The Sun.
London, England, 1833-09-10 00:00:00

THE LATE STORM.

STEAMER—DREADFUL
SITUATION—LOSS OF LIVES.
The Ardincaple steam packet, which plies between
Newcastle and Edinburgh, sailed from Leith harbour on
the morning of Sunday last, about two o'clock. Having
rounded St. Abb's Head, the wind, which was quite fair,
increased to a most tremendous gale, such as had not been
seen upon this coast for upwards of thirty ye ire. Having
got up nearly as far as Bambro' Castle, about twelve
o'clock—a distance of upwards of seventy miles, which
she had run in about ten hours, a most dreadful sea struck
her upon the larboard quarter, and falling into the waist,
made a clean sweep of every thing off the deck, tore
away the whole of the bulwark staunchions and paddles
casing on the starboard side, and, we lament to add,
carried overboard Captain M'Leod, the steward's daughter,
a soldier, and two other passengers, one of them a young
woman, and a middle aged man. Sese ral other persons
were overboard, hut contrived to regain the vessel. She
immediately righted, but the rigging, which was fastened
to the starboard bulwark, and which supported the chimney
and mainmast, having been thus carried away, they were
left in a very to.tering condition. Both anchcrs were
immediately let go, and she was brought up. Another sea
then struck her, and the chimney and mainmast then went
over the side, but fortunately no person was hurt by the
fall. Every exertion was then made to clear away the
wreck, and, as the agent to Lord Crewe's trustees says, in
a letter to the agent here, "she bravely rode in the gale till
near one o'clock the next morning;" but in such a sea that
'has seldom or never been seen on this coast. Too much
praise cannot be given to a party of sailors, who were on
board as passengers, and to Mr. Pearson, late the Captain
of the King of the Netherlands, who then took the
command. The vessel was perfectly tight, but from all
the sky-lights on deck being broken in, and the engine.
house completely washed away, a great deal of water
necessarily got into the vessel. Having, however, an
excerent copper pump on board, the sailors and crew
soon got the better of the water, and then, as before
stated, rode till near one o'clock on Monday morning, a
period of nearly thirteen hours, in that most tremendous
sea. During the day, two of the crew lowered down the
stern boat, and jumped into ger, when the painter broke,
and in a moment they were swallowed up by the raging
element. About one o'clock she was struck by another
most tremendous sea, when she parted from WI) her
anchors, both chain cables having broken, and it was
then momentarily expected she would drive ashore.
Having, however, fortunately cast her head to the south-
ward, anti the wind having changed a little, some sail
was immediately made upon her, and she began to edge
off a little ; but in a short time the sails were blown to
ribbons. Very fortunately there were some large tarpau-
lins, which had been used to cover the baggage upon
deck, and with these they contrived to make a sail, and
they had the satisfaction to find she was going off the
land with them. They soon cleared her of the water
she bad shipped, and steered immediately for a good
anchorage under the lee of the Fern Islands, where they
saw several vessels riding in smooth water, and among
the rest a revenue cutter (supposed to be the Mermaid),
and, notwithstanding guns were fired from the Ar-
dincaple, the bell rung, and every exertion made, they
inhumanly took no notice of the vessel, but suffered
her to pass them within a very short distance (not more
than 300 yards). Indeed, she was in their view the
whole of the preceding day, when at anchor, but a cod
smack which was riding inside the cutter, having heard
the signals, immediately slipped her cables, and came down
to their assistance. About five o'clock they were taken in
tow by the smack, and the passengers were removed into
her for safety. She was then towed up by the smack to
Shields, where she got into the harbour next morning.
The passengers were all landed in the evening by a boat
from Culiercoats, who, seeing her distress, gallantly put
off at the hazard of their lives to her assistance. The
vessel has suffered comparatively little in her bud, not
having been under the necessity of being pumped out
since she arrived, but nearly everything on deck was
carried away.
