The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-04 00:00:00

DREADFUL SHIPWRECK.

The particu'are of the loss of the ship Western Bride
are from the pen of Mr. Arthur Newsen, a passenger :--
" The Wetern Bride left the Chinch% Islands, coast of
ru, laden with guano, on the sth of February, 1356.
bound for Queenstown, Ireland. On the 26th we had
strong winds with heavy seas from the south- west, in lat.
40 degrees south, long. 78 degrees west. The ship then
became very leaky, so that the pimps were obliged to be
worked every hour ; and when under double-reefed top
sails the crew were kept constant.y at the pumps. On
the 27,h the foreyard was carried away ; strong gales
prevailing with very high seas arid ship wry leaky, it
was thought advisable to bear up fur the Straits of Ma-
gellan as the nearest place of refuge, which we entered
on the 2d March with a fresh gale from the W.N.W ;
weather thick and rainy, with sleet at times. At sun-
down attempted to anchor, but found no bottom, both
ar chors dragging with 75 fathoms of chain, blowing a
hurricane, and a strong current carrying us down to the
narrowe,t part of the Straits, as we thought to destruc-
tion. We were obliged to let go one anchor and chain, the
vessel having twice touched the rocks during the night.
Daylight at last came to our relief, and we proceeded on-
ward to Port Famine, where we remained two days re-
pairing in the harbour. We continued our voyage until the
Bth at 2 p.m., when she struck on a sunken rock about
two miles from Barranca Point, the wind then blowing
very hard and sea high. The ship continued to strike very
heavily until 4 30 p.m., when the force of the wind and the
sea had driven her over the bank, and she floated again.
On sounding the pumps we found seven feet water in
the well. The pumps were immediately manned, but
the water gained so fast there was not even time to run
the ship ashore, in which case part of the vessel might
have been saved and our baggage also, there being
barely time to launch two boats, in which we saved our
lives with great difficulty. At seven p.m. the ship sunk
in 24 fathoms as soon as we were clear of her. At nine
p.m. dsrk, wet, cold, thirsty and hungry, we reached
Baxa Point, on the Fuegian side of the Straits, having
only a few soaked biscuits, no water, and the weather
bitterly cold. We feared to light a fire lest we should
attract the attention of the natives, who are well known
by South Sea voyagers as cannibals of the worst descrip-
tioe. In this wretched locality we remained five days,
when seeing nothing but starvation before us, the sea
having abated, we took to our boats, and rowed across
the Straits, and after several days suffering the greatest
agony from protracted hunger and the most excruciating
thirst we reached a small Chilian settlement in Pata-_
gonia. The governor, a Dane, received us very kindl3,
and did everything in his power with his limited means
to make us comfortable, and his attention to our wants
will ever be remembered with gratitude. On the 15th
May the United Stated' war brig Bainbridge, cruising in
the Straits in search of the crew of the lost ship Man-
chester, having seen part of the vvrtck, and understood
from the Patagonian Indians we were at the settlement,
arrived and agreed to take us up to Monte Video, River
Plate, having learnt that the crew of the Manchester
had all perished but two. Our best thanks are due to
the Chilian Government fur their assistance to British
subjects, and especially to the governor for his kindness,
and also to the United States' Government for the as-
sistance rendered by their vessel to us and to the officers
of the brig for their kindness." Mr. Newson has just
arrived in Norwich.

BE RMINGS A If LVIUSIO lIA Lt.-INAUGU-
RATION FESTIVAL.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.

The festival intended to inaugurate the new Music
Hall recently erected in this town commenced to-day
under circumstances which must have been highly gra-
tifying to the gentlemen with wheal the design orgi-
nated. The building, although unassuming in its exte-
rior appearance, is situated upon a most eligible site,
convenient to the centre of the town, and will, no doubt,
be largely patronised by the public. Its interior is
strikingly handsome, having been decorated in the
highest style of art, and in all respects rendered as
attractive as possible. In addition to the spacious floor,
two galleries extend nearly round the building, from
which an uninterrupted view may be obtained of the
orchestra, and the ball is capable of seating nearly two
thousand persons. The front of the organ is from elabo-
rate designs, richly gilt and coloured, and presents a
very beautiful appearance, quite in character with the
decoration of the building. As a music hall, it may he
said to be one of the finest in the kingdom, adapted in
every way for the purpose for which it has been erected,
and will, no doubt, obtain a wide celebrity. The com-
mittee of management, with a view to the complete suc-
cess of the inauguration festival, spared no expense in
the necessary preparations, and s: :4., the principal
artistes, and a large body of pert -whose
name the public are already famili con-
sisted of nearly 60 musicians, inch icrit...bers of
the Orchestral Union, under the able, n of Mr.
Alfred Mellon, who is an established -' unite with
the musical public of Birmingham.,- Wit. inch a gentle-
man as conductor, assisted by Mr. Sims Reeves, it may
well ho imagined the performance of the band was per-
fect, and realised to the fullest extent the anticipation
of those who, from the high eulogiutns of the metropo-
litan pre's, had been attracted to the present inaugura-
tion festival. The chorus was also complete, and num-
bered more than 100 voices; including the members of
the Birmingham and other societies. The attendance
this morning was large and highly respectable, includ-
ing the leading gentry of the town and neighbourhood,
and several families of distinction from a distance. The
performances opened with the National Anthem (Mr.
Costa's arrangement), Miss Novello, Miss Dolby, and
Mr. Sims Reeves rendering the solos with admirable
perfection, and eliciting evident expressions of approba•
tion. The " Messiah" followed, and throughout, under
the direction of Mr. Mellon, was as nearly faultless as
possible. The burden of this famous oratorio was sus-
tained by Miss Novello, Miss Dolby, and Mr. Sims
Reeves, who were in excellent voice, and gave with con-
siderable effect the various airs and recitatives. The
choruses were, with few exceptions, also perfect, and
the stringed instruments in the final chorus, " Worthy
is the Lamb," came out with extraordinary force. The
opening recitative, by Mr. Reeves, "Comfort ye my
people,' was admirably declaimed, and the singing of
Mr. Thomas equally effective in the recitative, "Thus
saith the 1.4, rd." Miss Dolby gave the recitative and
air, " He shall feed his flock," with all the taste and
expression of an accomplished artiste ; and the air in
the second part, "Come unto Him," was quite as
effectively executed by Miss Clara Novello. In the
third part this lady sang "I know that my Redeemer
liveth, ' wi,h magnificent effect, and its repetition was
greatly desired. The concluding chorus was powerfully
sung, and marked by the distinction of an encore, when
it was again rendered with, if possible, greater effect.
The first miscellaneous concert takes place this even-
ing, and with such an attractive programme as that pre-
sented by the committee, there will no doubt be a large
attendance.