The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-29 00:00:00

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

On the first and middle part of the 21st inst. we had
light southerly winds and hot sultry weather ; in the after-
noon the wind came down from from the N.E. and blew
fresh for a short time from that quarter. The schooner
Gazelle arrived from Amoy. In the evening the weather
was equally from the N. and N.N.W. with-rain, the glass
high and steady ; at 10 p.m. it was blowing had from the
N.E., the glass still giving no indication bad weather;
at 11.30 the wind had increased considerably, blowing in
gusts. On looking at the barometer I found it had'gone
down 3-10th, and it continued to fall so rapidly that it
could be seen falling until 2 to 2.30 a.m. of the 22d,
when it commenced rising again as rapidly. During
the time the glass was falling the wind was in-
creasing, until it blew with fearful violence, making
frightful noises. This has been something more than what
is usually called a typhoon, and the circle of the cyclone has
also been much smaller than usual, which I think will
account :for the great violence of the wind, as also for
the glass not giving timely Warning. The' height of the
storm wave which came in round both sides of Double
Island could not have been less than 20 feet, looking
to the wrecks of large vessels lying high and dry at
high-water mark with ordinary tides. I fear you will
scarcely credit the account lam giving you—in fact, it
repuires a person to see the fearfill destruction around to
do so. At daylight on the morning of the 22d there was
not a vessel out of 21 sail to be seen at her Moorings, nor a
vestige of a boat of any description; everything on Double
Island is in ruins, not a sound house or go-down on the
island. Houses that have stood for years and passed
through several typoons unscathed are now•nothing but a
heap of ruins. The schooner Hazard was the only vessel
out of 21 sail that was not driven on shore. I inclose you a
list of all the vessels. One large iron vessel, the Hepscott,
was thrown up so high on the rocks that at high-water a
boat ceuld be pulled under her keel. , It is supposed that
the storm wave stirred up the bottom to a great extent,
which loosened the hold of the anchors, and at the same
time carried the vessels away with it. The Gazelle foun-
dered alongside the Hongkong; only the captain and five
hands saved from her, the former being on shore at the
time. The Hongkong was fortunately driven up high and
dry,- clear of all rocks, with the loss of all her masts and a
good deal strained.
The following is a list of vessels in the River Han and
the state in which they were on the morning of Sept. 22,
1858, 'after the very -severe hurricane eii the night of the
21st and morning of the 22d :
Aranita Adriana, Dutch brig, wreck, taken by Chinese ;
Louisa Bailie, British barque, stranded ; Moultan, British
barque, wreck; Thusnelda, Danish baique, wreck; Beverly,
British. barque, on shore, not much 'damaged ; William
Frederick, British barque, on shore, much damaged ; Har-
vest Home; British barque, on shore, with loss of rudder ;•
Glendower, British ship, on shore, bilged and out of shape ;
Dennis Hill, British ship, on shore, much damaged ; Alfred
the Great, British ship, on shore, got off in a sinking state;
Anonyma, British brig, total wreclii Hongkong, British
barque, wreck ; Laura, Oldenburg Ibiag, wreck ; Hepscott,
British ship, wreck ' • Pantaloon, Britishbrig, wreck, taken
by Chinese ; Ohio, Bremen barque, on shore in the mud,
may be got off; Louisa,
.British barque, stranded ; Kinaldis,
British ship, wreck ; Hazard, British schooner, little or no
damage; Gazelle, British schooner. foundered; Giovanni,
• Sardinian brig, on shore much damaged.
The British ship North Star; hence to Foochoo, was
totally lost on the Pratas on the 4th inst. A portion of the
crew have arrived, but there are great apprehensions re-
4,ecting the remainder.. The .Kenninglen, which sailed
hence to Ban Francisco on the 30th ult.,*returned leaky
through stress of weather on the 7th inst., and will have to
discharge. The Aurora, from Singapore,' experienced a
violent hurricane on the .sth inst.. - •