Chapter 4

[C]The following appears in theMorning Heraldof November 2nd:—‘Captain Withers, the master of the wrecked vessel “Virginia” (lost in the South Pacific), with nine men, after being nineteen days at sea in an open boat, and enduring innumerable privations, all arrived safe at the Feejee islands, and thence they were conveyed to Sydney, New South Wales. On arriving at Sydney, Captain Withers after seeing that the crew were provided with clothes, went on to Melbourne, and took a passage home to England in the “Royal Charter.” He is the “Captain Withers” mentioned by one of the persons saved from the wreck of the “Royal Charter,” who behaved with such noble fortitude and unflinching bravery when all seemed lost, and when it was a mockery to hope against such a fearful tempest. But he was doomed to die a sailor’s death, for the last seen of him was when he called out to Mr. Stevens and Captain Taylor, “God bless you, Stevens! God bless you, Taylor! Keep firm.” The ship broke up immediately after: the rest already too well known.’ Strange are the ways of Providence! Captain Withers was saved, after terrible privations, from perishing in the South Pacific to be dashed to pieces on the rocks of Wales![Back to text]

That the captain was in some degree ignorant of the exact spot where he was, and was but imperfectly acquainted with the coast, seems manifest from this,—when the hurricane gathered in its might, it was proposed that a barrel of tar should be fired and sent adrift, in order to light up the coast. ‘When the vessel struck,’ says one of the daily newspaper reports, ‘signal guns were fired, rockets sent off, and every means adopted to attract attention from the shore; but the houses in the neighbourhood being few and far between, no practicable assistance was attracted. No life-boat could live in the raging sea, and the boats of the vessel herself were perfectly unavailable.’

From the foregoing, a picture only too vivid of the catastrophe may be realized. The Boatswain’s Mate describes the storm; Mr. Russell paints the ship with all its intense and death-foreboding excitement; and Mr. Bradbury conveys, with dread distinctness, the manner in which the handful of saved fought their way from the jaws of death.

One or two other narratives, purporting to be from survivors, have appeared, but as they are mere paraphrases of those I have given, I have some doubt in the first place of their genuineness, and in the second of the desirability of occupying space with repetitions.

Let the description of the night of the wreck end here.

The moment the news of the disaster reached London and Liverpool, agents from Lloyd’s and the owners of the ship were despatched to Molfre Bay. They were accompanied by representatives of the principal London and Liverpool journals, and the communications which the reporterssubsequently addressed to their several papers were affecting in the extreme. Here is the first:—

‘Molfra Bay, Thursday Evening.—It is my very painful duty to record the total wreck of the screw steamship “Royal Charter,” Captain Taylor, which took place at from three to eight o’clock on the morning of Wednesday, at Molfre, a rugged portion of the Anglesea coast, and about midway between Amlwch and Ruffin Island. The ill-fated vessel sailed from Melbourne on the 26th of August, having on board 388 passengers, of whom 63 occupied the saloon, and a crew, including officers, of 112 persons. While the ship was passing Queenstown, on Monday morning, 13 of the passengers landed in a pilot-boat. On Tuesday morning, at eleven o’clock, the “Royal Charter” spoke the steam-tug “United Kingdom,” which, instead of returning to port with riggers who had been assisting in the working of a ship to Cardiff, transferred 11 of the riggers to the “Royal Charter,” Captain Taylor having kindly agreed to take them to Liverpool; so that there were on board at the time of the wreck 498 souls, and of these only 39 were saved.‘The loss of life on this sad occasion was 459 persons. The “Royal Charter” had on board a large quantity of specie on freight, the exact amount of which cannot be ascertained, as all the ship’s papers have been lost, but it was variously estimated by the surviving passengers and crew at from 500,000l.to 800,000l.One of the saloon passengers, who was drowned, was stated to have had in his possession gold to the value of 10,000l.She had only a moderate cargo, principally of wool and skins.’ [Did the small cargo have anything to do with the loss of the vessel? Would she, if more heavily laden, have drifted so rapidly upon the rocks?] ‘From the time of leaving Port Phillip Heads till the arrival off the Irish coast the passage was in the highest degree favourable; she was only once in danger, and then from an iceberg. After passing Queenstown the wind veered round to E.N.E., blowing strong. On Tuesday night it blew a gale, and continued to increase in violence, till at length, on the morning of the fatal disaster, it became a perfect hurricane. Arriving off Point Lynas at sixP.M.on Tuesday evening, signal rockets were for several hours thrown up, in the hope of attracting a pilot, but none made their appearance. Captain Taylor, finding that his ship was making leeway, and gradually drifting towards the shore, let go both the anchors, but such was the violence of the wind, and the heavy cross sea prevailing, that the chains parted.’ [Thesame night the “Great Eastern” was all but lost through one of her massive cables snapping.] ‘Notwithstanding that the engines were worked at their full power, the captain was unable to work to windward, and the unfortunate vessel struck the rocks stern first in four fathoms water. Up to this period (about threeA.M.) not the slightest alarm was evinced among the passengers, a large portion of whom were women and children. The most perfect discipline and order prevailed. The masts and rigging were cut adrift, but caused no relief, as the ship continued to thump on the sharp-pointed rocks with fearful rapidity.‘Shortly after she struck, the ship was thrown broadside on, perfectly upright upon the shelving stony beach, the head and stern lying due east and west, the former not being more than twenty yards from a projecting rock. At this juncture one of the crew, a Maltese, named Joseph Rogers, nobly volunteered to struggle through the heavy surf and convey a rope on shore. Though it was not believed by any one that danger was imminent, the captain gave the order, and Rogers ably fulfilled his duty. A strong hawser was then passed and secured on shore, and to this was rigged a “boatswain’s chair.” At five o’clock the ship laboured and bumped to such an extent that the ladies and children exhibited the greatest anxiety and fear: they crowded together in the after part of the saloon, and the Rev. Mr. Hodge, of East Retford, a Clergyman of the Church of England, offered up a prayer; but his exhortations were interrupted by the violent thumping of the vessel on the rocks, and the heavy seas which came dashing into the cabin.’ [Throughout the passage, this reverend gentleman had administered religious service, and had made so many friendships that his fellow-passengers had presented him with a testimonial.] ‘The scene in the saloon was of the most heartrending description; children and parents, husbands and wives, were clinging to each other in affectionate embrace. Captain Taylor and Captain Withers came down and tried to allay their fears by assuring them that there was no immediate danger. Scarcely had their words been uttered before a succession of tremendous waves swung her about on the rocks, and she divided amidships, engulfing all on board. Shortly afterwards she also parted at the forehatch, throwing a large number of persons into the sea. Many were killed by the breaking up of the ship. Several of the crew saved themselves by means of the hawser to the shore, while the remainder were hurled upon the rocks by the waves. All the officers perished. Captain Taylor was the last man seen alive on board. He had lashed his body to a spar and was drowned.’ [Someaffirm he was killed, after he was in the sea, by a boat falling from its davits. It is said he and Mr. Cowie, the second officer, were seen together, and that the boat struck both at once. Mr. Stevens, the first officer, and Mr. Rogers, the chief engineer, were—runs the main body of testimony—also killed together by the falling of a suspended boat upon the deck.] ‘Mr. Stevens, the chief officer, was killed, it is thought, by the falling rigging. Several of the more fortunate passengers received severe injuries while struggling for life. With the exception of a portion of the midship bulkhead, which appears a few feet above the water, there is scarcely a vestige of the “Royal Charter” remaining. The bullion chest, which was substantially built of iron, and secured to the framing of the ship, is supposed to have been shattered, from the fact of a gold box having been picked up with the address of a leading banking firm upon it.’ [The subsequent operations of the divers have, up to the time I am writing, tended to confirm this hypothesis, although assurances at fifty, sixty, and eighty per cent. are still being effected at Lloyd’s.]‘About two hundred and fifty sovereigns and a quantity of notes had been picked up among the rocks.‘At least thirty bodies which have been cast ashore are lying in the adjacent church; most of them are frightfully mutilated. William Hughes, the only apprentice saved, states that when the vessel parted he was in the waist, and was precipitated among the machinery, which was hurled to and fro by the action of the waves. He had given himself up for lost, when a wave lifted him clear of the ship, and landed him in an unconscious state. The survivors during their stay at the scene of the wreck were very kindly treated. Two ladies made themselves conspicuous by their attention to the sufferers. It is stated that all the boats were in perfect readiness for lowering had circumstances permitted.’ [Some of the passengers say the boatswerelaunched, and were dashed to pieces on the rocks.]

