The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-22 00:00:00

N 9 JUNE .22, 1850.

would be'swamped, and I accordinglywent to the lar-
board or left'side.' There were a few, people round the
boat on this side, who I think were mostly, firemen and
engineers, with one seaman belonging to the Orion, who
was crying for 'assistance to lower the 'boat. ' I said
I would lower it on one side if he would lower
on the other. At this time the bows of the ship
were visibly sinking in the water; the after part of the
stern was canting up, and the sparks from before the
funnel were rushing up like frum a house on fire.
We lowered the boat until she was flush with the
bulwarks of the ship, when a considerable number—l
think about a dozen men—scrambled into her. I. then
leapt in myself, still holding the rope and lowering way
ut the same time. W hen we got down to the water,
which was quite smooth, the sailor swung down by the
other rope. The boat eas entangled, however, with
something like broad belts, which I cut away with my
knife, and then she floated clear of the' ship. We had
❑o oars, however, but when we, called out for them a
pair was thrown down to us by a passenger, who I think
was Mr. Kidston, of Stirling. We then discovered that
the boat was making water rapidly, as the plug had n'ot
been put in; but a sailor, who was a passenger from
Liverpool, got a handkerchief and partially stopped the
hole with it. We then moved round the Stern, towards

the Lighthouse-pier, which was not tar distant, and in
doing so we saw that the other stern- boat had swamped,
and that several people were floating in the water.. Some
of our people propoied, to take them in, but others
objected, saying, They would drown us also, and that
our boat would be back immediately and render assist-
ance.' There were fourteen, I think, in our boat. _ I sat
at the stern, holding the-hatdkerchief in the plug-hole
the.greater part of the way, but I don't know who rowed
or had charge of the boat. When we were about half-
way I saw the steamer make a lurch and settle down,
disappearing all but a part of the funnel and, the masts;
and at this time the most heartrending screams pro
deeded from her, both from male and female voices. We
landed, ' and the two sailors immediately went back to
render help. When we reached the pier the boats be-
_ _

lotigiog to the inhiibitan4 of Portpatiick were pushing
Fast out to the wreck. I stood at the bottom of thestairs