Mr. Valentine Ward communicates the following par-
ticulars, given him by a passenger on board
We left Leith on the morning of Sunday the Ist
instant, about one or two o'clock, having been prevented
from sailing on Saturday evening, as was intended, by the
strong gale and heavy swell. Ac the time we left the
harbour, both had greatly subsided, and we sailed
pleasantly to the Bass Rock with a fine breeze N. by N.E ,
having on board ten grown up females, and 16 or 17
males, besides two children, the captain and crew. When
opposite Dunbar, the wind was very fresh, mid gradually
increased till we came to Abb's Head, when it blew a
perfect hurricane. The vessel drifted towards the land
till it came between Holy Island and Bemborough Castle,
bearing about S., when, the waves rolling mountains high,
she was wrapt in a sea astern, and thrown upon her beam
ends! some time she lay upon her ride, the sea
dashing the window to pieces, and pouring in torrents
into the cabin. Many of the passengers in the cabin were
severely hurt by the furniture rolling upon them, particu-
larly a Mr. N., whose head was severely cut, three of his
ribs broken, and one of his hips greatly injured.
" When the sea first struck the vessel, seven persons
were washed overboard. The Captain, the stewardess,
a soldier, and a gentleman, name unknown. These were
all lost. The other three got on board again, one of
whom, Captain Pearson, took charge of the vessel, the
engine of which was rendered completely useless. When
she righted, the beat was got out, with the intention, if
possible, of landing the passengers, but it soon swamped.
Her headrope not breaking, she was got up again. After
recovering her, two of the crew went aboard, intending,
if possible, to keep her afloat, by directing her head to-
wards the waves. A sudden throw of the sea broke her
adrift, and after drifting a little way towards land, the
two brave men were seen shaking la ands, and immedi-
ately one of them was washed out of the boat; the other
soon after sunk in the mighty waters.
After getting the head of the Ardincaple to the wind
both her anchors were dropped, that, if possible, she
might outride the storm. In about half an hour one of
the cables snapped, after which she rode by one cable for
ten or eleven hours. Daring this memorably dreadful
night the passengers and crew were, for the most part,
engaged either at the pump, or in casting the cargo
overboard, in order to lighten the vessel. A considera-
ble part of the time, however, was employed by one of
the number (the Rev. J. P. Haswell) in exhorting and
praying with his fellow-sufferers, directing them to that
Saviour who is a hiding place from th storm and a
covert front the tempest. Many were the vows then
made, and, apparently, earnest the petitions offered at the
throne of grace,
" At one o'clock on Monday morning a tremendous sea
struck the vessel, and broke her away from her remain-
ing anchor, and carried away her mainmast by the board.
By this shock another female was thrown overboard and
perished; name unknown ! A child also at this time fell
into the sea, but was recovered by her watchful and
anxious mother. Soon afterwards the funnel fell over-
board, doing much less damage than was apprehended.
Captain Pearson caused a temporary sail to be hoisted, and
by a remarkable Providence, at that moment the wind
veered round to the N.W. All rejoiced exceedingly that
now they might be kept from the shore on which they
were previously in danger of being wrecked.
" The Captain bore away, that, if possible, he might
make the Fern Islands, and enter one of the harbours, or
run her :shore. Burn, having little management of the
vessel, these projects were both impracticable, and be had
no alternative but to bear away before the wind, in hope
that a gracious Providence might bring some other vessel,
to our aid ! About daybreak we were discovered by the
Renown, a London fishing smack, which, after trying
in vain to recover her own anchor, slipped her cable, and
making all sail, came up to us at near seven o'clock. She
was engaged to tow the Ardincaple into the nearest har-
bour, and with that intention the two vessels] were fastened
together by a strong cable rope. In about twenty minutes
the rope broke, and after another trial it broke again, and
became quite useless.
" It now became necessary to take all the passengers
?sat of the Ardincaple into the boat of the fishing smack,
an doing which one lady fell overboard, but was again re-
covered. Captein Pearson and the crew remained on
hoard the Ardincaple, the Renown keeping near her. In
about an hour, another smack, the Favourite, came near,
anti took the Ardincaple in tow with a chain cable- The
Captain of the Renown wished still to keep company with
the Ardincaple, but was prevailed upon to bear away to-
wards Shields. We arrived at the bar about 4, o'clocl
in the afternoon, but were unable to proceed. No attene
tion being paid to our signals of distress, we returned
back, and by the )aelp of a boat which came out front
Cullercoats, were landed at Hartley Baits about 7 o'clock
in the evening. The sailors from the Canada, which
had been wrecked, were of essential service to us ; and,
but for their help, it is not likely that any of the persons
am board the Ardincaplc could have been saved. All
the Captains and sailors behaved well, with the exception
of one sailor, who was drunk the whole time.
