The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-29 00:00:00

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.

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PLYMOITTU, JAN: 27.—A fatal boat accident oc-
curred here yesterday afternoon, by which five persons
have lost their lives.

Her Majesty's steam-frigate Stromboli, Commander
Lord Amain& Beauclerk, having been cruising in the
channel to assist the homeward bound, entered the
port on Friday and took up her moorings just inside
the western arm of the breakwater. Oa Saturday
afternoon, at half-past one o'clock, the Stromboli 's
cutter was dispatched on duty from the Sound for
the Royal William Victualling-yard. The cutter,
which is twenty-two feet long, was in charge of Mr.
Whitcombe, naval cadet, and a crew of nine hands,
viz., R. Gannyclifc, coxswain, John Welsh, John
Lowry, Thomas Wenham, Samuel Harris, Joseph
Mildren, and Thomas Thomas, able seamen ; James
Fox, ordinary seaman ; and John Priest, first-class
boy. I.3,sides the crew there were passengers—Mr.
E. M. Stone, purser and paymaster; Mr. Robert
Loney, assistant-surgeon ; and Mr. Davies, naval
cadet. Tide from half to three. quarters Rawl, very
strong; wind N.N.W. to N.W., fresh breeze and
sually. The cutter carried a single reefed lugsail
and mizen, and having beaten up to the eastern end of
Drake's Island she passed the revenue cutters Welling-
ton, Commander Granby, and Stag,Lieut.lVestbrook,
which were lying hetrveen the islatid and the " Rusty
Anchor" at Millbay. When the cutter had nearly
passed Drake's Island, and had got Fireston. -lay on
her starboard bow, about half-past two o'clock, she
wag suddenly overtaken by a squall from the north-
west, and a heavy sea, and the "sheet" not having
been eased off smart enough she capsized. Lie men
attempted to bale her cut with their hats, and the
coxswain, Gannyclift, put her about and righted her,
but she quickly filled, and went down instantly.
The accident having been observed from the island,
several soldiers belonging to a detachment of the
82d Regiment, on duty there, shouted from thexarn-
parts and alarmed the shipping near. Sergeant
Garton, with five mer, ran down to the beach, and
jumped into the garrison market boat; they were
followed by Colour-sergeant Wynne, who, with Sul-
livan, a private, and Thomas Couch, son of the can-
teen master, manned the garrison punt, and both boats
shoved 'off. Providentially, Mr. George Blakey, the
master of the Stromboli, in that ship's pinnace, had
left soon after the cutter, and at the moment of the
accident was beating over the bridge between Drake's
Island and Mount Edgcumbe. The Wellington's
first gig, in charge of William Soady and four hands,
and the Stag's gib in charge of William Lugger and
three .hands, with the Preventive Service gig from
Stonehouse-point, a boat from the Royal William
Victualling-yard, and other boats, were prompt to
render assistance.

The pinnace picked up Mr. Davies and Joseph
Mildrer, who were floating on the cutter's gangboard,
and Mr. Stone, who had an oar. When Sergeant
Wynne, in the garrison punt, approached the scene,
and saw that assistance was following, he very con-
siderately passed between several who were floating,
and pushed on to Gannyclift, who was at a distance
drifting to leeward, and would have sunk but for this
timely help. The Wellington's gig saved Mr. Loney
and Samuel Harris. Mr. Loney is s!out in person,
and had an oar under each arm ; although, like the
others, from. ten mieutes to a quarter of an hour in
the water, he was very little affected by the immersion.
Harri 7, on the contrary, had not sufficient strength to
seizi a piddle extended to him from the Wellington's
gig, and when nearly exhausted was drawn on board
by a boathook. The Stag's gig saved Thomas and,
Priest ; the former was floating about on a box of
accounts, which was also picked up. The garrison
market boat is flat bottomed, and high out of the
water, and being thus unmanageable, was not in time
to save life.

After the cutter went down young Whitcombe
was observed partly on her gangbo trd, and with that
and an oar attempting to save himself, but his strength
failed, and he was unhappily drowned. One of the
missing seamen floated near the track of the pinnace,
and actually hoisted his hat as a signal to his comrades
of his forlorn condition, but it was necessary to steer
the pinnace to save the greater number, and the poor
fellow was lost. When Gannyclift went down he
missed his hat, and on rising to the surface found one
belonging to an officer, which he put on and took on
board the garrison punt with him. The cutter had
no extra ballast; her anchor and two cables were
trimmed along on her floor ; no confusion prevailed,
and the men were all orderly.
An those saved were conveyed in the pinnace to
the Stromboli, where they were received by Dr.
Burke ; they had, however, only a few slight bruises,
and have returned to their duties.

The five persons drowned are—Mr. Whitcombe,
son of a solicitor, residing at Gilfield-honse, near
Gloucester; John Welsh, a native of Queenstown ;
John Lowry, from Belfsst ; Thomas Wenham, born
at Wittisham, in Kent ; and James Poi, whose friends
reside in London.

