The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-04-05 00:00:00

PAKLIAM

—•
The following Odd— i--m•nteresting particulars of tn.,
most tuelanchitly•rataetro?ee, are delayed from the oral
mostrelation of one of the cabin paetteners, a reepectable
t t atiesman in Liverpool, who was fortn n ately saved. The
wagtail:it thus drawn un was rllhl;sheil in the Liverpool
Courier of Wednesday last. It is a mournful detail.
"We sailed from the Pigeon-house, Dublin, at half-
past eight o'clock on Tneolay evening. There
l weruding e, as
• nearly as I ran judge about fifteen passengers, inc
myself, in the cabin. Among them were three ladies,
one of whom hail an infant about eleven months old with
her. The appeal atter of the cabin passengers, was most
efapectable. We had a favourite breeze thronghout the
Eight- sod made the Welsh coast early ir the morning.
About ten o'clock, however,(as I have since understood
the breeze died away, and the packet was driven, by the)
force of the current, towards the West Mouse rock.
Capt. Morgan immediately ordered the boat a-head, in
the full confidenee that it would succeed in towing the
packet out of danger. But in this he was unhappily dim
appointed, the unfortunate vessel being driven, by the
strength of the tide, on the fatal rock. It was about
half-past ten o'clock when she struck. I was in any birth,
.113 the cabin, at the moment. The shock,though not very
violent, was aufficient to rouse me. I started up instant-
ly, and found the passengers in the cabin in a state of
c infusion and alarm. I immediately ran upon deck, and
found it In a ainailar state of confusion. I returned to
the cabin, and diecovered, with feelings not to be describ-
ed, that the water had, in the meantime. made its way
into it. The confusion and alarm among the passengers
below increased with theeinereasing (imager. The
doge ith affriekt ; and even the gentlemen were alarmed
at th imminency of the danger which threatened them.
I immediately quitted this scene of horror, and, making
nay way upon deck, ran up the shrouds. At this mo-
ment the water had risen to a considerable height in the
hull, and baffled every exertion which was made by the
passengers and such of the crew as remained on board,
to hale it out. 1 now saw, for the tirst time, the boat a-
head, a short distance from the extremity of the bow-
sprit, with several of the packet's crew into
ards I camee
down the shrouds, and, making my way th
bowsprit, endeavoured to get into the boat. I waa,how-
ever, prevented by some of the persons belonging to the
packet around me, who stated; that if I were allowed to
get its the boat, the wonld be a getheneral
risk tush
of being
towards
it, by which mean' re
it woelii run
swaturted, and thus r mined,
the only chance of any per-
son being saved. Determined, however, to renew the
attempt at a favourable moment, I remained partially
concealed in the fore-part of the vessel. Espying my
opportunitv when the boat was a yard or two from the
extremity of the bowsprit, and when I had seen tbuthe
ina last
seaman get into it, I ran along the bowsprit, , t-
tempting to get into the boat, I unfe
crew,ortunatewlyho fell intd
o
the sea. • I was taken up by one of th pulle
me into the boat, being the first passenger who was re-
ceived into it. At this moment several other passengers
made their way along the bowsprit to endeavour to get
into the boar, some of whom succeeded in gaining it,
whilst others fell into the water and were drowned. The
boat still remained at a short distance from the bowsplit
of the l, those already on bo•trd deeming
to come toovesse rear, for fear of a rush being made,it byunsafe tbe
crowd left..on hoard the packet. to get in. The Captain
toot made an attempt to resell the boat, by plunging
into the water from the bowsprit, and swinging towards
it. A rope was thrown towards him by one of his crew,
which be was so fortunate as to grasp, and was pulled
into the boat. As soon as be caught bold ofd hine ro
,
several unfortunate passengers, who bad plungeto the
sea at the same moment as the Captain, were obseried
to cline to hjs body, in the hope of saving themselves by
that means; but, such was the crowded state of the boat,
which was already almost level with the water, that the
