The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-23 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE RELIANCE, EAST

IN DIAMAN.

ARRIVAL OF THE SURVIVORS IN LONDON-AND
AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE OF THE WRECK.

The survivors among the crew of the above ill-fated
ship arrived in London yesterday afternoon' by the
General Steam Navigation Company's vessel Magnet,
Captain Stock, from Boulogne.
The Magnet brings over the whole of the surviving
crew, with the exception of Dixon, the carpenter, who
is still detained by the British Consul, for the purpose
of identifying the dead, only twelve bodies out of the
109 persons lost having been picked up when Captain
Stock left.

The subjoined statement was made by O'Neill, an
intelligent foremast man, and one of the two English-
men saved, who was on deck when the vessel struck.
O'Neill states that they had remarkably thick and
hazy weather for some days previous to tit? 12th inst.,
and on Friday they shortened sail, and the lead was
kept going. At half-past twelve at night, one of the
crew named Thomas, whose watch it was on the fore-
castle, reported that he saw lights, and soon after
they were distinctly observed by several others on the
larboard and starboard. The second mate, Mr.
Green, was on duty at the time, and said that those
on the weather bow were a ship's lights, and added,
" Hurrah, boys, the light on the lee beam is Dunge-
ness ; we shall be in the Downs this morning." They"
then steered north, and thought they were running
for the Downs. Their course was east by north, as
it was given at twelve o'clock, when the look-out was
relieved. 'About one o'clock Captain Green and Mr.
Walsh, the chief mate, came on deck, and the Captain
immediately gave orders to wear the ship and heave
the lead. As the vessel answered her helm, the
quarter-master gave the soundings, " By the hard
deep, six." At this moment the vessel was un-
der
close reefed fore and main topsails—was pay-
ing off by the wind, and gradually going round on
the other tack. A seaman named Munroe was at
the wheel at this time, and as she veered round her
keel touched the bottom, and she struck heavily on
the sand. The shock is described by O'Neill as
having been terrific. His language was, "It struck
me as if I had laid hold of an electrical machine."
The whole of the crew rushed on deck, and before
any orders could be given she shifted slightly, and
became more firmly imbedded. This motion was re-
peated five or six times in rapid succession, and it was
the opinion of the officers that the ship's back was
broken by the force of the concussion. The tide was
setting strong in, and the Captain immediately or
dered 3ignals of distress to be fired. It was the
opinion of all on board that they were off the English
coast, and the Captain, seeing that there was no hope
of saving the ship, desired several of the crew
to cut away the mainmast. This was imme-
diately commenced, and in a few moments it
went over to leeward with a terrific crash. The
foremast soon followed, and in falling broke the

leg of a young midshipman named Forde ; but the im-
minent danger of all around did not prevent, even
at this crisis, every attention being shown him. The
fractured limb was carefully set by the surgeon, and
the poor lad was conveyed to the Captain's cabin,
where he remained, until the breaking up of the ship
obliged some of the crew to place him on the poop.
While Forde was lying in the cabin, O'Neill and two
other seamen made their way there, and took away
a musket, a couple of pistols, and a bag of powder,
with which they fired signals from the poop. O'Neill
admits that those of the crew engaged in firing the
signal guns got to the spirit casks and drank to excess.
Subsequently, at the Captain's direction, who, accord
ing to O'Neill, manifested the greatest coolness and
presence of mind, lights were placed in the mizen rig-
ging in order to point out their position to any boats
that might come off to their assistance. The sea
was now tremendous, and as the vessel rolled her
bottom could be distinctly heard breaking up. The
water rushed in, and her cargo of tea, becoming
wet burst up the decks, which, for some time previous
had been dangerous to stand upon, from the planks
opening and shutting, whereby the feet of several
seamen were jammed between the seams. Three
hours had now elapsed since the vessel struck, and
the day was beginning to break. The Captain, with
the officers and passengers, and many of the crew,
were on the after-part of the vessel, which still
held together, the sea making a breach right over
her. Chests of tea floated, one by one, on the
surface, indicating that a portion of the bottom
was entirely gone. Orders were now given
to get out the long boat, but, from the injuries
she had sustained from the falling of the masts and
rolling of the ship, she was found to be useless.
There were two other boats on board, but their con-
dition at this time, as O'Neill states, was such as to
render them of no service. The Europeans among
the crew were then desired by the officers to con-
struct a raft, but this could not be accomplished.
The vessel held together until eight o'clock, rol-
ling fearfully from side to side with the swell of the
ocean, and drenching the crew continually. About
this time; Captain Green, the first mate, Mr. Walsh,
and several others, left the poop of the ship to take
refuge with the sailors in the floating spars and rigg-
ing of the mainmast—Captain Tucker and many others
still remaining on the after part of the vessel. Shortly
before nine o'clock, as nearly as can be ascertained,
the vessel parted midships, the sea breaking right
through her, and in a few moments she was a com-
plete wreck, portions of her timber floating about in all
directions. Numbers of the crew sank immediately, and
were lost sight off amidst the breakers. Capt. Tucker
was among this uumber. The Captain, Mr. Walsh,
O'Neill, the sail maker, the armourer, and several
others, still clung to the mainmast and rigging, which
being released from, the vessel floated towards the
land. At this and indeed for some length of time
previous the people on the coast were distinctly ob-
served, running to and fro, but no boats put off to
render assistance. The floating timber from the
wreck, whirled round by the viol e nswtecenhear
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towards the shore, a distance of nearly three miles,
extremely feeble. Captain Green who was nearly 60
years of age became so weak that he lost his hold
several times and fell into the sea. Mr. Walsh called
out to some of the sailors, "Pull up the Captain, boys !'
and he was raised on to the timbers more than once
The last time he was taken out of the water he was
found to be insensible, but the men still assisted in
holding him on. About half-past 9 o'clock the loose
spars became so exposed to the sea as no longer to af-
ford protection against its violence, and the greater
number of those who had sought refuge upon them
were washed off. O'Neill plunged into the sea and
seized a plank. At the moment of doing so several
sailors clung to him. Ile was compelled to strike them
off to save his own life, but one of the Malays reached
the shore by himself. O'Neill states that as daylight
broke men on horseback were observed on the shore,
but he states most distinctly that no boat was put off;