The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

LOSSES ON THE COAST.

The arrivals of Saturday furnish a sad catalogue of
losses and wrecks on different points of the coast, during
the recent heavy snowstorm. The sacrifice of human life
and property has been most considerable, and it is feared
that the full extent of the havoc is yet to be learnt. The
fall was accompanied by a severe gale of wind from east-
north-east, and it is computed that along the coast and
north-east coast, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire,
&c., upwards of fifty vessels were driven ashore, many of
the crews perishing.
A terrible :loss occurred on the Goodwin Sands, in the
course of the severe night of Tuesday last. The unfortu-
nate ship was, a foreigner, but her name has not been
correctly ascertained. Themreck was discovered at day-
break, by the loggers, who ,were on the look-out, but
nothing could be seen of thosebelonging to her. Several
bodies have teen washed Iv between Ramsgate and Sand-

with, and it is believed that they formed a portion of the
crew of the illfated ship. A canoe-built boat, some 16
feet long, has been washed upon the range of coast, as
also a piece of a vessel's quarter boat, having the words
" Vrouw Neeltje, K. and V." painted thereon. Lower
down channel, some few miles to the westward .of St.
Alban's Head, a vessel called the Emma, belonging to
Ipswich, was caught in the snow storm and gale of wind,
on Tuesday, and went over, the whole of the crew perishing.
The wreck has since been observed by the coast-guard
men floating with her stern upwards. As before noticed,
the Eastern coast suffered most severely. From the
Shears in the Swin to high above Yarmouth the most
formidable weather was experienced. The brig Abraham,
of Portsmouth, from the Tyne, during the storm of Wed-
nesday, was driven ashore a short distance to the south,
ward of Gorlestone-pier. The poor fellows on board im-
medi4ely took to the rigging ' • they were observed from
the beach, but nothing could be done towards rescuing
them. About a mile to the southward of the scene of
this fatal calamity, another loss occurred. The collier
brig Eliza, Mr. Conolly, master, bound to Hartlepool,
from the Thames, was carried ashore by the boisterous
gale, but happily the crew succeeded in preserving them-
selves. Communications of a later date mention there
was but very little diminution in the violence of the
weather, the wind continued to blow strong from the
south-east with, at intervals, heavy falls of snow.
In the vicinity of the month of the Tees the colliers and
coasters suffered most extensively. A fleet of coasters
managed to run into Hartlepool with safety, but more than
20 were driven by force of the storm ashore, the greater
bulk of which, it is feared, will become total wrecks.
Some were in ballast, and others deeply laden One vessel
called the Dapper, which sailed from West Hartlepool on
Monday, encountering the storm, put back and en-
deavoured to run into the port for safety. Unhappily she
got upon the rocks, and almost instantaneously capsized.
Her unfortunate crew clung to the rigging, and from their
gestures implored those ashore to render them aid. Before
the lifeboat, however, could reach the poor fellows, the
whole of them, with the exception of the master, Mr.
Spenceley, and a seaman, dropped off and were drowned.
Near the same spot was another wreck, that of the Aroe ;
she, also, in attempting to make the harbour for shelter,
struck upon the rocks, and went- to pieces. After much
exertion the crew were preserved.
Frightful losses took place at Shields. Vessels were
dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath Tynemouth Castle, and
many lives were sacrificed. A correspondent of the Times,
writing from this port, on Thursday night, states that the
wind was still blowing hard from the east-south-east, with
a high tempestuous sea breaking over the bar. Various
papers from the vessels wrecked have come ashore ; some
of them are seamen's discharge tickets; one was identified
by the name of " George Flatts" upon it. A love letter
was also picked up, signed " Ed. Hillburn," addressed to
"My dear Caroline." There is no doubt that those
belonged to the schooner Eliza, which was lost and all
hands. The oldest pilots belonging to the port scarcely
remember ever witnessing such a great destruction of
property at one time. _ • _

- Higher up to the northward, near the Holy Islands,
many other losses occurred during the storm. Near Wark-
worth, five vessels were cast ashore, and it is feared will
become wrecks.

In addition to the above, intelligence was received from
Belfast, announcing the loss of the Yorkshireman steamer,
Captain Morecombe, on the rocks to the northward of
Donaghadee, on the night of Wednesday. She was bound
to the above port. The crew and passengers were saved.
It is apprehended that, on the arrival of many of the
mails from the small ports, which have been detained by
the stoppage of the cross-roads by the snow, this already
long list of casualties will have numerous melancholy
additions.

Independently of those fatal casualties all classes of the
community are exposed to, hardship and privation, conse-
quent on the inclemency of the weather, coals have been
almost impossible of acquisition, andamong the humbler and
more indigent members of society, as well as among those of
more elevated rank, many will remember with feelings of
painful recollection the severity of that storm which
marked the advent of 1854; a storm which has no
parallel in extent of range, intense severity, or duration in
this part of the country for many years.