The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-28 00:00:00

TERRIFIC STORM AND LOSS OF LIFE.

(From the Liverpool Albion of this clay.)
This town and neighbourhood were, on Saturday, vi-
sited by one of the most violent hurricanes which we
have had for some time to record. Indications of an
approaching storm were apparent for some hours pre-
vious to its breaking out, from the rapid manner in
which the barometer fells the decline having been up-
wards of 11 in. in less than twelve hours. The wind,
which during Friday night and the early part of Satur-
day morning had blown a moderate gale from the N.W.,
increased to a complete hurricane by half-past ten
o'clock, and continued without intermission for about
two hours.

The rough state of the weather compelled all the ferry
steamers, with the exception of the Woodside boats,
which continued to ply at intervals, to cease running.
Much inconvenience ensued in consequence, hundreds of
people who crossed early, to attend the Liverpool mar-
kets, being unable to return to their homes. The Wood-
side boats were, on several occasions, upwards of an hour
crossing, the average time, on ordinary occasions,
being seven. minutes.
The Royal Mail steam-ship Africa, which should have
sailed for New York about noon, got under weigh, as
usual, shortly before that time, and stood off and on,
waiting the arrival of the mails, but was compelled to
come to an anchor again, it being utterly impossible to
embark the mails on board the tender at the pierhead,
much less-to convey them to the Africa. She was, in
consequence, detained until yesterday.
The first serious accident on the river occurred to the
smack John, of Chester, bound from Rhyl to this port, with
a cargo of soda ash. The smack drifted from opposite the
Waterloo Pierhead, and, in her progress up the river, ran
foul of the steamer Prince of Wales, lying at the south
end of the Prince's Pierhead, and lost mast, part of bul-
warks, &c., besides sustaining other damage. After
getting clear of the steamer, she drifted athwart the
moorings of the Landing-stage, and for some short time
stuck fast on the chains. The men on board, at this
juncture, endeavoured to save their lives, but one was
unfortunately drowned within a few yards of hundreds
of people, who, however, could not render any assist-
ance. The Prince of Wales sustained considerable
damage, not only from being run foul of by the smack,
but from beating alongside the pierhead for some time.
She was hauled into the George's Basin, and afterwards
docked in the Prince's Dock.

Most of the vessels at anchor in the river dragged
their anchors, and many were in collison. The damage
sustained from this cause is, we fear, considerable. The
following were among the vessels that drifted :
The Anna Rich, for Boston,,parted her cables, and
got ashore on the Devil's Bank, near the Dingle, where
she remained. She sustained such serious injury that it
was considered prudent yesterday to commence dis-
charging her cargo. Last night we heard that she had
broken in two. _

The screw-steamer City of Glasgow, which arrived
early in the morning from Philadelphia, drove from her
anchors about the change of tide, and, in endeavouring
to make fast to a buoy in the Sloyne, got ashore to the
south of Rock Ferry. She was, however, got off on the
following morning's tide, without apparent damage, and
docked.
The American ship Atlas, for New Orleans, lost both
anchors and cables, and was run aground at the mouth
of George's Dock Basin. She was safely docked at high
water, with only trifling damage.
The American ships Cheshire and Rosetta, both for
Boston, parted their cables, and ran ashore at Knott's
Hole, where they remain. They will probably be got off
after lightening.
The packet-ship Constitution, from New York, was
in contact with the Cheshire, and sustained considerable

damage.
The barque Mayie, for Singapore, was also in con
tact in the river, and sustained a good deal of damage

She has since been docked.

As the tide began to ebb the violence of the storm
seemed to abate a little, but not to a sufficient extent to
permit the ferry steamers to commence running.
The outer gates of the Sandon Dock were broken,
about noon, by the violence of the waves.
Fears are entertained for the safety of the vessels
which left this port during the past few days, as the
storm appears to have been general all along the Welsh
coast. The only accounts at present to hand are those
received through the semaphore telegraph. Five small
vessels are reported ashore at Hoylake, but we have no
account of their names, or whether the crews have been
saved. A ship was also reported at anchor about seven
miles to the westward of Holyhead, with all her masts
gone, and a signal of distress flying from a flag-staff.
One of the Holyhead Railway Company's boats pro-
ceeded to her assistance at seven o'clock yesterday
morning, and succeeded in carrying her into Holyhead
harbour. From accounts which we have received we
believe her name to be the Gipsy, of and from this port
from Charleston, with a cargo of cotton.
The American ships Manhattan and Bengal, which
left this port on Friday, both rode out the gale in the
Channel in safety, and were reported off Holyhead, at

ten a.m. yesterday, all well. -
The Cornelia, which also sailed on Friday, was not so
fortunate, and was compelled to return back, in doing
which she got ashore in the Rock Channel, but did not
sustain much damage. She has, however, been docked
for examination.

