The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-23 00:00:00

SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF EIGHT
LIVES.

The packet ship Eliza Bell, Capt. Johnston, ar-
rived here on Wednesday from London, bringing
the survivors of the British ship Claude, six in all,
who were rescued from that vessel by the exertions
of Capt. Johnston and crew. The following are the
particulars of the wreck of the vessel and loss of
eight lives, including the captain's wife :
The British barque Claude, of Shoreham, Capt.
Chas. Chesham, 344 tons register, sailed the 18th
ult. from Sunderland, with • a full cargo of timber.
The first five days of the voyage passed all well ;
the 23d ult. the wind began to blow strong from
the west. The 24th the wind shifted suddenly to
east to east north-east, noon, latitude 45 45 north,
longitude 57 49 west, sail was shortened to close
reefed topsails only. The 25th strong gales, vio-
lent squalls, heavy sea and rains, handed fore top-
sail; noon, latitude 44 44, longitude 57 10, water
gaining about two inches an hour, and pumps at-
tended to every half-hour. The 26th the bad
weather continued, wind east north-east. About
3 a.m. an'exceedingly heavy sea struck the ship on
the port bow, causing a fresh leak. All hands at
the pumps, but could not get them to suck. At 10
a.m. the weather was worse, heavy seas shipped,
and part of the bulwarks washed away, main top-
sail clewed up, the yard being hauled aback to ease
the 'ship as much as possible. The men incessantly
at the pumps.
The 29th, the wind and weather about the same;
vessel labouring more heavily, all hands being kept
constantly at the pumps, received each about every
two hours a glass:of grog anda biscuit to cheer them
up. At 10 a.m. water gaining very fast, and at 11
a.m. reaching the cabin floor, a continuation of the
pumping was useless. Provisions and fresh water
sufficient to last a fortnight, the ship's instruments
and the most valuable portable effects of the captain
and the crew were taken to the tops, not the slightest
fear of the vessel capsizing or sinking being enter-
tained, from the nature of her cargo, and the sea
being so heavy, it was not safe to launch the boats.
About noon, the ship filling fast, the captain's wife
was taken to the maintop, and the crew were pre-
paring to follow, when the ship fell ever to star-
board, and went down on her broadside, the yards
and masts being totally submerged. The captain's
wife got entangled in the rigging and was drowned
almost immediately. The whole of the crew were
washed off, and only 9 out of the 13 succeeded in
reaching the ship, which was on her broadside for
about an hour, during which time three or more of
the crew were washed off and lost.'

About one p.m., the ship getting freed of every-
thing on deck, and all her masts and yards, except
the mainmast and mainyard, righted herself, and
the decks began to break up fast. The gale con-
tinued all day and night, but the rain ceased.
Through the unexpected capsisiug of the ship the
survivors were without food, water, or change of
clothes—they were, in fact, absolutely destitute.
The body of the captain's wife was still in the
rigging, but that was so much torn and the vessei
plunge and rolled so fearfully that the men could
not get at the corpse to bury it in the sea. The next
morning the crew were much cramped from clinging
to the rigging, and suffered severely from thirst.
About 11 a.m. they saw a vessel standing towards
them, about ten miles distant, which proved to be
the ship Isaac Bell, Captain Johnstone, of New
York, who, as soon as the wreck was discovered,
being then about four miles to the windward, bore
down towards it.
As quickly as possible, although the high cross
seas and strong wind rendered the undertaking:very,
dangerous, a boat was lowered, commanded by Mr.
Aldacre, chief officer, and manned by a volunteer
crew. The unfortunate survivors were brought
safely on board the Isaac Bell in two trips, the
weather being too rough to allow the boat to re-
ceive more than three in addition to the crew at a
time. The body of the captain's wife from necessity
was left in the rigging, greatly to the regret of her
unhappy husband and his men, who were received
and treated by Captain Johnstone with all the