The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-14 00:00:00

REPORT UPON THE LOSS OF THE
GREAT LIVERPOOL STEAMER.
Peninsular aud' Oriental Steam Navigation 'Com-
pany's Office, 51, St. Mary-axe, Landon.
April 7, 1846.
The committee appointed i,y the minutes of the Board
of the 31-t March. 1846, to investigate the circum-
stances connected with the less of the Great Liverpool
steam-ship, on the morning of the 24th of February, at
four o'clock, about ten !elks from Cape Finisterte, re-
port that :
Having reed the letter of the late commander of the
Great Liverpool, dated Vice Consulate Office, district of
Corcubion, Feb 24, 1846, announcing the loss of that
vessel at four o'clock in the morning of that day, by her
striking on a rock or shoal ;
Having closely inspected the log of that ship for 43
hours previous, as well Ss her logs for 21 previous home
ward bound voyazes—the n;gl:t order book of the late
commander, containing the orders giv,n or: the night of
the 23d of February, at eight o'clock, as well as the day's.
works or reckonings of the ollicers of the ship, as gent-
ile on the previous noon ;
Having closely examined the following witnesses, who
were on board the Great Liverpool when
Georgewre.cked
riles was
r. draai
lliams, strhtlr, la. a(rNikrui,
eil knl.l,i}ae:sftdeotilioliaenrcddwe rhLd;eiaeAtntllo)er
purser;'al
an
l'irha Brden%(lV.
James Beale, carpenter; Mr. Sat Wright,
Samuel Wi first
engineer,
As cell as Captain John Bowen. of the merchant ser-
vice (a passenger on board, and who has been a com-
mander in the coasting trade upwards of tour years, anti
twelve years in the merchant service in India):
That gentleman expreese t himself to the committee.
to the following t &et:—
That, "He felt perfectly satisfied with the truthful-
ness of the compasses.
That, " The vessel wa steered very correctly.
That, " Having worked the ship's reckoning for that
day, as was his usual practice on the voyage, he felt satis-
fied the course steered, N.N.E. and N.N.E. E., ought
to have taken the vessel nine to twelve miles to the
westward of Cape Finisterre.
That, " He was of opinion the vessel was carried so
far to the eastward by reason of some unacceunnable in-
draft, which he aftereards supposed to be occasioned by
a succession of easterly gales, which had prevailed in
the Atlantic for some days previous to and after the
wreck of the Great Liverpool.
That, " Ile (Captein Illewen) was very much pleased
and gratified with the good order and discipline which
prevailed on board the Great Liverpool.
That, "Captain M•Leod was always most attentive to
his duties, as were also the several officers of the ship,
and the orders were givers and carried out with a degree
of quietness that struck him forcibly.
That, " Ile never observed the duties on board a
ship carried out with more efficient regularity."
On the examination of Captain C. F. Burney, of the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-ship Pacha,
and Mr. James Carter, the chief officer of that vessel,
they stated
That, "After leaving the Rock of Lisbon, on her last.
homeward voyage, on the afternoon of the 2d of March,
1846, they experienced an unusual inset, the vessel being
drawn towards the land, and that the course was conse-
quently altered two points to the westward ef the course
then steering, which circumstance was noticed in the log
at that time.
That, " On the 4th of March, when the loss of the
Great Liverpool was heard of on beard the Pacha,
Captain Burney, was of opinion that it must have been
occasioned by the extraordinary and unsual inset which
had prevailed on the coast for several days."
Having examined Captain John So), of the Penin-
sular and Oriental Company's steam-shlp Oriental, he
stated as follows :
That, "'The Oriental passed Cape Finisterre, on her
last outward voyage on the 25th of February, at six ieet.,
the day after the Great Liverpool went on shore, at a
distance of from eighteen to twenty-two miles to the
westward of it.
That, " Ile found le remarkably strong inset, so that,
instead of making the Burlings ten miles on the port
bow, as he expected, he wade them on the starboard
bow, showing a difference. in the position in which the
vessel ought to have bear,. according to the course
steered, of from fifteen to twe,aty miles in a run of 210.
That, " He had experience d ten inset before, but never
to such au extraordinary degree: as on the occasion
alluded to."
On the inspection of the abstract of the log of the
Royal Mail Ste-am Packet Company's steam ship Tweed,
Captain George Parsons, on her last outward voyage
from Southampton to Madeira (which ship departed
from Southampton on the 17th of Februtery, 1846, at
three sem), it appears that on the 23d of the settle month
it blew a •• perfect hurricane" from the S.W.
We find that these westerly gales had lasted for up-
wards of nine days with great severity, and it has been
remarked that inset towards the shore is, ale ays more
apparent during the prevalence of such gales, althougil
the degree and direction of the wind experienced on
board the Great Liverpool on the coast of Spain and
Portugal (being S.S.E. to S. by W. by compass) was
not such as to cause any ate reliension of inset in the
mind of the late Captain Al•l,trod, who had made his
course true from Cape St. Vincei.t to the Hock of Lis-
bon, and thence to the Rurlings, from whence he shaped
his course to clear Cape Fmisterre.
