The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-02 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY

SUN,

!FRIGHTFUL COLLISION ON THE
RIVER.

A e;ni,,ion of the mew elsrming and frightful cha-
eSt I' QC7,;i,;lf _i:rnuul., le the liver Thaeice,
off Northlieet Poin, which hich the Dechrss of Kent,
by
liamsgate steamer, the property of the Commercial
Steam Navigation Company, Captain William Huai-
phreys, commander, was run down by the Ravenshonrne,
Captain Bacon, the property of the General Steam Na-
vigation Company, arid- bound to Antwerp with nearly
200 pastougera and full cargo.
Toe following particulars of the accident, gathered on
the spot at the tints it twit place, may be relied on:—lt
appears that the Rasens'ooutrie was steaming down the
river with full tide in her favour, immediately in the
wake and just on the . starboard side of the Meteor,
Grave.seed ateaunboat, and arrived nearly opposite North-
fn et Poiet shout-.two o'clock. On nearing the Point the
Duchess of Keut, Ramsgate steamer, was coming up the
river against tide and bagging the southern shore—the
tide running very strongly. The Ravensbourne was
about three parts over the-river on the Kent shore, and,
as she approached Northfleet Point, appeared to take the
starboard tack, and as she neared the Duchess of
Kent coming up, the latter crossed, apparently
with the object passing between the
Ravensbonrne and the Meteor, when, in an instant,
coasequent on the heavy. way on a large and power-
ful steamer like the Ravensbourne, and on her
having the tide with her and being in full steam, before
the Duchess of Kent could crest; her she ran into her
bows about twenty feet from her figure head, or just be-
fore the windlass on the starboard bow. The crash was
frightful, nod the Duchess of Kent, after heeling back-
ward from _the violence of the shock for a moment, was
found to have her starboard bow completely stove in, and
nearly cat in two. She immediately began to fill and to
commence sinking, bows foremost. The scene among
the pastengers, a large number of whom were ladies
with children, is described as truly frightful. A rush was
made en ?name to the after part of the vessel, and women
with children were seen clinging to various parts of the
sinking ship. The captain of the Ravensbourne, finding
that the Duchess of Kent was rapidly sinking, backed,
and the rush made by the passengers of the Duchess of
Kent to get on board of her was dreadful, and women
with -children in their arms became so frantic that they
absolutely rushed in their fright to the still slaking part
of the'ship; at this moment the Meteor arrived along-
side, and the passengers and crew on deck were literally
dragged on board of her, and on board the Ravensbourne,
with one exception. This was a gentleman named Hale,
a brewer, of Broadstairs, Isle of Thanet, who, being
infirm, could not be reached, and, still remaining
on his seat, went down with the vessel, which in a
few minutes sunk. bows first, almost perpendicularly,
the keel being lifted as she sank 20 or 30 feet oat of the
water. The captain of the Duchess of Kent, it is only
justice to state, was, with the exception of Mr. Hale, the
last to. leave his ill-tated vessel, and his escape was truly
miraculous. A rope had been thrown from the Ravens'
bourne over the stern of the Duchess of Kent, and fas-
tened, and as the last portion of the vessel reached the
water he seized the rope and was hauled on board. Mr.
Hale, although unable from infirmity to assist himself
while on board the vessel, most extraordinary to relate,
the moment he reached the water struck out and kept
afloat until rescued by one of the boats lowered from the
Meteor. The scene of consternation which prevailed
after the Duchess of Kent had sunk, both on board the
Ravensbourne and the Meteor, can b© better imagined
than described.- Mothers, fathers, husbands and wives,
who had become separated, some being taken on board
the Ravensbourne, others on board the Meteor and the
Topsz, which bad also arrived at the moment the
Duchess of Kent went down, having missed and being
unaware of the fate of each other, were to he seen
most
two frightfulchildren condition, as
asleep in
running about in the most frantic manner, making in.
quiries as to the safety of their relatives. One lady on
boardshe stattheed It eattesohrewhaasd i n a
leftmost
her
the cabin, end was on deck at the moment the vessel
struck, and bad not seen or been able to glean tiny
tidings of them. It is also stated that at the moment
of the collision nearly the whole of the passengers (about
seventy in number) were on deck; but it is believed
there were some few in the fore cabin, and as there are
some g,e bitilr being, feared they may have gone down
with in
consequence of the
immense power of the Ravensbourne, that at least
twenty feet of the bows of the Duchess of Kent was cut
stillthe vessel,issin the
away by the crash. This belief is justified by the fact
that from the moment of the collision to the time the
Duchess of Kent entirely sank beneath the surface of the
water - was. little more than eight or nine minutes. The
fore, cabin must have filled immediately.
As soon as the consternation created by the catas-
trophe had in some measure subsided, the boats of the
various vessels which had arrived at the spot were sta-
tioned in the vicinity of the sunken steamer, with a view
to pick up any bodies which might float out of the wreck
The Ravensbourne and the Meteor, having g the rescued
passengers on board, proceeded on to the Terrace pier
at Gravesend, where the affrighted passengers were
landed and mustered, and, as before stated, it is believed
that some few are missing; but from the confusion
which still prevailed anything like accurate information
could not be obtained.

Incidents of the most exciting character took place.
As the Duchess of Kent was rapidly sinking, a gentle-
man was observed rushing up one of the paddle-boxes
with a little girl in his arms. The Meteor was then ap-
proaching to render aid, and so great was his excitement
that In toe ci(stre to save the child before the Meteor had

reached within ten or twelve yards of the sinking ship,
he raised her up with the view of throwing her on to
the Meteor, but at the moment the shrieks of the pas-
sengers on board the approaching vessel restrained him,

and thus the child was saved from inevitable destruc-'

tion.