‘The loss of life on this sad occasion was 459 persons. The “Royal Charter” had on board a large quantity of specie on freight, the exact amount of which cannot be ascertained, as all the ship’s papers have been lost, but it was variously estimated by the surviving passengers and crew at from 500,000l.to 800,000l.One of the saloon passengers, who was drowned, was stated to have had in his possession gold to the value of 10,000l.She had only a moderate cargo, principally of wool and skins.’ [Did the small cargo have anything to do with the loss of the vessel? Would she, if more heavily laden, have drifted so rapidly upon the rocks?] ‘From the time of leaving Port Phillip Heads till the arrival off the Irish coast the passage was in the highest degree favourable; she was only once in danger, and then from an iceberg. After passing Queenstown the wind veered round to E.N.E., blowing strong. On Tuesday night it blew a gale, and continued to increase in violence, till at length, on the morning of the fatal disaster, it became a perfect hurricane. Arriving off Point Lynas at sixP.M.on Tuesday evening, signal rockets were for several hours thrown up, in the hope of attracting a pilot, but none made their appearance. Captain Taylor, finding that his ship was making leeway, and gradually drifting towards the shore, let go both the anchors, but such was the violence of the wind, and the heavy cross sea prevailing, that the chains parted.’ [Thesame night the “Great Eastern” was all but lost through one of her massive cables snapping.] ‘Notwithstanding that the engines were worked at their full power, the captain was unable to work to windward, and the unfortunate vessel struck the rocks stern first in four fathoms water. Up to this period (about threeA.M.) not the slightest alarm was evinced among the passengers, a large portion of whom were women and children. The most perfect discipline and order prevailed. The masts and rigging were cut adrift, but caused no relief, as the ship continued to thump on the sharp-pointed rocks with fearful rapidity.

‘Shortly after she struck, the ship was thrown broadside on, perfectly upright upon the shelving stony beach, the head and stern lying due east and west, the former not being more than twenty yards from a projecting rock. At this juncture one of the crew, a Maltese, named Joseph Rogers, nobly volunteered to struggle through the heavy surf and convey a rope on shore. Though it was not believed by any one that danger was imminent, the captain gave the order, and Rogers ably fulfilled his duty. A strong hawser was then passed and secured on shore, and to this was rigged a “boatswain’s chair.” At five o’clock the ship laboured and bumped to such an extent that the ladies and children exhibited the greatest anxiety and fear: they crowded together in the after part of the saloon, and the Rev. Mr. Hodge, of East Retford, a Clergyman of the Church of England, offered up a prayer; but his exhortations were interrupted by the violent thumping of the vessel on the rocks, and the heavy seas which came dashing into the cabin.’ [Throughout the passage, this reverend gentleman had administered religious service, and had made so many friendships that his fellow-passengers had presented him with a testimonial.] ‘The scene in the saloon was of the most heartrending description; children and parents, husbands and wives, were clinging to each other in affectionate embrace. Captain Taylor and Captain Withers came down and tried to allay their fears by assuring them that there was no immediate danger. Scarcely had their words been uttered before a succession of tremendous waves swung her about on the rocks, and she divided amidships, engulfing all on board. Shortly afterwards she also parted at the forehatch, throwing a large number of persons into the sea. Many were killed by the breaking up of the ship. Several of the crew saved themselves by means of the hawser to the shore, while the remainder were hurled upon the rocks by the waves. All the officers perished. Captain Taylor was the last man seen alive on board. He had lashed his body to a spar and was drowned.’ [Someaffirm he was killed, after he was in the sea, by a boat falling from its davits. It is said he and Mr. Cowie, the second officer, were seen together, and that the boat struck both at once. Mr. Stevens, the first officer, and Mr. Rogers, the chief engineer, were—runs the main body of testimony—also killed together by the falling of a suspended boat upon the deck.] ‘Mr. Stevens, the chief officer, was killed, it is thought, by the falling rigging. Several of the more fortunate passengers received severe injuries while struggling for life. With the exception of a portion of the midship bulkhead, which appears a few feet above the water, there is scarcely a vestige of the “Royal Charter” remaining. The bullion chest, which was substantially built of iron, and secured to the framing of the ship, is supposed to have been shattered, from the fact of a gold box having been picked up with the address of a leading banking firm upon it.’ [The subsequent operations of the divers have, up to the time I am writing, tended to confirm this hypothesis, although assurances at fifty, sixty, and eighty per cent. are still being effected at Lloyd’s.]

