The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-14 00:00:00

SHIPWRECK OFF CALMS.

A letter signed " R. W. Powell (late of the East
India Company's service)," dated March 10, and who
appears to have been an eye-witness of the following
transaction, furnishes the following account of this
inconsiderate and shameful affair :

On the 9th inst., about eight or nine o'clock P.M.,
a heavy storm arose, and in the offing this morning
was 'discovered a brig, with all her sails in shivers.
About 11 o'clock A.M. to-day, she let go her anchor to
the eastward of the pier, about a mile from shore, a
most tremendously heavy sea running. About
three o'clock the life-boat of this place was, after great
persuasion, and after a reward of .50/. was offered,
sent to the assistance of the vessel. From some great
mismanagement on the part of the French authori-
ties the launch was not effected. At half-past six
o'clock the vessel in the meantime cut away her an-
chors, hoping to drift ashore. She struck, and no
further attempt was made by the French. The tide
was coming in, and the sea breaking over her. The
cries for help of the unfortunate crew were dread-
ful. She was within a quarter of a mile at that
time of land )half-past six o'clock p.m.) The
French, to their disgrace, in every way opposed all
succour. At half-past seven o'clock P.M., Mr. Slater,
second master of the Widgeon steam-packet of Dover,
with a crew of six men, five of whom were oNhe
Widgeon, with the assistance of Lieutenant Scriven,
Commander, procured from the harbour master, after
two applications and immense difficulty, a boat be-
longing to the Humane Society, and then only upon Mr.
Slater guaranteeing the payment of any damage that
might accrue—boldly, with his small crew, mannod
the boat; 200 Englishmen in the lace business, under the
superintendence of Lieut. Scriven, nobly assisted in
launching the boat, a most tremendous sea running.
They started from the westward, and had to pass the
head of both piers, a very dangerous service even in
mild weather; it took them half an hour to get through
the bar ; and but for the gallant intrepidity and dex
terity of this noble officer and his crew, they must
have been all lost. Two hours elapsed before they
succeeded in their gallant enterprise ; they reached
the vessel, and saved from a watery grave Seven human
beings ;, ten minutes more and every soul must have
perished. The brig was the Minerva, of Jersey,
bound from Sunderland, the master William Perry,
laden with coals ; tonnage 163. The vessel is a per-
fect wreck; her mainmast was at the time of the
rescue swinging backwards and forwards, and Mr.
Slater expected every moment she would go over,
and had she done so, the gallant boat's crew must have
all met with instantaneous death.

This is not the first time that Mr. Slater, of the
Widgeon, has evinced his courage. The names of
those brave men who manned the life-boat are—
ltiehard Canney, quarter-master, Thomas Sinclair,
Thomas Lawrence, Watkin Edwards, and Daniel
Trim, able-bodied, all of the Widveon ; and Nicholson,
of the Frederick, of Sunderland, a collier, a young
man, whose intrepidity and gallant conduct through-
out ought to meet with a high reward.

A girl, only 18 years old, lost- her life a few days
ago, at St. Andre, in the Eure, in the following extraordinary
and disgusting manner :—Being of a party where strong liquors
were used to excess. she laid a wager that .he would do more
than any of the rest, and accordingly drank off, almost without
drawing breath, three large glosses full of brandy. She almost
immediecly fell into violent convukions, and died in the armt
of ber companions.