The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-17 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE.

But two short weeks have passed since it has been our lot to re.
cord the loss of three lives by the upsetting of a boat in our water,
and it is now our melancholy duty to announce the loss of four
more from the same cause. A large boat is kept at the Powder
Magazine, at Marchwood, for the conveyance of the officers of the
establishment to and from this town. This is now under repair,
and her place has been temporarily supplied by a long and narrow
gig, the property of some gentlemen at ling, who use it as a
pleasure bout.
On Friday afternoon last, about half past four o'clock, this boat
left the Quay for the Magazine. having on board nine persons,
viz.:—Robert Crew, Esq. Storekeeper of the Magazine ; Mr.
George Hoare, son of Mr. Hoare, of Twyford ; a corporal and
private °Effie artillery, a boatman named Doling and his wife, and
three labouring men employed in the magazine, named William
Stanbury, Benjamin Martin, and Cooper. There was a fresh
breeze from N.E., but very puffy, as easterly winds always are. As
soon as the boat had passed the quay, her lugged was hoisted, the
sheet being held in hand. They had but just cleared the Break.
water, when the sail was caught by a sudden squall, resembling
a whirlwind, and the gig was upset in a moment. Every body
on the quay saw the accident, and a dozen boats were at the spot
in leas than five minutes. Here five individuals were found,
either in the boat, which had righted, full of water, or holding
to the gunwale. These were Mr. Crew, Doling and his wife, and
the two artillerymen. One of the labouring men, William Stan.
i bury, was seen sinking in the water, and Captain Porter, of the
Diligent, most heroically jumped overboard, and brought him up,
but without avail, as he died soon alter he was brought ashore,
though, if medical assistance had been at hand, it is thought his
life might have been preserved. Mr. Hoare was also seen in the
water, and one individual touched his hair, but could not hold it,
and he sunk. His body was dragged up about two hours after.
wards, and that of Mr. Cooper in about an hour and a half more.
The body of Martill was not found late on Friday evening. In.
quests on l‘lr. Hoare and Stanbury were held in the evening, before
Mr. Cork, at the Vine, and a verdict of accidentally drowned, with
a deodand in each inquest of one shilling on the boat. No particu.
jar blame, it appears, can be attached to the boatman,'or to any of
the party, as Mr. Crew emphatically declared ; but we cannot re-
frain from saying, that a lugsail is very dangerous in a narrow gig,
when, as in this case, her crew consist chiefly of landsmen. The
boat is 26 feet long, and about 4i wide ; but a boat of that length,
built fer nailing, should be from eight to nine feet wide, and the
gust of wind which upset the one would hardly give the other a
perceptible heel.—llampshire Telegraph.

His Majesty's ship Lively arrived at Spithead on Mon-
day, from the Tagus, but, as she sailed on the same day
as the Glasgow, she of course brings no later intelligence
from Lisbon.

A most serious and distressing accident happened on the
7th instant, to a party of theatricals near Cockermouth. The
manager having engaged Miss F. H. Kelly to perform for a few
evenings, the theatre was opened for that purpose. The scenery in
that neighbourhood being highly romantic, a party, consisting of
Mr. Munro, the manager ; Miss Cleaver, of Cockermouth ; Mrs.
and Miss Kelly; hired a jaunting car, for an excursion to the beau-
tiful waterfall of Scaleforce, near the Crttnmock Lake. They
took the carriage as far as Buttermere, whence they proceeded
through the meadows to the Lake, across which they sailed to view
she fall, and returned to Buttermere to dine. At six the car was
ordered for the return to Cockermouth. In descending the steep
hill, near Hutto mere, the horse started at a most furious pace,
broke part of the traces, and the driver having lost all control over
the animal, and the Lake being immediately before them, called
to the party to jump out, to prevent being precipitated into it.
This, however, Mr. Munro prevented, by assuring them that the
only chance they had of tinning was to sit as firmly as possible.
The driver, by pulling the only trace then left, succeeded in turn.
ing the horse aside, and drove the car with great force against the
rock by the road side. The concussion threw the whole party out,
and the driver, being seated most forward, was thrown over the
ledge of the rock into an adjoining wood, his leg dreadfully shat-
tered, and otherwise so seriously injured, that there is little chance
of his surviving. Mr. Munro was likewise severely cut in the
head. The ladies escaped with some severe bruise., and the fright
consequent on such an accident. Another horse and %chicle was
procured, in which the party (with the exception of the poor
driver, who was borne on a litter) returned to Cockermouth, and
Mr. Munro, to whose presence of mind the whole party are much
iodated, notwithstanding the injuries he luta received, led the
horse the whole way, to prevent a recurrence of the kind. The
tollowing evening the entertainments were for til^ benefit of Miss
F. H. Kelly, who had recovered sufficiently to perform ; and such
was the feeling excited, that had the theatre been much larger, it
would have filled. MisaKelly, who had previously requested the
manager to give, for the use of the driver, her share of the previous
nights of her engagement, instantly added to It the whole receipts
of her benefit. thus alleviating as mach aa possible the situation of
the unfortunate man.