The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-19 00:00:00

OHS PATIL LAtINVII. AT PORrluourit

The inhabitants of Portsmouth, Pot tees, ar.d the vicinity/
are rtill in a state of the most distresering and intleseeibeWie
anxii el. with respect to this dreadful catastrophe. se ugh
lanotioiy au occurrence has not for years occupied the elle
tendon of the.public. The Pellowetg official conimuniese
tion has born published by the Ikonourablt Sir Chemin
Grey, Bart.:— .
" As it is not improbable that treoneous tenements of the fatali
accident, which cte.4irred upon the day on which the Prince*
Charlotte was launched from the Dock-yrird,, at this port, may db.
fain currency, it will, no doubt, to satiafactory 20 the public to raw
rely* an authenticated account hem me, of this melancholy event.
On Wednesday last, the day of the launch, the tide roseao rapid]/4
and to so unu seal a height. tbat the ship was nt.liged to he let
*norm tbau was anticipeted ; the same great ?keel water reca
such a powerful pressure against the gates of the south dock to
basin, as to cause then, to burst inwards, and to.carry, with
pe•eous violence, into the empty dock, the bridge which regad
upon the gates, and, with the bridge, the persona who were 4
fortunately passing over ft at the time, on ttieir way to view
launch. The torrent of water, which rushed into the vacant
below, overwhelmed the unhappy individuals; and I grieve to
that, notwithstanding the active and prompt exenions of (hoes ' "e
beheld the dreadful catettrophe' and of the boatmen who
diately hastened to the spot, but few persona wore rescued horn
perilous situation. The .proper means were irutoodiudy rem
to for the recovery of ttose who were picked 4,lin which thp
surgeons of the Dirk-yard were moot humanely and ably assist',
by the medical gentlemen of the place. The furowing Is the list of
those who were restored to life, and of these knows to hay*
perished :
;Watered to Life—Mr. Sabben,, of St. George-equate, Pottsesse
Mee. Bloomfield, a soldier's wife, her infant, and sister ; Mrs.
Mitebeti. of Charlotte's-row, and diughter; a boy, name an.
known.
Browned—Mr. Deering, a mlitnhipasan of the Victory ; Mr.
Stanfield, a Ontomenniee officer—has left three children I Min
Showers, a dealer in chips ; Mr. Hart, a slopseller, of PQM'''.
his daughter, aged 17 years, and nephew. aged 7 years, el mane
servant of Mrs. Osborne, of Beesralield House.
Names Age
Young Womea—Fmggett, 20, daughter of a /aboiree
Knight 18, ditto Tyre . ,
.1
Knight 14, ditto ditto .; ' 1
Boys Ball 2, . e, 1 :
H.ylor 15, Painter's apprentice.
ewett 14, fother a wheelwright
Nincham,l4, ditto shipwright
. „ Leal 12e mothers widow, sense Widget
• itairesse telefateer a shipwright.' " • •
Beery exertion hat been used to find the bodies of other ealremell•
and every. endeavour to ascertain what persons are missing, Ihreeete
the best information I have been able to nit:stain, it appears shepe
there may be still Ave or sixtboe's not fo..ind, but this is as yet
uncertain. The hat already rivets tells a melancholy tale, but it *
con4oratory to my own feelings, es it will be to the relatives of the
sufferers and satisfactory tit the public generally, that no human.
foresight could have averted this dreadful calamity, and that it was
entirely unconnected with the preparations made fur the launch;
and further, that it liappened at e tutee when. mat providentially.
041) persons were
employ2d at work to the dgck ; for had that beta
Metal!, the dustier, revere as it Is, world have been tenfold
ItMter. GEORGE GREY, Commissioner. I
Portsmouth Dock-yard, Sept. 17, 1025. 1
The following statement hsx also appeared, written by is
paedical gentleman, descriptive of the circumstances imis
jfilerliately within his observation :
" !n common with many thousands, I resorted to the
ioe.-yerd in the forenoon of iVednesday, the 14th inst. fur
the purpose of witne suing the launch of the Princess Char-
lotte, of !AO guns. Having secured a situation on the poop
Of the Ittehon hoFpital yhip, lying off the jet ty; I was await,.
triF the expected period, when (it being within a few
mutates of noon) my attention was arrested by a tremens
dous crash in the direction of the yard-gates, which I them
supposed to have been caused by the felting in of the roof-
