New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-14

more by chance tnan ueeieh tNdl IncA SA1''o -''ff
TO be each ether.
IL is only proper closing this letter, that should
acknowledge the courtesy of Mr.. Charles Manly, the
Secretary of the Institution of Civil Engineers, IN
procuring for stranger and foreign journalist ad-
mission to the Abbey on this interesting occasion after
all the tickets had been disp 'sed Of
TOTAL LOSS OF THE ROYAL CHARTER.
ForR HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERSONS DROWNED.
tits onr PAINFUL duty To record the total loss OF the
magnificent screw steamship Royal Charter, and Of
A5G Of her passengers and crew. The Royal charter
was well known az one of Hessrs. Gibbs, Bright q
Co aeet of Australian clippers, and famed Tor the reg
narity and speed of her voyages TO Australia
This lamentable event occurred during the gale on
the morning of Wednesday, the Both, in Red Wharf
Ray which is situated about three miles TO the west
,vard of Putin Island Menai Straits, and six or seven
10 the northwest OF Beaumars, on the coast OF Wales,
some four hours sail from Liverpool.
This catastrophe has in a marked manner cast
gloom over this town; and in London painful sensa-
ton was experienced the distressing occurrence be-
coming known there.
The following is a detailed report of the wreck
Aitera splendid passage from Melbourne, accom-
pshed in about ity-sX days, and having landed sew
enteen passengers at Queenstown andteegraphed her
STE arrival TO the owners she made for Liverpool on
Tuesday last. At hafpast ?. m. she passed Holy
head when a strong breeze from the r. " r.. sprang
up. At forty-hve minutes past she passed the
Nyprf1GS
ard TO increase in strength At 10 o'clock being near
high water and the atmosphere thick, with rain, the
wind blew hurricane from y. t., and the vessel was
put under all steam and left with bare poles, steering
s. f. by f. quarter h. Finding that the ship had got
the shore an effort made to put her about but
the GALE was 80 furious that the small strength at the
acrew compared with the size OF the ship and the night
of her mass and upper gear, was OF llttle avail ana
thew could not get her round Capt. Taylor came on
deck about o'clock and lead was kept constantly
going; finding that they nearing and nearing the
shore the port anchor let CO. in 10 fathoms, with
about IS athoms of chain paid out They next let go
the tarboard anchor the wind still blowing perfect
hurricane and the weather so thick and dark that
nothing could be seen. Before this rockets and gun
firing and blue lights had been sent up in the hope OF
attracting pilot, but all in vain, not living thing
morning she parted her anchor chain, and
the stream anchor got over the bow.
The ship having now got entangied with the land and
struck stern on, the mainmast was cut away at -
O'Clock, and in going over the side II carried away
he mizen top along with IT, with fearful crash IL IS
said that the for the purpose was not readily found
IN the excitement but that one was not necessary Tor
on cntting the stays, strong was the gale, that II
toppled over at once. At 3:45 a. M, they cut away
the foremast but the remedy too late. Still she
kept beating the rocks, and, heeng at the stern
she swung with her broadsde TO the land. About
daylight, o'clock, Portuguese seaman, named Jo-
seph ROdgerson, tied a cord round hls waist and
jumped overheard. The land was not more than ten
yards away; but the sea was 80 tremendously high
that wave beat over the snip ClldfdCl
rendered every attempt at safety dangerous The
seaman however got j firm footing, and by means OF
the cord hawser got ashore and fastened to the
rocks On ths boatswain's chair was fixed, which
could be hauled TO and from the ship by men at each
end. a few OF the islanders came promptly to render
assistance, and in the chair about dozen seanen
were hauled ashore When daylight was dawning,
this process, it was supposed, would be sufficient
TO hand all the Passengers-or at least to land
them until daylight revealed some better OPP
portunity. About o'clock, the waves beat
ing against her bIoadside with continued
violence she suddenly snapped asunder amldshps and
tumbled in pieces like house Of cards. All the pas
sengers had kept below-chieiy in the saloons-as
they had been repeatedly assured by Of the
active parties and by Capt Taylor and his officers
that there no immediate danger. The falling
machinery aud lumber seemed TO bury 4OO OF the
vretcbed people Ii il believed that large numbers
were actually killed by the crashing debris but
afterwafd the whole ship broked up like a shat
tered bottle. The board during the last
hour were painful beyond description. Wives and
husbands, children and parents, lovers aud friends
were embracing each other with the consciousness
that they about TO meet inevitable death. The
Rev. Dir. Hodge, clergyman from New-Zealaud, be-
fore this had commenced prayer-meeting IN the si-
loon, which was earnestly participated III Dy most un-
I'll the crash and ruin and the flooding Of water
dered panic universal. About twenty-six persons
managed to get ashore but il through Provi-
dence than design or ability, for they We're all washed
on the shelving rocks, and narrowly escaped
being washed back. Indeed, many washed on
and of several times, and many whe thought they
had secured land, held fast by jutung rock,
We're hurled back again 10 a waiery grave. On the
vessel breaking open, numbers OF people were to be
floating about for few minutes, but what with
the strength of the waves the masses OF debris when
thickly covered the ea, and struck many brave ana
struggling mans brains out, lew were able 10 gam
finn hOlc OF land At O'Clock in the morning, nothing
but the wreck scattered about and corpses left on the
strand revealed the terrible catastrophe that had be-
fallen nearly 500 human beings, few hours before
glowing with JOY at again sighting the shores OF
Old England, for which they had toIled and saved,
and satisfied that now the VOYAGE in which they had
almost circnmnavigated the globe satey ended
for thew IL the bosom OF their country. Indeed
much had they satisfied themselves that the voyage
ended that the day before they presented the
captain with piece Of plate, for bis uniform kindness
and attention. and in the eOngratulaory speeches which
followed the captain pleasantly assured them that
within tweny-lonr hours he expected 70 be on the
lee-sde of Mrs. Taylor. The captain however, sue
cumbed 10 sailors fate He was seen giving
orders deck with spar ashed to him, so that be
might be prepared TO feat. lie again seen strug-
Cling in the water LAYING hold Of yard-arn, and it
every now and then being washed from his grip. On
efDg his spar, by determined effort, he on two
occasions cred ont cheeTfglly, There IL hope yet
After this he and Mr.. Dovie the second officer,
on the lee side Of the chip, struggling To reach
the shore, when boat fell from the davIts and struck
them both the head, after WEIGH they were seen no
One incident il related, that when the captain
Lad been struck prostrte deck exhausted, no saw
the water steal a child from its mothers arms
Jewess-and dash il about the deck. He cried out 10
The chief nf+iceP M Sfeve 10 rive "A hand there