The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-07 00:00:00

THE LATE LIEUT. W. J. SNOW, R.N.

[We recommend the following case to the sympathy o f
our benevolent readers—it well merits the kindnesaof a
humane and generous public, always ready to befriend the
family of a brave man, who has prematurely lost his life
in the service of his country. It will he seen by an Ad-
vertisement in oar front page, that a public subscription is
now open on their behalf.—En.]
It having been determined to solicit the aid of a
generous public for the widow and four young chil-
dren of the late Lieutenant William John Snow, of
the Royal Navy, under their present very peculiar
circumstances of misfortune and distress, it is though t
right to make known some little history of that brave
officer, and of those services and wounds to which
his life has now become a sacrifice.
Lieut. William John Snow was educated at
Christ's Hospital, which he left at the age of four-
teen, to enter as a Midshipman on board the San
Nicholas prison ship, then commanded by his father,
a very old officer, and Captain in the Royal Navy.
His star in the San Nicholas was but short, as, in is
few months, he went on more active duty, and was
employed successively during the most eventful
periods of the naval war, in the L' Achilk, Egeria,
Forward, Ruby, Guerriere, Poietiers, Frolic, Dol-
phin, and Manly.
In the L' Achille, when in the 15th year of his
age, he was engaged in the battle of Trafalgar, and
received a bad compound fracture of the left arm,
and a slight wound on the right knee, for which
wounds he received a smart ticket and gratuity.
In the Egeria, still a young man, in some boat-
work with a privateer, he received a cutlass wound,
leaving a large scar. In an attempt to save a Danish
vessel, in which he was prize-master, from recapture,
he received two other wounds; and, afterwards,
when a prisoner in an enemy's ship, on his way
from one prison depot to another, in the Baltic, he
!ed on successfully a rescue, under a most extraordi-
aary disproportion of numbers and physical strength,
and brought the whole party to England. On this
occasion, be received a wound on the back of his
hand, leaving a large scar. The ship, under all the
circumstances, was given up by Government, but lie
recovered his liberty, and fully established by the
transaction a character for the most determined
bravery—an event fully proving the words of an old
English Bard, that
" Courage from hearts, and not from numbers, springs."
In the other ships of war enumerated he saw much
service. In six months alone, on board the Guar.,
rierc, as appears by a particular register of names
and dates, he bore his part in capturing, recap-
turing, or destroying sixteen vessels; among them
Lhe American sloop of war the .Nautilus; and be-
tween October, 1812, and February, 1813, while
Serving on board the Poictiert, he also bore his part
in capturing, recapturing, or destroying twenty-three
vessels, among them the American sloop of war the
Wasp.
On board the Guerriere, in the action with the
American frigate the Constitution, he received his
fatal wound, which, by depressing the breast bone
obliquely on the right side, together with the ends
of four of his ribs, preternaturally contracted the
cavity of the chest? and rendered him liable, on any
increased determination of blood to the lungs, from
:old or other causes of excitement afterwards, to a
recurrence of inflammation, and thus brought hi:n at
the age of 37 to his grave.
Captain Dacres, in his public dispatch to the
Lords of the Admiralty after the action, speaking
•4 this officer, says—" I must recommend Mr.
Snow, Master's-mate, who commanded the foremost
wil.-deck guns, in the absence of Lieut. Fulnam,
and tie whole f them after the fall of Lieut. Ready,
to yo.T protection, he having received a severe con.
:usion from a splinter"—a recommendation _appre-
ciated by their Lordships, in his eventual promotion
o his late rank.

Without any long interval of health, this unfortu-
late Officer had been living with his family for se-
veral years at Pusey, in Wiltshire, on his half-pay,
when the Lords of the Admiralty, in consideration
of his wounds and services, most kindly bestowed
upon him an appointment, from which he vainly an-
Licipated increased comforts, instead of embarrass-
manta, for his wife and children, and happiness for
himself;_ but, emaciated and worn down by the fre-
quent returns of hemorrhage, pain, and suppuration
in the injured part, it was but too evident, on his
'irrival at Putney Heath, that his days were already
all but told. The fatigues, expences, and anxieties
attendant on a removal, for which, he was so ill pre-
Qared, only led to renewed disease; and, on the
eleventh night after his arrival, he died, leaving his
wLinncloywlesas an n,
children,dd
without altogetherany
relative among
competent toatrangers,
give that aid which some noble and other kind neigh-
bours were prompt in affording.
On an examination of his body after his death, as
,o the particular state of his chest, there were found
scars of seven distinct wounds, fully confirming
Ills own modest recital of his various services, a few
ilays before he died. It is but-an act of justice to
nim to say, that among his papers he leaves highly
creditable testimonials from many Officers under
.vhom he bad served.

It cannot be doubted that the family of a brave
officer, who for many successive years, and •princi-
Jelly in the smaller vesaele ef war, has had so much
hard work—who has fovght so much, and bled so
much, and suffered so much, in the protection of. the
~ommeri.c of his country, will (when their distressed
situation is known) be considered worthy sharers
of commercial benevolence.

Mrs. Spencer Stanhope gave an elegant Ball at
Tier residence, Langham-plece on Friday evening,
,vhich was attended by ,upwards of four hundred
persons of the first distinction.

Do-vau, MAY 6, 1827.—The ship William
Manning, Captain Hugh Smith, from St. Kitts,
tin. London, laden with Sugar and Rum, came
on shore this morning, about six o'clock, in a
very thick fog. just to the Eastward of Shakspear
Cliff, whilst under the charge of a Deal boatman,
whose boat had been dispatched from Dungeness
for a River Pilot. It was about high water when
the ship grounded. Anchors were immediately
got out, and every exertion made to get the ship
cif but without success. During the day the
deck lumber has been removed, another anchor
end cable got out, and several smacks are now
tidett
alongside taking in the cargo ; so that it is pro-
a ebmay be sufficiently lightened by
a:kltee to be hove off, and we see a steam
Is ship
already in attendance to assist her. The
passengers have been safely landed at this Port.
Seven P.M.----The ship is afloat, and has proceed-
ed with loss of rudder for the river, in charge of
the Royal George steam-packet, and two Dovcr
boats.