A few hints are all that will be needful to those whom
the seafaring part of this tragical narrative may more
particularly concern. Practical questions will naturally
occur to them concerning the furniture of the cabin being
loose—the sieamer being so poorly supplied with cables,
sails, etc,--and the inattention to the signals of &Wes!

at the bar of Shields ;—and, perhaps most of all, why
the life boat was not sent out from Holy Island ?
MILFORD HAVEN. —A PLEASURE YACHT LOST.
Friday night, as the pleasure yacht Phccbe, of Dublin, was
off Milford Haven, she capsized, when all on board, con-
sisting of Mr. and Mrs. Hargrave, of this city, with five
or six children and three seamen, all met with a watery
grave. Mr. Hargrave was on a visit to some property in
the south of Ireland, in the yacht, when a heavy gale
came on and drove her over to Milford, where the lament-
able accident occurred. His eldest daughter and some
of the family, who were not on board, are in the greatest
distress from this most melancholy event.—Dublin Times.
STOCKPORT.-Our river was up to an immense height.
The storm was general, and much damage done to the
corn and second crops of hay grass and clover, as well as
potatoes. I❑ Sale, south cast of the Mersey, the embank-
ment gave way, opening a chasm of 70 yards along the
side of the river, inundating about 200 acres of meadow,
corn, and potatoe lands; of the last, out of 4 or 5 fi Ids
about 25 to 30 acres, about one-half are totally swept
away, leaving nothing but the bare grounds. The
margins of the meadows are covered with the second
crops of hay and clover, lying in ridges like drifted snow ;
and at the ferry-house the inmates had to retreat to the top
stories to preserve their lives. What the amount of
damage may be to the owners it is hard to tell, but the
desolation appears ruinous to look on. In one instance,
in the Vale of Tintwistle, so dreadful was the hurricane,
and so immediate its inundating effects, that the husband
had only just time to take his wife from their bed, whom
he conveyed in his arms a considerable distance through
the storm, both in their night clothes, for more secure pro-
tection.--:-Stockport Advertiser.
SHEFFIRLD•-The farmers were in the midst of barley
harvest, and some very fine crops having been cut down,
were ❑early ready for carrying, but the wind and rain
have injured the barley, particularly the wind, which cut
off many of the ears whilst it stood in stack in the fields.
Since the storm, the general temperature has been like
that of the latter part of autumn rather than of summer.
Sheffield Courant.
SUNDERLAND.-Thursday the Thomas Burrow, Davy-
son, from Tortola, with sugar, was making for Lan-
caster, when she ran on a sand bank a few miles below
Sunderland, and almost immediately went on her
beam ends. At the moment she struck the Captain ra❑
down into the cabin to save the papers, but unfortunately
lost his life, for ere he could regain the deck he was
drowned. The Thomas Burrow was a swift sailing good
vessel, and the captain was remarkably steady, and much
esteemed by his crew and acquaintance. He had been
fifty-five voyages to the West Indies previously, as master
of a vessel, and had crossed the Atantic one hundred and
ten times ! The remainder of the crew were saved. The
sloop Gordon, of Kirkudbright, from Dutnfries for Liver-
pool, with cotton, was observed beating about on the
Lancashire coast, when the captain was washed overboard
by a heavy sea and drowned ; his name was John McKen-
zie. The vessel struck on the banks at Blackpool in the
afternoon, and the crew were compelled to lash themselves
to the rigging to save their lives. In this state of anxiety
they remained until the tide had receded sufficiently to
permit their escape. The vessel became a total wreck.
SCARBOROUGH, ADC. 31.—A fishing cob!e sunk ;
crew drowned. The Diana, in coming for the harbour,
ran against the outward pier, and instantly sunk; crew
saved. The wreck has since floated on the beach. The
Lively Increase, from Stockton, went ashore on the
beach, south of the Spaw ; crew saved by the life-boat;
♦essel expected to he a wreck. The Lurk, from Sunder-
land for Bridlington, on shore on Filey Sand, in a dan-
gerous situation ; crew saved. There is also a vessel on
shore under Speeton Cliffs. Sept. I.—The wreck of a
schooner was washed upon Gristhorpe Sand, marked on
the stern " Wilna, of Brancaster, W. Cooke, master."
