The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-15
THE ROYAL GEORGE"
Retold by JAMES PAYM.

the isle of Wight used to be 50 called
seems to sway not a hand breath, nor to
futter single pennSnt." Then, in trem
bling hand, but still the same was added
"A dreadful thing has happened. When
had written that beginning of my letter,
Dorothy, looked again southwark; the sea
was waveless as before, and the Fair island
sparkled in the sun, but betwixt us and it |
saw no trace of the great three decker |
thought my brain had gone wrong, and
rang the bell for Agnes; but when she too
could sea nothing of her, a terrible appre-
hension took hold of me; and when the
alarm guns from the fort began to thunder
knew the vessel had gone down. hear
near / 200 men were aboard of her"
This was the famous wreck of the Royal
George immortalized by the verse of Cow
per. She was a ship of 100 guns, carry ing
brass twenty-four FOUNDERS on her main
deck, brass tbirty-tw Founders on her mid
die deck, and iron thirty-two Founders on
her lower deck Her lanterns were so large
that the men used to enter them to clean
them. She had six months provisions on
board. and many tons of shot. The blue
flag of the brave Kempanfet' was flying
at her mizzen, and in two days she was to
leave Spithead to join the fleet in the
Mediterranean.
So sudden and unexpected a catastrophe
was never before heard of in nautical
annals; but the cause of it is common
enough. 1t arose from the obstinacy and
fool hardness of the lieutenant of the
watch. Tnese caused the death of some
500 human beings 1t is not necessary to
whose personal narrative | compile the
story, AMI who had probably just joined
the ship. did not know his name, though, of
course. it could be discovered easily enough
He was, if | remember right" he says.
''rhp third utanant, good sizei man b.
tween 80 AMI a" Fortunately for him.
sell, perhapi, he was drowned with the
rest
The accident arose through the heeling
over of the ship. 1t was necessary TO lay
her on her side to get at the water cock,
situated in that part of the hold Gale the
well, i'll order to replace it by new one
The operation was begun at O'Clock in the
morning. The ship at that tins was full
of Jews, women, and people selling all sorts
OF things rs was usual on the eve of a long
voyage Tee last lighter, with rum on
board, had just come alongside, and was
dashed to the larboard side of the vessel
and the msn were pipe1 to clear her. and
stow the rum i'll the hold Though the
water was almost level with the port holes
through which the larboari guns vera run
out, no dan,er seems at first to have been
apprehen1el. The sea dashed in with every
wave All disturbed the mice in the lower
deck, AMI the mel amussd themselves with
bunting them in the water. There was a
rare game going on, are tas words of tha
narrator
BY o. clock the weight of the rum bar
rais AMI of the sea water brought the lar
board port holes still lower, and the car
penter applet to the third lieutenant to
give order, to right ship, As she could not
bear il. But the lieutenant gave him d
very short answer. The captain-Capt.
Wagnorn-was on Doari, and also the at
mral; but admlrals and captains are not
consulted in such matters The hives o.
those at sea, as OF those on land, are mainl Y
III the hands of subord mates In q
very short tina the carpenter re.
peated his warning, and the lieutenant
answered: Sir, if you can manage the ship
better than | can, you had better take
the command In minute or two after.
ward, it is true, the foolhardy officer or
dered the drummer to he called to beat t.
right ship, but it was then too late There
was no time to beat his drum, or even time to
get it. Let us try, said our sailor to the
lieutenant of his gun, ito bouss our gun out
without waiting for the drum, as 1t will
help to right the ship" They pushed the
gun. hut it ran back on them, and the =
the ship Is sinking, jump out at the port
hole!' He did so. but | believe he was
drowned, for | never saw him again fol
lowed him. | saw the port holes as full of
heads as they could cram, all trying to get
out
What pictured Imagine all those poor
fellows struggling to escape through space
not large enough for one-tenth of them, ur
an incline as steep as the peaked roof Of q
house and with a hungry sea rushing in
tehind them! Above all, think of the moor
womenl Our sailor holding on to the best
bower anchor, which hung above the port.
sezes hold of one, and drags her out but al
that moment the draught of air from he
tween decks. caused by the sinking of the
ship, blows him off his feet Then the huge
mass goes down, and draws him down with
it. He tries to swim, but cannot. Though
n,unyed as hari as I could with both hands AM
feet but when the ship touched bottom the watel
boiled up gord deal and I felt that eouli swim
and began to rise So even If a vessel with hun
dred guns goes down and takes you or me with her
there is some use you see. in having learned L
swim When he comes 10 the surface he hears
what sound at such monlent,-the cannon,
ashore firing their signals of distress but he
nothing. His face Is covered with tar a barrel 81
tar having been STAYED in as the ship went down
and Its contents spread the water He strike.
it away from his eyes well he can, and look.
about him.
The fore main and mizzentops OF the hinge sh'T
were all above water and he climbs up into com
nfafs In of f1R
he finds the admral's baker and the woman
he has just pulled out of the port hole rolling by
He seizss her once more, and hangs her head over
one of the ratllnes of the mzzen shrouds Xix,
clothes to dry. which Is the best he do for her
but surf comes and knocks her backward. an
away she went, rolling over and over Strangely
enoug the poor creature Is saved after all by the
boat of frigate lying at Splthead whose captain
has Just put OFF TO the rescue Unjust look to those
who are in more danger than you, my lad" III
sings out T. our sailor, as he goes by
"Ay ay SIR" Is the reply. Il am safely moored
enough"
to say he could not swim picket up alive
But out of nearly thousand men, which thu
ships compile ment, although some on leavL
and sixty marines had gone ashore that very morn
ing, only very few were saved; government al
! lowed five pounds to them for the loss of thai
things. 4 saw the list and there were but seventy
| FIVE"
| For several days afterwar1 bodies would sud
ship had saak. forty and fifty at q tina The
Watermen made 20 ID thing of IL they would take
| from the men their buckles money and watches;
then making fast rope to their heels wouli TOW,
! them to land"
The poet who sings OF the calamity tells Us 'uo
! tempest gave the shock" and. indeed there was
| scarcely any breeze at all The ship was anchored
and had not even a stitch Of on her to keen
| her steady.
Sixty afterwar1 the interest OF this terrible
event had by no means died away, and well re.
member. as boy. going on board the ship that was
stationed above the scene of the calamity to see
the divers who stil employed upon the wreck
The aspiration OF the poet,
Weigh the vessel up,
Once dreaded by her foes.
was never realized: but almost ev rything was
taken out of her; and more fancy articles
paper knives work boxes etc. affirmed 10
have been made from her tmbers were sold
am afraid than the Royal George big as she was
eOule ever have furnished. At seaside places
Of resort yon may purchase them even now at the
uazars-old fashioned articles with this tombiiks
Inscription Them This desk Tor letter weight
paper weglu 'wss made out of the wood Of the
Roya George, sung on Spthead In l7y2 with SO Of
| her crew"
Mr. EDITOR Many of your reader