The officers of the Stromboli expressed themselves
very grateful for the valuable assistance rendered,
especially for that of Colour• sergeant Wynne, Sergeant
Garton, and the men belonging to the detachment of
the 821 Regiment.
Boats from the Stromboli, from Drake's bland,
from the Wellington and the Stag, have since been
creeping at low water, but they have not succeeded in
discovering the sunken cutter, or in finding any of
the bodies of those who were unfortunately drowned.
The Stromboli is going up harbour to refit.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S.—YESTERDAY.
THE LOUTH STEEPLECHASE.
Even money laid on Maria Day, Abd-al-Kacler, and
Proceed, agA the field.
LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE.
20 to 1 agst Lord Waterford's Sir John—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Hardcastle's Rescue
30 to 1 agat Mr. H. Murphy's The Oaks
The iaveitments were in such small amounts es
scarcely to deserve a quota'ion.
THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.
8 to 1 agst Mr. H. Hill's Oaterley—take 9 to 1
10 to 1 agst Mr. Halford's Harriott
15 to 1 agst Mr. Bumby's Irelox—taken
33 to 1 agst Mr. Greviile's Clarissa
METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.
13 to 1 agst Mr. Gratwicke's Cheerful
15 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Snowstorm—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Adams's Ellerslie
30 to 1 agst Mr. Murphy's Dough
A large sum Rai laid out in the course of the day
DO the two favourites, Cheerful, who was first backed
at 25 to 1, obt doing the premiership.
CHESTER CUP.
18 to 1 agst Mr. Payne's Glauca—taken
20 to 1 apt Mr. St. George's Whim colt—
taken and
afterwards offered
20 to 1 aget Mr. Ch:baldeston's Fugleman—taken
and afterwards offered
20 to 1 agst Mr. Merry's Miss Ann—take 25 to 1
25 to 1 agst Lord flowth's Peep-o'• day Boy—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Roland—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Pedley's Cossack f
4,000 to 120 apt Capt4in Ilarcourea Ellerdale—taken
and afterwards offered
40 to 1 agst Mr. Padwick's The Flea
40 to 1 agat Lord Chesterfield's Lady Evelyn
40 to 1 agst Mr. Elalford's Harriott
50 to 1 agst Mr. Rolt's Collingwood—t 1,000 to 15
4,000 to 60 agst Mr. B. Green's Lady Superior—taken
4;000 to GO agst Mr. Hesseltine's Andalusian—taken
3,000 to 45 agst Mr. Isaac Day's Cockermouth—taken
1,000 to 15 aget Mr. Bowea's The Knout—taken
1,000 to 30 agst Coiling wood and Hotspur—taken
The bitting was very brisk on Glauce, the Whim
colt, Roland, and Peep-o'% day Boy; the mare having the
strongest party, and rising to 18 to 1, takers. Fogleman
had a ficy friends, but kJ% off at the former quotatioc.
DERBY, 1850.
7 to 1 agst Dake of Richmond's Ghillie Callum
1.0 to 1 agst Mr. W. Edwards na Bolingbroke—taken
and afterwards offered
I 1 to 1 agat Lord Eglinton's Knight of Avenel
17 to 1 agst Lord Zetland's Voltigeur —taken
20 to 1 agst Mr. Gratvvicke's" The Nigger—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Pedley's Sweetheart
30 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Mayors—taken
30 to 1 agst Lord H. Lennox's William the Con•
queror—taken
1,000 to 15 agst Lord Palmeraton'a Yew Tree
750 to 100 was taken about Ghillie Callum-1,000 to
100 about Bolingbroke (afterwards offered)-17 to 1 to
2001. about Voltigeur —and a few other bets in small r
amounts. Bolingbroke looked very unt,etlOy.
THE OARS.
12 to 1 agst Mr. Gannon's Regina—taken
Offars to take 15 to 2 abut Probity.
DERBY, 1851.
2,000 to 30 agst Lord Stanley's Croupier—taken
2,000 to 80 agSl Mr. Worthington's Goliab—taken

DETERMINED SUICIDE.—On Sunday, about noon,
some alarm wits created among the foot pesteogers on
Blackfriars-bridge, lilt consequence of a f male, appa-
rently about 50 years of age, committing self-destruc-
tion by leaping from the stone parapet into the water.
It appears that shortly after twelve o'clock the deceased,
who was very meanly attired, entered the first recess on
the western side of the bridge, from Wackfrisrse7oad.
where she stood for a f minutes on the se :t looking
steadfistly towards the water, and before any person
could reach her she took off her bonnet and cap, throw-
ing them down on the stone-work, and then deliberately
leaped into the river. Several persons ran towards her,
but unfortunately tlo late to save her. An alarm was
raised, and two watermen put off in a boat and rowed to
the spot where she bad fallen, but the deceaSed never
rose to the surface. The tide was running up very fist
at the time, and most probably the deceased was carried
away. The drags were used fir some timr, hut the de-
ceased could not be found. A constable of the City
police force took charge of the bonnet and car, %blob he
conveyed to the police-station in Flmt-street, where they
remain to be identified.
MIDDLE TEMPLF.—A further call to the Bar of
students of this society was made on Saturday evening,
and they comprise the aferinentientel gentlemen
Rob:rt ler Fisher, Esq.; John TOM, E=q ;
1).)11;hs (;:yu,
fl ; rti,;7l, Itohrrr, ()eer ,Tereete,
Leg.; Cheiles Johte Leieber kieitsiet, .If.q.; and Allied
Whaley Cole, Esq.