Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-05-10
=,
I,os. of the soivsay steamer.
PsY "a. Hsbsr.ss.

WNNA" WV A@N'n NtAA'N " VIZ 49,
wsy Steamship. This Inflated vessel b the third that has
been totally lost belonging to the Royal Mail Packet Com
psny since itsprang into existence, va; the Medina having
been previously wrecked of Turks Island, and the Isis OFF
Bermuda. IL appesrstron information rendered by Mr.. Lsne
the purscr Of the SOlway, aud Capt Lewis, OF the Lady
Mary Wood. that the S0lwsy proceeded ON her voyage with
out anything particular occurring, and put into Corunna To
deliver aud receive the mails. After having left that port
about two hours, all the passengers and most oi the crew
with the exception OF those ON duty being in their berLs
asleep and uDconcious of their danger, the vessel suddenly
struck on n rocky shoal, called the Baldayo, within u mile
and a hnlf Of the coast; and Notwithstanding the utmost ca
orions were used by Captain Duncan, the officers and crew,
the unfortunate vessel sunk within 90 minutes, m is Ia
thons.
immediately on the ship striking, the greatest alarm and
CONSERVATION prevailed; but Captain Duncan, although 81
Suddenly placed i'm this trying and distressing situation, be-
haved with the greatest GOODNESS, Judgment, and ~in,rrpidiiy.
lie was Only anxious 10 save the lives OF those around hiih'
and appeared careless OF his own so long as he could rem
der assistance to those unfortunate beings placed under his
care. lie was last seen on one Of the paddle-boNcs.c ndca-
vonug To unlock and disengage the paddlc-boat. to save
those II the passengers and crew who had not taken re-
fnec in the pinnsco and first paddleboat that had been
launched. Under his direction the pinnacc was trst got
into the water. and us many as it could conveniently hold
were lowered into il, but the irail bark was not destined to
reach the shore. From some cause still unexplained, II
was capsized, and every soul on board persisted. The first
paddle boat wus then lowered, and into that also as many
crowded as possibly could, and Notwithstanding there was
no oar TO assist them, 1t managcd To reach the shore IN safety
by padding, &c. IL is supposed that many wentdown with
the vessel, there being no time To launch the other boat that
IS kept on the paddle.wheel, to save those unfortunate be-
ings left ON board.
Those whowe thus merctully saved escaped, OF course,
with no clothes whatever but those they stood in. Mr..
Lane, the purser, who was the last TO Jump into the paddle
boat (and then she was within two inches of the waters
cdee), was almost in a state OF nudity. Tins gentleman,
with two Others, came overland from COrunna To Nigo, about
~ miles distant, and joined the Lady Mary Wood.
Captain Lewis, of the Lady Mary Wood, who is an eX-
porienced sailor, gives 1t as his opinion that the vessel was
lost IN consequence oi astrong eddy current driving her on
the shoal. aud that although danger was 50 near and upper
ceived il was perfectly unavoidable.
The whole of the mails are, Of course, lost, and, in fact,
Nanvfhtn hHIDnunnu tn he nSS SunI n he Is IN IL
iathoms, and most likely so much injured by striking So hard
rs she did ON the shoal, it is not at all probable the vessel
will ever he raised.
Mr. LANE THE PURsrR's SrArEnrSr.-The Solway left
Fa'noutn on the 81 of April. with the usual mails on board,
and arrived at Comma at II O'Clock on Friday, the 7th,
having experienced heavy South Westerly gales IN crossing
the Bay OF Biscay. She took in 81 tons Of coal ut COmnha,
aud left the harbor ON her outward voyage at half past 9 ~.
clock the same evening. They passed the lighthouse about
10 o'clock, z. VI. and were proceeding at full speed, when
at about IL o'clock midnight the vessel struck on a sunken
rock. The passengers Were all in their berths nj the time,
but Captain Duncan and several OF the officers were on deck.
The shock was of the most tremendous character, and Gre
aIod the utmost CONSERVATION. Immediately on the vessel
striking, Captain Duncan ordered the engines TO be backed,
aud this having been done, she came off apparently easily,
the violence OF the conclusion having probably caused her
To rebound IN some slight degree.
Her head was now put towards the shore, and all speed
made in the hope of grounding the ship, and thus saving the
passengers and crew. The injury she had sustained was,
however, OF too serious a character To allow this 10 be nc.
complshed, and within n very few moments OF the ship
striking II became evident that she was settling fast by the
head. MI. Lane was asleep below at the moment the cal
amnty occurred, and, IN common with the passengers and
crew, was awoke by the shock. He Immediately ran up
the iorocasle ladder, and found the vessel sinking fast. The
scene Is described by him to have been at this time OF i
most heartrondng character. The female passengers were
all ON deck in a state Of mind more easily conceived Than
described, every person expecting the ship 10 90 down in
stanty. She had shll good way upon her. the engines hay-
ing apparently suffered no injury, when, while proceeding
toward the shore rs described above, a general rush was
made to the pinuace, which hung At the davis on the lar
board side; p persons gOtinto her, and having seated them.
selves cried mt 10 those on board 10 "I.ONer away Gan
tain Duncan, who evidently forcsaw the great danger OF
lowering the boat while the vessel was proceeding at full
speed, endeavorcd to prevent this, but the confusion was so
great on board, and his own attention so entirely devoted to
the great object OF getting the paddle hic-boats ahoat. aud
making the shore, that his opposition was of no avail, and
the forward tackle was let fly by the run, and the bows OF
the boat dropped in the wafer.
