The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-10 00:00:00

SEVERE GALES AT LIVERPOOL.

MELANCIIOLY ACCIDENT ON THE MERSEY.
LP;ERPOOL, MONDAY EVENING.-011 the evening of
saturday last, it commenced blowing extremely fresh from
the north-west, which continued during the night, and also
during the whole of the following day. The wind increased
last night (Sunday) to a perfect gale, and the sudden and
heavy squalls with which it was accompanied, produced
great alarm in a community like Liverpool, where every
person is interested more or less in the fate of those who
peril their lives in traversing the deep. The most melan-
choly anticipations were indulged in, from the violence of
the storm, which has continued unabated in fierceness from
its commencement until the present moment.
The James Grant, bound for New Orleans, has fortu-
nately put back, as has also the Kingston, for Savannah,
and the Columbia, for Bombay, the latter with loss of main
and mizen masts, A sloop, called the Jane and Betty, was
driven on shore in Holyhead Bay at three o'clock this
morning. The crew were happily saved, but the cargo,
consisting of flour and oats, was lost. The Martha, from
Quebec, struck on the north bank of the Mersey at an early
hour this morning. She was immediately abandoned by the
crew, who betook themselves to the long-boat, the sea at
that moment being in a state of indescribable fury. The
" shattering bark" to which the men at that trying and
awful moment committed themselves, " climbed hills of
seas Olympus high" in a most miraculous and providential
manner, and brought its cargo of human beings in safety to
the shore. When daylight appeared, a steamer was
dispatched to the foundering vessel, and after the necessary
arrangements were completed, she was fastened to the
packet and towed into dock.
The most melancholy event, however, which has distin-
guished this lamentable visitation, is the loss of Captain
Walker, a brave and meritorious officer, belonging to the
Custom-House revenue cutter Vixen, and four of his men.
This distressing circumstance occurred at a late hour last
night. It was the duty of the unfortunate captain to board
all the vessels which entered the port ; and in the discharge
of this official task he proceeded to the Dutiiess of Clarence,
commanded by Captain Evans, bound from Canton with
tea, which had just entered the Mersey, where she came to
an anchor. It appears that some of the passengers from
Canton, who arrived in this vessel, were extremely anxious,
although the night was dark and stormy, to reach the shore,
havinr, some immediate and pressing business to execute in
London. On mentioning their views to Captain Walker,
he strongly dissuaded them from entertaining the idea, and
represented to them the perils of the attempt, assuring
them, moreover., that it would be attended with no good re-
sult, as the London mail had then started, and no convey-
ance could, be obtained before morning. With this expla-
nation the passengers were satisfied, and consented to remain
onboard all night ; but Captain Evans, who commanded the
ship, being particularly anxious to communicate his arrival,
and deliver his dispatches to his consignees, one of whom
lives at Bootle, about two miles from the spot where the
Duchess of Clarence was then at anchor, persuaded Cap-
tain Walker to attempt a landing there. After some par-
ley, this was agreed to. The boat was a light six-oared
gig—not the regular cutter to which Captain Walker be-
longed ; and the two captains, with four men got into it.
It was literally impossible that so frail a bark could long
live in such a sea as was then running. Suffice it to say,
that the boat foundered, and all on board met a watery grave.
The Duchess of Clarence is the first Liverpool ship that
ever entered the Mersey with tea direct for China. The
vessel which first arrived from Canton with that delicious
weed was a London ship. It is lamentable to reflect that
the commander of the Duchess of Clarence,- who had so
successfully naviouted his vessel to her destination through
thousands of miles of ocean, should thus perish when he
had completed his perilous undertaking. The bodies of the
two captains have been found to-day—one is lying on Mei
Cheshire, and the other on the Lancashire side of the Met%
sey at this moment, waiting the issue of a coroner's inquest.
The bodies of the men have not been found.

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS AT THE COURT,
BASINGHALL-STREET, TO-MORROW.

(From the London Gazette.)
E. Blankley, plumber, Bluomsbury
......... I
.at I

•
EXTENSIVE COACH ROBBETas, O Monday,
information was received at the different police-offices that ea
Monday, the Ist inst., a large carpet.bag, containing several
samples of sugar, and bank-IMies and bills to the amount of
2001., was stolen from 4,!ne roof of the Standard coach, between
Burton and Herby. Four young men, with a green-covered
cart, were seen at Burton. on-Trent soon after the robberr
was discovered, who were strongly suspected. They left tiv
town suddenly.