The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-18 00:00:00

The Loss of the Steamship London.

A profound sensation was created among all
classes yesterday morning upon receipt of the
sad intelligence that Messrs. Money Wigram and
Sons' auxiliary screw steamship the London had
foundered in the Bay of Biscay, with upwards
of 200 souls on board. The fame this fine vessel
had acquired as a passenger ship partly
owing to the fact of her last outward passage
having been made in 59 days—was in itself calcu-
lated to dispel all anxiety on her behalf, even
during the late tempestuous weather, and it is be-
lieved that her owners and the underwriters con-
cerned were least of all prepared for the terrible
disaster that has happened to her. It is a remark-
able fact, moreover, that the London is the first
ship belonging to the famous house of Money Wig-
ram and Sons to which any seriously casualty has
occurred. In a century's experience, Messrs. Wig-
ram have enjoyed a perfect immunity from loss,
with the single exception of the True Briton, which
belonged to a former generation of the firm, and
foundered early in the present century in the same
fatal bay.
The London, which has been commanded ever
since she was launched from Blackwall yard, in
1864, by Capt. Martin, an Australian navigator of
great experience, left the East India Docks on
Thursday, the 28th of December, and dropping
down to Gravesend sailed thence on Saturday
afternoon under charge of Mr. Thompson, a river
pilot. As the night was wild and the wind dead
ahead the ship brought up at the Nore, and lay
during the whole of the following day. There were
two clergymen on board, the Rev. Dr. Woolley,
Bishop of Sydney, and the Rev. Mr. Draper, and
both of them took part in the usual Sunday ser-
vices. At daybreak on Monday, the Ist of January,
the anchor was weighed, and the ship steamed
down Channel, still against a head wind, but
making fair way. While passing outside the Isle
of Wight the wind increased to half a gale, and
Captain Martin deemed it prudent to put back and
lay to for the night in St. Helen's Roads. On the
morning of the 2d inst. the London proceeded
through the Needles into the open Channel, the
wind being still ahead, but light. As the ship ran
down Channel the wind rose and the sea increased,
and a couple of hours after passing the Needles
the wind blew a gale right ahead with a heavy
sea rolling, which continued all the way to Ply-
mouth, where the ship arrived about noon on
Thursday, the 4th inst. A sad casualty occurred
here. A pilot cutter put off a small boat, having
on board the pilot and his assistant, to bring the
London inside the breakwater. When the boat was
about 100 yards from the London a sea capsized her,
and both the pilot and his assistant were thrown into
the water. Captain Martin instantly ordered
one of his lifeboats to be lowered, and with great
difficulty the assistant pilot was rescued, but the
pilot was drowned. The London came to an an-
chorage inside the breakwater at 1 p.m. on the 4th
inst., and during the afternoon took on board those
of her first and second class passengers who had
arranged to join the ship at Plymouth. At midnight
on Friday she proceeded on her voyage, the weather
being at this time calm, with a light wind ahead.
She had full steam on during the whole of Saturday,
and the voyage proceeded very satisfactorily until
Sunday morning, when the wind increased, and a
head sea gradually rose. During the day the London
passed several ships, and nothing occurred to create
the smallest uneasiness in the minds of any of the
officers of the ship. During Sunday night the wind
increased to a gale and the sea rose considerably.
On the morning of Monday, the Bth inst., the ship
was well clear of the land, and Capt. Martin having
ordered the engines to be stopped, set his topsails,
and so endeavoured to keep the ship moving slowly
ahead. At noon on this day, the wind having some-
what lulled, the engines were again sec in motion
and kept steaming slowly ahead through the night.
At 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the 9th inst., while the cap-
tain was still endeavouring to keep the ship in her
course by means of the screw, the violence of the
gale carried away at one sweep the jibboom, the
foretopmast, the topgallantmast, and the royals.
These large spars were not wholly detached from the