crew dared not venture to take any more into it, and they
were abandoned to their fate. There weren
at thisowed
mo-
ment seventeen of. us in the boat. Whe we r
finally off, we left fohr or five unfortunate men struggling
In tl c weer, nth no chance off escape from an untimely
Rave, A boy about fourteen years of age, and who, as I um
&Wood, was the cabin boy, n as about this time observed
to lash himself to a piece of wood, and throw himself into the
Sc". in the hope of supporting himself till the arrival of suc-
cour. Just as it was determined to quit the sinking ves-
sel, a man got hold of the boat, to which he clung, earc-st-
ly entreating the crew to take hiM in; bet they, fearing that
the boat might be sunk by the additional weight on one side,
laehed hlnito
;Sts side. In this state he remained for nearly
boat'sen hour when the people, ending that he retarded the
boat *ay throtteh the water, (the tide running strong:),
against them) deemed it expedient, at all risks, to take him
I'm. which they happily arcompliahed. During the time we
were rowing towards the shore, which was attended with
-great ilifiett.ty and fatigue. I kept my
eve fixed upon the
packet, which was driving fast of the island. Of the pre-
cise momeet at which she disappeared I cannot speak with
certainty ; bu
rsae must, I think have sunk about three-quar-
ters of en hou after we quitted her. and whilst we were is
the act of landin ; for when I looked for her the
I could not discog ver her. and a man who met us whenshore, we
leaded, stated, that he had seen her go down. No sooner
had the crew landed the passengers who were t
e fortunaxhaustiontely
save'. several of whom were in a state of grea
from having been in the water, than they heroically res
olv-
ed. altholigh the boat was full of water, to return, with all
expeilitior, to the spot where the packet was supposed to
base sunk. They went accordingly,
and succeeded in re-
scuing three individuals who had sustained themselves in the
water by some buoyant article, from a watery grave.
" It were in vain to attempt to dceribe the scene of
horror which the sleek of the packet exerhibitthe ed, when
t
h we
were on the point of quitting for ev
which crowded it. It was a scene which would have
melted the herd, st heart. For some time before that
moment, and rmes of prelervation had been entirely aban-
doned ; the unfortunate crowd were awaiting, is I,
• whit suspense, the dreadful death which stared thence!
it, the face. Many of them bad fallen on their knees,
and ores imploring the mercy of Heaven • whilst others
were sending up the moat piteous. and' heart-rending
screams, which drew tears even from those in the boat who
had some chance of escape.
" There were many women on board, with voting chil-
dren scenehm they clung with a mother's toothless in
this of desalt : the, frautie shrieks extorted by their
maternal agony were most piercing, and a ere heard
long after the- *bohis wholeat had qum family
y on the ,
bear iiikinir wreck. A
poor eoldier had d. consisting
his wife anii several children, and waa observed endea-
vfonring to affaral that coasolation in this most awful situ-
ation which was denied to himself. In short, it was a
scene of horror which has seldom been equalled, and
as, I trust, I shall never behold again."
This most dreadful shipwreck appears, from the infor.
•
xnation which we have been able to gather, to have been
Welsh .by the packet. being kept close in with 'the
els shore. If a vessel can be run between the Sher.
ries and the main-land, the paasage is, we understand,
thereb considebly shortened. 'fhis, it is supposed,
vas the object oraf the Captain (tithe Alert ; but the breeze
dying unexpectedly away, and a strong current running
in th direction of the breakers, a loss of human en•
sued, e the bare mention of which makes one shudderli fe.
The
Captain, we bear, is lake a man distracted, fearing that
the catastrophe will be imputed to neglect or carelessness
on his part. • The gentleman from whom we received the
substance of the precening narrative, was not on deck
when the vsel we drifting towtds the locks ; hut lie•
satd that ites eo as his individual opiniron, as well as the opi-
nion of the survivors with whom he conversed, that no
blame was imputable to the Captain.
