The National Register.
London, England, 1816-02-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

FEB. t 1.

SHIP NE IVS.

MORE DRE tDFUL SHIPWRECKS.

In addition to the melancholy 100 of the Seahorse transport, we
have to :►dd the wrecks of the Melville and Boadicea transports,
and the loss of a tire it number of brave men. Some of the letters
received from Ireland state the name of one of the transports
wrecked to have been the Hound : this cannot be the case, how-
ever, for by our ltam•gate letter it appears that the Hound only
sailed from that port on Monday for Ireland. The Boadicea ought
to have been substituted for the Hound in the Irish letters:—

.• Kinsale, January 13.
g, Went on shore yesterday evening, about two miles to the west-
ward of the Old Head, the Lord Melville transport, with six com-
panies of the 62d Regiment on board. Owing to the hurry and
confusion caused by the event, 13 of the soldiers took to the boat,
11 of them were unfortunately drowned. The remainder of the six
companies and the crew of the Lord Melville remained on hoard
until low wa..er, and were all saved.---The Boadicea transport, iu
conioany with the Lord Melville, having on board 280 of the 112 d
Regiment. seeing her companion on shore, immediately came to an
anchor, but the cables were soon cut through by the rocks, when
she came on shore, and, dreadful to relate, 220 out of the 280 pe-
rished."
Another letter says,—" giry only have been saved out of the
Boadicea." How mauy of the crew of the vessel are included in
this statement does not appear.

OFFICERS SAVED FROM THE SEAUORE.
Major Douglas, Captain M'Gregor, Surgeon Hagan, Assistant
Surgeon Lambe, Lieutenants Dent (Adjutant), Veal, Geddies,
Scott, and Gillespie, Ensigns Ross and Hill, Quarter-Master Baird,
and Mr. Alien, of the Navy, Purser.

FROM THE VI ATEREORD MIRROR.
TnaatonE, JAN. 31.—Yesterday presented a melancholy sight
near this—a transport had been seen for a considerable time ap-
proaching the harbour, and at length having crossed it to anchor
near the shore within the opposite land, her distressed and danger-
ous situation being evident, crowds gathered froni Tramore and
the adjoining country on the beech. After a short period, her an-
chors having dragged, she (Lifted -towards the beech, and having
struck in a tremendous surf, unspeakable horror soon followed. The
ship being soon broken by the dreadful waves that assailed her,
the shore became scattered with dead bodies, a few straggling sur-
vivors, planks, cordage, and every species of wreck. Much exer-
tion was made by several spirited individuals, but particularly by
Mr. Hunt of Tramore, who was instrumental in saving many. The
severity of the day, and the disadvantage of the ebb, instead of
Rood tide, added greatly to the calamity. Benumbed with cold,
overwhelmed by continual waves; the poor sufferers fell speedy
victims to their deplorable fate ; a great number of women and
children were on board—not one escaped. About half the 59th
Regiment had embarked in the transport at Deal, their number
three hundred and upwards, and of these sixteen wco officers.
About twenty-five (including four officers) have been saved: The
regiment was coining from France, and had shared in the glories
of Waterloo. Brave men, companions in arms, and dear friends,
stood upon the deck—each looked at the other—each expected his
own fate, and hoped for his friend's safety—wave after wave thun-
dered. Major Douglas, Captains, Lieutenants, whose filmes I have
not yet learned, were swept away, never to meet their friends and
social home!—never to humble another time • the vain spirit of
France. Women embraced their husbands, bid them farewell,
and died eahnly—their heroism softened the pangs of men who
saw—whose hearts bled, and could not relieve them ! Children
took leave of their parents, and rising above the weakness of their
age, wept not. The Quarter-Master's lady behaved with great
firmness,—remained with her children in the cabin—said to an
Officer, "It is the will of Heaven;' and was seen no more. The
wife of a private said—" Will you die with me and your child
Bat you may escape, and this may be of use;" and gave him her
pocket with a sum of money; and even took out her earrings and
put them in it. Herself and child were lost. The survivor, more
wretched than they, lives to tell the tale, as tears mark his manly
face. The Captain of the transport was saved; the Mate fell from
the mast early in the day, and was nearly killed and quite dis-
abled. Thls probably occasioned the deplorable loss, as he was
well acquainted with the coast.—Lieutenant Allen, a young Offi-
cer of the navy, and of great merit (coming to Ireland directed
the ship some time with baldness and skill; he too was swept
away. A great quantity of valuable things is lost; and the vessel,l
tbattered into a thousand frawnentq, strews tIVJ or three miles of

941

the coast. Lieutenants Macpherson, Hart Ford, and Cowper,
and Ensign Seward, survive of the Officers, all much bruised and
ill, but Mr. Cowper the most severely ; he flow lies extremely iii
•at Tramore. The night of the calamity a cottager and his wife,
near the fatal spot, slimed every tenderness to.the misetab:e vic-
tims. But for their humble- and lonely dwelling so nnnv had not
now lived to tell this tate! To the honour of the Irish character they
gave their only bed to two wounded and benumSed Wfieets, anti
Wiled and comforted all the privates that were two ill to mire
during the night. Some reward is surely due from persons in mi-
-1 thority to this conduct. The man's name is Dunn. Dead bodied
are now hourly throwing in.