The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-04 00:00:00

DREADFUL SHIPWRECK.

LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY.—We have received .intel•
ligence this evening of the total loss of the American
ship Mobile, Captain Furber, which sailed from
port on Monday last fur New Orleans. The partici'.
!ars of the melancholy occurrence, so far as we hays
been able to learn, are as follows :
The The Mobilo sailed from the Mersey, as above
stated, on Monday
last with upwards of forty peg-
sengers ansi a crew numbering about thirty went
and proceeded safely until half-past two o'clock on
Wednesday morning, at which time she struck on
Black water Bank, and shortly afterwards began to
break up.
At the time she struck the wind was blowing a
perfect hurricane from E.N.E., with a very heavy
sea running, the only sails she carried at the time
being the fore and maintopsails, close reefed. Shortly
after she struck efforts were made to launch the boats,
but, in consequence of the heavy sea running at
the time, they were fruitless. The scene on board
the ill-fated ship a few minutes after striking bait) es
all description. The poor passengers were running
about in all directions crying out piteously for help,
but, alas, there was none at hand, and at every suL.-
ceeding sea one or more of their number were washed
off the wreck, until, in a very short time, all had dts•
appeared, with the exception of eight seamen and one
passenger, who had fortunately lashed themselves to
the channels.

A few hours after the vessel had struck the weather
moderated considerably, and about 11 o'clock on
Thursday morning two schooners hove in sight, and
immediately bore down to the wreck. One of the
schooners, which was bound to Glasgow, took four of
the sailors and the passengers on board, and the other
took the remaining four off, and landed them at Wex-
ford. When rescued they were in a very exhausted
state from cold and exposure. They were forwarded
to this port in the Wexford steamer, and arrived
this evening, destitute of everything but what they
stood in. Captain Furber, the commander of the
ill-fated ship, together with all his officers, perished.
There is no doubt the ship went to pieces on Friday,
as great quantities of wreck, crates, several water-
casks, and portions of a vessel, were passed on Fri-
day night and Saturday.
The Mobile was a fine ship of upwards of 1,000
tons burden, and nearly new.