The situation Of the poor creatures who had made this
tlcir hope ot escape was now perHous in the ex'rcmc-
a cry sf For Gods sake let go the after tackle" was an.
sweIedby some OF the crew as soon rs possible, and the
pinnace fell into the water. The ship had still full speed
upon her, and a heavy sea struck the boat as She ioaicd Tor
an instant, and swept every soul into the water. one or
two sailors only, whohung on the tackle, succeeded IN again
reaching the vessel. Ten minutes only had now elapsed
since the vessel first struck, during which every eNerion
had been made by the officers OF the ship. with Captain Dun
can At their head, to get the larboard lie.boat ahoaL While
thus engaged the boiler suddenly collapsed, and an immense
quantity Of steam. dust, ashes, and flames, buHt from the
eGelne-rOom. All on board t"houghttIat the vessel was now
about ~ blow up, and two or three persons were 50 much
alanned Is 10 Jump overheard. Throughout the whole OF
the trying period Captain Duncan is described to have acted
III ue iibat cool, scilnih-lht manner, tnucdNOring, Mhllc
ewing effect To hrs orders, 10 keep up the spirits Of those GA
board less accustomed 10 the dangers of the ocean. BY
great excriom the larboard paddle liie-boat was eventually
capsized over, and IN nghung halfiled with water.
The gig had previously been lowered, and 10 persons had
got into her and rowed away. The fHt and second cutters
were also afoat, each filled with the passengers and crew.
Mr.. Wilder, the chief officer, with Mr.. Lane and two or
three other officers, now lowered themselves into the Life
boat aud brought hcralongside the gangway. Thee ngineh had
entirely ceased working from the monentthe boiler collapsed.
The water had now reached the fires and the ship Il was ev
Ident could not float many minutes longer, Captain Duncan
aud the other officers now handed tie passengers into the
Ldlr-bOat, exeriing themselves to the utmost 10 save all the
female passengers. - persons were already in the boat,
aud Capt. Duncan was still handing in others, when q gen.
cral cry rose Of She Is going =" and giving one trcmon.
dous plunge che went down head foremost, leaving the life
boat already hnlt-illed with water attOat. This fact - rep
resented as perfectly miraculous, the suction arising from
the vessel being abundanty sufficient to swamp a boat IN
much more seaworihy condition than the Life-boat was al
this period.
The screams Of those on board were awful as the ship
went down, and Mr.. Lane states that the last seen or heard
Of Capt Duncan was an order for oil ON board TO ''hy TO
the rigging" toward which he appeared 10 be making him.
self, aud IL IS supposed tlat, in getting mp the companion
ladder toward the upper deck, he sank with many Others
His conduct appears 20 have been most noblc-ho appear
ed to have M i~houghttor his own saiety-and when called
. by some OF the officers, who told him that the ship was
laundering under them, he refused 10 leave. The life boat
now duited away, and 80 great had been the confusion,
arising from the hope TO save all on board, that 1t was only
then discovered that she had neither oar nor mdder. Shoes
and hats were used to bale out the water, with which she
was more than half filled, and after drifting about for q quar-
w. ~ All ltiAF Hmt ltN III WIN At NtihlN NhlltlF NtNlW
Lieut.. HemswOrth, tue Admiralty agent, andsovcral others
on board. From this boat they obtained one oar, ant
Lieut. Hemsworh then returned to the wreck with the cut
ter; shortly after they fell IN with the first cutter, which wa.
greatly overloaded. They took seyernlpcrsons from her ant
obtained a bottom board-Mr Wilder, the chief officer,
going On board the cutter, and taking the lfc-boat in tow
The single orr obtained from the second cutter was now
rugged over the starboard quarter Of the life.bOat with
gtummct made Of braces and the bottom board was SINH
larry arranged on the larbOard quarter with a silk handker.
chief, by Mr.. Lane. Mr.. Beyis, the third officer, rowe,
the boat, while Mr.. Leigh and Mr. Garlic, Of the Thames
st'crcd. BY this means the boat was kept tolerably free
md ddftcd before the wind, Connna hill being al the tim,
visible. Il was still quite dark, and daylight was locke,
forward to with the most intense anxiety. The conducto
M on board was most pniseworhy, not a~sylable Of insub
ordination escaped, al appeared Ia be resigned to the wors
that might happen. The ladies' especially lsevcn Of whom
were iu the lbe-bOaD behaved most herOically. Some %
them had merely time 10 escape IN their night-drcss, an,
although seuted IN water mp TO their knees, not q murine
was uttered.
At duy-brenk tc mast from the first cutter vas stepped
M ur uto.hpat. add her log sail set, when she steorcd ~
ward JoWuua, and 0n entering te hnfbOT was met by