CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 73, 29 May 1852, Page 8

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

(From the Empire, May 3.) By the " Queenstown" we have Cape papers to the 28th of February. Great consternation has been caused in the public mind by the wreck of the " Birkenhead —a full account of which disaster will be found below. Sir Harry Smith had been recalled; his successor was Major General Cathcart, who, however, had not arrived in the colony. This change in the Government was likely to render the state of affairs more perplexing and difficult than ever. TOTA.Ii LOSS OF HER MAJESTY'S STEAMER " BIRKENHEAD." The public mind is completely stunned by the disastrous news of the loss of the splendid steamer " Birkenhead," with nearly all on board. The "Birkenhead" left Simon's Bay at six o'clock on' Wednesday evening (the 25th Feb.,) with the troops enumerated, and at two in the morning struck on a rock just off Cape Hanglip. It is needless to say that the steamer had hugged the land too closely. When the vessel struck, there were three fathoms water forward, eleven fathoms aft, and seven on each side of the paddle-boxes. She was going at 7M knots. The melancholy scene which ensued is from the lips of the Surgeon of the vessel, one of the very few survivors— v The bow of the vessel was stove in by the shock, and the water rushed in so furiously that the fires were almost instantly extinguished ; the Chief Engineer and several of the stokers were drowned in the engine-room before the engines could be reversed, as ordered by Cap-

tain Salmond. In a few minutes the back of the vessel broke, and she sunk, and was broken to pieces in five or ten minutes. There was no time to lower the pinnace or paddle-box boats, but the gig and two cutters were got into the water. The Captain immediately ordered the women and children to be put into them. This was done. There were four or five women among whom were Mrs. Nisbett, wife^pf quar-ter-master Nisbett, now on the frontier,., witii her four or five children. One of the boatsSftfts then manned by Mr. Richards, the miiste^assistant, and the other two boats were filled by about 12 soldiers, 30, sailors, and two marines. The three .boats then left the remains of the vessel, to which many were still clinging— Captain Salmond being last seen in the rigging of the inizen-mast ; but a great number perished at once in their hammocks. As the vessel was .sinking, the surgeon, Mr. Culham, swam off from the wreck, and overtook' the boats after swimming about a mile and a half. The boats proceeded in company and attempted to land at Hangup, but it was found impossible on account of the surf. They then pulled to the eastward, and shortly spied a sail, and made for it; but after pulling in company ten or twelve miles wiihout being able to make her hail, it was determined to man one of the boats with volunteers from the rest, and follow the vessel as far as possible. This was. done, and the boat in question pulled about fifty miles as agreed on:—Mr. Culham was in. the boat. After pulling thus about ten hours, find-, ing themselves utterly unable to catch or hail the vessel, they landed with great difficulty at Point DUrban, between Aludge Point and Danger Point. Here they found a store kept by a Mr. Phillipson, at which three daughters of Mrs: Metcalf were staying, all of whom were most kind and attentive to the wrecked and wearied boat's crew. Mr.Culham procured ahorse and rode to Cape Town as fast as possible, in order to send the earliest assistance to search for the other two boats, and for the survivors left on the wreck. He set off at five, last night, and after — , a ride of ninety miles arrived this morning at 9 o'clock. The only officers who escaped from the wr#ck were Mr. Richards, the Master-Assistant,; Mr. Ren wick, Mr. Culham, and Mr. Bowen, StaffSurgeon ; the latter, is in.vone of the absent boats. Mr. Freshfield, clerk of the vessel, we have ascertained was left behind at Simon's Bay. ■.'■...■ - :■■'.-■. ..■.■-■■■■;■ The boat which has landed had seven men besides Mr. Culham. The other two contained thirty-five souls in each, including the women and children. The Government steamer "Rhadamanthu has been dispatched to the wreck, and to look after the missing boats. The " Styx," which sailed last night, would pass the spot about daylight this morning—but there can be little hope that she would discover either the wreck or the boats. The troops on board consisted of 490 officers and men ; the crew, 132; women and children, 12; total, 634 passengers. [A schooner arrived at the Cape on the 28th of February, (the day the " Queenstown" left), having picked up the people in the other two boats from the wreck;]