The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-11-25
Wreck of the Royal Charter
A THRILLING NARRATIVE.

Whlch we nave now the Iull particulars,
prove to have been one of the most appal-
ling disasters on record. Mr.. JOHN BRAD
BURY, one of the few survivors says in his
account;
We sailed from Melbourne on the Goth
Of August, and had on board, as | know,
about 500 passengers and crew. The cap
tain was Mr. Thomas Taylor, the chief of
fcer Mr.. Stephens, and the second mate
Mr.. Cowe. The ship ran almost entirely
under canvass up to the equinoctial line,
when she encountered strong head winds +;
her screw power was then brought into
requistion. On the 10th Of September
about 4 o'clock in the morning the wealth
er being thick and dark, we ran close past
large iceberg. Mr.. Cowie was on the
the watch, and had it not been for bis able
manoeuvering, the ship would have been
in imminent danger. The passengers
showed their appreciation of his ability by
presenting him with testimonial on the
evening of the dreadful disaster. We ar
rived at Queenstown on Monday forenoon
when twelve passengers disembarked.-
We left Queenstown about o'clock, I'M
der steam alone The ship was laid on
her course for Liverpool, but the storm
had the effect of diverting her to such an
extent that saw the Great Eastern at Hol
lyhead, The wind was then blowing very
hard We sighted the light on Point
Lynas about 5 o'clock in the afternoon
The sea was running high but not equal to
what we had experienced on the passage
but the wind was stronger. 1t was found
we could make no Roadway and two an
chors were dropped. She dragged her an
chors, and the engine was working, but
understood the screw was broken. About
| 2 O'Clock on Wednesday morning the yes
sci struck. A great number of passengers
were then in their berths; but they sud
denly rushed on deck, many of them bu
partially dressed There was not much
confusion at first, but it increased AS tn,
| people became aware of the real danger
believe the captain was not sober, bu
Captain Withers, who was passenger, anC
the chief mate and officers, did all the,
could to save the ship.
At this point we take up the following
graphic narrative of another surviving pas
senger. ........ ..s
On entering the saloon, Mr.. Allen, tn
head steward of the second cabin, cam
and told the passengers they had bette
not 90 on deck, as it might cause conftl
sion. The order was implicitly oheved
Time passed anxiously and YEARLY; tn
storm still ragged. Suddenly the vesse
struck, not violently, not even with sufli
cient force to throw the passengers from
their seats. Water then came pouriu.
down into the cabin. A voice shoute
for the second class passengers to 90 int
the lower saloon, as the mainmast was 90
ing to be cut away. The passengers near
est the entrance doors attempted to ope
them, (they were hinged in the ceiling
and finding some difficulty they were i'm
mediately smashed. Still there was n
hurrying or crushing; all silently too
lheiI seats. On deck, sailors and officer.
striped to the waist, labored to cut ava
the mainmast. The vessel rolled an,
thumpeG so heavily, that in delivering thei
blows the men were many times throw,
to the deck, but the motion of the vesse
assisted the work; the waves, too lent thei
aid, and soon the mast tottered, then fel
with crash overheard. Immediately AT
forwards the Raging sea threw the vesse
still higher up upon the rocks. The fore
mast was then cut away, and almost at thu
same time the mizzen mast broke off a
the mizzen mast head. Boats were lower
ed, but the moment they touched the wave
they We're carried with irresistible fore,
against the rocks, and their inmates eithe
crushed or drowned in the sea. No boa
could live in such storm. There appear
ed scarcely any need of boats, SO close up
on the shore was the vessel.
Having struck, the vessel slowed rount
port side to the rocks. When in the low
er saloon, abut this time an apprentice,
boy, Charley, entered, telling the passen
gers from the captain that they were tt
keep up their hearts, all was we'll, the,
were only on a sand bank. The passen
gers remained quietly in the cabin. Mr.
Cowie, the second mate, accompanied b,
the purser and two men came down: the,
were stripped, having on only their shir
and trowsers. They passed through tn,
saloon to the powder; magazine they wen
bidding The passengers to keep p thei
hearts, they were not far from shore Tn,
water entered the saloon at the same time
and waves striking more heavily, the YES
sci thnmpei harder. Those in the lowe,
saloon then passed into the upper one
There they found assembled some of the
first and third class passengers. No word.
we're spoken, hope and fear struggled fol
the mastery in their countenances-bv
this alone was it seen that life and death
were III the balances The stiffness of the
assembly was broken once Young lady
about twenty, Miss Murray, who was on
board with her father, mother and brother
tainted, and was Immediately carried to
her cabin, from whence she never enero.
ed. Day light began to dawn. They
had been tossing on the sea and laboripo
on the rocks all night. Shortly after dav
hight a third class passenger came down :.
he had on only his trowsers, and had been
IN the bows of the vessel for several hours
lie said the forepart OF the vessel and the
bows touched the land-eyery one could
wade ashore.
All hopes of saving the vessel having
disappeared, and the boats having been
rendered unserviceablr, the captain order