‘About two hundred and fifty sovereigns and a quantity of notes had been picked up among the rocks.

‘At least thirty bodies which have been cast ashore are lying in the adjacent church; most of them are frightfully mutilated. William Hughes, the only apprentice saved, states that when the vessel parted he was in the waist, and was precipitated among the machinery, which was hurled to and fro by the action of the waves. He had given himself up for lost, when a wave lifted him clear of the ship, and landed him in an unconscious state. The survivors during their stay at the scene of the wreck were very kindly treated. Two ladies made themselves conspicuous by their attention to the sufferers. It is stated that all the boats were in perfect readiness for lowering had circumstances permitted.’ [Some of the passengers say the boatswerelaunched, and were dashed to pieces on the rocks.]

The second correspondent’s letter is equally interesting. Of course a number of persons describing one event will, as has been often pointed out, fall into discrepancies of statement. It is not for me to make the reports uniform. I have thrown in a parenthetical explanation here and there; but otherwise the several newspapers must speak for, and explain, themselves. The second communication runs thus:—

‘The “Royal Charter” did not, as was at first stated, strike the ground in Red Wharf Bay, but a place between that point and Amlwch. It is a small opening in the coast, the beach being chiefly sand and stones. It is to the west of Point Lynas, and known as Molfra, a village in the immediate locality, being of that name. The coast is thinly inhabited, and the land flat and uncultivated. Very soon after the fatal catastrophe, which resulted in such an awful sacrifice of human life, the vessel broke up, and nothing remains but pieces of the wreck, which were moved to and fro by the action of the tide. As one of the seamen described it, she broke up like a bandbox.‘Those of the crew and passengers who escaped were provided with temporary accommodation in the neighbouring cottages, where they received every mark of kindness from the inhabitants. During the day most of them left the place, and were conveyed to Liverpool in steam-tugs sent out by the owners of the ship.’ [And were, it is said, shamefully treated after their arrival. But of this in time.] ‘Last (Friday) evening only one passenger remained, Mr. Russell, with the boatswain’s mate and the carpenter of the ship. Many persons visited the scene of the wreck yesterday, and were making anxious inquiries as to the fate of relatives and friends. For this purpose every facility was afforded. Some of the scenes arising out of these inquiries amongst those deprived of their nearest relatives and friends were affecting in the extreme. Shortly after the wreck several of the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers by the calamity floated upon the beach; subsequently others were picked up, and the number amounted at a late hour last evening to twenty-six. Of these, five were females, and two of them young children. The bodies were conveyed to Llanallgo church, and carefully laid out on straw, so as to afford an opportunity for identification. Some had on their clothing, while others were only partially dressed, as though when the vessel struck they had been in their berths, and rushed suddenly to the deck in a state of alarm on being made acquainted with the perilous position of the ship. Many of the bodies bore evidence of injuries, probably sustained from being dashed against the rocks, or coming into violent contact with portions of the wreck. One man had nearly all his limbs broken, and the body had, as it were, to be gathered up. Another was without the head, and several were much bruised on various parts of the body. Some small boats and papers were picked up yesterday on the beach. One of the papers appeared to be a diary kept by a passenger on board, supposed to be a clergyman of Nottingham. Thevarious incidents of the voyage, from the time of leaving Melbourne until the arrival at Queenstown, were carefully recorded by the writer.’ [This is doubtless Mr. Hodge, a good man whowouldkeep a diary.] ‘The riggers previously referred to as being on board the “Royal Charter” when she grounded have lost six of their number, namely, James O’Neill, Richard Morris, William Thomas, Peter Topping, Thomas Corcoran, and Henry White. Those saved are James White, Patrick Devine, —— Pritchard, Thomas Cunningham, and William Burton. Some of them swam ashore, and others succeeded in saving themselves by the aid of the hawser. So far none of the passengers’ luggage or articles of a similar kind have been washed on shore.’ [Much was afterwards found, as will be seen.] ‘A few articles of male and female attire have been collected, and these are taken care of by the officers of police and coast-guard now on duty. The services of the Anglesea militia have also been called into requisition, to assist in the protection of any property received, and also in the removal of the bodies washed up on the shore. The position of the vessel at the time of the catastrophe, and whether or not blame attaches to the captain or his officers, were subjects of comment amongst many of those who visited the spot yesterday. At present it would be unfair to give currency to these remarks, seeing that the matter will undergo a strict investigation at the coroner’s inquest. The number of persons saved is now stated to be thirty-nine; and of these, twenty-one are passengers, and the remainder belong to the crew. Only very few of the bodies recovered have yet been identified. A gentleman attended yesterday, to make inquiry as to his wife, whom he supposed to be on board the “Royal Charter.” The body of his beloved partner was not amongst those lying in the church, but on a closer investigation, his eye fell on the corpse of a faithful servant, who, he felt sure, would accompany his wife on the voyage. This fact too truly told the mournful result.‘The man who swam on shore with the hawser was a Maltese, and not a Portuguese, as first said. He lost everything he possessed, and swooned when he reached land.’

