The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-09-25 00:00:00

NEW SOUTH WALES.

DREADFUL SHIPWRECK.—ONE HUNDRED, AND THIRTY
LIVES Lost.—Advices from Hobart Town yesterday furnish
the following account of the loss of the George 111., convict
ship,, on a reef in the mouth of the river Derwent, which is not
laid down in the chart. The following is the return of the
persons on board the vessel :
Embarked at Woolwich. —Prisoners, 220; 29 soldiers, three
officers, 32; crew, officers included, 32; eight women and 14
children, 22; born en the voyage. 2.—Total embarked, 308.
Died at sea, one woman, three children, and 12 prisOners, 16.
Total wrecked, 292.
Saved from the wreck.—All the guard, 32; 6 women and 11
children, 17 ; crew, 30 ; prisosiers, 81.—Total saved, 160. Pe-
rished, 132.
Upon the captain and officers arriving at Hobart Town a
board was formed to inquire into the particulars of the catastro-
phe. According to Oaptain Maxey's (the commander of the
George the Third) statement the ship made land at about eleven
a.m. ou Sunday, the 12th of April. He- was furnished with the
charts published by authority of the Admiralty, according to the
directions of which he considered the passage safe ; and, adopting
the usual precaution of sounding with the deep sea lead, pro-
ceeded between the two reefs laid down, the soundings giving
half seven fathoms right through. After passing the breakers
Captain Maxev took the officers and passengers into the cabin,
showed them tile position of the ship, and all were satisfied they
were beyond the reach of danger, and might either anchor or
proceed. The ship accordingly proceeded, at the rate of one-
-and a-half to two knots an hour, under double-reefed topsails,
and the foresail brailed up, all ready for coming to anchor, if it
became dark, and, after su proceeding for about a quarter of an
hour, the man at the head saug out quarter less four. The cap-
taiu instantly cried out to the man at the helm hard-a-port, but
before the man sounding could get another cast of the lead the
ship struck, but not violently at first. The cutter was lowered,
and the third officer, Mr. Field, went in her and sounded round
the ship. Abreast the starboard gangway he found two-and-a-
lialf-Nthoms ; a-head, two fathoms.;_ and astern, about four boats'
length, four-and-a-half fathoms. No breakers were then seen,
but a swell soon came on and commenced breaking, and the ship
then began striking violently, throwing every one off their feet;
and, after a very short time, about the fifth shock, the mainmast
went over on the starboard side, carrying the mizentopmast with
it, and draggingdown the weathertoolwarks close to the covering
boards. At this time the boatswain and officers were trying to
get the longboat out, and the mainmast being gone the lee-bul-
warks were obliged to be cut away to launch her ; at the same
time they were lowering the gig, when the rolling of the ship
caused the man holding the stern-tackle to leave his hold, when
the gig stove her quarter and was swamped- The cutter was
immediately ordered round to pick the men from out of the
water, and the third mate was then ordered to bring the cutter
alongside, when he could not, as she was so full she could hold
no more. The officer was then directed to look out for the first
landing place, and to return immediately with any aid lie could
obtain. At this time the foremast went overboard, and a heavy
sea striking the ship the longboat floated on deck, and all the
inaindeek was under water, which was within a quirter. of an
hour after the vessel struck. The people at length succeeded in
floating the longboat and got her clear of the wreck, having the
the captain and forty men on board, and proceeded to find a
landing-place; but the sea was so rough, and the surf so great,
that this occupied some time, until at last the entrance to a bay
was found; at the bottom of which a landing was effected. The
captain, leaving thirty-six men on bilOrP, returned with the re-
maining four to the wreck at about two o'clock; but,, owing to
the weather, could not reach her until six. On arriving at the
ship, the women, children; and invalids were first taken out, and
then as many of the prisoners and guaid as the boat would
Carry, and these were fancied at eight, Major Ryan, Captain
Minton, and the doctor of the 50th regiment being of the party.
The captain then returned to the wreck, but before he reached
it saw a schooner speak them, upon which the captain took' all
that rtmained alive upon the wreck and put them on board the
schooner, and proceeded to re-embark all that had been pre•
viously landed, which was done with the exception of the surgeon
of the 50th regiment, who had strayed, and for whom a hoot's
crew of eight men was left. On reviewing all that were saved
out of the '291 souls ou hoard the captain found that only 160 had
been pressived. Of the 134 lost 128 were prisoners. The cal-
duct of the prisoners is said to have been remarkably good.
The evidence of Di. \Vise, the surgeon-superintendent- of the
vessel, in a great m'cisitie*Cotroborjed that of the captain. lie
states, however, that theie was dreadful and increasing ickness
on board, which he attributes to the new system of provisioning,
of which this was the first attempt. • lie accounts for the loss as
follows : —On time 'sick list, and unable to help themselves, 51 ;
washed away and,died from cold, 30; drowned below in the ship
ere the doctor quitted her, 39.
Lieutenant Minton, in his evidence, states that when the con-
victs had forced the barricades, and were beginning to make
their appearance on deck, three shots mere fired by the guard
at them, and he understood one convict had been killed.
Other evidence adduced implied that the firing was an act of
absolute necessity, upon which the lives of all depended, and
that the guard behaved with the utmost forbearance. The con-
duct of Dr. Wise is spoken of in high terms of eulogium by all
Parties.