The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-13 00:00:00

LOSS OF A TROOP SHIP.

The loss of the ship Neptune, while on her voyage
from Calcutta to Bambay in July last, with troops,
is thus reported by Capt. Fillan :
"On the 16th ult. we left the pilot. Up to the
19th had fine weather (too fine for the season) •, on
10th commencement of bad weather, and no obser-
vations for 10 days. 26—Sprung mainmast, in the
most terrific squall I have ever seen or felt. 27
Mainmast broke short off by the eyes of the rig-
ging, taking main and foreyards with it. 28—A
terrific storm, with constant rain. 29—Got ajury
foreyard up, and bore away for Akyab ; after this
the weather got better, but still blowing hard. 31,
8.45 a.m., sighted high land south of Akyab, and
at 3 p.m. got disabled again by the loss of the
foreyard. As we could not in this state fetch
Akyab, we turned the ship out to the westward ;
the wind at the time being easterly, enabled us to
clear a dangerous oyster reef, which was under our
lee, and we were in hopes of being able to get sea-
room to get another foreyard up, but it was not to
be, for the current carried us fast to the northward,
and on the same night we anchored off Coast Reef.
Next morning (Aug. 1), about noon, the cable parted,
and we headed the ship for the reef, and could do
nothing else. The fourth time she struck the
rudder broke, and she continued driving and strik-
ing bard until two a.m. of the 2d, and that, too,
without making more water than we could easily
keep free, when she stopped in less water than her
own draught. Next morning (2d), with the flood
tide, a large sea set in, bursting the lower cabin
windows in ; mate, carpenter, and captain, trying
to barricade them, got washed away frequently ;
was therefore compelled to give it up, and the ship
very spun filled, she lying stern-on to sea. As the
tide made more the sea bcame higher, and it broke
over the stern (speaking within bounds) 30 feet
high ; ultimately the upper cabin windows got
burst in, and the sea made a clean sweep through
the cuddy. About this time a steamer hove in
sight, and the cry that came from the troops and
seamen was enough to waken the dead. A steam-
ship ! a steamship! we're saved ! we're saved!'
We were at the moment endeavouring to construct
a raft ; it would have been of no use, even if it had
been practicable._ We hurried on to the poop deck,
and sure enough it was a steamer skirting the outer
edge of the reef, and looking for a place to get as
close to us as possible. She anchored within 11
mile of tic, and despatched her boats. In the first
boat we put the wife of Major Swat:field (a little
heroine) ; next, her female attendant ; after which,
all of the sick, and as each boat came uo we caused
the men singly to get into tilem, and according to
to their rank • seamen in a like manner; and ere
the last boat left the ship the sea was not only gut-
ting the cuddy, but was sweeping in large
and up
over the poop-deck, on to the main deck, anu
P n
but
to the forecastle head, and over the bows; d
through God's mercy we were all saved, and that
too, without a scratch. More signal a deliveranced
could not be. Great praise is due to the troops
,fficers for their steadiness during the many trying
h mrs to which they were exposed—in fact, they
were a band of heroes, and the major's wife at their
head. From the time of getting disabled the se-
cond time, we kept firing guns until Tuesday morn.
ing (three days), wnen our powder became ex-
pended, and, strange to say, that although our guns
were heard in Akyab on Sunday and on Monday,
the steamer was not sent to our aid until Tuesday
'naming., and she was but in time, for a few minutes
a fter we left the ship it would have been impossible
for any one to have remained alive."

THE WRECK OF THE fIUKE OP
_RICHMOND STEAMER.

The Aberdeen correspondent of the Scotsman,
—" This vessel, which
writing on Monday, says :
run ashore a few miles northwards of Aberdeen,(d
early on Saturday morning, has now (Monday
afternoon) become so much of a wreck thatay
nohope
is entertained of her being got off the beach in
state for sea again. She left Wick on Friday fore
noon, and reached Aberdeen about three o'clock on
Saturday morning. Here the fog
making was very
the very thick,
and it was resolved not to attempt
har-
bour till daylight should come in. Thinking the
ship was all safe by the soundings, and the morn-
,
ing being calm, the gentleman in temporary
eem
mand, Capt. Geddes (the regular master, Campbell,
had neon unable from illness t obe with the steamer)
it is said, went to bed, having
had a long stretch on
deck, and left the steamer in charge.:'of the mate'
All seems to have gone smoothly, danger, for a
couple of.
with no antici-
e of. hmirs or so, when
suddenly white-crested bieakers were discovered
on each side of the vessel, '
was given to baci: her.and an immediate order
the steamer was so It was too late, however ;
the en • gines were powerless,firmly fixed in
the sand that
still to a great extent '•all
in
veiled amongst the . gloom, no little alarm pre-
more numerous than
tpassengers, who were much
being;, including childr,en, the first accounts stated, there
No disorder or 114 persons OIL board.
panic,
however,happily took place,
and a number of the gentlemen,
e gentlemen, making out from
the poSition of the vessel and the strength of the
breakers that the land could not be many yards off,
resolved to venture to reach it by wading. This
they fortunately—though not without considerable
danger, as not a few of them 'volunteered to carry
children—accomplished; and soon after by aid of the
bolas and the gallant exertions of the crew, every
person was got safely ashore. A message having
been sent to Aberdeen for assistance, two tugs im-
mediately steamed from that port, while 100 car-
penters from the building-yard of the Messrs. Hall
also started for the scene orthe accident. The life
and other boats were likewise sent round, and exer-
tions were forthwith made to lighten the vessel by
taking off the sheep on board, 200, and a portion of
the cargo, a great quantity of which was fish of
various kinds, destined for Edinburgh, Glasgow,
&c. The cattle, in number about 40, were between
decks. • These it was found impossible to remove,
and the consequence is. that between 20 and 30 of
them have perished. High-water occurred at half-
past 10 on Saturday forenoon, and it was confi-
dently expected the steamer would be then got off;
but, as was stated yesterday, all efforts to effect
this were fruitless, and though constant endeavours
were made with the same view all day, and 100
additional carpenters were sent in the same even-
ing by the Messrs. Hall, the steamer remains a
hopeless wreck in the sands. Most of the goods
will, it is stated, be saved; the greatest loss in this
respect being the cattle which. had been drowned
The Duke of Richmond—which belongs to the
Aberdeen, Leith, and Clyde Shipping Company—
though an old vessel, having been built in 1838,
underwent so thorough a repair last year that she
was looked u pen as comparatively a new ship.; £6,000
was then expended on lier,"and her value is said to
be about £9,000. She is insured, it is understood,
to two-thirds of this latter sum. 'rhe foreign brig
that drove ashore 10 or 12 miles to the southward
of Aberdeen, also en Saturday morning, shortly
went to pieces; having struck on a rock. All hands
were saved. Endeavoui s -were making to rescue
as much of her cargo (flax) as possible."

TIIE LATE SIR JOIE( FRANKLIN.—Steps are
being taken to promote the erection of e. monument to the
late Sir Tohn Franklin at Spilsby, Lincolnshire, where the
gallant Arctic hero was born.
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