it. If it had been fair, we could have had
our skysail set up to that time. About half-past nine
it come to blow very fresh. I went to the wheel at
eight o'clock, and I was steering E. by S. ; she was
carrying slack helm, though she was not in the habit of
carrying lee helm. She would have carried a top gallant-
sail at eight o'clock. It might be near ten o'clock when
we sighted Point Lynas on the starboard bow. We ran
in to the , Skerries, at the end of the dog-watch.
Between Holyhead and the Skerries was the last time
we hove the log, and she was then going six knots ; I
was holding the glass. The ship had foretop-
gallant and maintop-gallant stay-sails, but no
mizentop-gallant stay - sail -- they were aloft and
unbent. -During the time we came round the Sker-
ries the helm was about three parts a-starboard.
When I went forward the head sails were hauled down. -
I was in the forecastle when the port cable parted. I
don't know when the starboard cable parted, or whether
it ever parted. There was a barometer on board, but I
think it was in the captain's cabin. I never saw it.
The hawser that we got ashore was a ten-inch hawser
and it was coiled on the house, ready at hand. Rogers
swam ashore with a rope, and the people ashore gave
every assistance, so far as I could see. I' did not see.
any life-boat. I went to a public-house when I got
ashore, and about two o'clock in the afternoon a person
came there to look for the captain of the life-boat,
to save the ore* of . a sehooner that was
ashore. The publican told me ' that the captain
of the life-boat was over at-Red.Wharf Bay. When
our ship broke, the fore-part remained steady, or tolei-
ably so, but the after-part rolled about, and where it
was broke it went down in a hole. I cannot say whether a
very heavy roller struck the ship at the moment the ship
broke up. The-engine-room was abaft the mainmast. ,
She broke up so sudden that I think she snapped across. -
The brealers seemed to be a perpetual roller coming
every second on the vessel. When I went to the wheel,
the man that relieved gave me th% course, which I
have already said was E. and by S.
William Foster, was next called, and after being
sworn said—l was carpenter on board the, Royal Char-
ter. On the 24th she was off Kinsale Head'and reached
Ilolyheld about half-past four on the 25th, for ,I was on
deck when she passed Holyhead. I was then empleyed
in getting up the fenders making ready, for decking. I
'cannot say how the wind was; but I-think it was ahead.
The wind increased in-thp afternoon. I was on the main
deck on Tueiday night about ten o'clock, and it was
blowing very strong, but I cannot say from what point
it was blowing. About half-an-hour after that, we
,observed the ship drifting towards the shore,'and we let
go both anchors in about sixteen fathoms of water.
When we let go the anchors, about 45 or 50 fathoms
were paid out, but afterwards, about 90 or 100 fathoms.
There were plenty of hands to pay out the chain,
After the port anchor was put out, I think she held for

some time, but' again began to' drift, when we 'let go
the starboard anchor. We were still steaming all the
time, but with all she dragged her anchors and kept
drifting. I don't think she held for any length of time
after the second anchor was let go, but she did not drift
as rapidly as she did before. The port chain parted
about two o'clock, as near, as I could guess. When
the port chain parted we ,gave her more chain to
the starboard anchor, and I dare say we paid out 80 or
90 fathoms. We went to get the stream anchor from
below, and I remained on deck to help them to. pull it
up. When we got it on deck the starboard chain
parted, and we could not get the stream anchor let go.
Mr. Stevens told me to cut away the mainmast.
That might be about half an hour after the starboard
chain parted. It was a strong-built mast, and heavily
rigged, and might be about three feet eight inches or
three feet ten inches in diameter. I 'don't think the
vessel had struck upon the sand at this time. The
foremast was about the same as the mainmast. 14:lon't
think the mizenmast would be over 32 inches in
diameter. In Obedience 'to the orders of Mr. Stevens
I cut away the mainmast, and observed that it stopped
the drift of the ship. lam not quite sure on this point,
as the night was dark. It might be between two and
three o'clock when she struck, and I was on deck at the
time. After she struck I cut away, the, foremast. The
mainmast was cut avray before she struck on the sands.
Mr. Stevens gave me orders to cut away the foremait.
I cannot say that it would have been prudent to cut
away the masts sooner. I saw Captain Taylor on the
forecastle-head when both anchors were down. I
observed one part of the ship going one way and the
other the other wken she broke up. The tide drove
her broadside on the rocks, and she beat very
heavily. The sea was making a clean breach over
her, and in about half an hour or three quarters
of an hour after she was on the r,,cks she
broke in the middle. I was on the forecastle-
head, and saw the stern cock up when she broke. This
was My first voyage in the Royal Charter ; and I
think she had six or seven, water-tight compartments
in her. The shaft of the screw worked in a tunnel. I
think she struck forward first on the sand ; but when
she went on the reeks, it was with her broadside. I
had been employed in Liverpool when she was here
last, to make some repairs on her, in May ; and, besides
myself, there were about 30 or 40 others employed for
about three -weeks. We were employed by Messrs.
Brown and Martin, shipwrights, but not iron ship-
builders. We were caulking the passenger decks, and
a part of the upper deck, and several small jobs. I
do not know that there was anything done beyond the
ordinary repairs of a ship after a long voyage. I cannot
say whether her rivets or plates underwent any' repairs.
To Mr. Aspinall—The ship was about an hour on the
sand, but did, not make any water till she got on the
rocks. Nothiag could have stood the beating she got
on the rocks. She was so good a ship that I would have
gone out again in her if she had reached here, and I had
been taken. I cannot say whether a wooden ship would
have stood.more, as I have never been ashore in a wooden
ship. I remember when we -were off Point Lynes
making signals for a pilot, and we continued to do so all
night. We fired guns, rockets, and blue-lights, and
showed torches, which were made of oakum dipped into
turpentine. It takes a great many men to caulk the
decks of such a ship as the Royal Charter. I was present
when the officer wanted the only woman within his
reach to go ashore by the hawser, but she would not go.
There was a small -line made fast to the' boatswain's
chair, and hauled from the shore for the purpose ef get-
ting another hawser ashore from about the centre of the
ship, but by accident, when it was being passed round
the rigging, the end of it was lost.

