Washington telegraph., 1846-03-18
SIXTY LIVES LOST.

Parficulers-Nearly half mil
lion dollars damaged
The gale Of Saturday night and Sunday
morning, was the most terrible one expe-
rienced on our coast for many years. About
sixty lives have been lost ia one wreck
masters district on the Jersey Coast, and
the amount Of property lost is not yet fully
asceEtaiued; but enough is known to say
that quarter of a million of dollars viii
fall upon the insurers Of New York, from
this gale.
rH9 wind. through the afternoon Of
Saturday, had been light, and large fleet
Of inward bound vsssels was crowding
everything to get into New York bay. At
nine o'clock, il commenced to blow a reef
ing breeze; it soon made two reefs neces-
sary; close reefs quickly followed, and, by
eleven o'clock, scarcely any vessel could
carry more sail than enough to lie to with.
The force Of the gale was from L. n. E.,
but !; shifted, for moment al time, TO
every point Of the compass. IL was i'm
possible 10 claw Of shore; an attempt 10
scud was TO end only in stranding, and w.
ing 10 was a hopeless effort. and Leyond
the endurance oi canvass, rigging, or spars.
As proof Of the force Of the gale we
may instance the fact Of the New York
pilot boat, Mary Ellen, which caught the
gale fifty miles at sea, and having unsuc-
cesslully tried every effort 10 keep an oifing
was forced at last 70 60 ashore. Her crew,
when they saw shipwTecl1 inevitable, boldly
determined TO beach their craft themselves:
and fortunately landed her where she can
be easily launched. All hands were saved.
The most melancholy wreck i that Of
the ship John Minturn, Capt. Starle, which
sailed from New Orleans ON the 9th ult.,
for New York, having on board five cabin
passengers, besides the Captains wife, son
and daughter, with twenty seamen from the
ship Cherokee, who were coming home
after her loss The John Minturn struck
on Sguan Beach about three O'Clock in the
morning. She sheered broadside 10 the
beach, and heeled oil shore. The Captain,
his wife, children, five cabin passengers,
and others of the two crews, amounting in
number 70 twenty-eight persons. perished,
and among them the second officer, Mr..
Stur5is. ersvn person escaped IN the
beat, but some OF them have broken limbs.
The following is the list Of her cabin pas.
sengers-Mr. oh!er and lady, Mrs. Stark,
Mir. j. Leeds, Capt. Babcock, Messrs. Le-
W and Baker. The names ofthe rest we
have not VT been able to obtain. The
ship and cargo are both insured.
The schooner Pioneer, from Brandy
wine, bound to New Haven, with cargo
Of corn and -four, struck at about the same
time, and al on board perished. The YES
sci j. a total loss. The cargo will be saved,
but is scattered along the beach. About
twelve o'clock the schooner Alabama, from
philadelphia, struck the sands OF Squan
Beach, New Jersey, about twenty miles
south Of the Highland lights. The crew
are saved. At one o'clock, the schooner
Register, of and from Newbern, struck
All were saved but one passenger, who il
supposed 20 have been crushed 10 DEATH
The Swedish bark Lofty, which sailed for
Antwerp on Friday, also got ashore, and
the Captain, D'ilaen, and ma;e, were lost.
She has gone to pieces. She had cargo
of grain. The crew were saved. The
bark New Jersey, Lewis, from Savannah,
believed all saved. The schooner Arkan-
sas. Pierce. from Elizabeth City, for New
York, with 4 cargo OF corn, was ashore on
Dea. Beach. One man lost.
A vessel, supposed u BE- the bark New
Haven, bouni To New Haven from port in
tie West Indies, is ashore at Siraford
Point.
Two other ships names no, yet known,
are said to be ashore below the John Min
turn. One Of these, it was feared, was
the Orleans, Capt Sears hsif eho 10 cafe in
port. having rode out the gale off Sandy
Hook. The ships Tonquin, from China;
New York, from Charlesiown; aud LII. All
Ten, from Charles,own, have also arrived
safe, having experienced no damage. A
large number Of hsigs and schooners, most
~ belonging 70 the ccasting trade, have al
% made port in Safety.
Ii is feared that many vessels are ashore
near Barncgat, Little Egg Harbor. Great
Egg Harhor, and at Absecon Beach. From
these districts news will be expected with
great anxiety. Our packet ships from Eu-
rope-and there is feet of them due
may have escaped, or suffered only in sails
and spaFs. We hope to hear soon or their
safety.
The district nf Squan i under charge Of
one OF the most energetic and humane
wreck masters on the coast, who has great
experience Since the Barnegat pirates
were broken up, there are few robberies,
and the wTeckers are daring in saving
lives. John s. Foreman is The wreck
master.
Tie wreclJ-master writes, that he never
saw or heard of such an appalling scene
nc fhn beach nresrI,ts from Suuan IniA, r,r