The Sun.
London, England, 1835-09-23 00:00:00

Total wrecked
SAVED FROM THE WRECK.

All the Guard
6 women and 11 children
Crew
Prisoners

32

30

Total saved l6O

Perished .

132

Upon the captain and officers arriving at Hobart Town,
a Board was formed to inquire into the particulars of the
catastrophe. According to Captain Maxey's (the com-
mander of the George the Third) statement, the ship made
land at about eleven A.m. on Sunday, the 12th April ;
he was furnished with the charts published by authority
of the Admiralty, according to the directions of which, he
considered the passage safe, and, adopting the usual pre-
caution of sounding with the deep-sea lead, proceeded be-
tween the two reefs laid down, the soundings giving half-
seven fathoms right through. After passing the breakers,
Captain Maxey took the officers and passengers into the
cabin, and showed them the position of the ship, and all
were satisfied they were beyond the reach of danger, and
might either anchor or proceed. The ship accordingly
proceeded, at the rate of one and a half to two knots an

hour, under double-reefed topsails, and the foresail brailed
up, all ready for coming to anchor if it became dark ;
and after so proceeding for about a quarter of an hour,
the man at the lead sang out a quarter less four. The
captain instantly cried out to the man at the helm hard-
a-port, but before the man sounding could get another cast
of the lead the ship struck, but not violently at first. The
cutter was lowered, and the third officer, Mr. Field, went
in her and sounded round the ship ; abreast the starboard
gangway he found two and a half fathoms a-head, two
fathoms, and astern about four boats' length, four and a half
fathoms. No breakers were then seen, but a swell soon
came on and commenced breaking, and the ship then began
striking violently, throwing every one off their feet, and
after a very short time, about the fifth shock, the mainmast
went over on the starboard side, carrying the mizen top-
mast with it, and dragging down the weather-bulwarks close
to the covering boards ; at this time the boatmen and
officers were trying to get the long-boat out ; and the main-
mast being gone, the Ice-bulwarks were obliged to be cut
away to launch her. At the same time they were lowering
the gig, when the rolling of the ship caused a man holding
the stern-tackle to leave his hold, when the gig stove her
quarter, and was swamped. The cutter was immediately
ordered round to pick the men from out of the water, and
the third mate was then ordered to bring the cutter along-
side ; when he said he could not, as she was so full she
could hold no more. The officer was then directed to look
out for the first landing-place, and to return immediately with
any aid he could obtain. At this time the foremast went over-
board ; and a heavy sea striking the ship, the long-boat floated
on deck ; and all the main-deck was under water, which
was within a quarter of an hour after the vessel struck. The
people at length succeeded in floating the long-boat, and
got her clear of the wreck, having the Captain and forty
men on board, and proceeded to find a landing-place ; but
the sea was so rough, and the surf so great, that this occupied
some time ; till at last the entrance to a bay was found, at
the bottom of which a landing was effected. The Captain,
leaning thirty-six men on shore, returned with the remaining
four to the wreck at about two o'clock ; but, owing to the
weather could not reach her till six. On arriving at the
ship, the women, children, and invalids, were first taken
out, and then as many of the prisoners and guard as the
boat would carry ; and these were landed at eight o'clock,
Major Ryan, Lieutenant Minton, and the Doctor of the
50th regiment being of the party. The Captain then re-
turned to the wreck, but before he reached it saw a
schooner speak them, upon which the Captain took all that
remained alive upon the wreck, put them on board the
schooner, and proceeded to re-embark all that had been
previously landed, which was done, with the exception of
the surgeon of the 50th regiment, who had strayed, and for
whom a boat's crew of eight men was left. On reviewing•
all that were saved out of the 294 souls on board, the Cap-
tain found that only 160 had been preserved. Of the 134
lost 128 were prisoners. The conduct of the prisoners is
said to be remarkably good.
The evidence of Dr. Wise, the surgeon-superintendent of
the vessel, in a great measure corroborated that of the
Captain. He states, however, that there was dreadful and
increasing sickness on board, which he attributes to the new
system of provisioning, of which this was the first attempt.
He accounts for the loss as follows :—On the sick-list, and
unable to help themselves, 51 ; washed away and died of
cold, 31 ; drowned below in the ship ere the doctor quitted
her, 39.

Lieutenant Minton, in his evidence, states, that when the
convicts had forced the barricades, and were beginning to
make their appearance on deck, three shots had been fired
by the guard at them, and he had understood one convict
had been killed.

Other evidence adduced implied that the firing was an
act of absolute necessity, upon which the lives of all de-
pended, and that the guard behaved with the utmost for-
bearance. The conduct of Dr. Wise is spoken of in high
terms of eulogium by all parlis.