The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-23 00:00:00

Dreadful Scene on tb.e North-East Coast.

Yesterday afternoon, about four o'clock', the greatest ex-
citement was caused at Tynemouth by a fearful case of
drowning, which occurred on the Long Sareis, and which
was witnessed by many hundreds of persons. The wind
was from the eastward, and there was about five feet sea
on, with a nasty back sweep ; and at the hour me:Awned a
strong current was setting from the shore southwards. Mr.
Robert Falconer, grocer, St. John's-lane, Newcastle, al. d
Balman's Village, was spending the day with his wife and
family at his mother's, who is lodging in Percy-street,
Tynemouth, and shortly before four o'clock he and his
wife and mother, and, it is said, three of his children,
wont down upon the Long Sands. Mr. Falconer
then left his wife and family setting on the sea banks,
telling them ti,,at he would go to the machines and have
a bathe. He engaged a machine belonging to Hind-
marsh, but before the lad put the horse to it to draw it into
the water Mr Falconer asked Rindmersh if it was safe to
take a dive into the sea. The machine proprietor replied
" By no means," and he cautioned him above all things
not to venture too far out, as there was a strong off-set. The
machine was drawn into the water, and Mr Falconer strip-
ped and went into the sea; and being a swimmer he ven-
tured, unfortunately, whore the waves were breaking
heavily. There were three other men in the water at the
same time, and they seeing him going out commenced to
follow him. The machine men, seeing the danger they were
all in, shouted lustily to them to come in, and a gentleman
upon horseback rode into the water up to the horse's girths ,
and called to them also. They all came in but poor Mr
Falconer. The men knowing the imminent peril
he was in got out the boats and lifebuoys ; but before
they could render any assistance to him a heavy sea struck
him, and he was sben to hold up his hands. A second large
sea immediately followed, and seemed to drive him heels
over head, and those in the boat saw him no more. The
people on the banks, however, saw him struggling, as they
imagined, a few minutes longer, and then disappear alto-
, gether. This awful spectacle was witnessed by hundreds
of people, including the poor gentleman's wife and family.
A scene of the wildest excitement followed. His wife,
mother, and children hastened dawn to the shore, and wren
the machine was brought out of the water tne mother iden-
tified the clothes left in it as her son's. The poor wife fell
on the sand as one dead, and she had to be removed to her
mother's lodgings working in convulsions ; and she isreported
to be extremely ill. From the high sea, nothing could be
done to rescue the body, which has been washed out to sea.
goy comments were made on the sands yesterday evening
as to what had been done and what had not been, done to
save Mr. Falconer's life. We made a careful inquiry into
the matter, and we are convinced that Hindmarsh, Nixon,
and the other men did all they could consistently with their
own safety to save the unfortunate gentleman. But the fact
is a boat is of little use upon the coast is such a sea as that
of yesterday, as the time spent in " dodging' the seas, lest
the boat should broach to and drown them, prevents the
watermen from getting near to where the man is drowning
in the water until all is over. What is needed is this, that
the authorities should absolutely prohibit bathing on these
sands while the sea is ep strong, and the danger to bathers,
especially swimmers, is so great as it was yesterday,--New
castle Chronicle.

•
FATAL ACCIDENT TO A MANCHESTER GENTLE-
MAN AT LLANDUDNO.— A. melancholy and fatal 110,
cident happened on Friday to a young gentleman named
Leisler, who with his parents and other members of his
family, was on a visit to Llandudno, North Wales. The
young gentleman was about 22 years age, and was the only
so of Mr John Leisler, of Park• road, Victoria-park, and
a member of the firm of Du Fay and Co., merchants, 32,
Booth-street. On Friday young Mr Leisler went out in
a boat on Llandudno Bay, in company with a gentle-
man named Hook, one of the sons of the Dean of
Chicester. Mr. Leisler had his gun with him, and at
the request of a friend shot at a gull which was
hovering near the Orme's Head. The bird was struck by
the shot, and fell upon the face of the rock at a considerable
height from the shore. Mr Leisler landed, scaled the rock,
and secured the bird, which he threw down to his friend.
In descending he caught hold of a tuft of grass which was
growing from the rock. The hold was insecure and trcach-
erous ; the grass gave way, and the unfortunate young man
fell from a terrible height to the ground. He gasped, and
died directly in the arms of his friend. The sad affair has
cast a deep gloom over the whole neighbourhood, and is
much deplored by the large circle of Manchester friends
with whom the deceased. and titi Way were connected:—
Manchester Courier.

SECOND EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 O'CLOCK.

DISTURBANCES IN GENEVA,

BERNE, AUGUST 23.
Disturbances have broke❑ out in Geneva, barri,
cades have been erected and blood shed,.

The Government of the Canton, being• unable to
re-establish order, called for Federal intervention,

The Federal Cculcil thereupon sent M. Fornerod
as Special commissioner to the scene of the cut-
break. He has entered Geneva with a battalion of

militia.

MIR EDITION

SUN OFFICE, SEVEN O'CLOCK.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,---This Day,

YORK RACES—Tuts DAY.
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH )
ZETLAND STAKES.

Marigold
Dubiety
little Stag

Four ran.
BURGUNDY STAKES.

Clarior
Plover
Blue Mantle
CHESTERFIELD HANDICAP.

Echo
Brindisi
BandarillA

Nino ran,
SELLING STAKES.

My Fancy
Brown 'Willey
Loafer

Twelve ran.
CONVIVIAL STAKES.

Olmar
Gontran .. 2
Wild Agnes

Six ran.
EIGHTH BIENNIAL STAKES.

Claremont
Windham

iioly fox

PRODUCE STAKES.

Ely
Miner
BLACK DUCK STAKES.

Physalis filly
Connection