The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-29 00:00:00

-87---e--LAL__

HER MAJESTY'S STEAM-SLOOP

SPHYNX.

• BROOK, ISLE OF WIGHT, JAN. 27.—Since Monday it has
been blowing so hard from the southward that the crew have
been unable to communicate with the wreck, except for about
half an hour yesterday, when Captain Cragg and Lieutenant
Marryat Went on board for some provisions, aild succeeded in
getting some rum, &c., ashore.
Captain Austen has not as yet made any attempt to float
the wreck, but hopes are still entertained of his succeeding
• next springs. It is proposed to lighten her still further, and
endeavour to float her with casks. A raft has been con-
structed to facillitate the communication from the'shore, but
has not yet been used, on account of the heavy surf. -••••
No more casualties have occurred. A few of the boys and
seamen are suffering from the -exposure and fatiguing duty
on the beach; the worst cases will be forwarded to the flag-
ship at Portsmouth at the earliest opportunity, but no seri-
ous case has appeared. • Toe men are comfortably. lodged '‘in
Mr. Home's barn. No desertions have occurred since, nor
have the crew committed any excesses; indeed, under the
circumstances, and with very few exceptions, their behaviOur
has been most orderly.
The weather, has been very unpropitious for operations
upon the wreck, blowing very hard from the S. and S.W.,
with squalls and rain. •
Captain Cragg and Lieutenant Marryat are indefatigable in
their exertions for the comfort of the crew, .and in endea-
vouring to save what portions of the wreck and 'stores have
been strewed along the beach, and carting them to a place
of safety.

•
NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 28.—A severe gale has been blowing
on this coast all Right, and numerous reports of moat serious
and fatal disasters have been brought in to-day. One is that
a fishing vessel was swamped off the Wight, and that all
hands perished. This, however, wants confirmation. Not
so another disaster. The brig Gipsy, of and from Hull,
George Jackson master, laden with wheat and peas, bound to
Cork, which struck at five o'clock this morning on the east
end of the Woolsners (a most fatal shoal, near Cumberland
Fort, about four miles along the Southsea shore), and con-
tinued to do_so heavily until half-past' eight (nearly high
water), when she filled. The crew (ten in,number) left her
in the longboat a sho'rt time previously, and on approaching
the shore she. was capsized in the surf, when all would in-
evitably have perished but for. the brave self-devotion 'of
Lieutenant Clark, and the men under his command, of the
Hayling Coast-guard station, who, having witned the
catastrophe, nobly rushed into the surf and draggs them
out. Nine out of ten of the crew, including the captain, were
thus rescued; the tenth, a boy. named John Cliff Atkinson,
perished. After the crew got into the surf, the wash of khe
shingle was so much " alive" as to render their death age-
rently certain, and, but for the prcinpt and gallant conduct
above detailed, not a soul would have been saved; as it is,
all but one (the boy) are comfortably lodged ashore, and
are doing well. It is expected the brig will be a total wreck.
The African steam-tug has been sent out to her assistance
by the naval authorities but was compelled to return with-
out effecting any good, the vessel being too far on the shoal
to:enable anything to get near her, and there being a tre-
mendous sea on.

The Echo tug is taking on board materials wherewith to
commence operations with the Sphynx the next spring tide,
should the weather moderate, of which there appears no pro-
bability at present. She will take, among other necessaries,
two paddle-box boats, these being the only craft that can
live in such heavy seas and fatal surfs as prevail in the
neighbourhood of the Sphynx.
The Eurydice, 26, Captain Talavera Anson, and the Con,-
test, 12, Commander M'Murdo, were cruising off Sierra
Leone on the 16th ult. The ships were healthy, as was the
coast, at the above date.

The Curlew, 10-gun brig, 233 tons, built at Woolwich, in
1830, has Leen fitted as a mortar-vessel, upon the plan of
Lieutenant Julius Roberts, of the Royal Marine Artillery, as
we stated she was ordered to be upwards of nine months ego.
A. trial of the experiment will take place in a few days, under
distinguished superintendence.