It is admitted on all hands that the conduct of the
captains of the Meteor and the Ravensbourne, as well
us the crews of both vessels, was west praiseworthy.
Captain. -Humphreys was below at dinner at the moment
of the collision, and the vessel was at the time in charge
of the mat-, who is stated to be fully competent, being
also a river pilot. The Ravensbourne was also at the
time of the collision in charge of a river pilot, and
having been examined and found to have sustained but
little injury, after landing the passengers at Gravesend,
proceeded on her voyage.
The place where the Duchess of Kent lies a wreck,
under water, although technically called Northfleet
Point, is midway between Rosherville pier and the ac-
tual Point, and immediately opposite Northfleet church,
and about one-fourth of the width of the river out from
theelni hetntetideshore
wa
at high
owigdhtin only aboutde.Last evening, at 8 o'clock,
whtwo
yards, one of
the masts of the Duchess of Kent could be seen above
water. 1

the
rfter his
wife
would
are
cabin, and
.....___
Although it was stated that there was
was
annlotoanngyv,ghriecaht
amount of luggage on board the Duchess of Rent, we
were informed that much of it was of a vlatliussblll
under-
stood
doubts
tained cript i o n , and one gentleman stated thatthe
ifptahsseernegaer he had aresaonny
proper , y he held in the world on board
was a large amount of valuable jewellery,.
that some steps will be taken as soon as the tide is
cuthod iteos gine ttohuet
sthhiep,lughgnat gee,eannsidasascertain
whether it will be possible to recover her.
Ono gentleman informed the reporter that but for the
praiseworthy exertions of soma
f
haveboardhetehne
sAafeerteifioer,edh.is
Shelife
waansdinththate
when
the
collision
took place he rushed down, and had
just succeeded with great difficulty in reaching the deck,
which the water had already covered. lie rushed with
hQr in his arms to the starboard side, and they were in-
stantly dragged on board the Meteor, but by what means

ha could not— tell.
Captain Humphreys states that the Duchess of lient
was proceeding at an ordinary pace when she neared
that part of the river known as Northfleet Point, R,
about 10 minutes past 2 o'clock, at which time she we.;
met by the Ravenabourne, belonging to . the
General
Steam Navigation Company, and commanded by can,
Bacon, bound to Antwerp with upwards of 150 r'•
sengers on board. This vessel was at the time under
the charge of the pilot; the mate of the Duchess er
Kent, who was an experienced river pilot, being in
charge of that vessel, and the second mate and another
andthe broevaet'rasectrheeweebenbeing at the wheel. The Duchene r o
course,
smaller
Kent at the time of the melancholy occurrence was n,.or
Ili that
-i.,, reeding. 4
e n sb at. turenne
w Oa averages;nd:edlnss
forcepw,
biepuee
approaching
oagainstimmediately
mhi
endgi
aottltet the
yntl.ilgd
speed.
v,
given
when:
it.:
kh: i
starboard side,
engines of the Duchess of mutt
which
were R t once - eo nwS hoOftltrhiace, hich
the shock felt n
ittthohn:nnuavvotghadeerimr the
i:9 t e b Duchessaam „ye and,svessel
of
with of
Kent,tu l 1 tidaed,tvcaoninentesthi
onedutt ehßdeewa her onward course,
and ran with appalling
steamer. No sooner was
excitement and consternation pervaded the whole of
timely use
passengers and crew, as it was perceived at once- the
they were in imminent danger, and scarcely
mi-
nutes elapsed before the Duchess of Kent vent down
with a frightful plunge, bow foremost, and is almostown
perpendicular posi ion. As soon as the alarmt thveaso an.
Captain Humphreys adopted every means to insurgewen
gt ehres
,xte withteo
Meteor
the
thx:eltutatvcenn:r
safety of the pass9ntsTerF, numbering between 60 and the
In his efforts be was assisted by the captain 7O.
gentlem
Ravensbourne and the captain of the ptie,Z the
Gravesend boat, which was close by at 'e
the rtl
the collision took place, and backed her engines
when
the danger became apparent. By the unite
the crews of the three stesnaers, and the
one,of thse.icr, r
ebo
gotnts,
safelyall thoenpnaosnsernd
awielunttleddowtoo,
obooaurTie,thCoapstianikniongumstpobarmeeyrs, rwetnitahinituh.ge_ to the
exception
an, who
mediate'
were saved,
to the surfawcweh,toohfwttashheeawyneasotesledrl;abanunddtdrewocsraeesPairdgeaseihneitThy one of
the boats of the Meteor. The remainder of the pa's_
sengers were taken on board the Ravensbourne and
landed at Gravesend. There was on this cceasion less
nearly
luggage than usual on board, and it is stated that
the whole has been recovered. Captain Humphre3,B
feels coat:ie.:A that all the passengers
not-
withstanding the short time that elapsed between the
enlii,ion end the sinking vessel It is supposed by thew
on board that the fore part of the sunken
vessel must
have been cut off. The Ravensbourne received no ma_
terial injury, and after lending the affeighted Passengers
at Gravesend proceeded on her passage toward:, the Bel,
gian coast,

'FURTHER PARTICULARS•
stern of the
Mr' John Worrell, a passenger on board the Meteor,
Meteor, admiring the
gives the following graphic description of the sudden and
terrific scene :—Re was standing on the
mai,asavred, and watched the Duchess of Kent advancing
to pass between the Gravesend boat and the Ravens-
" nicety" wttla which the steamer
bourne, when in a moment ho heard a noise like a peal of
thunder, and baw the stern of the vessel raised almost
pe,.nendicularly in the air. The scene that ensued was
terrific. The' passengers, to the number of about 100,
retailed' to` and fin, and the cries of the women and
children wete most heartrending. Every effort was made