The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-22
From the LOndOn Times. ADriI
'"" "'S A<oeoO" A"eo, <'P"
Total Wreck OF the British Stcam- FRI ga Il
Btrkenhead.

Birkenhead.
Loss FouR HUNDRED AND FIFTY FouR LIVES
VondcJI Discipline Of British Troops. -Another
terrible disaster has happened at sea. At two
O'Clock in the morning OF the Goth February her
maJesty's steamer the Brkenhead was wrecked
between two and three miles from the shore of
Southern Africa. The exact spot at which the ca
lamty occurred was ut Point Danger OF this
point she struck on reef OF sunken rocks. The
ship was stcaming eight and half knots at the
time The water was smooth and the sky serene,
but the speed at which the vessel was passing
through the water proved her destruction. The
rock penetrated through her bottom just aft the
ioremast, and In twenty minutes time there were
a few floating spars and few miserable creatures
clingDg to them, and this was all that remained
OF the Birkenhead. Ofsir hundred and thirty right
persons toho had left Sinon's bay IN the gallant
ship but fe,c hours before, only hundred and
eighyfour remain to tell the tale. No less than four
hundred and tVtyJOW Engiishmen hare come to so
Iameatabic an end.
There is no mystery about the calamity. We
are not left as in the case of the Amazon, TO con-
lecture the origin OF the disaster Just what hap
pencd to the Orion off the Scottish coast, to the
Great Liverpool off Finisterre, has happened now.
Captain Salmond, the officer in command, nxous
to shorten the run to Algoa bay much was
possible, and more than prudent, Rugged the
shore too closely. -Four hundred and fifty four
persons have lost their lives in consequence Of his
temerity. As soon the vessel struck upon the
rocks the rush OF water was 80 great that the men
the lower troop deck were drowned in their
haminocks. Theirs was the happier fate; at least
they were spared the terrible agony of the next
twenty minutes. At least, the manner of death
was Ices painful that with others, who were fret
crushed beneath the falling spars and funnel, and
then swept away to be devoured by the sharks
who were proving about the wreck. From the
moment the ship struck oil appears to have been
done that human courage or GOODNESS could effect
The soldiers were mustered on the after deck. The
instinct OF discipline stronger than the instinct
OF life. The men fell into place ceoily on the
parade ground They were told off into reefs
and sent, some to the chain pumps, some to the
paddle box boats Captain Wright, Of the ninety
first regiment, who survives to relate the dreadful
scene, tells US:
Every man did as he was directed, and there was
not cry or murnur among them until the yes
eel made her fatal plunge. could not name any
individual officer who did more than another. All
received their orders, and had them carried out
if the men were embarking instead of going 10 the
bottom. There was only this difference, that |
never saw any embarkation conducted with 30
little noise and confusion.
Poor fellows had they died in battle field, and in
their country cause their fate would have excited
less poignant regret; but there is something mex
pressibly touching In the quiet uniiinching reeolu
ton Of 80 many brave hearts struggling mantully to
the last against inevitable disaster. II ID graft
Tying, alec, to find that the women and children
were all saved They had been quietly collected
under the poop awning, and were as quietly got
over the ships side and passed into the cutter.
The boat stood off one hundred and fifty yards
from the i'll starred Birkenhead, and all were
saved. mere ID not the name Oh a single woman
child upon the list Of persons who persisted The
other boats, as is usual in such cases, were not
forthcoming in the hour of need. One gig and
two cutters were all that could be rendered avail
able. In one account we find that when the men
were ordered 10 get the paddlo-boK boat out, the
pin of the davts was rustcd in and could not be
got out Captain Wright, on the other hand, tells
Us that when the funnel went over the side IT car
ried away the starboard paddle-box and boat, and
that the other paddle-box boat capsized it was
being lowered. OF the one hundred md eighty four
persons who were saved, one hundred and sixteen
made their escape in the three boats which sue
ceedcd in getting clear of the wreck.
Annexed are The names Of the military officers
drowned:
Major Seaton. Leuts. G.. w. Robinson, A. II.
Booth, Ensign Boyland, Ensign Medlord, Ensign
Russel, md Cornet Rolf.
The following are the names Of the naval officers
lost:
Mr. X. Salmond, master commanding; Mr.. w.
Bropie, master; Mr.. r. ID. Speer, second master;
Mr. j. o. ID. Davies, second master; Mr.. w Why
man, chief engineer; Mr.. C. w. Hare, master s
assistant Mr.. james McClymont, assistant engi-
peer; Mr.. Deeey, assistant engineer; MIR. II. Har-
ris, boatswain; Mr.. James Roberts, carpenter.