‘Those of the crew and passengers who escaped were provided with temporary accommodation in the neighbouring cottages, where they received every mark of kindness from the inhabitants. During the day most of them left the place, and were conveyed to Liverpool in steam-tugs sent out by the owners of the ship.’ [And were, it is said, shamefully treated after their arrival. But of this in time.] ‘Last (Friday) evening only one passenger remained, Mr. Russell, with the boatswain’s mate and the carpenter of the ship. Many persons visited the scene of the wreck yesterday, and were making anxious inquiries as to the fate of relatives and friends. For this purpose every facility was afforded. Some of the scenes arising out of these inquiries amongst those deprived of their nearest relatives and friends were affecting in the extreme. Shortly after the wreck several of the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers by the calamity floated upon the beach; subsequently others were picked up, and the number amounted at a late hour last evening to twenty-six. Of these, five were females, and two of them young children. The bodies were conveyed to Llanallgo church, and carefully laid out on straw, so as to afford an opportunity for identification. Some had on their clothing, while others were only partially dressed, as though when the vessel struck they had been in their berths, and rushed suddenly to the deck in a state of alarm on being made acquainted with the perilous position of the ship. Many of the bodies bore evidence of injuries, probably sustained from being dashed against the rocks, or coming into violent contact with portions of the wreck. One man had nearly all his limbs broken, and the body had, as it were, to be gathered up. Another was without the head, and several were much bruised on various parts of the body. Some small boats and papers were picked up yesterday on the beach. One of the papers appeared to be a diary kept by a passenger on board, supposed to be a clergyman of Nottingham. Thevarious incidents of the voyage, from the time of leaving Melbourne until the arrival at Queenstown, were carefully recorded by the writer.’ [This is doubtless Mr. Hodge, a good man whowouldkeep a diary.] ‘The riggers previously referred to as being on board the “Royal Charter” when she grounded have lost six of their number, namely, James O’Neill, Richard Morris, William Thomas, Peter Topping, Thomas Corcoran, and Henry White. Those saved are James White, Patrick Devine, —— Pritchard, Thomas Cunningham, and William Burton. Some of them swam ashore, and others succeeded in saving themselves by the aid of the hawser. So far none of the passengers’ luggage or articles of a similar kind have been washed on shore.’ [Much was afterwards found, as will be seen.] ‘A few articles of male and female attire have been collected, and these are taken care of by the officers of police and coast-guard now on duty. The services of the Anglesea militia have also been called into requisition, to assist in the protection of any property received, and also in the removal of the bodies washed up on the shore. The position of the vessel at the time of the catastrophe, and whether or not blame attaches to the captain or his officers, were subjects of comment amongst many of those who visited the spot yesterday. At present it would be unfair to give currency to these remarks, seeing that the matter will undergo a strict investigation at the coroner’s inquest. The number of persons saved is now stated to be thirty-nine; and of these, twenty-one are passengers, and the remainder belong to the crew. Only very few of the bodies recovered have yet been identified. A gentleman attended yesterday, to make inquiry as to his wife, whom he supposed to be on board the “Royal Charter.” The body of his beloved partner was not amongst those lying in the church, but on a closer investigation, his eye fell on the corpse of a faithful servant, who, he felt sure, would accompany his wife on the voyage. This fact too truly told the mournful result.

‘The man who swam on shore with the hawser was a Maltese, and not a Portuguese, as first said. He lost everything he possessed, and swooned when he reached land.’

Depend upon it that man (“heroism has no country”) will be rewarded. We shall not do here as was done in Sydney when the ‘Dunbar’ was lost,—allow our sympathy to expend itself upon the saved to the all but utter forgetfulness of the saviour.

A third and a later newspaper reporter’s letter must find a place:—

‘Molfra Village, Redwharf Bay, Saturday.—Who does not shudder at the mention of a shipwreck? In Llanallgo church, about a mile from the desolate coast on which the unfortunate “Royal Charter” has gone on shore, lie about thirty distorted and mangled bodies, and to that locality anxious and distracted relatives crowded early yesterday morning. At another church hard by, which is known as Penrhos, there were also the bodies of two children and two ladies laid out; and the anxiety of friends may be gathered when it is stated that through pelting and incessant rain, over almost inaccessible roads, for more than fifteen miles, hundreds of people wended their way to thelocus in quoof the wreck.‘This has been pronounced the most dreadful occurrence of the kind that has happened on this coast. Perhaps it is the most terrible marine disaster that has ever happened anywhere. So complete is the wreck, that Captain Fell says in hisnaïvenautical style, that he has been seventeen years “at this sort of work,” but never saw a vessel so completely destroyed. The size of the ship, too, and the number of persons lost, render it an unexampled calamity.‘Captain Fell, from Lloyd’s, was in attendance early yesterday (Friday) morning, at Molfra or Moelfra, deputed to make inquiries for the underwriters. The vessel had on board 49,000l.in specie, 79,000 oz. in gold, valued at 320,000l., making a total of 369,000l., besides a large quantity of money in the hands of the passengers. The excitement at Lloyd’s on the arrival of the disastrous intelligence is described by Captain Fell as intense, the confidence from the first in the ship’s sailing qualities being so great that insurances were taken at 80s.per cent. As an indication of the wealth in the hands of the crew and passengers, it may be mentioned that torn and dilapidated garments have been picked up on the shore, some of which contain considerable amounts of money, watches, and other valuables. Intimation was early given of the danger in which the ship was placed, but though little hope was entertained of the safety of the vessel herself, every one seems to have retained a hope of life, and rushed to his and her valuables and money, and sought safety with as little encumbrance in the shape of clothing as possible.’

‘This has been pronounced the most dreadful occurrence of the kind that has happened on this coast. Perhaps it is the most terrible marine disaster that has ever happened anywhere. So complete is the wreck, that Captain Fell says in hisnaïvenautical style, that he has been seventeen years “at this sort of work,” but never saw a vessel so completely destroyed. The size of the ship, too, and the number of persons lost, render it an unexampled calamity.