ing of one of the ships then building. Turning round,
however, I petecited at the extremity of the adjoining
basin an opening into the Call-place Dock, which had pre-
viously been separated from the former by lock-gates, and
a surmounting bridge of temporary construction. Simla.
taneons with my observation of this singular circum-
stance was that of the water from the basin rushing
with an overwhelming impetus into the dock, which had.
up to that period 'eon kept for the purpose -' -ventually
receiving the launcb. Commixed with -t trusts
quil but new agitated waters, I perceived
ing substances, which I instinctiVely
human beings. Being in the company t
friend, I observed to him that one of the ,
to have given way, and expressed my
hundreds of our fellow-creatures were etigui
multuous element. Suggesting a mutue
favour of the unfortunate sufferers, I forth,
over the jetty to the scene of distress and dest
arrived, the awful cheeacter of the calamitous.
ed me most fearful anticipation, and for -
lysed every nerve. Around the sides of the t
deeds of distressingly agitated sufferers, wi,
cries, wailing, and suppligeciun defy, description.
parent calling aloud on an event child—there r
lamenting his bereavement of an affectionate
daughter with agonizing entreaties beseechim
bours to assist in rescuing a beloimd mother'
less element, which in one fatal moment hi
many in eternal night. My attention was
by a claim upon my professional assistance, w
ed to exert in behalf of one of the sufferers,
rescued but the moment before from a water
body was that of a female, apparently Melt-
assisted in conveying her to the sureery of t'
had instant recourse to the usual means
the apparently drowned. Happily these
successful, and my patient recovering •
eiistence, murmured out inquiries for
smiling infant, who haul previously been
destruction which haul threatened its
shown her, and this circumstance speetlil
comparative convalescente. As the bodies
viduals occupied by this time the greater p
Mrs. Bloomfield and her child were rcmovi
ing apartment. By one o'clock eight or i
been brought to the surgery, and upon eac
skill of several professional gentlemen, who
the spot, was most perseveringly exerted.these efforts unsuccessful, for in but two
instinctive calls of humanity inefficient.
to observe, that these unfortunates had
fatal contusions whilst in the water, from,
the floating fragments of the flood-gate.
mated, the sister of Mrs. Illoomficid, who .
on the bridge at the period of its destructit
Thus occupied until near two o'clock in '
attention was called from time to thou t
mains of the less fortnn ate entr/ere, Of
past three o'clock, there may hive .been
whom were dead at the time they were
bodies being miserably contused, •atui f.
obviously resulted front blows from .the huh
her, or concussion with the sides of the duck.
About to retire from the ensiling scee
sirous of ascertaining, if possible, from
tated patients, some account of the unnit
falling of the bridge. In answer to my
subject, the female first brought to the ,
me, that as she, with the child in her tries,
were cresting the fatal bridge, with a view '
launch, they being about midway from ,
such was the extreme precture of the
behind, that they, for a time, found tbt
from either advancing or retreatibg. Such
ation, when the awful occurrence precipitr
the convulsed waters and torn timbers of '
bridge. Notwithstanding that in the I
lently struck against something causing
mother still retained possession of sense
The whirling flood now appeared to carry
and bewildering motion—forcing her
the pieces of wood which everywhere sum
from one of which she received a stolen,
temple, depriving her first of her child.
, Oppressed with the most painful tens.
' from the scene of real misery, anti entered
town, huff to whiten, in the lamentatior.•
antiei unisex of yet greater ill."
, . AIDT OIK • seems, DATED
pow
. .. 4 EVENING.
'... teat evening, Mr. Hart, the Jew,
t Pe phbir, 'were all three buried, as is tl
sun-set on the day eller they die. Thi
cession from fataicatastroplie of the
t public ag.
• to have subsisted
111.1 'tamed
,: ofami oon
.hdi'fe7r
folb bodies. dPs
3tesmabslQ:, ti
jei and, tins.h
an‘ei applicationTmhead,
surroundingbane y.:courao
r°tutlnlene mtethrr areey h"Do
expect ck
'adjaeent—for the remark was general!'