leading to. the pier-head, and handed up all the passengers
who were landed at this point. They consisted of both
men and women, andalmost all in a most deplorable con-
dition. Mike of Collonsay, a fine young lady of
, nineteen years of age, was one of them. She walked up.
the pier stairs 'unaided, but I leatnt that she died im-
mediately after. Many of these rescued passengers,
'especially the ladies, who were conscious, were in a
state of dreadful agony regarding the fate of their rela-
tions, some *of whom were saved by other boats, and
others perished. was engaged in this way till they
began to land the passengers at another spot nearer the
„houses. went there and remained till the captain, who
was the last, cameout, and I helped him to laud. He
had nothing on but hitsahirf and tiousers,- and I stripped
atnilent him my greatemat. I never taw my .friend,
4r. Marcbbank, again in life, but his.body was brought
ashore at eight o'clock. He had remained to .dress him-
self, not having on'his Clothes, and I suspect that this delay
wes the cause orhisenet being ableineicape. My con-
viction is many may have been drowned, in their berths,
as she went down so rapidly, and the. danger, was so
great, that. all Who reached the deck may have been
taken Op in the effort to save themselees; without giving
notice to those who might be below,. 'Die number of
passengers was very great, and I heard tire captain say
during the morning, that there were 170 cabin pas-
sengeri; and 50;inthe steerage. 'The humane conduet
of the inhahitantroftPortpatriek was beyond all praise.
I left with the Princesalloyal for Glasgow at four. o'clock
Wednesday morning." .
Mr. William Anderson,one of the survivors, who
reached Gldsgow.by the rineiss Royal;states:—
" The-Orion was advertised to sail at three o'clock on
Monday from Liverpool, and cleared ont of the Clarence
Dock at four o'clock with a full complement of cabin
passengers (110 berths), and a number to whoni -berths
Could not be assigned. It was computed •by those 'on
board that, there might be in addition' from 60 to 70
steerage passengers. The_afternoon was delightful, the
sea 'Smooth; and every one On- board enjoyed the highest
flow of ,spirits. Up to eleven o'clock the night was spent
in the, most agreeable- and cheerful manner by all, -at
which hour the greater number in the, cabin retired to
rest. Abont a quarter past one in -the' morning, when
everything was serene and apparently prosperous, the
vessel struek-violently on a rock about 300 yards'north of
rortpetrick lighthouse, and 150 yards from the shore. To
thefew who happened to be on deck the shock seemed
to
..be serious and alarming, but it failed to Waken
a considerable number below, who had-to be ;aroused
to a sense ,of their danger by their •less drowsy
companions. The engine almost instantaneously '
ceased to work, and within a -minute or two water
reached the engine fires, and was in the act of extin-
gbishitig them, when a gentleman connected with a rail-
way line urged the propriety of instantly blowing off the
steam, for the purpose of preventing the bursting of the
boilers and the blowing up of the vessel, which was forth-
With complied with, and such a catastrophe averted.
The danger becoming imminent, the engineers, firemen,
and part of the crew, lowered one cf the quarter-boats,
and-getting into it made for Portpatrick, on reaching
which numbers of the inhabitants were aroused, and
commenced to launch. their boats for the purpose of
haAening to the scene of distress. On this boat leaving,
the passengers on board, aroused to a sense of their
perilous condition, rushed to the starboard lifeboat,
Which was instantly filled to overcrowding, and in the
anxiety to get her launched the bow rope was cut, by
which they were precipitated into the deep.' The
stern rope was thereafter cut, the boat plunged' into
the water, keel uppermost, and five or six persons were
saved by clinging to her hottom. The captain who had
been asleep in- his 'cabin, now came. bn deck, and
with the carpenter greatly 'exerted himbelf to undo 'the
fastenings of. the ,larboardlifeboat,, which Was no easy.'
matter, the fastenings for a time baffling the utmost ex-
ertions of the carpenter. Thevessel wait now fast Sink- ,
hag by the bow-with a lurch• to stsrboard,-and by the
time the lest mentioned boat watlaunched _the larboard.
side of the unfortunate steamer was so 'high out of the.
water that the .greaternuiriber of thole who attempted:
to get into her dropped' into the sea and musthave been
drowned. It sqvould be vain to attempt' depicting the:
horror, consternation, and agony of those who now oc-
cupied the small portion of the quarter. deck still above.
Water. To flee to the rigging was-new 'their only hope
of escape. Here theY'clung in desperation till the boats
from the shore were seen approaching as messengers 'of
mercy; and all who bad sufficient strength to maintain
their grasp were gradually rescued from their perilous
position. - Many Were also saved by- clinging to casks,
deck luggage, &c., till picked up by the crews of tthe.
boats. Different opinions are entertained .among those
saved in this pithiful catastrophe as to the precise time
Which elapsed betwixt the striking of the vessel and
her finally going down; .but the general impression is
that it did not exceed fifteen minutes. The persons who
manned the boats 'from Portpatrick exerted themselves
in .the: most .efficient and- praiseworthy manner. The
exertions of the inhabitants, including the innkeepers,
were incessant in ministering to the necessities and corn-
fbrti of those who Were thus unexpectedly thrown upon
their hospitality and' kindness, and such as to impress
them with a sense of gratitude which-will -not easily be
effaced from their -memory. There' is little doubt that
many' of the sufferers will take an early. opportunity of
testifying their appreciation of such well-timed and dis-
interested kindness and attention, which extended not
only to the, providing of shelter. and internal comforts
fbr the body, but to articles of clothing. It may be
stated that the narrator, who was aroused from his
slumbers by a fellovrepassenger, eared himself by get-
ting hold. of a rope 'faetened to one of -the the masts, after
having been plunged 'into the sea when the last part of
the quarter-deck had sunk under the surfaCe. He was
eventually rescued by the boats from the shore, with
many others., who; were clinging on to the mast and
rigging."
' We have learnt that the vessel at the time she struck
recoiled, and this,' coupled with the fact that the engineer
let off the steam, and that there was a flowing tide, ac-
counts : for her not striking a second-time r The water
Was smooth as a lake, and although it is, adMitted by
numbers of witnesses, both on board and on shore, that
there was a little haze, it is confidently asserted by pas.-
sengers who were on deck that they hid remarked and
Were surprised at the; closeness with which the vessel
was run to the shore, and that the rocky coast was
nlainly'iperceptible. As- the ship approached the rocks
the man on the watch gave ordersto statboard her helm,
which was immediately done; but the 'iessel was hy
that time so near Ithe shore that she got partly
round before she came in content with the reet. As
soon as it was observed on board - that the iessel was
going down, everything that-could float, was thrOwn out
by the crew. Among the buoyant articles wait A large
parcel of- returned spars from the Asia, boxes, trunks,
&c. To this eXpedient it'is probable that theaaving of
so many is' attributable.

DANGEROUS CONMVION OP BLACRPRIARS-BRIDGR:
the Court:of Common Council, Mr. H. L. Teylor said
it appeared that, in consequence, of some damage which had
been done to one of the piers of Brackfriars-bridge, by steam-
treisels;lhere Was reason to apprehend danger to tIA• public
if measures were not immediately taken to repair the mis-
chief; and he moved that la be'referred to the Bridge House
Committee to inquire into the matter, and direct that in-me-
diate steps be •adopted to remedy the evil: The Town-Clerk
said that mr. Walker, •the-engineer, had inspected the bridge,
and expressed his opinion tliat inimediate -measures should be'
taken to prevent the progress of the evil. • The Court at once
.agreed• to refer the subject to the committee; whose attention
Will be likewise called to the very bad state of the pavement
of Blaeltfriars-bridge. ' • '
. •

Tell-tales Are contemptible beings. To retail in
one hOuse what is seen or spoken of in another is a treason
against society, which capnot too. ,thoroughly be despised.
--Eliza Cook's Journal.

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