Year: 1870

sharp up, and the ship did not seem to have much
way upon her As the watch were mustered, heard
Captain Burgoyue give the order 'Let 20 the fore
topsal haIliards;H followed BY 'Let 20 fore ana
main topsail sheets" By the time the men got TO
the topsaii sheets the ship healing over TO star
board so much that the men were washed away OF
the deck the ship lying down on her side as she was
gradually turning over, and trembling with every
blow which the shor. jumping seas (the sea now was
white all round with the squalD struck her and the
roar Of the steam from the funnel roaring horribly
above everything, and continuing to do 20 even
when under water. Hrst with two other men
rushed to the weather forccastle netting and Jumped
overheard, and Immediately they found
themselves washed on 10 the biise OF the shlps bot
tom, but had got there than the ship went
down. Hirst and his companions went down with
the ship, but the next feeling consciousness By the
former, was coming In contact With floating spar.
to which he tied himself with bis black silk necker-
chief He was soon Afterwards. however washed
away from the SPAR but GOT hold Of the stern Of the
second launch, which was noaiiug as il was slowed
on board the ship-the second being slowed inside
the first launch, the galley inside the second launch,
aud canvas cover laced over and lashed round all.
Other men were there the top OF the canvas COW
ering Then fell in with the steam iifeboat piunsce
Quilt by J. S. White East Cowes Isle OF wirh1.
bottom up, with Captain Burgoyue and number Of
men on her bottom, but could not distinguished how
many -Four men, of whom Mr. May the gunner,
proved to be one, jumped from of the bottom ofthe
steam pinnace TO the covering Of the galley
aud launches. Thecanvas was Immediately cut away,
the galley thrown out the first launch floating awaz
from underneath the second and the oars got out in
the second launch TO pull up to the steam pinnaceto to
take of Captain Burgoyue and the men remaining
there. Hirst says 1t was soou found impossibls to
do this As soon as they endeavoured to get the
boats head up TO the sea to row her up TO wind
ward to where the capsized boat with their captain
and few shipmates with him, was floating the boat
was swamped level TO her thwaris, and two Of the
men were washed out of her. The pump was set
going and caps used for bailing the water out and
second attempt was made to the boat up
against the sea- This proved unsuccessful as the
first There were only nine In the boat the re-
mander having been washed away, and one beiugi in
use for steering, only eight remained for pulling the
boat IT would be useless TO prOlOng the tale
Nothing could be done under such conditions with
heavy boat such the second plnnace, and her
head was put for the shore before the wind and sea-
but Captain Burgoyne was away to windward, cling
ing to the bottom Of a boat, In all that storm of





quarter of an hour after their boat bore up for Fins
terre, after finding they could not reach the steam
pnnaee they sighted on the starboad hand the green
bow light of ofthe ships Of the feet, and very
soon afterwards both red and the green bow lights
of the ship were About five A. N. Finlsterre
light seen from the boat, and Mr.. May the gun
ner, and the seamen afterwards landed a little
to the southwark of the lighthouse. They stayed
there for some time, and afterwards made ten miles
rough walk to Corcubion, where they were even
ually taken by boat sent ashore from the Monarch
After being examined, as already stated, on board
the Lord Warden, they were transferred to the vo-
lage, which Immediately sailed with them and Sir
Alexander Mines dispatches for England It Is i'm
portant to notice that the general opinion Of the
men appeared to be that, with the ship having q
slight heel over, the pressure Of strong wind up
on the under part of the hurricane deck had great
er effect or leverage, to put the matter plain
ly upon the hall of the ship than the pressure ofthe
wind in her three topsails had. They also appeared
to be nearly unanimous In their opinions that when
the Captain got her starboard side wen down In the
water, with the consequent weight Of water on the
siarboard side Of the turret deck and the pressure
Of the wind blowing from the port hand on the
der surface of the hurricane deck aad thus push
ng the ship right over, she had chance ofright-
ing herself One man says, 10 answer to Capt Bur
yoyue'sinquiry as to how much the chip heeling
over, he heard the given 1s' % '25 de-
grees. This movement was never checked for mo-
nent for Immediately the heel Of the ship had been
given as 25 degrees she was keel uppermoat, aud
lbout to make that tremendous downarG plunge
with the roar Of the steam from her boilers, still
Torcing upwards and outscreaming the noise Of the
storm If the laundering Of the Captain occurreda at
few minutes past midnight the Admirars first tel
gram must have been incorrect, that the Captain
was close to Lord Warden at o clock that morning,
he exact words telegraphed, part Of the whole
message, being, she was close to this ship at two
his morning"


The following brief account of the catastrophe has
been furnished by officer Of another ship In the
ieet :-''About midnight on Tuesday, the 9th, came
IN gale off Cape Finisterre. which increased tin
he wind was technically said 10 have force Of o.
heavy running at the time. Next morning the
weather was fine. All the chips Of the combined
quadrons were in sight and in eompsny except the
Captain. That day was spent in spreading In
earch Of her Next morning sufficient quantity
IF wreck was picked up belonging 10 her to justify
be conclusion that she must have fouudered and
rome down with all her $50 souls. some bodies
we're also found and part Of her hurricane deck At
.even A. NJ. Thursday the Inconstant, the swift
st of frgates, was despatched full speed to Ply
mouth, to convey the mournful news 10 500 mems
elatons- Captain Alpine had orders to proceed at
NEE TO the Admiralty.