•
About eleven o'clock in the morning a large board fell
from a roof in the neighbourhood of the Albion office,
and was brought into the passage in Brunswick-street.
In the course of an hour half-a-dozen claimants, from
establishments in the -vicinity, called to make an in-
spection : one said it was their shutter ; another, that
it was their warehouse door ; and a third, that it had
been -blown from their cistern. Five of them had suc-
cessively come and gone, being satisfied, after seeing
the article, that it was not theirs ; when some person
or persons unknown placed the question of identity at
rest by walking off with the board.
The most fearful disaster during the storm occurred
about midnight, to the barque Irene, Captain M`Donald,
whilst in tow of a steamer for the purpose of being
docked. She had lost her anchors and cables in the
gale, and, whilst in tow, as above stated, caught on the
edge of the bank off the Coburg Dock with her stern ;
the tide swung her head round, and threw her on her
broadside, and she shortly afterwards sank. The steam-
tug Powerful was proceeding to the Anna Rich about
the time the Irene sank, and screams were heard. Al-
though the vessel could not be seen, Captain Edwards
immediately ordered the steam-tug to be steered in the
direction whence the cries proceeded, and the vessel
was shortly afterwards descried. The boat was then
got out, and a boatman, named Joseph Hayes, two
seamen belonging to the Anna Rich, and one of the
hands belonging to the Powerful, immediately jumped
into her, and were towed close to the wreck, when
they succeeded in picking up nine persons, one of
whom was Messrs. Ironside's overlooker. He was
in a state of insensibility when picked up. The crew
is said to have consisted of 16 ; in addition to which
there were two passengers, the pilot, and the overlooker
on board 2 • so that the number unaccounted for is 11,
among whom is the captain, chief mate, pilot, and both
passengers. Hayes' statement of the disaster is as fol-
lows :—" I was on board the steamer Powerful, going to
the Anna Rich ;it was about half-past 12 o'clock. We
saw nothing of the vessel, only heard violent screaming.
Captain Edwards ordered the boat to be got out, and I
and three others got into her. A long line was made
fast to the boat and attached to the Powerful, and we
were towed close to the wreck. We picked the men,
nine in number, off the wreck ; they were all in a very
exhausted state ; the overlooker was unable to stand. I
saw three men drop off the wreck exhausted whilst we
were picking the people off, and they were drowned. I
saw a steamer, which I took for the Uncle Sam, lying
about a quarter of a mile from the Irene. She was the
steamer that had the Irene in tow previous to her strik-
ing. We took all those saved to the Southern Hospital."
The bodies of one of the passengers and a seaman were
picked up yesterday morning. The name of the passen-
ger is Richard Whitburn. lle had upwards of 161. on
his person when picked up. We have not heard the
other passenger's name, nor the names of any of the
crew. The vessel lies on her broadside on the bank,
fills with the tide, and is, apparently, a complete wreck.
She belongs to Messrs. Charles Ironside and Co., of this
port, and was bound to Valparaiso, with a valuable cargo
on board.
Shortly after the Irene struck the gale moderated ;
and 'at three p.m., yesterday, the wind was blowing a
gentle breeze from the N.N.W.
We have not heard of any damage being sustained in
the town further than the blowing down of a few chim-
ney-pots, slates, &c.

EXETER HALL. - The London Sacred Harmonic
Society will perform Haydn's oratorio Creation, first
time this season, on March 2, preceeded by Dr. Elvey's
Cantata for the Birthday of Her Majesty, first performed I
at Windsor Castle, May, 1850. The principal parts
will be sung by Mrs. Sunderland, Miss C. Henderson,
Mr. Lockey, and Mr. H. Phillips, assisted by the band
and chorus, which will be on the usual extensive scale,
conducted by Dr. Elvey and Mr. Surman, the founder
of the Exeter Hall oratorios.