ship, but, hanging fast to the stays, swung to and
fro with such violence that the crew were wholly
unable to secure them. About two hours later the
mainroyalmast was blown completely out of its
socket and added to the general wreck. Captain
Martin, who had not been in bed since the previous
Sunday night, was not at all disheartened up to
this moment ; but, as the gale continued to increase
during the morning, with a sea already running
mountains high, the position of the ship was
undoubtedly felt to be one of some peril. Still, asl
the wind had somewhat veered round, the engines
were kept steaming easy ahead, and it is believed
that at this moment no person on board felt any
anxiety for the ultimate safety of the ship. About'
3 p.m. on Tuesday, however, a tremendous sea
struck the ship and carried the port lifeboat clean
away from the davits. All that evening and
through the succeeding night the wind blew a very
heavy gale and the sea ran very high, but the screw
was still kept steaming easy ahead. At 3 a.m. on
Wednesday, the 10th inst., Captain Martin sent for
Mr. Greenhill, the chief engineer, and informed him
of his intention to put the ship about and run for
Plymouth, and he desired that full speed should be
got up directly. This was immediately done. In
half an hour after the ship's course had been al-
tered, she was again struck by a tremendous sea,
which carried away the starboard lifeboat, and the
same sea stove in the starboard cutter. At noon on
this day the ship's position was lat. 46 48 N., 8 7
W. A very heavy cross sea was running, with the
wind now dead astern of the ship, which caused
her to roll heavily. But no danger was even now
anticipated, and all through the evening of Wed-
nesday, and long after midnight, the ship continued
to steam slowly ahead, the captain and his officers
remaining steadily at their posts, and the passen-
gers appearing to have full reliance upon the skill
of Captain Martin to bring them safely to port.
At 10 30 p.m. on Wednesday, the ship still rolling
deeply in a heavy cross sea, and the wind blowing
a whole gale from the south-west, a mountain of
water fell heavily over the waist of the ship, and
spent its destructive force upon the main hatchway,
over the engine-room, completely demolishing this
massive structure, measuring 12ft. by Bft., and
flooding with tons of water this portion of the
ship. Instant endeavours to repair the hatch-
way were made with a promptitude and vigour
commensurate with the imminent crisis. • Every
spare sail that could be got at, and even
blankets and mattresses from all parts of the
ship, were thrown over the aperture, but each suc-
ceeding sea shipped by the vessel tore away
the frail resources of the moment, and not more than
10 minutes after the hatchway had been destroyed
the water had risen above the furnaces and up to the
waists of the engineers and firemen employed in this
part of the ship.
The lower decks were also now
flooded with the rush
of waters the ship was con-
tinually taking in. The chief engineer remained at
his post until the water had risen above his waist,
when he went on deck and reported that his fires
were out, and his engines rendered useless. Capt.
Martin, with calm conviction, remarked that he was
not surprised ; on the contrary, he had expected
isach a result. Finding his noble ship at length
little more than a log on the water, Capt. Martin
ordered
his niaintopsail to be set, in the hope of
keeping her before the wind. This hadscarcely
been accomplished when the force of the wind tore
the sail into ribands, with the exception of one Cor-
ner, under which the ship
lay to throughout the re-
mainder of the night. The donkey engine was sup_
plied with steam by a boiler upon deck, and all the
deck pumps were kept going throughout the night,
and the passengers of all classes, now aroused to a
sense of their imminent danger, oliared with the
crew their arduous labours. Notwithstanding every
effort the water still gained upon the pumps, and
the gale continuing at its height, cross seas with
tremendous force were constantly breaking over the
vessel. The motion of the ship became low and
heavy, and she refused to rise to the action of the
waves. At a quarter after 4 o'clock on Thursday
morning she was struck by a stern sea, which car-
ried away four of her stern ports, and admitted a
flood of water through the breach. From this time

