The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-18 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 18, 1829.

MELANCHOLY SHIPWRECKS.

It is our painful duty to relate that the accounts
received in town yesterday bear intelligence of t'u
merous ravages committed along the coast, during
the gale on Thursday night. The whole line of
coast, from Tusker to Kingstown, we are given to
understand, is strewed with wrecks. At 11 o'clock
en Thursday night, the schooner Betsey, of Dun-
dalk, laden with salt and rosin, and bound from Li-
verpool to the latter port, was totally wrecked off
the east pier, at Kingstown, of the crew and passen-
gers, consisting of eighteen persons, thirteen were
saved, and five, we are sorry to say, perished. The
wind was then blowing a tremendous gale from the
north east, with a very heavy sea, when Capt. Brett,
of the St. George steam-packet, then on the watch,
heard a signal of distress, from a vessel nearly at the
point of the east pier; he immediately lowered a
boat, and, with several of the hands, proceeded to
the pier, where, at the imminent rid: of himself and
his men, he succeeded in bringing on shore 13 of the
crew and passengers belonging to the Betsey; two
women and three of the crew, as we already
_mejs-
tioned, were lost, and he vessel was dashed to pTeces
against the rocks. The wind, which still continued
in the 'smile point, did not all abate, and at four
o'clock on yesterday morning, a Whitehaven brig
the Duke, laden with coals, was discovered em-
bayed amongst the rocks at Sandy Cove; between the
East Pier at Kingstown and Dalkey, near the Mar-
tello Tower. Lieutenant Hutchinson, the harbour
master, with twelve hardy mariners belonging to
the water guard, immediately shoved off in the life-
boat to their ass►stance, the sea then rolling moun-
tains high, and a heavy surge almost bidding
defiance to the exertion of the most resolute. The
life-boat, however; with her gallant crew, sur-
mounted all those difficulties, and succeeded in gain-
ing the wreek, and with immiuent peril, and at the
risk of having the boat dashed to pieces between
the vessel and the rocks, bore on the lee, took on
board the passengers and crew, consisting of four
men, a boy, three women arid three children, whom
they rescued from a watery grave : almost imme-
diate!, on putting off from the wreck, the main
mast fell over board, which, if it had occurred a
few minutes sooner, and when the boat was along-
side the wreck, must inevitably have sunk the boat
and crew, together with the hapless victims they had
just rescued. The brig soon after went to pieces,
arid the boat succeeded in gaining the shore in
safety. The bodies of the unfortunate beings who
had perished veers wdshed on shore in the morning,
and presented a most distressing spectacle; they
were shattered literally to atoms, and scarcely a
feature was discernible.—Saturday's Dublin paper.
COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Yesterday a meeting of the shareholders, credi-
tors, and others interested in the affairs of the above
theatre, was held in the saloon for the purpose of
receiving the report of the committee appointed at
the last meeting, to endeavour to make some arrange-
ments with the proprietors for the liquidation of the
debts due to the shareholders and creditors, which
committee were " empowered to take such steps as
they might think proper, for bringing the disputes
of the proprietors to such a termination as to allow
of the sale of the theatre for that purpose, and also
for the letting of the theatre until such sale should
be effected." Mr. MOORE was called to the chair.
At the request of the Chairman, Mr. Johnson, of
the firm of Baxendale and Co., solicitors, King's
Arms-yard, read the resolution passed at the last
meeting relating to the formation of the committee,
and the powers intrusted to it, and the report agreed
to by the gentlemen composing that body. From
the latter it appeared that the endeavours of the
Committee to effect an arrangement with the pro-
prietors, for the purposes set forth in the resolution
alluded to, were fruitless. Under these circum-
stances, the Committee begged to recommend, in
order that a fund might be raised towards defray-
ing the debts due by the theatre, and in order to
preserve the value of the theatre, that a resolution
to the following effect should be come to by the
meeting:—

" That considering the various interests that would
be affected by the theatre being closed, it is recom-
mended that the theatre lie opened for the ensuing
season ; that a competent person be appointed stage-
manager; that a treasurer be employed to receive
the nightly income of the theatre, and discharge the
current expenses (the parties at present in possession
of the theatre to supply the necessary funds to carry
the proposed measure into effect); that if Mr.
Henry Harris be at liberty to perform the duty of
stage-manager, it would be for the advantage of the
creditors he should undertake it; that on the 20th
of January a report of the state of the affairs of the
theatre be made to the creditors, and at the close of
the season a meeting of the creditors be called, and
farther resolutions agreed upon as to the appropria-
tion or division of any profits that might have been
made. The proposed measures not to prejudice the
interests of either of the proprietors under the agree-
ment entered into in March, 1822, between Mr.
Harris and Messrs. Kemble, Willet, and Forbes."
The CHAIRMAN said it would be seen from the
report just read, that the Committee had tried every
means of carrying into effect the objects for which
they had been nominated. Their efforts had, how-
ever, been ineffective, and he regretted to say, that
under the circumstances the theatre could not be
opened that season, which would be a serious injury
to all persons concerned with it. He was empowered
to state, that both Mr. Willett and his partners,
Messrs: Kemble and Forbes, were willing to 'bake
every sacrifice in order that the theatre should be
kept open.

Mr. LOWDEN, solicitor to Messrs. Kemble, Wil-
lett, and Forbes, should merely say, that his clients
were most willing to accede to the suggesions of the
Lord Chancellor—namely, that the questions be-
tween the proprietors should be put into the hands
of a referree, to say what was the best course that
could be adopted for the benefit of the creditors
and all parties concerned. Mr. Lowden read a let-
ter from Mr. C. Kemble, in reply to one addressed
to him, requesting him to come to town to assist in
making some arrangement about opening the theatre.
Mr. Kemble, after stating his inability to be in
London at the time specified, owing to the nature
of his engagement, said that every effort should be
made to open the theatre, and that he was willing
to undertake the Herculean task of its management,
if he were secured from let and hindrance, by the
shareholders and creditors. He also said that he
thought he would be able to effect such advan-
tageous arrangements with the performers, that no
difficulties need be feared in that quarter.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply to a shareholder, said
that the old debt due by the theatre was something
about 48,0001., and that the new debt amounted to
about 32,0001.

Mr. WoLLor proposed a resolution to the effect,
that the suggestion of the Lord Chancellor with re-
spect to a reference should be adopted.
Mr. BARTLEY, of the theatre, thought the reso-
lution proposed was the most proper way of pro-
ceeding. The professional gentlemen connected
with the theatre were ready to make sacrifices, and
would give up at the rate of 17 per cent. He was
ready to advance 2001. towards a reserve fund to
meet the expenditure of next season, for if the
theatre were not opened en the Ist of October, he

had no hesitation in saying that the interests of the
theatre would be virally injured.
Some conversation arose on the subject of the
executions in the theatre.

Mr. CORDER, the vestry-clerk of St. Paul's,
stated his opinion, that in the event of the amount
for which the execwions were placed in the theatre
being secured, those whom he represented would
wait t;11 the affairs were arranged.
The resolutions were then passed, and the meet-
ing adjourned.