The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-26
SIMILAR DISASTERS.
The NnvlCs of the World Have Lost Many
Ships and Men.


The history OF the navies Of the
world, and particularly those chapters
relating to the navy Of Great Britain,
aboupds in records OF disasters attended
with great loss of life.
As early as 1908 it is recorded that
three British men-of-war were lost
The York, with seventy guns, went
down off Harwich and all on board per-
ished save four; the Newcastle, sixty
guns, went down off Spithead with 1913
men, and the Reserve, sixty guns, sank
off Yarmouth, November 2G, carrying
down 173 men.
In l744 the frigate Victory, one OF the
finest ships OF her day, carrying 100
guns, went down of the island Of AL
derney, and every soul porished.
Three hundred and thirty officers and
men went down with his maiesty's ship
Pembroke, sixty guns, near Porto
Nuovo, April l3, 1740.
Three years later, to the day, the
British frigate Prince George, eighty
guns. while on her way to Gibraltar,
was burned in As degrees north latitude
and 400 men perished. This was the
most sensational marine disaster OF the
century.
Tho fate OF the Prince George was
still comparatively fresh in mind when,
August 20, 1852, the Royal George, a
man-of-war carrying 10Sguns, was lost oil
Spithead. Six hundred perished. Rear
Admiral. Kempenfeldt, together with
tho entire crew, many marines. women
and Jews, we're drowned. In May, 1917,
tho diving bell was employed in q sur
vey oi'the wreck as it LAY embedded Mt
tho bottom, and twenty years later,
under the superintendence OF Sir Charles
Paisley, portions Of the cargo were re-
moved.
La Tribune, French man-of-war,
carrying So guns, was lost oil Halifax,
November lG, 1907 and 300 men per-
ished.
Two years later, October 0, l700, his
maiesty's ship Lutine, carrying 50 guns,
was wrecked off VlieIand, on tho Hol.
land coast, and only one man was saved.
He died before reaching England. Tho
Lutine was French ship captured by
Admiral Duncan OF the British fleet.
The wreck lay imbeded in the sand Tor
fifty-eight years. At the expiration OF
that time Dutch salvage company re.
covered E99,S03. The remainder OF tho
specie, amounting TO 81, ,175,000, was
never recovered.
Noycmber of the same year the Brit.
ish cruiser Sceptre, "a guns, was wrecked
in Table Bay, on the Cape oil Good Hope,
and 29l members Of them persisted.
Tho closing years OF the eighteenth
century and tho opening years OF the
nineteenth appear to have been disas,
trous for the ships OF the. British ser.
vice. Besides the losses already men
toned. tho Queen Charlotte, tirst-ratc
ship of the line, ll0 guns, tho flagship
OF Lord Keith, then commanding the
Mediterranean squadron, was burned
olfLeghorn March II, 1900, and 673 per.
sons persisted out OF crew OF $50.
The Ajax, "a guns, was also lost by
fire Feb IA, 1907, while of the IslanC
of Tenedos. Two hundred and fifty mer
persisted.
Dec. %, 1910, his Majesty's ship Mino
taur, "A guns, was wrecked of the Dutct
coast, and $50 lives were lost.
On the same spot, eleven years before
the British ship Nassau, 81 guns, wen
down with 100 men.
On Christmas eve., 1911, there oc
Cured one OF the worst catastrophes re
corded in naval history. The st
George, 9S guns; the Defense, "a guns
and the Hero, 60 guns, all OF the Brit
ish navy. were cruising off the JutlanC
coast, with Admiral Reynolds in com
mand. A storm arose, and all three
vessels stranded. Two thousand off
GERS and men perished, only eighteen
escaping.
Her majesty's ship Avenger, steam
irigate, was lost on the north coast o
Africa and all the officers and crew
numbering 200, perished, December 20
lS47.
The loss OF the British troopahiI
|. Birkenhead is still remembered by tn
older generation. She was an iron pad
dlewheeler OF $50 horsepower, bolnC
from Queenstown to the Cape OF GooC
EIopo with several detachments OF Brit
ish troops. She left Queenstown Jan
uary7 7, 1852, and on February % sh,
struck the point OF q submerged pin
nacle rock and tore her bottom ou;
, Out OF 63S persons only ISL were saved
Another disaster to one OF the fines
, OF her majesty's ships occurred on tn
night OF Sept. II. 1870, when the iron
, clad Captain sank in s9uall of FiniE
terre. Her captain, Hugh BurEoynC
and Captain Cowpor Coles, her design
, or, together with 479 seamen, com DOS
ing tho ''elite OF tho service," perishet
Only eighteen were saved. Tho invest
CATION which followed this mishsp re
t vealed that the vessel capsized in
sduall and went downin three minute:
] The official roport attributed her dc
struction to ''too low ireeboard, heav
} top:Weight, masts and hurricane deck.
/. The Captain cost G440,000.
r The United States navy has bee
comparatively free from disasters ii
!. volylng great loss OF life, the loss OF th
Q Huron being the most serious OF recer
J. wears. Tie disaster occurred S6yen
/ Der "a, 1871. The vessel was on hs