The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-24 00:00:00

SUNDERLAND ELECTION.

SUNDERLAND, WEDNESDAY ETENING.—The Re-
t :ruing Officer held a Court this morning, to make
th' official declaration of the poll. On counting up
the books the following were found to be the numbers
recorded for each candidate :

Sir H. Williamson ... 707

Mr. Wilkinson

578

Majority for Sir H. Williamson ... 129
Total electors polled
Do. at the last election .. 1,322
Mr. Wilkinson polled nine votes more than he did
at the last contest, and Sir Hedworth Williamson
polled 61 more than Mr. Barclay. There were 37
fewer electors polled at this contest than at thegene-
ral election. In four polling booths Sir Hedworth had
the majority, in one the numbers were equal, and in
three the majority was in favour of Mr. Wilkinson.
Sir Hedworth's gross majority could have been in-
creased full 150 more, as that number of voters were
ready to go to poll had they been required, and most
of them were waiting at the Committee-room, or in
the vicinity of the polling booths, to be ready if De-
cessary.
On the Returning Officer declaring Sir Hedworth
Williamson, Bart., of Whitburn Hall, duly elected,
great applause followed the announcement.
Sir HEDWORTH briefly thanked the electors for the
honour conferred upon him, and assured them he
would endeavour to prove himself worthy of the
high trust and confidence they had reposed in him.
He had predicted a victory, and had in no respect
been disappointed.
On Mr. WILKINSON presenting himself he wag
received with great cheering and waving of hats. He
said they had been defeated by the same combination
as before, and "he wished the parties good luck of
their bargain." He congratulated her Majesty's
Government, or rather a Noble Lord high in office,
in having used every means in his power to return
an opponent of that Government on the important
questions of the navigation and the currency laws.
Had he been elected he would zealously have sup-
ported the Government on these questions, but his
opponent would be hostile to them. He could not
possibly have anticipated the result, as he had 686
promises on his canvass books, and 19 had voted for
him who did not promise him. One hundred and
twenty-four of his promises bad not voted, and 32
had, voted against him. He would not pledge himself
to contest the borough again, but he urged the
Liberal electors to persevere, and they would ulti-
mately he successful.
A vote of thanks was then given to the returning
officer, and the crowd speedily dispersed.

ANOTHER SHIPWRECK OFF
SKULL HARBOUR.
(From the Cork Examiner.)
SKULL, ONE O'CLOCK, P.M., DEC. 17.—Abort
four o'clock on the morning of the 17th instant, a.
ship, laden with deals and oak staves, was driven
ashore at Gunpoint, about two miles west of Skull
Harbour, and three from where the Stephen Whitney
was lost, and in a few moments became a total wreck..
Her name has not as yet been ascertained,
although we went to the place where the wreck "
was driving ashore, in hopes of being able to
learn something f her. None of the crew'
have been seen ; some suppose they abandoned her,
others, that they were drowned ; and I can with safety
to myself say that were they on board when she
struck they could never land, the beach being so pre-
cipitous and the breakers running so high. A poor
man, named John Griffin, while in the act of taking
one of the deals which the surge left on the rock,
was carried away and drowned by the receding serge ;
he has left a wife and three children to deplore his loss.
Another vessel has also cast anchor this morning
outside Skull Harbour, and in consequence of the
violent storm which was then raging was obliged to
cut away her masts. The commissioned boatmen
and one of the coast guards at Skull, with three
other volunteers, went to sea to try and render
the crew and vessel what assistance they could, but
the sea ran so high and the gale being still un-
abated, they were obliged to return when moo
than four-fifths of the way without being able to
accomplish their object, the boat which they had
not being of the best description.
I would most earnestly recommend to the Humane
or some other Society to furnish a life boat to t_ll°
coast guards of the Skull station (as it might be the
means of saving many valuable lives), as no ordii°l.,l
boat could render any assistance to a vessel in 1515"
tress off Skull Harbour on such a day as this, or
even on a much more moderate day. Any further
particulars which I may learn will be furnished as
soon as possible. W.