Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-11-16
the WRECK OF THE ROYAL CHAR

Additional Particulars OF the Disaster =
The Vessel Caught IN the Great Chan
ael Gale near Shore Anchors Let Go, as
10 Pilot Could BE Had-0oing on the
sSip xsu m1s.rs sns Four Haudrsd and
Fifty Five Persons Killed and Drown
ed-Au the Chief officers and Women
and Children Lost Build and Cost of
the Vessel-Gasualities TO American Yes
sells During the Storm, &c.
By the City Of Baltimore No received brisf ae-
counts of the wreck ofihc steamship Royal
Charter. and Of the fearful lsss Il life involved
the-ein. We are now in possessian Vi graphic and
copious details Of the sad calamity.
II appears that the Royal Charter, when within
tive or three hours sail Of Liverpool latter rapid
passage from Mslbournc). experienced the fol fu-
ry Of terrible northeast gale which prevailed all
over England during tho night OF the 10Th aud
9th ult. The steam power OF the vessel beng
merely auxiliary, 10 was insufficient to prevent
her from being driven towards the shore, and ~
the water was rapidly shoaling. it became Decess-
ary mt about ten o'lclpck mt night. u lot go tho
anchors, guns having boon previously fred and
rDcketa discharged in the hone Of attracting
pn, but without success.
The gne meantime increased to perfect hur
ricane and Mt two o'clock in tho morning tie port
anchor chain parted, and shortly afterwards the
ship was booting the rocks ~ a place called
",
Anslr.ea The masts were cut away, but with
out any beneficial result
Abont da Wight (sz o'coek) sa lor with cord
tied arnnnd his waist jumped overheard, nm ni-
though The sen ran tremendously high. he sue
ceeded in reaching and maintaining footng on
tho rocky shore, which was not more thh.n ten
wards distant from the ship but was olmsst per-
prndlcuar to the height OF iorty feet. A hawser
WAS then got ashore and bontswair, chair was
attached 10 il with n view of hauling the passen-
gers IN crew on shore. About II dog n seanen
we're by this means seon landed. ar d twas hoped
that a on bonrd might be saved.
AT nbout heyen O'clock. however. the waves
beatin IA t,inst thr ships broads'de with contin-
ued violence. she suddenly snnpr e. asunder amid
ships anI tombled in pieces. AS the passengers
had mostly kept below, large nui lbers were killed
by the crushing debris, and only twenty-sx innn-
aged to yet ashore, making t.e whole number
saved only thirty-nine out VI n total passengers
and crew Of 493.
The scene was terrible in The extreme Many
were washed ON and off the rocks several times,
and in numerous instance s. nose WHO thou t them
selves secure On juttins rocks were hurled back
into the sea by tn. inrions waves
Not u superior Office vas saved. neither n wo-
man nor child.
Captain Tnylnr exc rt,d himself to the utmost but
waa finally struck Ola he head while struggling in
the waier, by a boat falling from the davlts and
WAS seeh T., more.
The detrnetion of the shi wns rnpid complete
y, that by eight o'clo * nothing WIS visible but
masses nj rock, raiugled with bodies of the dend
washed on the sand, The prostra,ion of the
telegraoh wire ad tho destruction by the of
portion or tho Chester and lloiyheud Railroad
(which pissed tho lncality) caused considerable
delay in tho news al Liverpool aud n consequent
loss of time in sending Ing boat, to the spot. The
vessel had on board lsupposed) 10000 ounces Of
gold, besides a large number Of sovereigns, esti-
mated of the total value vi from EjpO, 0Onto ESQ.,
O00 and hopes were entertained that this migh he
recovered + divers.
The Ro nj Charter WINS nn iron vessel. of 2.749
tons rogls ser, clipper built and furnished with
auxiliary screw engines. She was built in 1865,
Mt u cost Of over 100000 and was insured for
tSo,ooo. Her ga'eral cargo was not very yalua-
ble-s.y C5.OOp,
OF she parsons IN lonrd the Royal Charter when
she lett Australia sxtv-three were cabin nassen-
grr,. 325 other passengers and l23 crew--tota
OIL. vi those, seventeen passengers were landed
nt Queenstnwn. md thriy-nns saved from
me wreck that the total loss OF life was 455 -
a mOng those ekonrd Rvs were eleven rig
gers " no were transferred from u tug boat to the
foyal Charter in the Channel for conveyance TO
Liverpool.
lnsnranccs were being effected Mt Ioyds on the
bullion ut 20 per cent premium.