~;

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11 •
re.ll AT PORrhfourit .
.......-- . ..
nand', Portsea, ar.il the eielnidys - k `
os: distreeting and indeadeibaNgl
s dreadful catastrophe. Se n..
7:
not for years occupied the dilb
fhllowirtg official cortirounitt. .
C..
ty the honourable Sir °Wipe
. . r
at eTfoneoutt ststernents Of the feud . i,
a the day on which it* Prince*
' I
ie Dock.yrird,, at this port, may db.
ftie
thistoryt thenioe jwlebo
pablii;
meet.
tonate
r4f
ther c ne r 1
a nlinti:: ofch.
t theshlp was obliged to ha let •
the tide roses° rapidity
te same great rise ate
water eces
st the gates of the south dock to
st towards, and to•carrv, with .., • :
ipty dock, the bulge which reefed ,„
..
bridge, the persons who were 4 ..
' .
the time, on ttieir way to view
which rushed into the vacant 4
py individuals; and I grieve to
! and prompt exenions of those r . i
e, and of the boatmen who . .
tfew persons wore rescued from takitt
er means were irnosedialely resettill
who were picked ~:p.lit which tr
ere mast humanely and ably assist
e place. The hit:rowing Is the list or
ife, and of these known to base
en,,of St. George-square, Pottneld
wife, her infant, and sister ; Mrs.
and 'daughter; a boy, name tut.
Pi
I I
midshipritan of Ore Victory t Mr. t ,r,
nicer—has left three children I Mr. t
Mr. Hart, a slopseller, of Purees,
tut nephew, aged 7 yuars, ...1 maw
r'orniield House.
20", daughter of a /aboiree . . • • .
18, ditto saw's; . .. 1
14, ditto ditto .; ' i it•
2. .
5, Painter's apprentice.
14, f:.ther a wheelwright
14, ditto a/Upright ,
"..,'lrothera widow, eevea Widget I.i ' '
;Sather a shipwright' " . •
1 to find the bodies of other ealrelle• t
in what persona ere missing, Feteleo. - ' '1 ,
ten able to 'brain, it appears dale. 4
hodrls not fond, but this is as bat
yen tells a melancholy tale, but it *
, as it will be to the relatives of the
e public generally, that no human.
s dreadful calamity, and that it was
i
prevarations made fur the launch; ' !
t 4 time When. most providentially,
tort iii the dgck ; for had that bean
.f \ „ '
as it is, world have been tenfold
:01401.3 (HMV, Commissioner. 1
. 17, 1825. 1 '
hen also appeared, written by it i
Aire of the circumstances lms .

.a singular circum-
the basin nulling r
I e dock, which had. . .
. „
rpose of eventually
1 the hitherto trauma
d numberless float.- _ ) 1
r supposed to be
of ah aged mediest
P(i
le bridges anpearea.
ay conviction that. .
angulfed in the tw
tutual exertion io. (t
Forthwith proceeded. a
destruction. These
nitous event exceed..
!'or a moment pats-. .
• i
the dock were bun..
ii
.9, whose affliction.
•
leacription. Here a
d—there a husband
!ctionate wife, or a ••• ,i 'i
1
seedling her neigh-.
ather from the piti- i 1
mt had whelmed so
i was next arrested /
tce, which I hasten-.
.rers, who had been . •
eatery grave. The
' • 1
ifeless ; and haviw
of the dock yard,t ' •
.
ms of resuscitating .
use were ultimate k. I?
. .1
to a feint sense of sj f.
r her child. The
m saved from the
its parent, was a Het
cedily erected her
Rules of other indi-
;l. pact of the room,
noved,to an adjoin-
or illj :
nine bodies had
1 each of which the ,
who had arrived on
teal. Neither were
o instances were the
. It may be proper / I
4 f
received severe and.
orn, as is supposed,
te. Of those reasai-.•
who stood with her ,
_, . ,
struction, *as one.
• . .
n the afternpon, our
e to the lifeless re-
Df these, until half-
m live or six—all of
e brought in. their
their deaths Living,
huge masses of tin, -
dock.
ceue, I Was y 41Y- ,
..
a one of the r
lediate efß•e• of the -- 1
41
inquiries upon ibis • '
to surgery itilbrantd.
ems, and her sister, " ' ,
iew to appfnech tho f.
,rn ei tiler' extremity.
crowds .before and
- 4
S'
:Icanselves prevented
,uch wet their situ-
pitaied them smug .
•
A the floor!-gate and Na 1. t
e fall her back vitt- a ..
a
ag intense pain, the
to anal of her infant. . •
tarry her in its rapid
continually opals:
surrounded her, cod
. ;
imt blow on the left k '
1. than of sensokn.
nsations, I flattened
red the etrects of the
ns of all, the league
11:11NOUT 11, FILID•Y
his daughter. awl
I t
their custom. before
cis was the first P:o- , . •
Se day before. Toe ..
1 into a melanchily • i
'here they hive M.
as held Inquivitiona
aill'",.
Dock-yard has been
mpected to be sough t
towns aid villas Int: •
•ally omit, on to ,V F
441.
(..
I • •
, a