The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-03 00:00:00

The Late Fatal Collis on at Sea.

We have already briefly reported a disastrous
collision between the Dundee steamer Anglia and a
brigantine on the English coast. Captain Speedie,
master of the former vessel, now gives the follow-
ing account of the catastrophe :—" We sailed from
London about a quarter to four o'clock on S,iturday
afternoon, the wind N.N.E., and the weather mo-
derately clear. We were abreast of the Newarp
Lightship between 3 and 4 o'clock on Sunday
morning. We passed the light about a quarter
before 4 o'clock in the morning, steering N.W.
by N. The weather was looking gloomy, and
there was the appearance of a fog. The light
was on our quarter, and was bearing N.W. We
saw a schooner or brigantine, about two
points on our starboard bow. We were apparently
about half a mile from her, and, so far as we could
see, she displayed no light. As soon as the vessel
was seen the order was given to starboard the helm.
This was accordingly done, but, as the schooner
continued on the same tack, a second order was
given to put the helm hard a starboard, and at the
same time the engines were stopped. The schooner
was now quite near us, and we called out to those
on board to alter her course. No reply was given,
and immediately after the schooner struck us on the
starboard bow, nearly stem on. The bowsprit,
foretopmast, topgallantmast, foreyard, topsailyard,
topgallantyard, and royalyard, with rigging and
sails, fell on our forecastle head with a loud crash.
The mainmast fell over alongside of us, and imme-
diately after the collision the schooner went to pieces
and sank. We called out, asking if there was any
one could help, but we heard no noise. After a minute
or two we heard some one call from windward. All
-baste was made to lower a boat, and she was
manned in a very few -minutes, and pulled towards
the place whence the sound proceeded. We took a
light with the boat, and it was very thick at the
time. We lost sight of the Newarp Light, and for
a considerable time were unable to discern the boat.
We kept the whistle going for the purpose of di-
recting the boat back to the ship. The boat came
back in about half an hour, the crew having suc-
ceeded in picking up Joseph Edward, a young
negro, one of the hands of the schooner. The lad
was stripped of his wet clothes, every attention was
paid to him, and he speedily recovered. The pas-
sengers assisted most praiseworthily in handling
the steamer. When it was seen that there was no
likelihood of saving any more of the crew, it was con-
sidered expedient to inquire into the condition of
the Anglia. We discovered that the principal da-
mage the vessel had sustained was the loss of the
cathead on the starboard side. The spindle of the
capstan was also bent, and it was not until day-
light that we ascertained that ouc topgallantmast
had been broken. The fog cleared away as the
morning advanced, and we proceeded towards Dun-
dee, with a strong wind from about N.N.E. The
steamer's head was off W.N.W. iwhen the vessel
struck her." Joseph Edwards, a negro, about
sixteen years of age, a native of the West Indies,
who was saved from the schooner, says :—" An
old man was at the helm at the time the collision
happened, and the captain, mate, and myself were
on the deck at the time. We saw the steam-
boat, but thought it was the Newarp Lightship.
The mate kept walking on the deck, talking to the
captain. After a while the captain looked over
the side, and saw it was a steamer in motion,
and not the lightship at all. He ran forward and
cried to the mate to put the helm hard down.
The mate said, ' It is too late now, captain,' and
the collision happened immediately after. When I
saw the foremast down I jumped overboard. I saw
the mate in the water alongside of me. I caught
hold of a batch, and told the mate to come and
share it. He was, however, prevented from doing
so ; and I afterwards lost sight of him. The reason
why our lights were not seen by the steamer is due,
I think, to the mainsail and mainstaysail obscuring
them. There was no look. out on board the ship.
When. the collision happened there were two men
and a boy below, and they were drowned: Our
vessel struck the steamer, and at the time was
under full sail, and going at the rate of seven miles
an hour, I should say. 1 joined the ship at Lon-
don, and we went to Middlesborough and loaded
pig-iron for Cardiff. We sailed on Friday, at three
o'clock in the morning. The captain's name was
Johnson, but I do not know the names of the other
members of the crew who have lost their lives."