‘Captain Fell, from Lloyd’s, was in attendance early yesterday (Friday) morning, at Molfra or Moelfra, deputed to make inquiries for the underwriters. The vessel had on board 49,000l.in specie, 79,000 oz. in gold, valued at 320,000l., making a total of 369,000l., besides a large quantity of money in the hands of the passengers. The excitement at Lloyd’s on the arrival of the disastrous intelligence is described by Captain Fell as intense, the confidence from the first in the ship’s sailing qualities being so great that insurances were taken at 80s.per cent. As an indication of the wealth in the hands of the crew and passengers, it may be mentioned that torn and dilapidated garments have been picked up on the shore, some of which contain considerable amounts of money, watches, and other valuables. Intimation was early given of the danger in which the ship was placed, but though little hope was entertained of the safety of the vessel herself, every one seems to have retained a hope of life, and rushed to his and her valuables and money, and sought safety with as little encumbrance in the shape of clothing as possible.’

And yet another communication, though only of a few lines,must be given. It were easy to write a most pathetic prolusion to it, but I prefer to let it stand in its nude significance:—

‘Liverpool, Sunday Morning.—This banquet (that is, a Grand Conservative Banquet to the Earl of Derby and Mr. Disraeli), which during the last two months has been anticipated with so much interest by the whole Conservative party, is just concluded.... Altogether the general effect was remarkably brilliant and picturesque. It ought to be remarked, however, that many persons of position were absent on account of the wreck of the “Royal Charter.” The calamity has cast a perceptible gloom over the town, and at the beginning of the banquet the conversation rather turned on the catastrophe than on politics. Some thought the banquet ought never to have been held; but the news of the accident arriving so near the day, it was impossible to delay it: otherwise there is no doubt it would have been postponed.’

That one brief paragraph will attest to the colony how deep is the sympathy entertained in England for the friends of those who are lost. Had it been practicable to put off the feast to a more convenient season it would have been done. The committee met and considered the matter, and found it was impossible. The shadow of the lost ship, however, rested upon the banquet!

How could it be otherwise? The day before, the inquest on the bodies of some of the lost voyagers had been opened, and the following heartrending description of it appeared in the Saturday’s papers which the banqueters must have bought on their way, from all parts of the country, to Liverpool:—

‘The Inquest.—The inquest on the bodies was commenced yesterday (Friday) afternoon, at Llanallgo church, before Mr. William Jones, coroner of Anglesea, and a jury who were sworn in Welsh. It was an impressive sight when the coroner, standing at the communion table, surrounded by the group of dead and mangled corpses, amid the audible sobs of those who had recognized their friends, commenced his melancholy task.‘Mr. Moore, solicitor of Warrington, before the opening of the inquest, asked the coroner what course he intended to pursue.‘The coroner thought he should be satisfied, under the melancholy circumstances, with the identification of the bodies.‘Mr. Bright, of the company owning the vessel, undertook to have any of the surviving crew present who would be able to give any information.‘Mr. James Russell, who said his father lived in Linlithgowshire, and who was one of the passengers who escaped, recognized John Smith, son of Edmund Smith, Mrs. Woodroff (companion to Mrs. Forster, also in the vessel and lost), Catherine Margaret Russell, and Richard Reed. Mr. Forster lives at Grindlow House, Manchester, Mrs. Woodroff’s husband is expected home by the “George Marshall.” Richard Walton, of 22 Duckworth Street, Brunswick Road, Liverpool, identified his brother James, between 21 and 22. Thomas Outerside, 6 Clare Street, Liverpool, printer, identified John Emery, Stone, Staffordshire.‘The coroner then proceeded to Penrhos church, where he also charged the jury with the investigation into the circumstances of the death of the bodies lying there. The inquests were adjourned until Wednesday.’ [Later proceedings before the coroner, will be found elsewhere.] ‘In reply to an application, the coroner undertook to have an interpreter provided.‘Several parties were present who stated they were prepared to vindicate the character and memory of Captain Taylor. The vessel it was stated, made no water until it broke up. The ladies it was arranged, should go first; but before opening the saloon doors, the vessel parted in two and stopped all communication.‘Mr. Samuel Henry, a jeweller from Adelaide, who had been confined on the ground that he was insane, was amongst the number in Llanallgo church. Mr. Glover, a gentleman of fortune (from Adelaide, it is said), who was coming to England for the purpose of consulting some skilled oculist, is also amongst the number, and a large sum of money was found on his person. Writing-desks, likenesses, letters, a part of the post-office, and various other relics, have been washed up.’

‘Mr. Moore, solicitor of Warrington, before the opening of the inquest, asked the coroner what course he intended to pursue.

‘The coroner thought he should be satisfied, under the melancholy circumstances, with the identification of the bodies.

‘Mr. Bright, of the company owning the vessel, undertook to have any of the surviving crew present who would be able to give any information.

‘Mr. James Russell, who said his father lived in Linlithgowshire, and who was one of the passengers who escaped, recognized John Smith, son of Edmund Smith, Mrs. Woodroff (companion to Mrs. Forster, also in the vessel and lost), Catherine Margaret Russell, and Richard Reed. Mr. Forster lives at Grindlow House, Manchester, Mrs. Woodroff’s husband is expected home by the “George Marshall.” Richard Walton, of 22 Duckworth Street, Brunswick Road, Liverpool, identified his brother James, between 21 and 22. Thomas Outerside, 6 Clare Street, Liverpool, printer, identified John Emery, Stone, Staffordshire.

‘The coroner then proceeded to Penrhos church, where he also charged the jury with the investigation into the circumstances of the death of the bodies lying there. The inquests were adjourned until Wednesday.’ [Later proceedings before the coroner, will be found elsewhere.] ‘In reply to an application, the coroner undertook to have an interpreter provided.

‘Several parties were present who stated they were prepared to vindicate the character and memory of Captain Taylor. The vessel it was stated, made no water until it broke up. The ladies it was arranged, should go first; but before opening the saloon doors, the vessel parted in two and stopped all communication.

‘Mr. Samuel Henry, a jeweller from Adelaide, who had been confined on the ground that he was insane, was amongst the number in Llanallgo church. Mr. Glover, a gentleman of fortune (from Adelaide, it is said), who was coming to England for the purpose of consulting some skilled oculist, is also amongst the number, and a large sum of money was found on his person. Writing-desks, likenesses, letters, a part of the post-office, and various other relics, have been washed up.’

