The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-26 00:00:00

WRECK OF THE NE WRY.

We have this week the melancholy task of an-
nouncing to our readers a most distressing case of
shipwreck, attended with the loss of many lives,
which occurred on the night of Friday, the 16th
instant, on the coast of Carnarvonshire, about four
miles t 3 the northward of Bardsey Island. As many
exaggerated and not a few unfounded reports are in
circulation regarding this unfortunate event, we have
been at some pains to ascertain the truth, and are
enabled, from the information of Mr. James Harris,
Bangor, agent for Lloyd's, (who repaired to the
spot instantly upon hearing of the wreck,) joined
with such particulars as we have obtained at a per-
sonal interview with some of the sufferers, to lay the
following particulars before the public.
The ship Newry, of 500 tons burden, Captain
Crosbie, sailed from Warren-point, near Newry,
Ireland, on Wednesday, the 14th inst., bound for
Quebec, and having on hoard nearly 400 Irish emi-
grants, chiefly labourers, workmen, and small farmers,
with their families. In the course of Thursday the
wind got rather a-head, and at 11 a.m. on Friday
the vessel put about, and stood to the south-east.
On this course she continued until ten at night,
during all which time it blew a gale, attended with
so thick a haze that neither land nor lights could be
seen upon nearing the Welsh coast. To this may
be attributed the unfortunate catastrophe which
followed; for at ten at night the vessel struck
heavily upon a rock close to the main land of Car-
narvonshire, about four miles north of Bardsey Island.
Every attempt to get her off being in vain, the mast
was cut and fortunately fell upon a rock on the main
land, which enabled some of the crew to carry out
a rope from the vessel to the shore, by means whereof
they were enabled, by most fatiguing and dangerous
exertion, to convey nearly 300 of the passengers toland
in safety. At the time the vessel struck the passengers
were all iu their births, and most of them sea-sick.
Upon pereeiving their danger, a dreadful scene of
terror and confusion aruse. Nearly all of them rushed
upon deck with no other clothing except that in
which they had laid down for the night; very few
had even the presence of mind to wrap around them
the blanke's in which they had slept, and in this
state of terror, exposed to the cold, wet, and dark-
ness of a stormy night, they remained until each in
turn was landed by the crew as abovementioned,
with the exception of two or three active young
men who made their escape along the mast. As
several unfounded calumnies are in circulation re-
lative to the conduct of the crew of the Ncwry on
this trying occasion we deem it our duty to state
that their conduct throughout appears to have been
perfectly consistent with that active courage and
humanity which are ever the distinguishing attri-
butes of British seamen in the hour of peril and
calamity. In a state of eet osure and exhaustion
they continued both on boar and ashore, although
several of them were severely injured, to exert them-
selves to save the lives of their passengers until four
o'clock in the morning, when David Griffiths, a sea-
man residing at Plasbodavon, in the neighbourhood,
arrived at the spot, and instantly went on board,
where, with the assistance of Owen James, Plasmin-
ford, and two other persons belonging to the neigh-
bourhood, who remained on shore, he succeeded in
rescuing betwixt forty and fifty men, women, and
children, from their perilous situation, the last of
whom were brought on shore by ten o'clock in the
forenoon. It is impossible as yet to ascertain ac-
curately the number of lives lost, but from all that
we can learn it was betwixt forty and eighty. One
thing, however, is certain, which is, that a much
greater number must have perished, had it not been
for the timely arrival and gallant conduct of David
Griffiths and his assistants, who came just in time to
relieve the exhausted crew from their already over-
lengthened toil. We sincerely hope the conduct
of these men, and particularly of Griffiths, will be
rewarded by some substantial mark of public appro-
bation.

The vessel broke up on Su►rday, and what re-
mained of the wreck was sold by auction on I.l,l9n-
day. Fourteen dead bodies have been found
amongst the broken timber and on the rocks, all of
which have been decently interred.

We now turn horn this melancholy scene to one
of a very different description, and which we feel
proud to record for the honour of the inhabitants
of Carnarvorishire. As above mentioned, by far
the greater part of the survivors of the wreck were
brought on shore in a state approaching to naked-
ness,and none of them possessed any thing but the
clothes which they wore. The humble inmates of
some of the nearest cottages actually burnt part of
their household furniture, that by its heat the half-
naked women and children might dry arid warm
their shivering limbs. As the sufferers came along
the road to Carnarvon, all ranks of the inhabitants
came forward with meat, clothing, and money.—
' Upon the arrival of the main body of the unfortu-
nates at Carnarvon, Captain Boileau, an Irish gen-
tleman resideMt in that town, informs us that a
public meeting was called by the Deputy Mayor,
William Roberts, Esq., and the bailiffs, and a most
liberal subscription made for their relief, from
which each individual received a hearty meal, and 43.
in money, besides medical assistance beinggiven to the
sick and wounded, waggons provided for the lame
and infirm, and clothing for such as were still un-
provided. " Never," says Captain Boileau, " was
there a more imperative call on humanity, and never
was it more promptly or efficiently answered than
by the benevolent inhabitants of Carnarvon." By
the above-named benevolent gentleman, we are de-
sired on the part of the shipwrecked countrymen, to
return their grateful thanks to the inhabitants of
that part of Carnarvonshire through which they
have travelled on their way homewards, " for the
assistance they have received from the humane and
kind-hearted Welsh," and we feel both pride and
pleasure in complying with his request. The suffer-

ers one and all declared that from the moment of
their leaving the wreck to their arrival at Caraarvon,
throughout a journey of thirty-five miles, they saw
not one door closed, while every hand had something
to offer them.

At Bangor, through which these unfortunates
passed on Monday and Tuesday, the inhabitants
followed the example set them by their neighbours
of Carnarvon, and in a few hours the sum of 201.
3s. 2d. was collee!ed from the inhabitants, by our
humane and active overseer, Mr. Holford, assisted
by some other gentlemen, and distributed amongst
the sufferers, who have since proceeded to. Holy-
head, where we have no doubt a similar reception
awaits them..—North Wales Chronicle.

LOSS OF THE SHIP LADY HOLLAND.

:From the Cape of Good Hope Gazette of the 17th of

February last.)

Information was received in town on Monday last,
by Messrs. Borradailes, Thompson, and Pillans, of
the Lady Holland, Captain Snell, having struck on
a reef of rocks on the north end of Dassen Island,
at about half-past ten o'clock on Sunday night. The
night was very dark, and it was blowing a strong
gale of wind from the south-east. A vigilant look-
out had been kept from sun-set, at which period no
appearance of land could be discerned; a few mi-
nutes before the vessel struck, the man stationed in
the forecastle called out " Breakers a-head I"—the
helm was immediately put down, but she struck be-
fore coming round. Some time previous the lead
was hove, and no bottom could be found at 120
fathoms. Captain Snell ordered the main-mast to
be cut away; this was done, but it fell backward
on the mizen-mast, and carried that away also.
The boats were then got out, and the whole of the
passengers and crew got safely on shore at Dasmen
Island, without however being able to secure either
provisions or water. A great portion of the cargo,
it is hoped, will be saved—much of it consisting of
Madeira wine in casks.