The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-02 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL.

LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY.—The dense fogs now prevailing
in this vicinity have given rise to several serious mishaps
to the shipping in the river and outside the harbour.
Yesterday morning the Government mail steamer Urgent,
while proceeding towards the bar, came into collision
near the Formby lightship with' the inward-bound Bel-
fast steam• ship Tynwald. The Tynwald and the Urgent
were both seriously damaged. On board the former a
seaman was dangerously crushed, and both vessels re-
turned into port. The transmission of the mails for
Dublin was consequently delayed.
This morning another disaster occurred ; the Windsor
steamer, when proceeding down the river, having run
' into the ship Wellington, from Quebec. The Windsor
received but trifling damage ; the injuries received by
the Wellington were severe.
In addition to these, several mishaps have occurred on
the river of less importance, and as the atmosphere con •
tinues,to be extremely dense, it must be apprehended that
.others may occur.
We- extract from the Mercury of this morning the
following account of the collision first noted:—
"Yesterday morning, about nine o'clock, her Majesty's
royal mail steamer Urgent came into collision, near the
Formby lightship, with the fine iron steam-boat Tyn-
wald. The Urgent, Captain Simmons, was on her way
from Liverpool to Dublin with the early morning mail,
and the Tynwald was entering this port from Belfast.
Our readers are doubtless aware that the Tynwald is one
of the finest boats which enters the port of Liverpool.
She was built last season for the Liverpool and Isle of
Man Steam-packet Company, to sail between this port
and Douglas, and had been chartered by the Belfast
Steam-packet Company during the repair of their vessel,
the Sea King. She is commanded by Captain William
Gill, one of the most fortunate, skilful, and careful com-
manders out of the port of Liverpool, which may readily
be inferred whereit is known that this is the only serious
accident which ever happened to a vessel under his charge
during the long period of 30 years that he has been a
captain out of this port, 16 of which he has been in
charge of a steamer. We gathered the following par-
ticulars as to the accident from parties who were on
board the Tynwald:—The Tynwald left Belfast on
Wednesday evening, and parted with the pilot about
a quarter to seven o'clock. The weather was very
thick, and had been so for some time previously,
several vessels having got aground in their attempt to
leave the Loch. She had on board 60 passengers, and
a very valuable cargo of linens, the vessel and its freight
being valued afloat at about 120,0001. The weather
continued thick throughout the passage, the Calf lights
being seen with very great difficulty. The vessel, how-
ever, kept her course, and made the Bell buoy at half-
past eight o'clock yesterday. The weather was still
very thick, and from half-past five o'clock the engines
had been going slowly. At five minutes to nine o'clock
the Formby lightship was made, and the steamer had
only passed her a few lengths when a vessel was reported
on the larboard bow. Captain Gill, who was on the
gangway, immediately called out Hard sport,' and gave
directions to stop the engines, both of which orders were
immediately obeyed. A steamer was then observed
coming up with great speed in the direction of the Tjn-
wald, and in an instant orders were given to back the
engines of the Tynwald. Several turns backwards had
been givenito the engines, when the approaching steamer
struck her with great force on the larboard paddle-box.
The vessel proved to be her Majesty's ship Urgent,
which, as before stated, was on her way to Dublin, with
the morning mail. Of course the effect of the blow
was tremendous, and the scene amongst the passengers,
before they were satisfied of the extent of the injury,
was one which can scarcely be described. Captain Gill
begged that Captain Simmons would remain by the
Tynwald, to see if she was able to reach the port. To
this Captain Simmons at once assented, and after back-
ing off, lowered his boat and sent it to the Tynwald to
ascertain whether she was totally disabled or not. It
was soon found that although the larboardTpaddle had
been disabled, the starboard engine could be worked,
and by this means the vessel would be enabled to reach
the dock.

" This being the state of things, the Urgent took all
the passengers from the Tynwald, and proceeded to
Liverpool, dropping anchor in the Sloyne. The Tyn-
wald came up with one engine, remained in the river all
day, and docked in the Clarence-basin last night, about
eleven o'clock.

" It is but justice, to Captain Simmons to say that he
behaved with the greatest consideration after the acci-
dent, and did flat leave the Tynwald till he was satis-
fied she was safe.

" The Urgent is a wooden vessel, and the Tynwald, as
already mentioned, an iron one. The effect of the col-
lision upon the Urgent was to carry away her cutwater,
bowsprit, and figure-head. Her planks were started
also, but we believe no person on board of her was in-
jured. The damage done to the Tynwald was much
more serious. Her larboard-paddle, paddle-box, paddle-
beam, and all the wing belting were smashed to atoms;
the houses on deck partially. broken up, and the frag-
ments of wood strewed about mall directions. So great
was the force with which the vessels came into contact
that, although the Tynwald had back way upon her, the
wheel was forced rapidly round, knocking down one of
the men who was at it. The other seaman at the helm
was John Anderson: he was carried round the wheel
and forcibly jammed between the spoke handles and the
deck. So firmly was he fixed that it required the united
efforts of two men afterwards to release the poor fellow
from his awful position, the blood at the time gushing
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" One of the passengers, a seafaring gentleman, had a
very narrow escape. A few moments before the colli•
sion he tried to get into one of the houses on deck, into
which the bowsprit of the Urgent was forced, but in con-
sequence of some barrels have been jammed up against
it, he was prevented, and thus saved his life, for if he
had gone into the house he must have been crushed to
pieces.
"We understand that as soon as those on board the
Urgent discovered the vessel they were approaching was a
steamer, the engine was stopped, but the way of the
vessel was so great that a collision was inevitable. From
what took place after the accident there is little doubt
the Tynwald was supposed to be the Formby lightship,
which was close at hand; that the helm of the Urgent
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a vessel could be seen only
about six lengths off, and for this reason the engines of
the Tynwald were slowed, whereas, from all we can
learn, the Urgent was going nearly at full speed.
"The engines of the Tynwald, we; believe, are unin-
jured, but it will require a considerable time to repair
her woodwork. Had the Urgent struck her other than
about a yard abaft the paddle•shaft, the injury must
have been much more serious, or had the position of the
vessels been reversed, the Tynwald being by far the
more powerful boat, and sharper at the bow, the conse-
quences would, doubtless, have been very disastrous.
We suppose there will be, as there ought to be, a search-
ing investigation into the cause of the accident, and the
blame allowed to rest in the proper quarter."