The touching allusion to the likenesses and letters leads naturally to the following (further) particulars from the scene of the calamity:—

‘Molfra Bay, Tuesday, Nov. the 2nd.—It is necessary that thepublic should be on their guard against the rumours in circulation as to the discoveries made by the divers who commenced operations on Sunday. It was reported as an established fact in Bangor last night that one of the divers had entered the saloon of the “Royal Charter,” and there found about 200 passengers in the positions they occupied when the ship went down; some sitting round the table, others standing upright, and others as if in the act of coming from their berths. A similar story was told some six or seven years ago, after the wreck of a large steamer off the Bailey Light, Hill of Howth. Indeed, in that case, the diver was made to describe some of the passengers as in the act of lifting glasses to their mouths. The lie was printed, and obtained very general circulation before it was contradicted. The less detailed account is in the present case equally destitute of foundation. Two experienced divers, who came from Liverpool in the steam-tug “Fury,” the property of Gibb, Brights, and Co., made a descent yesterday, and remained a considerable time under the water, but they saw no corpses beneath; neither did they find any gold; but they saw some copper. This morning they resumed their descents under very favourable circumstances as regards weather and the state of the sea. They have discovered no bodies; but up to one o’clock this afternoon they had succeeded, with the assistance given them by men on board the steam-tug, in raising about three tons of copper bars. These bars have undergone some smelting, but are not in a finished state. There is a good deal of silver mixed with the copper. At one o’clock the divers suspended operations for a short rest and refreshment. They resumed after about an hour’s interval.‘Some additional articles of wearing apparel, with spars, etc., have been cast upon the beach. One or two canvas huts have been erected on the remnants of masts, and in front of one of these such articles as have names on them, or would otherwise serve for purposes of identification, are spread out in melancholy array. Amongst them are seven photographs, two of men, two of ladies, two of children, and one landscape. None of these have as yet been identified as portraits of individuals whose friends have arrived at the scene of the wreck. There is a stocking with the name “Jane Murray,” and another with the name “F. Davis” upon it. There is a portion of a shirt, with the name “J. E. Smith,” and another with the name “R. Thornhill,” followed by the date “1846.” A large, coarse wrapper has the inscription “C. R. Ross, passenger, ‘Royal Charter,’” painted in black letters upon it. On a piece of a shirt, “E. Fenwick;” on another, “John Lees, 1855.”On a piece of a stocking, “T. W.;” and on a small piece of linen, “T. G.” There are a number of visiting cards spread on a piece of wood: one has the inscription, “Mr. Eddowes, 146 Cambridge-street, Pimlico;” another, “Mr. Sam. Moxley Wade, Low, and Cill, Liverpool.” On a piece of linen is “James Davis, Woodside, 1859.” The whole scene of the wreck is an extremely melancholy one; but a peculiarly affecting incident took place to-day. A poor young woman was searching along the beach to endeavour to find some trace of her husband, about whose fate she was uncertain. She discovered a waistcoat which had just been washed in, and which had been hung up in front of the tent by one of the coast-guard. Almost frantically, she pulled it down. It proved to be that of her husband, a man named Barrett, who had been painter aboard the “Royal Charter.” The grief of the poor widow was heartrending to witness. Some of the standers-by, in an attempt to comfort her, suggested that she might be mistaken. “Oh, no,” said she, “here is my own work upon it. My husband, my husband! God, look down upon me!” Amongst those who anxiously inspected this relic was the Rev. Mr. Lewis, a Wesleyan minister. Two of his brothers were aboard the ship—one as purser. Their arrival at Queenstown had been telegraphed to their aged mother, who wrote to the rev. gentleman to meet them at Liverpool. He now, poor fellow, paces the shore at Molfra Bay to watch for the dead bodies. Five bodies were washed ashore at Molfra, and seven at Penmaenmaur yesterday. None of these have as yet been identified. No bodies have been washed up to-day. Several of the dead persons have already been interred in Molfra and Llanallgo churchyards. The wreck remains in precisely the state as she was on Wednesday last when the coast-guard from Amlwch were put in charge. At low water a good piece of her hull is visible. At high water there are only portions of two of the masts. As the officials along the line of the London and North-Western Railway are besieged with inquiries as to where Molfra Bay is, it may be as well to state that the nearest approach to it for any person not in the island of Anglesey, is from Bangor railway station. It is fourteen miles from Bangor, over a horrible road, with most expensive posting. There is no mode of communicating with London from it but through Bangor, and there are no public conveyances of any kind. But, notwithstanding this, great numbers are visiting the scene. On the whole, the people in the neighbourhood are reported to have acted very well. Several sums of money found by them have been given up to the coast-guard. The fragments of the spars, and even of the mainmast, seem asif they had been smashed into small pieces by some crushing blade impelled by steam power. If an army of giants had fallen to to hew up the ship it could not have presented a more fragmentary appearance.’

