The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-25 00:00:00

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DREADFUL SHIPWRECKS.

TOTAL LOSS OF THE EARL OF CARRICK,
STEAMER—ALL HANDS EXCEPT TWO LOST
—STATEMENT OF THE SURVIVORS.
In this journal of Wednesday appeared a brief
notice of a screw steamer having gone ashore on
the Isle of Man, bound from Ayr to Liverpool, and
it was supposed that all on board except two ha 4
perished. We regret to confirm that statement.
The ill-fated vessel proved to be the Earl of Carrick,
iron screw steamer, commanded by Capt. Albany,
300 tons, builders' measurement, belonging to the
Messrs. T. and W. Paton and Co., Liverpool. She
left Ayr on Saturday with a cargo of pig iron,
-wheat, potatoes, rye-grass, ttc. Fortunately she
had only one passenger—Capt. R. Paton, who
formerly commanded a small vessel trading between
Liverpool and Ayr.
The annexed statements of the two survivors,
taken on oath by the Receiver of Wreck at Douglas,
will be found to contain the details of the catas-
trophe.
John Lyon, seaman, on board the Earl of Car-
rick, deposes—We left, Ayr at 12 o'clock at noon on
the 9th Dec., with a south-westerly wind, steering
S. W. by W.; continued in that course about five
hours, when we sighted Port Patrick, and altered
the course to S. W. by S., which we continued about
an hour, after which I steered S.S.W. until we
made the Mull of Galloway, when I changed to S.
by E., on which we saw the Point of Ayr light on
our starboard bow, and, I then steered S.S.E., the
proper course for Liverpool. When I left the wheel,
David Bailey took my place, and sailed S.W. by
S., about two hours. William Lawson succeeded
him, and steered S.S.W. till about half-past two
o'clock, a.m., keeping the vessel up in consequence
of the strong current carrying her northwards, and
having lost sight of the Point of Ayr light in the
darkness caused by thick rain. James Watt then
took the helm, still steering S.S. W., until about
five o'clock, s.m., when we opened the lights of
the Calf of Man, it hich appeared (from the heavy
sea roiling the vessel) to be sometimes on our
starboard bow, and sometimes right ahead.
When we thus discovered our dangerous proximity
to the shore, we at once brailed up the foresail and
mainsail (which had been set at about half-past 8
p.m.) The helm was put hard sport to bring the
vessel's head to the westward, clear of the breakers.
At this time the engines were stopped, and I went
to the engineer and told him to reverse the engines
full speed ; that we were then close on the rocks.
The captain called out to know who ordered the
engines to be s:opred, and I told him that I had
ordered them to be reversed to keep clear of the
land. But the heavy sea was too strong for the
vessel, and she was driven on to the rocks at Dalby
Point, about six miles from Peel, in the Isle of Man,
at about five o'clock on the morning of the 20th
inst. The "Vessel was supplied with a life-boat and
a jolly-boat, and two life-buoys ; but as soon as
she struck the vessel broke into two parts athwart '
ships, the bows falling away sideways into compa-
ratively deep wai er, and car rying the life-boat and
captain and two men along with it. Oa the after-
part, which remained stuck on the rocks, 10 of the
crew, with the stewardess and one passenger (the
only one on board), collected, and we tried to get
off the jolly-boat, but the bow tackle would not
run, and she was at once stove in ; so that our only
hope wa,, to reach the shore by swimming and using
the two life-buoys. These were taken by James
Watt (who has been saved) and the chief engine r,
who, however, could not reach the shore. We
had three compass's on loud. One was placed
about 21 feet from the wheel, and another about 20
feet further forward, and the other in the cabin.
They were not at all in good order, and not c ir-
rect, as we had found on a previous voyage from
Liverpool to Ayr. The lead was not hove at all
during the voyage. The vessel was inspected in
October 1 ist, at Troon, by a Government inspec-
tor. She was well found in rigging and tackle. I
saved myself by swimming until I reache 1 the
rock, when a rope was thrown to me by per s )ns en
the shore, who exe,rted themselves to the utmost to
save the lives of the crew, and I was drawn to the
land. I leave teen seaman on board the Earl of Car-
rick 17 months; the captain joined about a n-ionth be-
fore I did. The captain wason deck all the last watch,
when the vosel struck ; both he and all on board
were perfectly sober. Ido not think that anything
more could have been done to rescue the crew, as
no boat could have lived iu the breakers at the
t m

Jamey Watt, seaman, says—l took the helm soon
aftc-r 12 o'clock at midnight. I steerred the vessel
S.S.W., making allowance of two points for the
variation of the cunpasses, which I knew to be in-
correct. About 5 o'clock on the morning of the
20th the second ma►.e ran aft to me to apk "Could
I say what light that was ahead ?" and on looking
out I discovered they were the Calf of man lights,
and that we ware close on a jeashore. The tights
were only visible fiir a moment, because of the spray
washing over the vc ssel. (He then confirms Lyons'
staterisent as to what was then done, and the ship
SAiklug.) She broke into two parts almost at once.
bow. fell away sideways, and several of the
Zysr,:iiwthereeuefr only passenger, the stewardess and
stuck on the rock,
the stern of the vessel, which
two life-buoys aria put myself into one of the
,the
other,
rchlielfi engineer, standinb
my side, teak
eorfif at tee a
wvyreck.
washed
After
wahour and a quaxter I was
over us and carried, severalv
struggling about
thrown