Tweuty-aine of the bodies have been found, and taken
to Holyhead church-yad.

. . servo's' ateetreo.
Yesterday a Meeting of the Nobility, Gertry, Clerey,'
and Freeholders of this County was held at fitowmarket.'
in puristic* of a Requisition eignedby 1,300 freeholders,
and presented to the (fiefs Sheriff, Henry Usborne, El.
fur the purpose of taking into consideration this pro-
priety of addressing a Petition to the House of Com-1,
mons, praying that the representation of the British peo-:
pie in Parliament alight be reformed immediately and
effectually, so that under the auspices of a Constitu-1,
tional body of real Representatives; the nation might be I
rescued from its present distresses, and its interests and
liberties permanently secured. The Meeting was held in
the market-place of the Town of Stowmarket, and was
numerously and respectably attended. Amongst the
Gentlemen on the Hirelings, we observed the following:
—The two County Members, Sir Win. Parker, Sir R.
Hartland, Sir Wm. Middleton, Sir -- Eagle, R.
James M'Donald, Mr. Gage, anti several others.
Shortly after one o'clock the HIGH SHERIFF took the
Chair, and having read the Requisition, he shortly ad-
dressed the Meeting. There were, lie said, Gentlemen,
present of different political opinions, but he trusted
that every Gentleman who should address the Chair,
would receive a full and impartial hearing. •
Sir HENRY BUNBURY then came forward to propose
the petition, he was received eith loud cheers. The
Hon. Baronet commenced ty saying, that he had, in
common with the Meeting, to regret ihe alsrenee oined f Lord
Henry Fitzroy and Mr. Rigsby, who were detaby
unavoidable causes. The Meeting would recollect that
they. bad twice before petitioned for Reform, and that
their petitions were not attended to 'with any e:Tect—but
he was persuaded that good resulted from those petition=
notwithstanding—they refreshed the memory of Hon.
Members--they conveyed salutary hints—they tended
(to use a phrase borrowed from the fancy) to take
that
the
conceit out of them—{ laugh.) Gentlemen in
House had said, that the system, as it worked, was a very
'good one. It was, no doubt, a good system for the fina-
-1 jority of the House—aye. and a profitable one too (a
11
laugh.) It was a pity that the people did not catch
that rose-coloured view of the subject ; be feared that
I s.6ths of the people were not prepared to pronounce
then
e
system a goo I one (ruo, no.) It was then to be l
that the inteeests of the people and their.opinions were
opposed to the interests of Hon. Members of the House
of Commons. It Was the duty of the county agai ato pe-
tition for Reform—they bad pledged themselves to do so.
There was not, in his opinion; a more favourable oppor-
tunity for asking forlteform for the last 30 years The) did
not stand alone, they acted w;th the country at large—
with Yorkshire, smith Herefordshire, with 'Lincoln, and
many other coo:vier. In Yorkshire alone the Petitioa
was signed by upwards of 15,1100 freeholder(hear,hear).
