The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-07 00:00:00

WRECKS ON THE COAST.

The arrivals yesterday furnish a sad catalogue of losses
and wrecks on different points of the coasts during the
recent heavy snow storm. The sacrifice of human life
and property has been most considerable, and it is feared
that the full extent of the havoc is yet to be learned.
The fall was accompanied by a severe gale of wind from
E.N.E., and it is computed that along the east and north-
east coast—Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, &c.—up-
wards of fifty vessels were driven ashore, many of the
crews perishing. _ _ _

A terrible loss occurred on the Goodwin Sands in the
course of the severe night of Tuesday last. The unfor-
tunate ship was a foreigner, and her name has not been
ascertained. The wreck was discovered at daybreak
by the loggers which were on the look-out, but nothing
could be seen of those belonging to her. Several bodies
have been washed up between Ramsgate and Sandwich,
and it is believed that they formed a portion of the
crew of the ill-fated ship. A corvel-built boat, some 16
feet long, has been washed up on the range of coast, as
also a piece of a vessel's quarter boat, having the words,
" Vrouw Neetye K and V" painted thereon. Lower
down channel, some few miles to the westward of St.
Alban's Head, a vessel called the Emma, belonging to
Ipswich, was caught in the snow storm and gale of wind
of Tuesday, and went over, the whole of the crew
perishing. The wreck has since been observed by the
Coast Guard men, floating with her stern upwards. She
was beyond recovery, however.

As before noticed, the eastern eoast suffered most se-
verely, From the Shears in the Levin to high above
Yarmouth, the most formidable weather was expe-
rienced. Between the latter port and the well-pro-
tected harbour of refuge at Lowestoft, more than a
dozen vessels are reported to have been driven on
shore. The snow fell in dense quantities, which with the
severe gale which was blowing, rendered the movement
off the coast most dangerous. Amongst the disasters
was one which has excited much sensation, from the fact
that had there been a life-boat near the spot of the ca-
tastrophe, the whole of the crew, who were drowned,
might have been preserved. She was the brig Abraham
of Portsmouth, from the Tyne ; and during the storm of
Wednesday, she was driven on shore a short distance to
the southward of Gorlestone-pier. The poor fellows on
board immediately took to the rigging. They were ob-
served from the beach, but with the trifling means there
at hand—for there was no life-boat, nor the usual appa-
ratus to preserve life—and the heavy sea that was run-
ning and sweeping over the wreck, nothing could be done
towards rescuing the unfortunate creatures. They con-
tinued clinging to the rigging for more than three hours,
when at last nature gave way from the intense cold, and
they were seen no more. About a mile to the south-
ward of the scene of this fatal casualty, another loss
occurred. The collier brig Eliza, Mr. Conolly master
bound to Hartlepool from the Thames, was carried
ashore by the boisterous gale, but happily, the crew
succeeded in preserving themselves.
In the vicinity of the mouth of the Tees the colliers
and coasters suffered most extensively. As in the
more southern districts, the easterly gale brought in
a tremendous sea with the fall of snow, late on Tues-
day evening. A fleet of coasters managed to run into
Hartlepeol with safety, but more than twenty were
driven by force of the storm ashore, the greater bulk of
which it is feared will become total wrecks. Some
were in ballast, and others deeply laden. Amongst
them were the French ship Beta, from London ; the
Joiner from Banff ; Merchant from Maldon ; Jessy from
Gravesend ; Maria, from Hastings ; Citizen, from Mal-
don ; Rebecca Elizabeth, from Newcastle ; Isabella,
from Rochester ; Oak, from London ; Isabella and
Sarah, from London ; Echo, from Shields ; Antelope,
from London ; Victor, from London ; Mary, from
Hartlepool ; Teesdale, from London ; and Swedish
brig Maria, from London. The names of the
others have not as yet been ascertained. Ano-
ther vessel called the Dapper, which sailed from
West Hartlepool on Monday, encountering the
storm, put back, and endeavoured to run into the port
for safety. Unhappily, she got upon the rocks„ and
almost instantaneously capsized. Her unfortunate crew
clung to the rigging ; but before the life-boat could
reach the poor fellows, the whole of them, with the ex-
ception of the master, Mr. Spenceley, and a seaman,
dropped off and were drowed. Near the same spot was
another wreck—that of the Arve ; she also, in attempt-
ing to make the harbour for shelter, struck upon the
rocks and went to pieces. After much exertion, the
crew were saved.

The frightful losses which took place at Shields, where
eight vessels were dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath
Tynemouth Castle, and many lives sacrificed, have already
been mode known. A correspondent writing from that
port on Thursday night states that the wind was still
blowing hard from the E.S.E., with a high tempestuous
sea breaking over the bar. Various papers from the
vessels wrecked have come ashore. Some of them are
seamen's discharged tickets. One was identified by the
name of George Flitts upon it. A love letter was also
picked up, signed " Ed. Millburn," addressed to "My
dear Caroline." There is no doubt that these belonged
to the schooner Eliza, which was lost with all hands.
The oldest pilots belonging to the port scarcely remem-
ber ever witnessing such a great destruction of property
at one time. The wreckage lies strewed along the har-
bour, and a strong body of armed police, with drawn
swords, is in attendance to protect the salvage. A tele-
graphic message from Shields, received last night, states
that in the course of yesterday morning another vessel
went on the rocks, and became a total loss. She was
the Hannah, and was bound to London from Hartle-
pool. The crew, it is believed, were saved.