This morning, the Juno, from Shields, went on shore at
Filey, where she is likely to be wrecked; crew saved.
The fishing boats Lion, Rambler, Two Friends, and
Union, of Yarmouth, and the yawl Friends' Adventure,
•:Cley, totally wrecked in Filey Bay.
WHITBY, Ana. 31.—The Lord Brougham and
Smales, from Quebec, in removing up the harbour, struck
the bridge; the former sustained much damage. A brig
foundered yesterday, and all on board were drowned.
From part of the wreck washed up, she appeared to have
been the Alfred, of Aberdeen.

SEPT. 2.—The Ann and Susannah went on shore at
Robin Hood's Bay, and broke up next tide ; crew saved
by the exertions of the fishermen ; part of the cargo and
stores saved. The Trimmer, of Whitby, a keel, of Sun-
derland, and the Trafalgar, of Newcastle, are on shore at
Staiths, north of this port. Some firkins of butter, and
the wreck of a boat, marked " Friends of Wisbeach,
George Huet," have been washed on shore at Standon
Dale. The Harmony, from London, was blown upon
the Lincolnshire coast a complete wreck ; the crew, ten
in number, all perished.
WIIITEHAVEN.—Saturday two sloops were observed
making for the harbour, the tide rushing in with fury,
and the surges breaking over the rocks with a deafening
noise. One, the Jane and Catherine, of Bangor, coal
laden, from Workington, had sprung a leak, and had five
feet water in her hold, consequently was unable to prose-
cute her voyage. In trying to make this harbour, she
struck on the outer edge of the nvw pier, very near the
Lighthouse, and within a hundred yards of the shore. All
efforts to save the vessel were at once abandoned, it being
evident she must he sacrificed ; she reeled on the rock,
and was left entirely to the fury of the tide and the wind.
The next object was to save the lives of the poor fellows
on hoard; and with the view of effecting this, a rope was
thrown by the spectators on the parapet of the wall over
the mast of the vessel, and by this communication the
crew were saved, though in landing they were all more or
less injured, by being driven against the pier. The head
of one ma❑ was seriously cut. In five minutes her timbers
and stores were scattered on the surface of the waters,
every wave bringing some remnant to shore, and lifting
the heavy chests of the seamen as though they had been
feathers. The crew were dreadfully exhausted.—The
sloop Zfary, of Garliestown, which left this port on
Friday, laden with lime, owing to the storm, was un-
ab:e to prosecute her voyage. The wind drove her with
violence towards the piers, the tide just rising, and
the water in the harbour inadequate to float her,
the wind drove her in, and the crew were compelled
to submit to their fate, although destruction threatened
them in the attempt. She drove past the new pier safely,
but struck on the battlement of the Old Quay with great
violence, so that the water rushed in between her beams;
yet by the exertions of those on shore she was brought into
the harbour. The water which rushed through her open
beams bad hurst into her hold, and, communicating with
the lime, speedily slacked it, and a thin line of white smoke
was visible rising from the cabin. To those ignorant of
her cargo this was unaccountable, but in a few minutes
the truth was made known. The sloop had combatted
the waves, and over which the fury of the storm had teen
wreaked in vain, was on fire! She fell a prey to the ele-
ment of destruction; the thin white smoke, at first scarcely
perceptible, soon increased in volume and density, and in
five minutes a thick cloud rolled from the sloop, obscuring
the opposite shores to the eye of the spectators, and enve-
loping the view as with a shroud. Here and there a dark
form might be traced on the deck, which must have been
at that time intensely hot, and when the wind partially
removed the misty veil which hung between the spectators
and the vessel, the crew might be seen endeavouring to
save their clothes and other goods on board. In vain ! the
fire increased, and there were no means of allaying the
heat of such a material. The crew were at length com-
pelled to abandon the sloop. The lime continued burning
for hours, and finally the water had the effect of swelling
the lime; the stern and part of the sides were burst out.
She was removed when the tide bad receded, but is a total
wreck.