‘Some additional articles of wearing apparel, with spars, etc., have been cast upon the beach. One or two canvas huts have been erected on the remnants of masts, and in front of one of these such articles as have names on them, or would otherwise serve for purposes of identification, are spread out in melancholy array. Amongst them are seven photographs, two of men, two of ladies, two of children, and one landscape. None of these have as yet been identified as portraits of individuals whose friends have arrived at the scene of the wreck. There is a stocking with the name “Jane Murray,” and another with the name “F. Davis” upon it. There is a portion of a shirt, with the name “J. E. Smith,” and another with the name “R. Thornhill,” followed by the date “1846.” A large, coarse wrapper has the inscription “C. R. Ross, passenger, ‘Royal Charter,’” painted in black letters upon it. On a piece of a shirt, “E. Fenwick;” on another, “John Lees, 1855.”On a piece of a stocking, “T. W.;” and on a small piece of linen, “T. G.” There are a number of visiting cards spread on a piece of wood: one has the inscription, “Mr. Eddowes, 146 Cambridge-street, Pimlico;” another, “Mr. Sam. Moxley Wade, Low, and Cill, Liverpool.” On a piece of linen is “James Davis, Woodside, 1859.” The whole scene of the wreck is an extremely melancholy one; but a peculiarly affecting incident took place to-day. A poor young woman was searching along the beach to endeavour to find some trace of her husband, about whose fate she was uncertain. She discovered a waistcoat which had just been washed in, and which had been hung up in front of the tent by one of the coast-guard. Almost frantically, she pulled it down. It proved to be that of her husband, a man named Barrett, who had been painter aboard the “Royal Charter.” The grief of the poor widow was heartrending to witness. Some of the standers-by, in an attempt to comfort her, suggested that she might be mistaken. “Oh, no,” said she, “here is my own work upon it. My husband, my husband! God, look down upon me!” Amongst those who anxiously inspected this relic was the Rev. Mr. Lewis, a Wesleyan minister. Two of his brothers were aboard the ship—one as purser. Their arrival at Queenstown had been telegraphed to their aged mother, who wrote to the rev. gentleman to meet them at Liverpool. He now, poor fellow, paces the shore at Molfra Bay to watch for the dead bodies. Five bodies were washed ashore at Molfra, and seven at Penmaenmaur yesterday. None of these have as yet been identified. No bodies have been washed up to-day. Several of the dead persons have already been interred in Molfra and Llanallgo churchyards. The wreck remains in precisely the state as she was on Wednesday last when the coast-guard from Amlwch were put in charge. At low water a good piece of her hull is visible. At high water there are only portions of two of the masts. As the officials along the line of the London and North-Western Railway are besieged with inquiries as to where Molfra Bay is, it may be as well to state that the nearest approach to it for any person not in the island of Anglesey, is from Bangor railway station. It is fourteen miles from Bangor, over a horrible road, with most expensive posting. There is no mode of communicating with London from it but through Bangor, and there are no public conveyances of any kind. But, notwithstanding this, great numbers are visiting the scene. On the whole, the people in the neighbourhood are reported to have acted very well. Several sums of money found by them have been given up to the coast-guard. The fragments of the spars, and even of the mainmast, seem asif they had been smashed into small pieces by some crushing blade impelled by steam power. If an army of giants had fallen to to hew up the ship it could not have presented a more fragmentary appearance.’

A correspondent of theManchester Guardiandescribes the wreck from the same stand-point. He says:—

‘Immediately after the adjournment of the inquest, on Friday, orders were given for the interment of the bodies which had been identified; the remainder were kept throughout the whole of Saturday, and every hour brought a fresh accession of visitors bent on the melancholy errand of inquiry after missing friends. The distortion and disfigurement of the bodies consequent on drowning, and the absence of clothing, made the examination necessarily more minute and painful; but in some instances the features and limbs were mangled from violent dashing against the rocks, and recognition of friends was almost impossible. Mr. Bradbury, a survivor, describes one of the young ladies whose bodies were lying in Penrhos church as the recognizedbelleof the vessel, and the charm and admiration of a large circle. Mrs. Foster, who is among the lost, had gone to Australia to superintend the sale of some land, and it is conjectured that she had with her the whole of the proceeds of the sale. Her companion, Mrs. Woodroff, who has been identified, was the wife of an innkeeper in Melbourne: her husband is expected to follow her. Among the company at Bangor was an elderly gentleman from Gloucestershire, named Wright, who had heard of the wreck at Liverpool, where he had come in expectation of meeting his son, Mr. Iles Wright, of Evesham, who was the surgeon of the ship, and who had written from Queenstown anticipatory of his arrival.‘At low water the remaining portion of the hull of the vessel is quite discernible, and when the neap tides prevail it is expected that much of the treasure and many more bodies will be recovered. The fact that so few, proportionately to the number lost, have been recovered has occasioned much wonder, and is variously accounted for. The partition of the vessel is supposed by some to have enclosed the bodies as in a box. Thedébrisof the wreck lies scattered about the shore, the woodwork being literally nothing but chips. The exact position of the wreck is about a mile and a half from the Llanallgo church, where most of the bodies are lying. The Anglesea militia, the coast-guard, and a body of police are placed there for the protection ofthe property washed on shore, and a temporary shed is constructed on the shore. The nearest dwellings to the wreck are at Molfra village, which is more than half a mile from the spot. Captain Fell and a staff from Lloyd’s are located there. At the inquest, which is adjourned to Wednesday, a strict examination is expected to take place into the statement made of the captain being intoxicated at the time of the fearful disaster. The statement is broadly made by some of the survivors; but the owners of the vessel and some nautical men say they can triumphantly vindicate the memory of the deceased.‘Among the Lancashire people lost in the vessel whose friends came to seek for them on hearing of the wreck, were Mr. Casper Lewin, nephew of Mr. Adam Casper, of Market Street, Manchester; Miss Wrigley, Byron Street, Manchester; Mr. and Mrs. Kirkbride, Liverpool; and Mrs. Robinson, of Southport, wife of the editor of one of the Melbourne newspapers.’

‘At low water the remaining portion of the hull of the vessel is quite discernible, and when the neap tides prevail it is expected that much of the treasure and many more bodies will be recovered. The fact that so few, proportionately to the number lost, have been recovered has occasioned much wonder, and is variously accounted for. The partition of the vessel is supposed by some to have enclosed the bodies as in a box. Thedébrisof the wreck lies scattered about the shore, the woodwork being literally nothing but chips. The exact position of the wreck is about a mile and a half from the Llanallgo church, where most of the bodies are lying. The Anglesea militia, the coast-guard, and a body of police are placed there for the protection ofthe property washed on shore, and a temporary shed is constructed on the shore. The nearest dwellings to the wreck are at Molfra village, which is more than half a mile from the spot. Captain Fell and a staff from Lloyd’s are located there. At the inquest, which is adjourned to Wednesday, a strict examination is expected to take place into the statement made of the captain being intoxicated at the time of the fearful disaster. The statement is broadly made by some of the survivors; but the owners of the vessel and some nautical men say they can triumphantly vindicate the memory of the deceased.