To Captain Harris 7—When I cut away the foremast
it would not go, nor did not until she broke up. The
topmast was gone and the foreyard with it, but that was
all. I have not been at sea in any iron ship before, but
I have done carpenters' work in an iron ship-building-
yard. I saw two marine barometers on board ; that I
saw myself.
Thomas Cormac was then called, and he deposed as
follows—l was the second steward on board the Royal
Charter. I went to bed about ,I 0 o'clock on Tuesday
night and remained there to between one and two, when
I was aroused by the chief steward, who said the captain
had given orders for coffee for 'the passengers, I was
not examined before the coroner. I went into the
pantry and prepared the coffee, and it was then
served round to the ladies and gentlemen in the
saloon. They were nearly all up and dressed at
the time. It was then blowing very hard. I saw
Captain Taylor about half-past three o'clock, when he
came into the saloon, and then told the passengers that
he had got her by the head, and they would soon be all
right. This tranquilised them very much. I saw Cap-
tain Withers, and he spoke in the same tone to them,
saying that they were making something like a bridge
to get the passengers on shore. There was a small hole
in the deck, and water came through it. I saw Mr.
Lewis, the purser, about half-past six, and he said that,
with the help of God, they would all get on shore. The
passengers remained in the saloon to about seven,
and I was there till then, when I went to the for-
ward part of the saloon, and I saw that the ship
was in two. The first thing that led me to suppose
that the ship was in two, was when I saw that the
ship's level was destroyed. I then went up the com-
panion, and was washed down by a wave. I saw
Captain Taylor and a lady both prostrate on the
deck at the after part of the forward boat. I
then got to a belaying pin, and put a rope round me.
The captain then, asked Mr. Howie to take off his (the
captain's) overall, and I then let myself down by a rope
on some spars ; and I had not been there but a few
minutes, when the captain was washed overbo*rd, and
I pulled him up on to the spar that I was sitting on,
and he said there is hope yet. A tremendous sea
then broke over us, and washed the captain off the spar.
I succeeded in getting him on the spar a second time ;
and the boat that was before mentioned was washed
r from the davits. I got into the boat, and the second
officer got in also. A second-class passenger got into the
boat with us, and the boat, which was hanging on by
the one end to the davit, dropt into the water and was
driven on the rocks, and it was split in two at the
same time, and I was washed on the rocks. I was then
picked up by the boatswain's mate and others on shore.
When the boat split, the second officer was carried
back with the boat, he being in the after-part,: and in
the forward boat. I did not attempt to swim, as it
would have been impossible. The rock on which I was
washed was a shelving rock. lam the last surviving
person who saw the passengers alive in the saloon. I
should think when the mizen-mast fell, that the pas-
sengers,should be all, swept off into the sea together. I
have been second steward in the ship for three voyages.
The former voyage was a very pleasant one, only we
had a 'heavy gale going round the Cape. I know
nothing about the vessel, whether she ever stayed when
under canvas.

To Mr. Aspinall—l remember that in the morning,
about half-past six, the engineer said that there was no
more water in her than had been all day.
Wm. Henry Smith sworn, and said : I am the receiver
of wrecks at Beaumaris. My district extends from
Rhyl to the tubular bridge on the south, and round
Puffin Island. I got information of the wreck of
the Royal Charter about twelve o'clock, and was
on the spot at two o'clock, from a distance of foui.-
teen miles. On the day of the wreck the vessel
appeared to have parted amidships. A portion of the
starboard davit was visible. Large masses of wreck were
thrown completely on the inside of the rock; as well as
large pieces of stone ballast. Iron beams were driven'

NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.