It had been contended by some persons, that the taxes
that had been recently taken offs afforded a satisfactory'
proof that the House of Common' was disposed to do afl
that could be done for the relief of the people, and that,
therefore, was unnecessary. He denied- Gm fact altoge-
ther. And first, with respect to the degree of relief af-
forded—be would ask was that relief, great or small, to
be ascribed to the self-moving and generous patriotism
of the House of Commons? No, the Minister saw the
misery of the people ; be saw a storm rising around him,
and be found It necessary to do something to alL.y it; he
sent down his edict to take off taxes, bat he
(Sir H.) felt convinced that if it had been the
policy ot [
wouldi to put on instea
on the pd of repeaart of
ling
taxes, he find equal facility
the House of Commons. He might he reminded
that the language of Ministers bad of Late improved
—he knew it, and be congratulated the country that the
fart was so : he boped to see a more ell ghtened policy
pursued. The condnct.of the Government with respect
to Ireland—the measures which he hoped were about to
he carried for the relief and tranquillity of that country,
inclined him to draw a conclusion so far favourable to
Ministers. He was ever reedy to do jostiee to the acts
of public men in power or in opposition. Ile thartked
Ministers even for the language they used—it was more
liberal, more English like than they were accustomed to
beat under the administration of Lord Castlereagh—
(Cheers )—But whatever might be the oislies of the Mi-
nister, it he were disposed to be honest, to set for the
good of the country stone, he could nit pursue that
policy under the present•systero ; the Minister must bribe
the traders in Boroughs; if he do no', the traders would
look ont for a Minister less patriotic and less conscienti-
ins—(Dkar, hear t)—The Hon. Baronet next observed t
on the thin attendance of Members during the present
Session. At home, the country, from one cud to the
other, resounded with the groans of the itueoverished,
ruined farmer. Abroad, the Despots of the Cnntioent
sere leagued tog• dire to put down the hopes and the
liberties of mankind—.(Clieers.)—The Parliament had
sat for two montlis—dnring that time, on nights when
questions of the utmost importance were to he brotteht
on, the Speaker could not make a House; and even when
Houses were matte, on cnestiois of the utmost Interest, nut
more than from 70 to I a 0 Members meld be prevailed on to
attend. fhe Hon. Baronet next contrasted the present
state of the House of Commons with What (he asserted)
the Constitution of England intended the House of
Commos should have 'been. • The arguments •of the
Honourable Gentleman were nearly the same as those
urged in the Petition. He then alluded to the conduct
of " the Holy Alliance," an alliance (he said)
ch
of tyrants
against the liberties of mankind.—(Lond eers.)
Those unprinciVed?donarchsturned their hearts and their
arms against the Spaniards, merely because the Spa-
' niards aspired tts a state of freedom; it never could be
forgotten that when the Thrones of the Despots were
crumbling, ey wrre upheld and preserved by. the pa-
tient fortitnde and heroic deya lion
by of those
the W idoodenticaand
l
Spaniards (load cheers), supported
treasure of England. Who but -must abhor the vile
Toorbou and the crafty Muscovite—what Englishman,
attached to the ancient Constitution of his country. but
niust feel indignant and alarmed at the upon hostility of
the tyrants of the West against all freedom and all re
i -
presentative Governments. To place Gr eat Britain n ,
that situation where she CQuld at all times he able to de-
feat the projects of these tyrant's, the union of her peo-
ple—the return of all abuses, particularly the reform of'
her Representative System. was obsoletely necessary.—
He wished for an effectual Reform; the details of the
tneastireonight be gone into at a more convenient time.
In a reformed Parliament the country might place con-
fidence; they would not stand in need of hints—they
would act zealously for the public good, fur the redress of
grievances and fur the support of the Constitution. A
reformed Parliament, if they could not altogether re-
move the burthens of the people, would at least do all
that could be done to lighten them ; they tumid not al-
low one particular class, and that the most u-eful in the
country, to suffer whirl- a grievous pressure, whilst other
classes were exempted from those charges by a
whichorm thed
at
pressure was in a great measure cau ref
Parliament would establish harmony between the clergy
and the people by au equitable commutation—a reformed
Parliament would not tolerate the Game Laws—those
odious reliques of feudal tyranny which brought down
upon the bred of the poor man so much of vice and mi-
sery.-(Applause.) The Hon. Baronet concluded by
saying that he had no personal object in coming forward.
He took the opportunity of saying so, because interested,
though distant motives; had been iniputed to him. He
was ready to explain himself more fully on this point if
the Meeting thought it desirable. Ile was a consider-
able landholder---he lead a deep at ike in the country—
lie had a natural feeling for its prosperity, for its glory
and independence—besides as an English tientletnan he
felt he had a right to speak his sentiments openly, hu