all efforts were useless, and at daybreak Capt. Mar-
tin, whose cool intrepidity had never for a moment
forsaken him, entered the cuddy where all classes of
the passengers had now taken refuge, and respond-
ing to an universal appeal, calmly announced the
cessation of all human hope. It is a remarkable
fact that 4. solemn admission was as solemnly
received—a resigned silence prevailing through-
out the assembly, broken only at brief intervals
by the well-timed and appropriate exhorta-
tions of the Rev. Mr. Draper, whose spiritual
services had been incessant during the previous 24
hours. At 10 o'clock, the ship rolling deeply, an
attempt was made to launch the starboard pinnace,
but a sea struck her just as she reached the water,
and she sunk, leaving a crew of five men 'struggling
for their lives. As the ship was lying to three of
them managed to scramble up the sides of the ship,
and the other two were rescued by ropes being
thrown to them. After this the exhausted crew ap-
peared indifferent to their fate, and no further
effort at launching the remaining boats was made
until 1 o'clock, when, the water having reached the
main chains and the ship evidently settling down,
the port pinnace was got over the ship's side. Even
at this moment the sea was so heavy that those of
the passengers who were within reach of the boat
appeared to prefer the frail shelter of the sinking
vessel to the obvious dangers of a small boat in a
raging sea. At this crisis Capt. Martin, always at
hand, addressing Mr. Greenhill, chief engineer, un-
der whose command this particular boat was rated,
said, "There is not much chance for the boat, there
is none for the ship. Your duty is done; mine is to re-
main here. Get in and take command of the few
it will hold." Thus prompted, Mr. Greenhill, with
his fellow engineers and some few others, number-
ing only 19 souls, among whom were only three
second class passengers, quitted the ship, with only
a few biscuits in the shape of provisions, and not a
drop of water. The pinnace had scarcely cleared
the wake of the vessel, upon the poop of which up-
wards of 50 of the passengers were seen grouped,
when a tremendous sea was seen to break over the
doomed circle, who when the ship rose slowly again
were discovered to have been swept into the surg-
ing waters. Another moment and the vessel her-
self, settling down stern foremost, threw up her
bows into the air and sank beneath the waves.
The pinnace having no sails on board could only
keep afloat before the wind, and was repeatedly in
danger of swamping. They had not been afloat
two hours before they saw a full-rigged ship sail
past them, but at too great a distance to
hail. At 3 a.m. on Friday they sighted
the sails of a brig, the crew of which overheard their
shouts and bore towards them; but, failing to get
into the track of the boat, after making several
fruitless tacks, she bore away. At daybreak a full-
rigged cutter was observed at some distance, and,
hoisting a shirt upon an oar, they endeavoured, but
in vain, to attract attention. Shortly afterwards the
Italian bark Adrianople, Capt. Cavassa, bound
with a cargo of wheat from Constantinople for Cork
hove in sight, and the captain having observed the
pinnace, immediately shortened sail, and lay to, pre-
paring to take them on board. On reaching the
ship, notwithstanding the stress of weather and
straitened means for the support of Iso large an in-
crease to his crew, Capt. Cavassa received the Eng-
lishmen with unbounded kindness and hospitality,
supplying them with all that was necessary in their
destitute condition. The exigencies of the gale had
obliged Capt. Cavassa to sacrifice more than half
his cargo, and during the four days' run into Fal-
mouth the weather carried away his rudder, and
brought into useful requisition the services of his
