The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-04 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE CITY OF CARLISLE STEAMER

DISASTIR.OUS SHIPWRECKS.

During the height of the gale on Wednesday morning
this fine coasting steamer was totally wrecked at the
entrance of Wainfleet harbour, in Lincolnshire. The
steamer, which was om her passage from Honfleur to
Goole, with a cargo of miscellaneous goods, was a large
vessel, of about 200 tons burden, and had two engines of
thirty-horse power each. She was considered an excel-
lent sea boat, having formerly been engaged in trading
between Hull and Carlisle, and has only within the last
two or three months been employed on the station in
running between Goole and Honfleur, under the com-
mand of Captain Proudlove, master. After quitting
Honfleur river, the wind commenced blowing almost a
hurricane from the westward, with a great fall of snow at
intervals. The steamer, however, weathered it in ad-
mirable style, and continued steaming until Tuesday
night, when the storm somewhat increasing, it was with
much difficulty that the fires could be kept in, on account
of the sea finding its way into the engine-room. At
about one o'clock the Skegness light, near the
mouth of the Wainfleet harbour, appeared in sight.
and it was fully expected that in a few hours she would
safely be brought her into smooth water. The usual
track was taken, and nothing particular occurred until
about four o'clock, when just as the steamer had got
abreast of the Dog-head Sand (a dangerous shoal in the
Humber) it came on to snow so heavily as to prevent
the length of the steamer being seen. The crew kept the
helm steady in the hope of clearing the sands, but the
next moment a terrific wave caught the vessel and
carried her completely on the body of the sands, and the
force was so great as to throw those on deck upon their
backs, producing, as may be conceived, the greatest con-
sternation and dismay on board. The captain perceiv-
ing the perilous situation of the steamer, prevailed upon
the crew to lighten her as much as possible, which they
did by throwing overboard part of the cargo, while
others prepared the boats, ready to leave the vessel, and
made signals of distress for assistance. After great la-
bour, Captain Proudlove succeeded in getting her off the
sands, but afterwards the situation of the crew became in
greater danger, for on sounding the pumps, several feet
of water was found in the hold, and it rapidly increasing,
clearly showed that either her keel had been carried
away or that her bottom was stove in. Both pumps were
instantly got to work, • and extra pressure was put
on the steam, in the hope of keeping her afloat and of
running her ashore ; but before many minutes had
elapsed, the engineer and stoker ran upon deck and re-
ported the water had risen above the engine-room floor-
ing and was putting the, fires out. There was now not a
moment to be lost, for the vessel was rapidly sinking,
and if they remained many minutes longer, their escape
would be beyond all human power: The captain having
given the word, in an instant the crew (in all fifteen in
number) filled the boats, and they directly pulled away
from the steamer. Before they had gained 200 yards
from the vessel, they saw her go down into deep water.
'l'he boats were then pulled towards the land, but the toil
and suffering the crew endured was severe in the ex-
treme ; several times they narrowly escaped being
swamped, and most of them were up to their middles in
in water, baling it out with their caps, and any other ar-
ticle they could get hold of. At length the life-boat,
commanded by Mr. Samuel Moody, belonging to Skeg-
ness, came to their assistance, into which they got, and
were safely conveyed ashore, though in a most deplora-
ble plight. The steamer is irrecoverably lost.
WRECK OF A DUTCH INDIAMAN.—SEVEN-