EIGHT LIVESLOSTBYTHE UPSETTING
OF A LIFEBOAT.
PRESTON, SATURDAY.--Our town was startled this
morning by the receipt of intelligence from Lytham
of the loss of eight lives by the upsetting of the life-
boat belonging to that place. This appalling ca-
sualty, by which eight women have been rendered
widows and eight families of childen deprived of the
means of subsistence, took place yesterday afternoon.
Lytham, the scene of the unfortunate occurrence, is
well-known as a watering place, and is situated at
the estuary of the Ribble, some twelve miles from
Preston. In consequence of the numerous vessels
which have from time to time been wrecked off
Lytham, it was deemed expedient to purchase a life.
boat. For that purpose a considerable sum was raised
by subscription among the visitors and residents, and
a few months ago a fine boat was obtained from the
establishment of Messrs. Beechin and Son, of Great
Yarmouth (the successful competitors for the Duke
of Northumberland's prize of 1001.) The craft (which
was adapted either to rowing or sailing) was highly
spoken of by nautical men, and pronounced it
to go anywhere and through any sea, her
superiority over other descriptions of lifeboats being
said to consist in, first, her power of self-bal-
lasting, with water.ballast, in secure compartments ;
secondly, of relieving herself of water in case of ship-
ping a sea, which she could accomplish in about 11
seconds ; thirdly, and lastly, of instantly self-righting
in the event of her being capsized. Her draught of
water, in ballast, and with a crew of 13 persons, did
not exceed 20 inches. With these introductory par-
ticulars, we now proceed to describe the accident.
Yesterday afternoon 11 hardy seamen, all natives
of Lytham, set out to test the capabilities of the new
boat, ell buoyant with the hope that their craft would
prove its superiority, and would in future enable them
to save the lives of any unfortunate souls who might
require its aid. Little did they dream that what was
to be the means of saving others would so soon be the
instrument of their own destruction. Three out of the
eleven were all who reached land again—one named
Shannon, owing his life to being transferred as pilot
on board the Thomas Clifton, a vessel bound for
Preston ; and the other two narrowly escaped the fate
of their comrade. The lifeboat left Lytham about one
o'clock. Though the weather was squally, many per-
sons were congregated on the beach to witness her de-
parture, and the little craft seemed to make way
very satisfactorily. What is called a "lug sail" was
used on the occasion. It was observed by some expe-
rienced persons as the boat proceeded on its course,
that too much sail was carried, considering the
weather. When she got 5 short distance out a sea
was shipped without any damage, the boat righting
herself immediately. Between 2 and 3 o'clock, when
dashing through the breakers at a distance of about
three miles, the boat leaned over alarmingly, owing
to the quantity of sail she carried. About that time
a heavy shower came on and concealed the boat for
a brief interval from the view of those on the look-
out. When next seen she was keel uppermost. Some
men on the hills skirting the sea rushed down to the
beach and gave an alarm, and it is needless to say
that the most intense excitement speedily prevailed.
Two boats were got ready with the least possible
delay to proceed to the scene of disaster. The
smallest of them was taken to the edge of the Horse-
bank (a large sand-bank in the Channel), where it
was moored. The crew then hastened across the
'
bank, plunged into the water, and waded to the ill-
fated boat, which had drifted towards the sand, un-
derneath or inside of which they discovered two
of the crew, named Richard Gillet and James
Parkinson, the latter when taken up being nearly
exhausted. It is almost miraculous that
those two men should have held out so
long, it being about four o'clock when they . were
rescued ; but as the lifeboat has six apertures in her
bottom, which formed a sort of dome over the two
sufferers, and these enabled them to breathe freely.
None of the other unfortunates being visible, the boat
returned to Lytham about seven o'clock with the tv,vo
survivors. The scene on its arrival was painful bed'
yond description ; to say that it was heartrending in
the extreme were indeed to convey but a very faint
idea of the frantic excitement of the bereaved. The
following is a list of the names of those who are lost
—Hardman leaving a widow and six children
_.
Cookson, widow and two children ; T. Gillet, widow
and two children; J. Gillet, widow and five
children
and
Swann, widow and three children ; Davis, widow
three children : Whiteside, Thus, besides
children widow and three children ;
Winder, widow and two children
ate left
widows, no fewer than twenty-six
is near her confinement.
to bemoan the sad end of their parents. The wife
of Winder, we regret to say,
of
bad the command the lifeboat,
he acted somewhat recklessly
Swann, a pilot,
hfastome of her sail. When the
and it is considered t
in not relieving her o
over, Swann, 'with great presence of
boat was turning
mind, recommended his men to endeavour to make
their,way round her, with the view of getting on bet
keel to right her. This was attempted, but
u
. The men who are saved state that
then s boat
did not upset very suddenly, and that at
u c toc
e s trys y
mut
time as many as five of the hands were clinging ta
her. One of the itwo Gillets disappeared only a few
minutes previous to the • arrival of assistance. Al-
though the crew had been furnished with belts and
other appliances for the preservation of life, yat,
strange to state, all these were left behind when the
boat went out. At an early hour this morning se-
veral boats were dispatched. in search of the bodies,
but when our correspondent left Lytham no tidings
had been received of the deceased.
The official account of the accident is to the fol-
lowing effect :—Yesterday afternoon the Lytbel
lifeboat was ordered out for practice. It was insgTfl
by Captain William Swann and nine men. The
. wa'n
was very heavy and squally, froms_
eW
h w as ref*
W.N.W. After being out a short time
turning home, when she was upset b.yha
revented het
The painter fouled on a buoy, suddensquall.
inewo,hincclupdin_g the
. cap-
from again righting. Eight-
oedf otwheedbothate.u.
Thetain, were drowned. The twoesstasv
pre-
servation to adhering to the s
accident occurred in the South Channel, off the
Horse-bank.
The melancholy event has cast a deep gloom ovet
;he whole village.
Int

ROYAL MARRIAGE.—The preliminaries for amt'
trimonial alliance between his Royal Highness Prince Henry
of the Netherlands and her Serene Highness the Princes-1
Amelia of Saxe-Weimar, daughter of the late Duchess Id*
of Saxe-Weimar, and niece of the late Queen Dowager, hail
been finally lompleted, and the auspicious event will be
celebrated early in April next. The Princess Amelia
sister to his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Sas"
Weimar; and it will be remembered that her Serene 'lien
nos passed a considerable period in this country, soule mw_A
years ago, as the guest of her illuatrioaa relative, the leatentre
Queen Dowager.