The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-06 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE NEVA, HULL AND ST.
PBTERSBURG STEA TtlEB.

The foundering of the Neva screw steam•ship
while on her homeward voyage from Cronstadt to
Hull was briefly announced in this journal on
Tuesday last. The following are the details of the
loss, by which it will be seen that the crew and
passengers had a most marvollous escape :—The
Neva was an iron-built vessel and v.-11.3 only launched

our or five months ago. She was put on the Hull

and Croustadt station, and left the latter port on
the 13th ultimo, under the command of Captain
Mellon, to call at Gothenburg on her return
voyage. In addition to her crew, which numbered
26, the had 8 passengers on board, among whom
were Mr. Atkinson and two daughters, of Cron-
stadt ; and Mr. Colloy and Mr. Conolly, of
Manchester. On reaching Gothenberg she
filled up her cargo, which consisted of a large
quantity of timber, iron, and received on
hoard eight shipwrecked seamen. She resumed

her homeward run on the morning of Sunday, the
23'l ult., and went on favourably until 6 o'clock in
the evening, when a gale sprang up. The Neva
was then off the north-west coast of Jutland, and
the wind was blowing on the land. During the
night the storm continued with increased violence,
and the ship laboured heavily. On the following
morning, about 6, to the alarm of all on board, it
was discovered that the steamer had sprung a leak,
which penetrated into the ladies' cabin. Captain
Mentr immediately adopted the usual measures
for stopping or lessening the leak, but the water
flowed in so fast that the pumps, which could not
be worked during the whole time, and the means
the crew had at band, could not reduce it. The
leak gradually increased, and at midnight the
water reached the fires and extinguished them. The
position of the ship now became somewhat critical.
The captain directed the deck cargo to be thrown
overboard, and the greatest exertions were used by
all on board in endeavouring to diminish the water
in her. Such of the pumps as could be worked
were kept in operation until 4 o'clock on Tues-
day morning, and, there appearing not the least
chance of resisting the increase of the water, and
the foundering of the ship seeming inevitable, the
boats were got out. At the commencement of the
voyage the Neva had five boats, but, one having
been carried away by the storm, only four were
available, and into these forir went the crew and
passengers—between 40 and 50 persons. The gra-
dual sinking of the vessel had been visible for some
time, and when she was abandoned there were
nearly eight feet of water in her hold. The boats
were buffeted about for two or three hours, when
two Dutch galliots appeared in sight. It is stated
that when first seen they were sailing in the direc-
tion of the boats, but on observing them they
changed their course to avoid them. However,
the Dutch vessels did not render them aid, but
bore away, and soon disappeared. Fortunately,
however, soon after another vessel, the Belford,
of Dundee, Captain Smith, from Dantzic for
London, came in view. She immediately
bore down towards the boats and received all
on board. But now another difficulty arose ; the
Belford was short of provisions, scarcely sufficient
for her own crew. Captain Mellon, with two or
three others, at once volunteered to return to the
fast sinking steamer, with a view of obtaining what
food they could get out of her, but before the boat
in which they were could reach her she went down
first in 22 fathoms of water, 120 miles
W.N.W. of Holm Reef, on the coast of Scotland.
The boat then returned to the Belford, and she
continued her voyage to the Thames. Much un-
avoidable suffering from scarcity of provisions we; s
experienced. In two or three days they fell la
with a Prussian bark from Dautzic, which took on
board from the Belford 11 of the steamer's ere°
and some of the passengers, who were landed at
Dover. Those who remained by the Belford were
put ashore at Southend. The Neva is reported to
have been insured. Notice of the loss has beast
sent to the Marine Department of the Board °'
Trade, and it is probable that an inquiry will b°
Instituted, the Neva being a passenger ship.

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE.

Yesterday_information was received through a,
private communication from Bruges, Belgium', °''
a very extraordinary occurrence, the result 01 a
mischievous freak, which took place on the Gran„o
Place last Sunday, jeopardising the lives of 2, uud
persons, and it seems somewhat marvellous im(l7l
how one half that number escaped from a fearill...
death. It appears that lately an English equestrlal:
company has arrived in Bruges, and they had
pitched their circus, which was covered by an
extensive marque, on the Grand Place. %.0.
performance was proceeding as usual on Sunday
evening last, until all at once the tent, which
flat
thickly covered with snow at the timaLringing
upon the spectators, performers, and all/
ci" stifling'
them beneath its folds in one confined an
former
mass. At the time it was computed that there
were 2,500 spectators present, and the per . ,
___
and others connected with the circus mutshtantat vh;
made the number present nearly 3,000
50
the tar..
confusion and uproar that ensued uponceived than
paulin, descending is more readily
number of the military scattered depicted. 6 There were, as on alLysutechohrnooucgchasoiuotnst,hea
immediately drawing
enclosure, and the soldiers,
u e
e canvas,wa sa ncidubi.
ceki being
assisted partakers in the their swords, hacked away at
m 1:04
assisted by the other unfortunate h
dilemma with knives, t e
and thereby enabled all to escape
reduced to shreds,
after contusions, an d no doubt in.
many
serious injuries, but fort*"
nately no life was sacrificed. However, had hies erificed.
riencsteiavnineges sundrynaor .
been for the promptness with which the poor.
not the whole as
would have been suffocated. The eau. °„.°
INavge:,e released, several, if
tsouerrtelbise tent collapsing was some miscreant severing
the outside cords by which it was attached to the
poles.
namsam....