The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-06 00:00:00

LONDONDERRY STEAMER.

DIII3LIN, DEC. s.—The Londonderry Sentinel has pub-
lished an extra edition, containing the following most
horrible narrative :

" LONDONDERRY, MONDAY EVENING, 6 O'CLOCK.—
About nine o'clock yesterday morning the inhabitants of
this city were startled on hearing the astounding intelli-
gence that the Londonderry steamer, Captain Johnstone,
which plies between Sligo and Liverpool, had reached
our quay with a number of dead bodies on board. Great
excitement was manifested through the city. Immedi-
ately after the arrival of the vessel we hastened to the
spot, and found that the steamer, crew, cargo, and sur-
viving passengers, were in the hands of the authorities.
Fifty men of the 95th Regiment, under Major Raimes,
supported by the city constabulary, were present, and
prevented the egress of any person from the vessel.
Alexander Lindsay, Esq , the Mayor, and several of the
local magistrates, were also in attendance. The scene
on entering the steamer was truly heartrending. In the
steerage the terrific spectacle presented itself of seventy-
three individuals piled indiscriminately on each other,
deprived of life. Though various rumours as to the cause
of death had got into circulation instantly after the vessel
arrived, it was quite apparent, from the appearance of
the bodies, that death was caused by suffocation.
" After the lape of some time a respectable jury was
empanelled before Mr. Lloyd, coroner, and they pro-
ceeded to hold an inquest on the body of one of the
sufferers, Ann M•Laughlin, a little girl of about eight
years of age.

" Two —witnesses were then examined, at the con-
clusion of which, it being six o'clock, the coroner
adjourned the investigation until ten o'clock this
morning. _ _ _

"It appeared, from the evidence tendered, that the
Londonderry steamer left for Liverpool at four o'clock
on Friday evening, having on board, besides cattle, &c.,
nearly 150 steerage passengers—the greater number of
whom were on their way to America; and that the
evening became so boisterous that none but the crew
could keep the deck. The passengers were ordered
below—the hatch, or companion, was drawn partially
across, but it appears that sufficient space was not lett
for the purpose of ventilation, which caused the unfortu-
nate people below to experience all the horrors of suffo-
cation. One passenger, more fortunate than the rest,
succeeded in gaining the deck, and alarmed the mate,
when he, with some of the crew, hastened to their re-
lief ; but alas! too late—seventy-three human beings had
ceased to exist. It would be premature to go further
into the matter at present, as the inquest is pending. The
captain and crew have been taken into custody."
The Freeman's Journal of this morning has the fol-
lowing version of this most dreadful calamity. From
the preceding statement, there appears no ground to
suppose that murders had occurred :
" We have received from a correspondent in London-
derry, on whose veracity we can rely, the outlines of one
of the most horrid tragedies recorded in the annals of
human crime. We must observe that it is customary
for the steam-boats plying between Sligo and Liverpool to
put in at Londonderry, in order to take in goods and
passengers. This accounts for the fact that our cur-
respondent was enabled to be an eye-witness of the hor-
rid spectacle to which it is our painful duty to draw
attention. The Londonderry steamer,' says our in •
formant, which left :Sligo on Friday, had on board 105
passengers, part of whom were for America, and the other
part for Liverpool. A great number of the latter, it
appears, went on board for the purpose of plundering
passengers; and when the crew were engaged in the
management of the steam-boat during the storm, they
commenced their horrid work, and awful to relate, on
the arrival of the steamer at this place, not less than
forty of the poor creatures were found murdered in the
most brutal manner. The awful sight on the deck of the
steamer, on which I have this moment looked I shall
never forget.'
" This statement: we have every reason to believe au-
thentic. In the excitement of the moment our corre-
spondent did not wait to collect details. These, we have
no doubt, we will be able to supply by tomorrow. A
large number of the passengers have been taken into
custody, and the investigation will, of course, elicit the
incidents of this fearful tragedy."

The following versions of this horrible affair were
current yesterday in Liverpool:—
" Shortly before the mail steamer left Kingston a tele-
graphic announcement from northward was received, to
the following effect:—
" A dreadful occurrence has taken place on board an
emigrant ship, which recently left Ireland. The poorer
classes attacked the farmers, plundering them of their
money during the conflict. A heavy storm obliged the
master to put into Derry, when no less than 40 dead
bodies were found on board. These were all the parti-
culars known when the Trafalgar left Kingston.' "
On making further inquiry, we obtained the following
extract from a private letter, which reached Liverpool
yesterday morning:—
"Londonderry, Dec. 3.

" The Sligo steamer Londonderry, from Sligo to Liver-
pool, has just put in here, with fifty-three people dead,
said to have been murdered on the passage by a gang of
robbers, who went on board to rob some emigrants who
had a deal of money. The police and military have
mounted guard."
On inquiring at the office of the Sligo steamer at
Liverpool, our correspondent was 'informed that she was
due on Sunday, but had not yet arrived, The agents,
however, were without any advice respecting her, which,
under the circumstances, is rather strange.