The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-26 00:00:00

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT by STEAM-BOATS.

"PURTIIXR PARTICULARS.'
From the Edinburgh Courant of Monday last, received this

morning.)

EDINBURGH, OCT. falls to our lot this
day to communicate to our readers one of the most awful and
calamitous events that perhaps has ever taken place in this
country. On Friday morning last, the Comet steam-packet,
from Inverness, via Fortwilliam to Glasgow, when off the west-
ern point of the village of Gourock, about three miles below
Greenock, was run on board by the Ayr steam luggage packet,
outward bound, and in the space of two minutes afterwards the
Comet went to the bottom ! There were, as near as can be
ascertained, about sixty persons on board, oat of which num-
ber eleven only have been saved. The variety of reports which
reached this city during the course of Saturday induced us to
proceed, on the evening of that day, to Gourock, for the purpose
of enabling us to lay before our readers, in this publication, the
latest and most authentic intelligence that could possibly be pro-
cured. We accordingly reached that place yesterday forenoon,
and found numerous boats engaged in dragging for the bodies
around the place where the steam-boat had sunk—which was,
as near as we can guess, about 300 yards from the shore, in six-
teen fathoms water. Ph. Sheriff-Substitute of Renfrewshire,
Claud Marshall, Esq. assisted by Mr. Rankine of Gourock,
and Mr. Leitch, one of the Magistrates of Greenock, had been
employed, without intermission, since Friday morning, in the
painful duty of examining the dead bodies as they were brought
ashore—taking exact descriptions of their dresses and appear-
ance, and inventories of the property found on their persons.
On our arrival, we found these gentlemen superintending the
inspection and removal of the bodies of five persons which had
just been dragged up, to the church of Gourock, where the
other corpses that had been found on Friday and Saturday were
laid. The Lord Advocate. accompanied by Mr. Dunlop,
principal Sheriff of Renfrewshire, arrived about mid-day, and
proceeded immediately to Mr. Rankine's, for the purpose of
assisting in the investigation.—Nearly nine cart loads of lug-
gage had been thrown ashore, and the duty also of examining
it devolved on the Sheriff-substitute. The greater part of it,
however, seems to have belonged to Sir Joseph Radcliffe, the
bodies of six of whose servants have been found. The whole
has been lodged in a place of security in Greenock.
The following is a correct and authentic list of the bodies that
have been found, with the names, so fat as known, and the
best description of those unknown we could procure, up to yes
erday at mid-day.

Found on Friday.
Two women servants of Sir Joseph Radcliffe's, one named
Hannah Mitchell, the other having the initials S. R. walked
on her shift.
Mrs. Wright, of Glasgow.
Two women, unknown ; one with a blue, and the other with a