At Sunderland the snow storm and gale were most
destructive in their consequences. The sea broke in
upon the harbour with much fury. Several coasters
were driven ashore in attempting to make the port, the
number reported being seventeen. They are the Mar-
garet of Sunderland, Content;.Albion, William packet,
Canada, Mary Clark, Robert and Mary, Ellen Cook,
Good Intent, Medina, Jane Isabella, Friends of Whitby,
and several other. Providentially, all the crew suc-
ceeded in reaching the shore in safety.
Higher up to the northward, near the Holyhead
Islands, many other losses occurred during the storm.
Near Wark worth, five vessels were cast ashore, and, it
is feared, will become wrecks.

In addition to the above, a telegraphic message was
received last evening from Belfast, announcing the loss
of the Yorkshireman steamer, Captain Morecombe, on
the rocks to the northward of Donaghadee, on the
night of Wednesday. She was bound to the above port,
The crew and passengers were saved.

It is apprehended that on the arrival of many of the
mails from the small ports, which have been detained by
the stoppage of the cross roads by the snow, this already
long list of casualties will have numerous melancholy
additions.

ACCIDENT AND LOSS OP SEVERAL LIVES ON
THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.

It is our painful duty to state that one of the results
of the late excessive fall of snow has been a collision
between two trains on the Eastern Counties Railway,
and which has been attended with the loss of four lives,
and injuries to several of the survivors. At present but
little certain is known of the matter, except to the offi-
cials of the company now on the spot, but the following
account will be found to approach the truth pretty
closely:—
Between Thetford and Harling-road, where the acci-
dent occurred, the line has been for some time impass-
able in consequence of the drifting of the snow ; and on
Thursday it had been so partially cleared as to admit the
onePs_age of traffic along one line. It was the use of this
Tphroursd .
line for both up and down traffic which led to the
disaster now to be related.
A passenger train left Cambridge at 1.35 p.m. on
clock) arrived on the s'
ceedtng upwards on the same ay, Passed Ely in safety, and in due time (about
ienglliene
three o'cl k) '
l iwn ea
s in
a qu
',eying a numbtrainesteioenn:
number of labourers for the clearance of the
line ; each train
and though theywwaesr drawn
by two powerful engines,
very swift pace,
owing
neither of them proceeding at a
they came in collision
to the accumulation of snow,
The four engines mounted
a most terrible shock.
of many feet, and on into the air to the height
utterly valueless. reachingPassinge under these the carriages
s
jammed into another like theond-class carriage was
Many of the labourers and passe slides of a telescope.
those who did so escaped withountgiT jumped off', and
Jury- On each of
the engines was a driver and stoker, and of these one of
the stokers is killed.
The bodies of three of the labourers, with a carpenter
and three plate-layers, have been found,
dreadfully
tilated ; and it is reported that another is missimn,u-
Several of the labourers also received contusions. go.
passengers were hurt. Three or four carriages were
So totally destroyed. S
' soon as the account reached
Shoreditch, Mr. Richardson, the active superintendent,
and Mr. Cooper, of the out-door goods department,
started for the spot by special train, accompanied by
Mr. Stokes, the indefatigable locomotive superintendent
of the district. By great exertion the line was cleared,
so as to allow of the passage of traffic in an hour and a
half. An inquest will be holden on the bodies, and we
shall supply further particulars in our next. The loss
to the company will be immense.

lerabil: pp" AND SOUTH-WESTERN.
being to
00 this line everything goes on as usual, the trains
Punctual in their arrival and departure.
Pi„s.--sh
ing, the firerneTlY before three o'clock yesterday morn-
giancitdeienfiv‘n.eesreofeatlhleedLtoondaovnerßyrigaaladremainngd
West of En
fire in the lower part of the remises of Messrs. Hem-
runt and Co., tailo,,rsih:sh orn 1... According.
.3, C P fill .to the
authentic return--
shop were partly destroyed°, of the
p partition and stairs
by fire and water, and contents damaged severely
damaged by smoke. in nPPer part of the premises
surance unknown." A few
a fire occurred on the premises of Mr.
hours previously
Webb, packingcase-maker, tath-street N gate-street
but little damage was occasioned. ' ew
'
LYONS.—According to the monthly account from '
Lyons, the silk " conditioned •
Covent-garden,
the
total being 3,596
daydistributed 325 four-pound loaves to the poor
loaf,
thus
, a unt for the year
F R POUND LOAF FOR FrvEnnicE
recommendatory ticket, at fivepence each
also has been extraordinarily ta: ~,, i
bale': we' him 6 aos 900 lb - r-e,
--taely
Ig g i a a 35,060 by a
.. r _
pia
to
take%
i reducing the price to ou half ednes.
. -- -o
v°e nu
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