The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-03 00:00:00

STORM ON THE IRISH COAST.

As it approached daybreak yestt\he,ererdyasyaimiamerodprnolinntg.
theE.s
.E wind,ro se which
to
oahfaudu beengale
blowing
from from.
Soon after six o'clock the sky became overcast
with dense masses of cloud driven in from sea-
ward, and about five o'clock rain came down in
torrents, flooding the streets and compelling
Nothing can be
f iarrreoaritntheo
du
pmr run for
et fhtoeer
terrific
isrfiloiceglththeeardn.
thebar fury.fonthge
the
As far as the
efww7ace could reach nothing couldabe seen al
coast but dense masses of foam and spray caused by
the waves that rolled in thunder to the shore, clearly
showing that any sailing craft getting embayed be-
tween
to
leewardn
Laytown
andan go_d to ampbiaeyeems,uwstithtolaittle or
certaintydry
chance of any assistance being rendered by persons
on shore. The coast from Kingstown to Arklow
did not present a less terrific aspect, and the sea
ran so high that everything afloat had to make for
the nearest sheltered anchorage. We are sorry to
say that the very worst apprehensions that could
have been formed of shipwreck and loss of life had
been more than realised. Three fine vessels have
been totally wrecked, and it is said not less than 30
lives lost. Yesterday morning, when the sea was
breaking over the ironbound coast at Laytown, a
fine schooner-rigged vessel, despite of every exertion
on the part of her crew, drifted helplessly on shore,
and on taking the ground she heeled over from the
pressure of the seas which broke over her in deluging
showers. The point at which she struck is much
dreaded by mariners trading along the northern
coast, and is known as Ben-head, rendered remark-
able as being the scene of four terrible shipwrecks,
all occurring within the last seven years. After
the schooner had struck the crew got the jolly boat
over the bulwarks to leeward, and, availing them-
selves of the partial shelter which the hull of the
vessel afforded, they contrived to got away from the
wreck, and providentially got ashore with their
lives in the midst of the furious sea breaking among
the rocks bounding the coast. A fine clipper French
schooner, laden with iron ore, also went ashore off
the Skerries, when, we regret to say, the captain
and a boy were washed overboard and drowned.
There being little or no chance of the vessel holding
together, one of the sailors jumped into the sea n d
struck out for the land, which hemiim'acuuclioivasly
reached alive. The poor fellow was
ex-
hausted, but every care and attention was paid to
him by the good people of Skerries.
crew remained on board the
t o threatenedpieces.
Timeeer every
beingm on
oe
fn moment toTwo of the
vessel, which
not a moment was lost break up and go
_the greatest. importance,
In getting the lifeboat in

readiness for the-Tenrpose of _ _ _
INenehmen frmii'lheir
wreck. The lifeboat crew succeed .k
and perilous undertaking, and bro'
fellows safely to shore, when every
paid to their wants. Yesterday evenn., rrag.
ments of wreck, borne to the shore at Howth, told
the tale of another sad disaster. For a considerable
time it was not known to what vessel the broken
timber and spars belonged, but all doubt on that
score was set at rest by the sternpost, rudder, and
+;
•on of a large ship coming to land. On
lath: was painted " Dusty Miller, of New..
castle." This vessel is supposed to have been about
240 tons burden, and must have gone ashore at the
north-east side of Ireland's Eye during the fury of the gale on Wednesday night, and broke upimme-
diately. Of the fate of the crew, said to be 11 in
number, there is not the remotest doubt. From the
fearful sea that was breaking in on the almost up-
right cliffs of Ireland's Eye at the north-east after
the vessel striking, escape must have been hopeless,
and the unfortunate captain and his crew must have
perished miserably. The storm has not in any wav
decreased, and its howling amid the roar of the seas
in the
pitchy darkness of last night was fearful,
and it is much dreaded that homeward bound ves-
sels if caught in the Channel will fare badly. All
outward bound vessels have been detained in the
port, and none of the steamers left the North-wall
yesterday or the day previous. Two vessels are
reported to have been seen off the Wicklow coast
yesterday in a crippled condition, and there was
every reason to fear that they would go ashore
during the night. The rain and storm continued
unabated up to daybreak this morning.—Dttuits
Freeman.