The Sun.
London, England, 1822-07-29 00:00:00

ROYAL NAVY.

LOSS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP DRAKE.
The following details of the melancholy loss of his Majesty's
ship Drake, are extracted from a Newfoundland paper of the
2d inst., received on Saturday
" The Drake sailed from Halifax on Thursday morning, 20th
ult., for St. John's. The weather being uncommonly fine, and
the wind favourable, she continued to steer a direct course for
Cape Race : on Sunday morning it came on extremely thick,
with a fresh breeze from W.S.W. ; at noon it cleared up for
about a quarter (If an hour, just giving us time to get a good
observation of the latitude, which agreed very well with the la-
titude by account. At the time we supposed ourselVes, by our
reckoning, to be 90 miles from Cape Race. At six in the
evening, having run about 60 miles since noon, and finding
the fog still continued, we hauled our four points, intend.
ing to have steered.S.E. • During the night, about half-past
seven o'clock, all hands being on deck, breakers were reported
to be a-head ; the ship' was instantly hauled to the wind;
but not being able to clear the danger on that tack, we en-
deavoured to stay the vessel ; but from the heavy sea, and
whilst in stay, her stern took the breakers, and she immedi-
ately fell, broadside on, the sea beating completely over her ;
the masts were immediately cut away with the view of lighten-
ing the vessel, as well as aftbrding a bridge to save the crew, but
without success in either point, for in a few moments she bilged,
at which time there did not appear the slightest hope of saving a
man. The cutter was launched over the lee gangway, but im-
mediately sunk. A man attempted with a lead-line to swim
on shore, but the current setting strong to the northward, he
was nearly drowned in the attempt. The only hope remained
in the gig (the jolly-boat having been washed away), which
was launched from the forecastle with the boatswain and lead-
line ; a heavy surf washed her upon a rock not communicat-
ing with the main, and dashed her to pieces, and the line carried,
away, but the boatswain succeeded in scrambling up the rock
with a few fathoms of line. The sea at this moment making
heavy breaches over the ship, the crew were on the forecastle
hanging by the ropes, each succeeding wave appearing to bring
with it total destruction, when a tremendous sea lifted her
quarter over the rock on which she first struck, and close to an-.
other, comparatively sheltered. The fore Castle, hitherto the
most sheltered part of the ship, was now abandoned for the rock;
and all hope of the vessel being gone, it was determined, if pcs-
sible, to quit her. The people severally stepped from the poop
to the rock, in attempting which a few (among whom was Lieut.
Stanley) were washed away, and dashed with tremendous
force against the wreck. Captain Baker (after seeing the
whole of the crew on the rock) followed ; but it was now
found that the rock was insulated, and the rising tide would
cover it. The boatswain observing this, swam with the
piece of line in possession, and in spite of the surf, succeeded
in reaching land, and coming opposite the rock on which we
were, threw the line across ; it was found just long enough for
one to hold it on the main, and one on the rock at arms' length ;
by this trifling assistance 44 out of 50 who landed on the rock
succeeded in gaining the main, and it is probable all would,
had not a man and a woman attempted to cross together, which
took the line out of the man's hand on the rock, and in the at-
tempt to get it back it Was washed away. Captain Baker was
repeatedly requested to cross, but every time resolutely refused,
and throughout the, whole unfortunate occurrence, to save the
live of the crew appeared, to be his principal object, regardless
of his own. Every instant the water rose and surf increased,
when the officers and ship's crew used every endeavour .by
tying handkerchiefs together to make another holdfast ; but,
proving too short, we were soon after reluctantly com-
pelled to abandon them to their fate, and at day-break
there was not the slightest trace of the unfortunate suf-
ferers. At this time we found the frame of the wreck bro-
ken in halves, with the after-part thrown on the top of the
bow. On discovering we were on the eastern head of St.
Shott's, we repaired to a house we found there, after having
in vain searched for the body of Captain Baker, and then
proceeded, after a little refreshment, to Trepassy. The only
reason of so many lives being saved, certainly, was from the
great order and discipline of the crew. Every man's exertions
appeared to be, not for his own life, but for the general good.
Had any confusion prevailed, there is little doubt but few would
have remained to tell the mournful tale. The end of those left-
upon the rock was truly melancholy ; for it is probable they
might have remained half an hour after the line was gone, the
tide rising rapidly, and their inevitable fate approaching nearer
every instant. Capt. Baker died peculiarly regretted by both offi-
cers and crew; his uniform kindness and attention to every indi-
vidual on board during the whole of hiS command made a deep
impression, and it will be long before the recollection of him and
his untimely fate will be effaced' from the memory of the sur-
vivors. The following is a list of the sufferers on this melan-
choly occasion :—Captain Baker, Lieutenant Stanley, Mr.
Newnham, master, Mr. William Moore, midshipman, (son of
John Moore, Esq. of his Majesty's Customs in this place,
master's son, carpenter's son; nine seamen, two marines, and
`wo women."

. Mr. Croker, Secretary of the Admiralty, has been lately em-
ployed in fixing on and purchasing suitable sites, between
Portsmouth and -Plymouth, on which to erect SemaphOre
Signal Houses, for the purpose of carrying on the communica-
tion from the Admiralty to these ports.
Colonel the. honourable 11. A. C. Stapylton, Chairman of
the Victualling Board, Frederick Edgcombe, Esq. and Dr.
Burnett, Commissioners of that Board, have concluded their
labour of inquiries into the Departments under their direc-
tion at Portsmouth, with a view to make-reductions therein. • It
is computed that the consolidation of the Victualling with the
`Yeovil establishment, will effect a saving of upwards of 5,0001.
per annum. The total estimated expence of the year is given
en the " Navy Estimates" at 10,478/. At Chatham, where the
estimated expence was 3,8351. the establishment has been en-
tirely reduced, excepting the Clerk of the Cheque, one clerk,
and ten men.

• It is said that the Plyznouth victualling establishment willbe
removed to South Down.

Capt. Charles B. H. Ross is appointed Commissioner of the
Naval Yard at Port Royal, Jamaica. Lieut. W. Doveton to
the Bulwark, vice Lieut. R. J. Nash, appointed to the Espiegle.
Lieut. Soady is appointed to the Pandora, vice Brereton.
The Ariadne frigate sails directly from Plymouth for the Cape
of Good Hope.
Lieut. Moorsom is appointed to the Prince Regent yacht, at
Deptibid.
The Owen Glendower, Capt. Hon. R. C. Spencer, has sailed
from Sheerness, for the Island of Madeira, having taken on
board Dr. Tiarks, the German mathematician, with a number
of astronomical and mathematical instruments, who is to
sa-
certain the exact longitude of that Island.
Sir Thomas Hardy arrived at Rio Janeiro in the Creole, on
the 23d May, from Valparaiso. She brought 500,000 dollars.
The French frigate Clorinde had arrived round Cape Horn (at
Valliodad) with the loss of her mainmast.
His Majesty's ships Andromache and Liffey (the former
bound to the Cape, the latter to the East Indies) arrived at Rio
Janeiro on the 20th of May, 47 days from Spithead. The
Leven, on a survey, had also arrived.
Remain at Spithead—Royal George, Active, Calliope, Came-
leon, Grecian, Rose, Hound, and the ship Sir Edward Paget,
botind to Bengal.