The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-12-18
Miscellaneous.
Wreck of the Stephen Whitney
ON the Coast of Ireland.
NrININTV ONE JVEc, nSsTr

We are grleVeu 10 announce mat inc
splendid New York packet ship Stephen
Whitney, Capt. Popham, was totally wreck
ed of Cape Clear, on the night of the 10th
inst, 81 that 81 souls persisted in tho melan-
choy catastrophe, among whom is the captain
The subjeCt,although mournful one, 81 one
calculated to cause lnmentaton and weeping
in many of the families of our American
friends, will be perused with great nvidity.-
We have therefore, collected from the sever
al accounts Of the disaster which have reach
dus, the following detail. First in impor-
nee is the protest drawn up by the
rate Of the vessel for presentation to the
owners, which briefly and fully narrNtes the
particulars ofthe painful event:
'On the 9Th of October last past, the shin
Stephen Whitney left the port Of New York,
bound for Liverpool. Nothing material oc-
Cured on the passage, until Wednesday, the
10th day ofNov. inst, on which day, on or a.
bout two o'clock in the afternoon, the ship
was hove to, and soundings were had in fifty
hthoms. The weather was particularly thick
and the wind blowing very hard. The ship
was under double reefed topsails. At 6 o.
clock, PM, the wind increasing, the sails
were close reefed; at o'clock, p NJ, made
the land very close to the ship. After clear
ing off from the land, saw fixed white light,
which, on consulting with the captain, l took
for the light on the Old Head Of Kinsale;
hauled off the ship on the starboard tack,
heading south cast by south, at nine o'clock.
Considering we had sufficient ofling, stcered
the channel course, east by south, and at
quarter TO ten the land was made ahead the
helm was put a-port, and on coming round,
owing 10 the heavy sea then running, the
ship went ashore. In few minutes out of
one hundred and ten human beings passen-
gers and crew, ninety-one pcrished among
whom were the captain and the second mate.
The persons who We're saved lost all their
property, and left nearly naked. Every eX-
ertion was made, but owing to the wild cliff
on which the vessel struck, and the darkness
Of the night, it was impossible to make any
effort to save any part of the ship or cargo"
This document was signed by the mate, two
ofthe crew, and John Limmerick, Esq, To-
cal magistrate.
A reporter from one of the Cork papers
visited the scene of the shipwreck, and thus
describes what took place preparatory TO the
meancholy occurrence. "To this fatal err
rorwhich supposed the light on Rock Island,
near Crookhaven, to be that of the Old Head,
the disastrous results that ensued, would APP
pear to be in degree attributable. The
light on Rock Island,as have been informed,
has been but very recently erected; and from
all that could ascertain, the responsible per-
sons on board appeared to be ignorant of it's
existence. Whether such ignorance involved
a cupable neglect, will probably be matter
for future investigation. The ship was again
hauled off the land, and believing she had
sufficient othng, course was steered in re-
IGuoii 10 me supposed posltloh OF the Old
heoC, "hich uhder me circumstances, was
conS'oereu 10 DE tue correct one. 1hey Kept
on IN ms course unul Il quarter to ten o
CLOCK, when the land was sSnalled immed-
aeY AHEAD, and orders were promptly given
10 bring her round; but the tremendous surf
winch beat upon the rocks issued sterner
command, and it was evident the i'll fated
snip was doomed. briefmomeht only en-
sued, and one terrific crash followed, which
instantly consigned numbers to eternity
lhls single encounter stove III the entire side
OF the vessel, and Ill less than half an hour
there was not two planks together, nor SIN
gle article OF any description that could att
ora the means Of escape to either passenger or
sailor. Unlike the greater number OF those
disastrous occurrences, where respite ofe-
ven few hours affords the unhappy suffer-
ets some means OF probability OF escape, the
Nc!'lns on this occasion Were instantly hurl-
81 deportation. In less Than ten minutes,o out
~, vi one hundred ana ten human beings, full OF
Heand hope, enjoying the glad anticipation
VI meeting friends, relatives, and homes,
HInn , nad ceased 10 exist.
through me mercy OF providence, eighteen
INDIVIDUALS were rescued from the destruc-
uon winch overwhelmed their associates
s''o' IN many instances, their escape was eff
lecteo WIN ittie assistance from their own
nnensSn OF activity. such was the sudden
mGas o' me calamlty-such the fearful havoc
wi Few minutes created-that almost
".l vi popru were stuplhed WIN horror and
, ,, ana rendered totally inactive by