brown stuff gown.
Two children, one of them belonging to the female passenger
saved; the other, a female child, unknown, well dressed,
with lace cap.
Mr. John Bell, flesher, Dumbarton.
Angus Cameron, of or near Fortwilliam.
Mr. Archibald Graham, of Corpach, near Fortwilliam.
James Grierson, steward of the Comet.
In all eleven bodies found on Friday.
Found on Saturday.
William Allan, servant to Mr. Dennistoun, claimed and taken
to Cambusskin.
James Miller, of Edinburgh.
John Raid, of Edinburgh.
A Girl about 17, unknown, poorly dressed.
Duncan Mackenzie, a Highland trader.
An old man form Crinan, name unknown.
A womon unknown, supposed the mother of four children who
were on board.
James Dingwall, his left hand injured by a mill.
George Murray, a Highland trader.
James Manderson, engineer of the Comet, taken away by his
widow.
A young woman named Rose, claimed by her brother, and
carried to Greenock.
A sailor belonging to Limekilks or Kincardine, name unknown.
Ronald Mackenzie, piper to Sir Joseph Radcliffe.
A young gentleman, name unknown, green coat, silver watch,
linen marked C.8.5..5. Surgical instruments found on him.
Angus A. Kennedy, a young gentleman about 14 or 1.3.
A young man about 15, name unknown.
An Irish pedlar, name unknown.
Euphan Niven, servant to Mrs. Wright.
In all eighteen bodies found on Saturday.
Found on Sunday.
A seaman, name unknown.
John M'Lachlan, one of the Comet's crew.
Mrs. Nl'incliffe, supposed to be the housekeeper of Sir Joseph
Radcliffe.
A young man, linen marked J. M. P.
The body of a woman, same unknown ; initials on linen I.M. ;
red Morocco baby shoes found in her pocket; supposed to
be the nursery-maid who had the charge of one of the chil-
dren found on Friday.
Five bodies found yesterday.
From the foregoing melancholy list, it will be seen that
thirty-four bodies have already been found, which, with the
eleven persons saved, makes the number accounted for amount
to forty-five. No traces had been found of the bodies of Capt.
Sutherland or his Lady, or of Mr. M‘Alister or his nephew.—
We lament to say, that there is too much reason to fear that
Mr. Hugh Rollo, writer to the signet, has also perished,
though there are some circumstances that afford a feeble ray of
hope, which a day or two at farthest must confirm or destroy.
It is certain that a part of his luggage--a portmanteau—has
been found ; but the under steward of the vessel reports, as far
as we can understand, that a boy brought to the boat at Loc:a.
gilphead Mr. Rollo's luggage, consisting of a portmanteau and a
travelling bag, for the latter of which he soon after returned and
carried away. A gentleman, however, came on board at that
place, though the man can give no description of his appear-
ance. Some other persons belonging to this city have been
mentioned, but we abstain from repeating their names, as we
are perfectly satisfied they were not in the Comet.
Such of the bodies as have not been claimed and carried away
by their relatives, have been laid out in the church of Gourock,
and decent coffins provided. There were yesterday about thirty
corpses in that sanctuary, and a most heart-rending and ago-
nizing scene was there exhibited. Every hour arrivals were
taking place—the parent looking for his child—the friend for
his friend—the wife for her husband. The uncertainty as to
who were passengers rendered only the suspense of those who
expected friends or relatives by the vessel, more dreadful.
The picture given by the survivors of the scene, it is impos-
sible fbr us to describe. It appears that up to the accident the
voyage had been most prosperous, and now within so short a
distance from their destination, every heart was full
were
happi-
ness—dancing, pleasant stories, and. conversation, ere wear-
ing away the night, when the awful mandate went forth, and
fifty human beings, in the very midst of innocent gaiety, and
fond anticipation, were in an instant hurried, unwanted and
unprepared, into the presence of the Almighty !
With regard to the cause of this dreadful affair, though, be.
yond all doubt, the principal blame lies with the Master of the
Comet, he not only having no light out, but his jib sail set—
still the feeling is universal in Greenock, that the Master of
did
the
Ayr is in the highest degree culpable in deserting as he
the scene where he made such havoc. IT Is NOT -ruuE,
asserted in the authorised statement published in a Glasgow all
per of Saturday, that the Ayr did not leave the spot till all
traces of the Comet and her ill-fated company were lost. The
Ayr fled from the spot while yet the shrieks of the drown-
ing beings were thrilling in the ears of her crew. She
fled—and all but lost the only brave and humane indivi-
duals she had on board, the sailors of the Harmony, who
made an attempt to get out the Ayr's boat to the rescue,
but which was pulled under water by her precipitate flight,
and these generous seamen were only able to save themselves
with difficulty. She fled—while one of the crew of the Comet
was swimming to her, and whose cries for succour did reach her
in her flight--but in vain. The futile pretence that she was in a
sinking state, is fully disproved by her having sailed m safety to
Greenock, a distance of about 3 miles, while the master must have
known, that, she been in that state, his greater chance of safety
was, after rendering the assistance he was bound to render to the
sufferers perishing under his eye, to run his vessel on shore,
from which he was not 300 yards distant, and which he could
have done in comparative safety, and almost without damage.
We can make allowances for the agitation and confusion such
a scene would occasion ; but we can find not a shadow of ex-
cuse lbr the selfish and dastardly conduct of the Master of the
Ayr. In the judicial investigation that is proceeding, if he is
not so deeply to blame as we apprehend, he will have a fair
opportunity of exculpating himself, though we confess, in the
face of the facts we have stated, we do not see how this can be
done. 'We intended to have made some remarks on the almost
fiendish levity with which a Glasgow .Journal has alluded to
a Noble Lord and a highly respectable Member of Parliament,
who were reported to have been on board the Comet; but the
general feeling of loathing and disgust which these allusions
have created wherever they have been seen, are sufficient, with..
out our assistance, to mark them with public scorn and indig-
nation.