The committee examined a copy of a chart by which
the Great Liverpool was navigated (the original having
been lost with the vessel). They find, from the evidence,
that the compasses were in good order and true, and that
the vessel was corr. ctly steered. They further find
the course steered on this last voyage was the same as
that which had been steered by that vessel with safety
on twenty-one previous homeward passages, atel that
Captain M•Leod had himself been stationed on the fore—
castle, looking out for two hours previous to the acci-
dent, where he continued until the ship struck.
The committee deem it due to the character of the
late commander of the Great Liverpool, to state, that the
utmost vigilance anti care fir the safety of the vessel and
those on board committed to his charge have been uni-
formly manifeeted by that lamented officer ; and the
committee, after mature deliberation on the whole evi-
dence adduced, are unanimously of opinion, that the
loss of the Great Liverpool was occasioned by a vela
unusual inset tram the ocean, which had never been met,
with in any of her farmer voyages, or in the experience
of the several commanders and officers whose evidence
has been take!).
(Signed) SAMUEL THORNTON, Capt., R.N.
RICHARD BOURNE, Commr., R. N.
ALEXANDER NAIRNE, Capt., H.E.I.C.S.
Resolved, That the report of the committee be re-
ceived and adopted.
Resolved, That with a view to guard against the pos.
sihility of the recurrence of danger from any extraordi-
nary inset for the future, the attention of the com•
wanders of the Company's vessels be drawn to this
report, and with reference to the circular of the board
of directors, d ited September 9th, 1845, they be again
strictly enjoined not to neglect to keep the most vigilant
lo ,k out in approaching the land in the night, or in thiek
or foggy weather, and to use the deepotea lead when
practicable.
And the board further direct that the ships of the
Company, on the voyage direct between England and
Gibraltar, both outward and hcmewards, are never in
future to be steered within twenty miles of Cape Finis-
terre during the night or in thick or foggy weather.
It was further resolved, That application through the
Admiralty and Foreign office should be forthwith wade
to the Spanish Government to procure the erection of a
lighthouse on Cape Finisterre, for the greater safety o`
navigation.

By order of the Board,
JAMES ALLAN, Secretary.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A GENTLEMAN AT BARKING.
—An inquest was held on Saturday, before C. C. Lewis
Esq., Coroner for South Essex, at Barking, on the body of a
person, name at present unknown. The inquest was first
opened on Wednesday last, and adjourned. From the evi-
dence it appears that the deceased crossed the iron bridge at
Bromley late on Friday night, going in the direction of
Barking, having a hat on at the time. The following morn-
ing a lab luring man, whilst passing down the lower road
from Barking to Dagenham, picke.l up a pair of black kid
gloves which were lying by the side of a ditch. In stooping
to do so he saw the body of a man lying face downwards in it.
With assistance it was got out and conveyed to the Harrow
beer-shop, Barking. Search was then made fi,r the hat, but
it could not be lountl, nor was there anything in the pockets
of the deceased. On the jury re-assembling on Saturday, no
additional evidence was forthcoming, and they returned an
open verdict of " Found drowned." The following descrip.
lion of the deceased was given :—Height about. 5 feet 4
inches, and age from 30 to 34 apparently ; his dress consisted
of a blue body coat, nearly new, with gilt buttons, black trou-
sers and waistcoat, and clarence boots, nearly new.
ROYAL HARWICH YACHT CLUB. —The Swedish Charg6
d'Affaires at the Court of London has just forwarded to the
Rear-Commodore of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club the
following letter :—" Baron Rehatisen presents his compli-
ments to Mr. Wiliiant Knight, and has the honour to inform
him that his Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway has
been pleased to grant to the Royal Harwich Yacht Club the
same privileges in the ports of Sweden and Norway as those
already conceded to other yacht clubs.—April 11, 1846." The
Roval.Harwicb Yacht Club is cow exempt from port charges
in Prussia, Lubec, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Hamburg!),
Hanover, Bremen' Holland, Frankfort-on-Maine, Belgium,
France, Portugal, Sardinia, and Egypt. The same privilege
will, it is expected, be soon granted by Russia, Oldenhurgh,
Spain, and the Mediterranean Powers. Sardinia and Egypt,
as we have just stated, have already granted the privilege.
GAMEKEEPER SHOT.—Henry Jackson, head game-
keeper to Sir George Sitwell, Renishawo-hall,
lle,ar the hall on
ndwhhaohsta
only recently been appointed such, went u near
his rounds on Tuesday night. He had not been out
outil.ioenogf
before three men suddenly came to-wards hint, and
same man
them fired a gun at him, but missed his aim. The
gmeans he
fired again, and shot him in the thigh. By
, dozen
nn
fmtehtel
shuts xwt .
and an officer who had a knowled,gried
gotwh ams IfiaSitaahr;e'doetild'tatlaol the Sheffield police
inhabitants was promptly
the
d
dill)tV; wounded man. In the
offenders who were knownvfea :ai°lsin°rno, hu iti
Ifih( go:nes:
ot bym succeeded in apprehending
rcootuirrsoefotfi', e
ecrstao3n'
st,hwe hiPo-a-witeteeermmepluspected to have been son-
e;
tsi oEne
ko n thesegto n,
Two were taken at Eck-.
con-
cerned in the luta
.(lerciii!),l °rough. Two gun., with some
ingtuti, and two
eab'llirrfi‘eulanntiniangtilsiteraPte,B
'here they arrived on Wednes•
powder and sto,t,:soalieerflien
amnedn'remTanhedyedwetroe
dole— Shield Mercury.