New-York tribune., 1870-09-26
THE LOSS or THE CAPTAIN.
Portsmouth Correspondence Of The London Standard.

Portsmouth Correspondence Of The London Standard.
From the statements of the few who have
been saved some Of which are suoned it appears that
about midnight the 9th inst the ship in company
with the Channel feet about forty miles off Cape Fins
terre cruising under doubleeefed fore and mantopsas
and fOretOpmast staysai and mainsa and the fOresa
hauled up there being at the time very strong breeze
and heavy sea. The starboard watch had been called
at y o'clock and being mustered when squall
struck the ship the port side causing her To give
heavy lurch to tarboard AS she did not right herself
Capt Burgoyne, who the bridge, the order
To lower the foreopsa but consequence Of the yards
being braced sharp up the ship at the time being on the
port tack il did not come down. Orders were promptly
haul, but by this time the ship had been again
struck by heavy and she was completely hove ON to
and she then turned bottom upward and gradually sank
stern first From the time the ship was struck to her
number on board at the time about 500. When the
Captain first lost sight of il thought that she
renee on dark night and when is blowing hard, and
one imagined she had gone down. But alas the sad
fact soon became apparent when hrst was meked up
boat then a spar and subsequently OF the men, who
Rad lashed himself to grating, but did not succeed IN
saving his life On the morning Of Thursday last the
Monarch seventurret seveng gun doubeturreted ship,
Capt. John E. Commere, V. c. C. b., which had been cen
agshp that warrant officer and II men had landed
them up off Cape Fniserre at that day, and they
transferred to the Voltage
Mr. James May gunner, second class, states that he
was awoke about 10 O'Clock on the night OF the 9Th
| by some marines making noise outside his CABIN,
| and, finding the ship more than usually unsteady, he
dressed himself go deck and see II the guns were
all right in the turrets. In passing the engineers bath
room he exchanged remark with the engineer oicer
who had off the first watch and thus he is certain
10 its being Just past II O'Clock When ne got up into
the after turre the ship heavy roll TO starboard
nnG and more N until i he the Coming
port-hole the top Of the turret through which he
ever succeeded, with five Others including Capt Bur
goyne, reaching the pnnace which was floating
unQafQ
within few yards Of them, he cried out Now jump.
men; this is your only chance lie and three others
vain endeayored TO regain the pinnace, To save Their
Captain 9qt te sea & m & gf i @ Ie r
struck by heavy sea, nearly swamping the boat and
washing man George Meyers overheard. 1t was
then determined TO let the boat before the sea- as the
| land was known 20 be to eeward of them. About 2
o'clock they sighted the light on Cape Finstere, and
SfterTard Observed land They made for it, and sue,
ceed in landing about Of the nth, at FnserTe and
fynS their clothes proceeded to Cercujon Where they
found the viceConsul, who teegraphed and sent the
news OF the sad disaster through Corunna to England
| The Monarchs boats picked them up.
! STATEMENT OF JAMES ELLIS.
James Ellis, the Gunner's Mate, states: was awOke
just before II o'clock by the ship making heavy urch
TO SarbSsrd 69 she presently ged @ tb agaa the ana md
| went deck. While the watch was being mustered,
to take steady and trustworthy with me, and put
the iron on the turrets and report to him when IT
heeng" did not hear tn. reply, but afterward heard
that it IS Gt was generally only g. Capt Burgoyne
peny Of hands on the downhau Directly after he
gave the lower the nantopsa but the yard
upon Capt BurgOyne ordered the lee tOpsa sheets to
be let 20. These orders were all rapidly given, while
was preparing TO the fore turret called James
Frost A. b. TO with Inc, but never saw him after
ward. walked forward in the weather gangway, and
finding lower sail the turret grating TO windward
went to leeward OF the three foremost boom boats
slowed inside OF each other and endeavored to lift off
dOusly heavy lurch throwing her quite on her beam
ends the water coming over the sea MEETINGS, and up
olphtb tba iron
lift thought then that the ship must be SINKING and
holding TO the grangs felt the boom boats Craze my
back went down some distance with the ship.
The Portsmouth correspondent of The Times gives
additional particulars:
Robert Hirs able seaman, was stationed on the fore
castle and mustered with the starboard watch There
strong wind, and the ship was then under her
three topsas double reefs In each and the fOreopmas
staysa The yards were braced sharp up and the ship
did not to have much way upon her As the watch
were mustered heard Capt. Burgoyne give the order
Let 90 the fOreopsa haards;' followed by "Let 90
fore and main topsai sheets BY the time the men got
TO the topsa sheets the ship was heeng over to star
deck, the ship lying down on her side as
no W5 eye@v how Wbns tbe Gc sbor Snu ,ps p
tthe sea now was white all round with the
sqa Struck heI, ana the roar OF te steam rom the
ing TO do even when under water Hirst, with two
jumped overheard, and immediately afterward they
found themselves washed on 10 the bilge Of the ships
bottom, but had got there than the snip went
down Hrst and his companions went down with the
ship but the nexeeing of consciousness by the former
tied himself with his black silk neckerchef. lie
afteTward, however, washed away from the SPAR
got hold OF the stern Of the second launch which
floating slowed board the ship-the second
being slowed inside the first launch the galley inside
the second launch, and cover laced over and
ashed round ALL Other men were there on the top Of the
canvas covering, Then fell in with the steam febOat
pinnace Quilt byJ s. White East Cowes Isle Of Wight,
bottom up, with Capt. BurgOyne and number OF men
| ON her bottom, but could not distinguish how many.
-Four men, Of whom Mr. May, the gunner, proved 10 be
one jumped from OFF the bottom Of the steam bnnace to
the canvas covering Of the galley and launches The
| canvas was immediately cut away, the galley thrown
OUT the nst launch floating away from underneath the
hcoh ana the oars got out In the second launch 10 pull
W 10 thc steam nnace TO take of Capt BurgOyne and
the men remaining there. Hirst says II
louhd impossible 10 do this. As soon as they
! ehueaNOied 10 get the boats head up 10 the
| sea 70 row her up 20 wndward to where the cap
siled Doa, Win their captain and few shpmaes with
hun, was noatng the boat was swamped level to her
| thwarts ana two OF the were washed out of her
The pump was set gOin and caps used for bang the
water out, ana second attempt was made to rnve the
boat mp against the sea This proved ssfu s
the first There were only nine In the boat the re-
maindeT having been washed away and one heinz I so
for steering only eight remained for pnng the boat n
would useless 10 prOlOng the tale. Nothing coud l
done under such conditions, with heavy boat such as
the second pBuace aud her head put the shore
/ NE BuFgoyne WA au,a,,