‘Among the Lancashire people lost in the vessel whose friends came to seek for them on hearing of the wreck, were Mr. Casper Lewin, nephew of Mr. Adam Casper, of Market Street, Manchester; Miss Wrigley, Byron Street, Manchester; Mr. and Mrs. Kirkbride, Liverpool; and Mrs. Robinson, of Southport, wife of the editor of one of the Melbourne newspapers.’

In a letter dated ‘Molfra, Wednesday afternoon,’ another writer says:—

‘Four more bodies, all males, have been cast ashore since my communication of yesterday—one last night and three this morning. Three of them are now lying in the parish church of Llanallgo; the remaining body has been removed to the church of Penrhos Lligny, having been thrown ashore in the latter parish. All yesterday evening a very heavy sea rolled; and about four o’clock the lifeboat, manned by a crew of eight, put out to rescue those on board a brigantine, which was observed to be rapidly approaching the rocks a little to the north of the spot in Dulas Bay, in which the wreck of the “Royal Charter” lies. The brigantine, however, got safely in on the sands, in a little creek about a mile from Molfra, where she now lies. As the waves beat violently in on the Dulas Rocks last evening, large quantities of clothing were to be seen tossed about. Some of it was cast ashore, but a great deal was carried out to sea again. It has been suggested by some of the relatives of the drowned passengers and seamen, that if boats were sent out many more bodies would be recovered. I think this extremely likely, after what I have witnessed with respect to the action of the waves on the clothing and spars. The Rev. Mr. Hughes is about to take the matter in hand. There has been some objection on the part of the authorities, as they apprehend that thefts might be committed by some of the persons going out in the boats; but if rumour speaks truly the watchers themselves require watching. It is unfair to make charges against menhaving a responsible duty to perform, but one of the police inspectors has told me that he himself caught a coast-guardsman in the act of thieving.Friends and relatives complain that there is more anxiety to discover gold than bodies; but the fact is no gold has as yet been discovered by the divers. They recommenced operations at ten o’clock this morning, but have brought up nothing but copper bars. Fathers, mothers, wives, children, and other relatives pace the beach from an early hour in the morning. Yesterday delicate women braved the rain and storm all day, making their melancholy search. Every now and then I was met by persons with sorrowful faces, one inquiring, “Have you seen any trace of my husband? his name was ——;” or “Have you found anything with the name of ——? she was my child.” Indeed, it is a heartrending thing to go near the beach, and to see these mourners, and to meet the carts carrying the mangled corpses, or the parish coffins in which they are to be interred. None of the bodies found last night have been identified. Forty-five bodies have been discovered up to this time.’

The tone of one part of that communication leads naturally to the following stinging words from a Liverpool journal:—

‘Loud are the complaints here at the manner in which those saved from the wreck were treated after their arrival here. It is said, with great indignation, that when Captain Martin (the representative of Messrs. Gibb and Brights) arrived here, with the rescued passengers, in the steam-tug which had been despatched to the scene of the wreck, he left them standing upon the landing-stage; and had they not been received at the Sailors’ Home, they would have had to wander all night about the streets.’

This, of a verity, is caring more for gold than human bodies. One would have thought the best accommodation the best hotel in Liverpool could afford would have been prepared by the owners of the wrecked vessel in anticipation of the arrival of the poor creatures whose all, save life, had been buried beneath the waves.

In penning my narrative up to this point, it is impossible but that the reader should have felt a large amount of interestin the captain and officers of the vessel. Whatever mistake of those in command may have brought the ship so near the coast, the heart of every one must swell as he reads how heroically the storm was coped with. ‘First killed,’ or ‘last seen on the ship,’ are phrases that, like the noblest epitaphs, are associated with the captain and his officers. They succumbed, after glorious battling, to the fate of the sailor; but to show how ill the world could afford to lose such men let me endeavour, in a few concluding lines, to portray them to the reader.

Brave and rugged as a lion was the captain. His defiant front, his curt, honest conversation, his implacable will, which, like a wave, bore down all before it; his natural humour and intense love of jollity; his large solicitude for his passengers and crew; his all but feminine love for his ship, and his fervent belief that no other craft was fit to touch the waters with her,—all these points grow upon me as I write, and cause me to blur the paper as I lash them to the name of Thomas Taylor. I do not believe that man was drunk on the evening of the calamity. This, however, I know, that to those who were not in constant communication with him, Captain Tayloralwaysappeared drunk. He had a ruddy face, a quick, abrupt manner, and a husky utterance which, to the superficial observer, naturally proclaimed him intoxicated. This concludes on that head:Inever saw Captain Taylor the worse for liquor during our passage home. On the other hand, I heard him pronounced drunk by second and third class passengers nightly.

Mr. Stevens, the first officer, was a fine young fellow of some thirty summers. He was a most agreeable companion, delighted in song or dance, and if he got a quiet moment with a friend, would talk by the hour of the young wife and little-ones he had left at home. He made every one his friend—was a friend to every one.

Mr. Cowie, the second officer (he was third when I came home) was like a character out of Marryat. He was about three or four and twenty years of age, was as bold and bluff as the captain; and was never so delighted as when he was singing ‘Hearts of Oak’ in the cock-pit.

Mr. Rogers, the chief engineer, was a man of rough exterior, but of simple, child-like manners. His whole time duringmysojourn on the ship was spent in looking after the engines, and entering into amusing discussions with the purser on the right pronunciation of words. Poor fellow!

The purser (Mr. Lewis) was one of the best men that ever walked the earth. He did justice to passengers and owners, and at the time when we ran short of food, I knew him, with all the ship’s stores at his command, to abstain from dinner, that the children of the intermediate and steerage passengers might in turn receive his share of the slender stock of dainties left to us on board. He has gone where stewards cease from troubling!

But why continue these memorials of the dead? We call on the names of the good and brave men in vain. Saddest of all sad stories is that which I have attempted to tell. The cheek of the boldest grows pale as he reads it, and my pen falls from my fingers as the old familiar faces rise before me.

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