The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-16 00:00:00

LOSS OF ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY LIVES

We gather from the Sydney Morning Herald of
Sept. 10, the following particulars respecting the
wreck of the Dunbar, which has already been an-
nounced :

The Dunbar, the property of Messrs. Dunbar,
of London, was built at Sunderland by Laing, for
her owners, who aro celebrated for the extent of
their mercantile marine. She was launched on the
30th Sept. 1853 ; she was of 1,980 tons burthen,
and her registered tonnage 1,321 ; her dimensions
were—length of keel per measurement, 201 feet 9
inches ; extreme breadth, 35 feet ; elepth of hold,
22 feet 7 inches ; height between decks, 7 feet 3
inches ; her timbers were British oak, and she was
planked and decked with East India teak. Her
masts, also of teak, were of enormous strength, the
mainmast weighing 9 tons, the foremast 8 tons,
and the mizen in proportion. The poop was 82 feet
in length, and 7in height. Her cost whea fitted
for the sea was 30,0001. ; all that remained of her
was t.old, although within so short a distance from
the city, for 1821. 10s. The Dunbaa was uninsured.
The cargo of the Dunbar was estimat.'d at 72,0001.
She sailed from Plymouth on the 31st of May. Her
officers and crew were 59 in number, and she car-
ried 63 passengers. Every one on board, with the
exception of one of the crew, perished in the waves,
She had had up to the moment of the catastrophe a
prosperous voyage. There had been no deaths, no
sickness or disasters. She had not lost a spar or a
rope. There were no hands on deck except the
watch ; there was no alarm among the passengers or
crew.

On August 20th she sighted Botany Bay. John-
son, the sole survivor of the wreck, gives the fol-
lowing account of the subsequent working of the
ship
We carried the same sail throughout until we
made the land at Botany. This was on the Thurs-
day evening. All hands saw the land distinctly.
After the captain ordered us to close reef the top-
and we were close hauled to the wind. The
wind was then about E. and by S. We were close
to the wind and lying about N.E. and by N., and
lying along the coast. At the time we made this
land to the bast of my opinion we were about 10 or
12 miles off, and the ship had her starboard tacks
aboard. We were under easy sail, sails having
been shortened after we saw the land. We had on
topgallant-sails, and we had three reefs in the main
and four reefs in the fore-topsail. The mizen-top-
sail was stowed, and the spanker was brailed up.
The inner jib, and the maintipmast-staysail, were
taken in. The weather was squally with thick
rain. When we made the land at Botany, we kept
On our course. This was between 6 and 7 o'clock,
and when night came on we still kept our course,
and shortly afterwards we saw the Sydney light.
I saw it about 7 o'clock, shortly after getting sup-
per. It was known to be the Sydney Bali light.
The vessel was then lying her course about N.E.
and by N. She was lying her course in that sort
of manner that we had no difficulty—we had plenty
of room. She was not at all labouring with the sail
she had on. I know that she was making heal 7 lee-
way. It is my impression that she bad not gut enough
sail on her to prevent her making this leeway. This
was not said on board ship, but I think so. Captain
Green was on the deck. They were not shaking the
ship up into the wind, but keeping clear full. The
captain was not conning the ship. The chief officer
was on the poop likewise. The watch on deck went
below according to orders, and were relieved at 8
o'clock. It was raining hard. The light was only
seen at intervals, but distinctly. It is a revolving
light. I was on deck at 8 o'clock, as I belonged
to the chief officers' watch. The captain remained
on deck when the watch was relieved, and gave or•
ders the same as usual. Everything was attended
to, and his orders were punctually obeyed. Every-
thing went straightforward, and there was no an-
noyance of any kind. All the men were quite cor-
rect and obeyed orders. We stood along the coast
till we fetched the light up to the lee mizen rig-
ging. The vessel was not labouring ; she came to
her helm willingly. One man was only at the wheel
until we began to square yards, when two men
were sent there. The lee mizen rigging was on the
port side of the ship. The captain was on the wea-
ther side of the deck. He had no night glass, bat
the second mate had a case of what ye call opera
classes. When the light was brought to bear upon
the lee mizen rigging all hinds were piped up by
the boatswain. The hands turned up. The boat-
swain sung out for "all hands to wear ship.'
These were the words that were passed along. The
usual orders were given. When we came on deck
We orders were given to square away the yards. got
the orders to square away. After a short time the
captain gave orders to haul up the foresail ; it was
then reefed. The ship then kept before the wiud..
The light was clearly visible at limes. When the
words were given to square the yards the light had
previously been seen. The vessel was running in
on a heavy sea. It was blowing very fresh in
squalls, with thick small rain. It was about 11
o'clock when the bands were called up. There were
two men on the fc.recastle, with the third mate, on