English passengers.
The foregoing details having been furnished to
the reporter by Mr. Greenhill, may be relied upon
as strictly authentic, and the same remark applies
to the annexed list of the passengers and crew of
the ship
LIST OF THE CREW.—Commander, Mr. J. B.
Martin ; Mr. Robt. Harris, first officer ; Mr. Arthur
Treehurst, second officer ; Mr. A. C. Angel, third
officer ; Mr. J. V. Faule, surgeon ; George Bates,
carpenter ; Richard Morley, sailmaker ; F. S. Huck-
stepp, captain's steward ; Francis Huckstepp, stew-
ard ; Grace Logan, stewardess ; John Mackenzie,
chief cuddy :servant ; John Lyall, second class
steward ; W. Fowler, second caddy servant ; Jas.
Bennett, third caddy servant ; Johns Lehbond,
captain's servant ; T. Ham, captain's cook ; Henry
Appleton, passengers' cook ; Jas. Murphy, baker ;
Rc;bt. Gannon, butcher ; :Mr. J. Greenhill, chief
engineer ; Mr. John Jones, second do. ; Mr. John
Armour, third do. ; John Staden, boatswain ; D. T.
Smith, boatswain's mate. Able seamen: W. Daniels,
A. Campbell, Jas. Butcher, R. Merritt, John King,
Joseph Surgeon, Karl Scoval, Robert Thompson,
Johannes Barnecker, Julius Mathews, Harman Hen-
sturkeg, Karl Brown, John Brown, Samuel Brown,
Ben. Shields, Samuel Ellingham, Haus Herman,
Edward Quim, Reubin Troubridgo, Martin Arnold,
Auguste Dittmer, Otto Olsen, Andrew Wilson, Jas.
Gough, Heinrich Butcher, Richard Lewis, H. La-
berg, and Andrew Andersen. Henry Jones, winch
driver. Ordinary seamen—Geo. Case, R. Littlepage,
Pat Short, and Wm. Curries. Boys—Alfred White
and Edward Logan. Firemen—John Morley, Hy.
Jenkins, Thos. Purkis, Fred. Hartford, Thos. Brown,
Jas. Bramble, and Geo. Cracroft. Trimmers--Geo.
Holmes, Chas. Fairbrother, Geo. Robson, and W.
M. Clark, John F. Hale, fourth cuddy servant; Al-
fred W. Smith, fifth caddy servant ; Morris M'Ken-
zie, sixth cuddy servant; and John Funnel], ordi-
nary servant. The following who had signed articles
deserted before the ship left Gravesend :—Antonio
Manzanilla,Walter Fortune, Martin Brooks, Anthony
Dougherty, Edward Allan, and Wm. Johnson; and
the following were shipped at Plymouth :—Edward
Thomas, Charles Ansell, JcAnet Mulloney, and Robt.
G. Stephens.
LIST OF PASSENGERS.—First Class.—Rev. Mr.
and Mrs. Draper, Mrs. Owen and child, Mr. and
Mrs. George F. Urquhart, Mr. and Mrs. John
Patrick, Mr. and Mrs. G. Vaughan, Mr. and Mrs.
James Alderson, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Benson, Mr.
and Mrs. Fenton, Mr. A. and T. R. Fenton, Mr.
G. M. Smith, Mr., Mrs., Master, and Miss Chap-
man ; Mr. and Mrs. Clark and son, Mr. F. Lewis,
Mr. and Mrs. Bevan, Dr. John Woolley, Mr. and
Mrs. Debenham, Miss Laura Maunder, Mr. James
Robertson, Mr. T. M. Tennant, Miss Dovey, Mr.
G. H. Palmer, Mr. T. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert
Amos, Miss Catharine M'Lachlan, Mr. E. Brooks,
Mr. J. Ruskin Richardson, Rev. Mr. and Mrs.
James Kerr, Miss Mary Cutting, Mrs. and Miss
King, Mr. and Mrs. J. Thomas and two children,
Mr. A. Sandilands, Mr. E. Youngman, Mr. H. J.
Dennis, Mr. E. A. Marks, Mr. D. F. De Pass,
Master W. D. Burrell, Dr. Hunter.
Second Class.--Kaye Eastwood, Frederic Stone,
H. J. White, Annie White, Helen Price, J. L. Wil-
liams, Mr. and Mrs. Graham, B. G. Rowell, J. E.
Wilson, Helen Morling, Georgiana Graham, James
Dothie, Charles Gough, Allan Brace, James Wood-
house, George Cross, William Day, D. W. Lemon,
Mr. and Mrs. Giffett, George Chennells, W. A.
Wood, Elizabeth Wood, William Clayson, Mary
Clayson, Thomas Wood, Elizabeh Wood, Godfrey
Wood, Bennett Beran, Susan Brooker, Henry Davis,
Thomas V. Hagen, H. W. Hardinge, Francis Fryer,
John Munro, D. C. Main, Charles Johnstone, Peter
Fenwick, Ellen and Mary Ann Meggs, G. H. Camp-
bell, Elizabeth Marks, E. Glynn, John, Jane, Eliza-
beth,:llarry, Alfred, and Emily Hickman, Archibald
M'Lean.

