The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-08-02 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY SHIPWRECKS.

On Friday evening, betwixt seven and eight o'clock, a storm
of wind and rain broke over the town. The wind, which had
previously been blowing gently from the south, began to blow
with such violence from the N.W. by N. that, in a short time, it
assumed all the features of a hurricane. A number of vessels
had, in the course of the day, passed Holyhead, inward-bound,
but none of them seem to have been so near the banks when the
gale sprung up as the John Welch, Captain Woodhouse, from
Savanilla, on the Spanish Main. The pilot, finding it impossi-
ble to claw off, ran for the S.W. Lightship, with the intention
of attempting to enter the port. The vessel's sails were, how-
ever,.torn to tatters by the fury of the storm; and, betwixt seven
and eight o'clock, she struck on West Hoyle, outside the Light-
ship. She was got off in a short time, but. she had sustained so
much damage by the striking on the bank that, before she
reached the Dove Spit, she had several feet of water in the hold.
The pilot now ordered the anchors to be put down, in the hope,
by their assistance, of riding out the gale. The vessel, however,
dragged, and, between nine and ten o'clock, she was driven on
the bank near to Jackson's Buoy. The masts were now cut
away, and the crew made every effort to save themselves from a
miserable death, almost within sight of their families and their
homes. The longboat was got out, but no sooner was it afloat
than it was stove in by the pitching of the wreck and sunk.
The crew gave themselves up for lost. The vessel's stern being
turned to the sea, in a short time the rudder was broken off and
with it part of the stern. The sea now swept thedeck, carrying
overboard several of the crew, who instantly perished. The
remainder sought refuge in the rigging. Giadually; however,
they were swept off, until only Iwo men remained, one on the
fore, the other on the mizen rigging. The man who had sought
refuge in the mizen rigging, having been exposed to all the fury
of the waves as they broke over the wreck, was in a state of
complete torpidity, or rather ofinsensibility, when, at four o'clock
in the morning, lie was taken off by the lifeboat from Hoylake.
So fast was the poor fellow in the iigging that the lifeboat men
had actually to cut him out with their knives ; whilst the clothes
had been nearly all washed off his body by the continued action
of the sea during the night. The other man, having ensconced
himself in the fore rigging, was not so much exposed as his
companion to the fury of the waves, and, though he too was in a
torpid state when taken off the wreck, he soon recovered. Both
the men were treated with the greatest care and attention by the
people on the main; one of them has since died from the effects
of extreme exhaustion. The number who perished by the me-
lancholy wreck of the John Welch amounts to fifteen. The
names of the two taken oil' the wreck are Peter Deverick and
John Hudson.

The John Welch was a fine British-built ship. Captain
Woodhouse, who had commanded her ever since she was built,
was well known as a steady, clever man, and his uatimely death
is greatly deplored by a large circle of friends. He has left a
faintly of seven children. A good part of the cargo is expected
to he saved, but the ship is a complete wreck.
On Saturday morning the underwriters applied to Mr. Dow-
ling for his assistance to protect the wreck and cargo from
plunder, as the usual appearance of "wreckers" assembling on
the coast in great numbers gave token of an intention to adhere
to the custom of appropriation formerly pursued in these unfor-
tunate cases. Mr. Dowling immediately left Liverpool, with
an inspector, two serjeauts, and a party of constables armed with
cutlasses. Having hired conveyances at Seacombe, they soon
arrived on the.beach opposite the wreck, and made arrange-
ments fur guarding the coast. Several gentlemen connected
with the vessel arrived soon after, and socceded in gettinr to
the wreck. With the assistance of a number of men who Were
hired on the spot, and some of the coast-guard officers, a num-
ber of bales of cotton were conveyed on board a flat, and many
other things were taken on shore and deposited under a guard.
The party remained with the wreck until the tide forced them
to retire. Mr. Dowling finally mink arrangements for a constant
guard to he placed along the beach. day and night, until the
cargo shall be landed, leaving Mr. Tyrrell, the inspector, in
charge. Parties of wreckers constantly make their appearance,
and are obliged to retire, apparently with considerable reluc-
tanee.• Up to this period the most complete protection has been
afforded to the wreck and cargo.
During the storm, the William, from Dublin to Chester, was
also li.st. She struck on Bed Wharf Bank, and all on board
pet ;shed. Some coasting vessels, it is feared, were also wrecked,
and the greatest anxiety prevails a S to the safety of many of the
vessels who a day or two previous got out to sea, after being
wind-bound for a length of time.
Since writing the above, three of the bodies have trashed up,
4441 of rhi,:h is that of the