Third Class.—Wm. Passmore, Hugh Milian, C.
J. Chandler, Benjamin Hay, Ellen Jones, Selena and
Alice Simpson, John and Elizabeth Benson, Mr. and
Mrs. Wm. Graham, George, Ann, and Maggie
Graham, George Rolivigan, John, Elizabeth, Helen,
George, and henry Sarcombe, David M c\Tittle, David
Graham, Mr. and Mrs. Flack and four children ;
RiehardTrevarrow, D. Block, J. Serken Zabee Morris

and Zabee Barnett, S. Bolton, Thos. Skeggs, David
and Elizabeth Smith, A. Umpway, Samuel Spring
(boy), A. Hogan, James Walls, Wm. Barrow
Susan, Caroline, and Mary Lampes ; A. S. Oster,
John Little, and Henry M,Covey.
The Dr. Woolley mentioned in the above list is,
we understand, Bishop Woolley, on his way to
Sydney. Mr. G. V. Brooke, the tragedian, is said
to be among the passengers lost.

(Front the Western News)

It was 10 o'clock on the morning of that fatal
Thursday that Capt. Martin had the terrible task

of making known to the 200 passengers that the
ship was sinking, and that they must prepare for the
worst. She was then as low in the water as the
main chains. The whole of the passengers and crew
gathered, as with one consent, in the chief saloon,
and having been calmly told by Capt. Martin that
there was no hope left, a remarkable and unanimous
spirit of resignation came over them at once. There
was no screaming or shrieking by women or men,
no rushing on deck, or frantic cries. All calmly re-
sorted to the saloon, where the Rev. Mr. Draper, one
of the passengers, prayed aloud, and exhorted the
unhappy creatures by whom he was surrounded.
Dismay was present to every heart, but disorder to
none. Mothers were weeping sadly over the little
ones about with them to be engulphed, and the
children, ignorant of their coming death, were piti-
fully inquiring the cause of so much woe. Friends
were taking leave of friends, as if preparing for a
long journey ; others were crouched down with
Bibles in their hands, endeavouring to snatch con-
solation from passages long known or long neglected.
Incredible, we are told, was the composure which,
under such circumstances, reigned around. Capt.
Martin stationed himself in the poop, going occa-
sionally forward or into the saloon ; but to none
could he offer a word of comfort by telling them
that their safety was even probable. He joined now
and then for a few moments in the public devotions,
but his place to the last was on the deck. About 2
o'clock in the afternoon, the water gaining fast on
the ship and no signs of the storm subsiding being
apparent, a small band of men determined to
trust themselves to the mercy of the waves in a
boat rather than go down without a struggle. Leav-
ing the saloon, therefore, they got out and lowered
away the port cutter, into which 16 of the crew and
three of the passengers succeeded in getting and in
launching her clear of the ship. These 19 men
shouted for the captain to come with them, but with
that heroic courage which was his chief characteristic
he declined to go with them, saying, " No, I will go
down with the passengers; but I wish you God speed
and safe to land." The boat then pulled away, toss-
ing about helplessly on the crests of the gigantic
waves. Scarcely had they gone 80 yards, or been
five minutes off the deck, when the fine steamer
went down stern foremost with her crowd of human
beings, from -whom one confused cry of helpless ter-
ror arose, and all was silent for ever.
After the pinnace had gone away from the Lon-
don, and in the brief interval before she foundered,
a rush was seen to be made to the two remaining
boats, but the efforts to launch them were in-
effectual, and the suddenness of the foundering
at last—the London being an iron ship—prevented
what might have been a successful second attempt
to save a few more lives.

Some hairbreadth escapes in connexion with this
disaster are already known. A lady who was de-
sirous of proceeding from Plymouth with her family
to Melbourn eby the London had made repeated press-
ing applications to the owners' agents at Plymouth,
and the captain had been consulted, but, fortunately
for the applicant, had declared that his cabins were so
full that he could not possibly accommodate her, a
result that, at that time, caused her much disappoint-
ment. A second-class male passenger was so alarmed
at the rough weather which the London encountered
on her way down to Plymouth, that immediately on
her arrival at that port he came ashore, resigned his
passage, and went back to his home, thus unwit-
tingly saving his life. A young man, as the result
of some family quarrel, left home. and took a pas-
sake by the London. He was advertised for in the
papers, and importuned to return, his friends being
unaware of his whereabouts. Messengers were sent
down to Plymouth, and an influential shipbroker in
the town was employed to intercept him should he
attempt to sail thence. Fortunately he was detected
among the passengers of the London, and his family
communicated with by the broker, the result of
which was that a brother of the young man came
down to Plymouth and persuaded the would-be
emigrant to forego his voyage.
The following is the list of those saved :
John Greenhill, engineer; John Jones, 2d ditto;
John Armour, 3d ditto ; Thos. Brown, fireman ; W.
M. Edwards, midshipman ; D. T. Smith, boatswain's
mate ; Win. Daniels, quartermaster ; John King
A. 8., Benjamin Shield, A. 8., Richard Lewis, A. 8.,
James Gough, A. 8., E. Quin, A. 8., Wm. Crimes,
0.5., A. G. White, boatswain's boy ; William
Hart, carpenter's mate ; E. Gardner, second class
steward ; D. G. Main, passenger ; John Munro, do. ;
J. E. Wilson, do.