TOTAL LOSS OF HER MAJESTY’S STEAMER BIRKENHEAD.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 709, 19 May 1852, Page 3

TOTAL LOSS OF HER MAJESTY’S STEAMER BIRKENHEAD.

[From the Cape Monitor, February 27.] The public mind is completely stunned by the disastrous news which has arrived this morning, of the loss of the splendid steamer Birkenhead , with nearly all on board. We hasten to lay before our readers the melancholy particulars so far as they have yet reached us. The Birkenhead, whose arrival we noticed in our supplement of Wednesday morning, left Simon’s Bay at six o’clock on Wednesday evening (the 25th), with the troops enumerated, and at two in the morning struck on a rock just off Cape Hanglip. It is heedless 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 7$ knots. The melancholy scene which ensued is from the lips of the Surgeon of the vessel, one of the very few survivors— 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 Captain Saimond. 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 either 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 of quarter-master Nisbett, now on the frontier, with her four or five children. One of the boats was then manned by Mr. Richards, the master 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 mizen-mast, but a great number polished at once in their hammocks. As the vessel was sinking, the surgeoD, 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 Hanglip, but it was found impossible on account of the surf. Thpy then pulled to the eastward, and shortly spied a sail, and made for it; but after pulling i:: company ten or twelve miles without being able to make .her hail, it was determined to man one ,pf the boats with volunteers from the rest, and follow the vessel ; as faras possible. This was don.e, and the boat in question pulled about fifty miles as agreed on :—Mr. Culham was in the boat. After pulling thus about ten hours, finding themselves utterly unable to catch or hail the vessel, they landed with great difficulty at Point D’Urban, between Mudge Point and Danger Point. Here they found a store kept by a Mr. Pbillipson, 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 a horse 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 nine o’clock, Mr. Culham states that the .other two boats, one of which contained the women and children, had not been seen for about four hours before they landed, nor is it known where they are. It is to be feared, besides those left clinging to the wreck, whom it is hardly to be hoped can be saved, between 400 ana 500 men have been drowned.

The only officers who escaped from the wreck were Mr. Richards, the Master-Assistant, Mr. Renwick, Mr. Culham, and Mr. Bowen, StaffSurgeon ; the latter is in one 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 bad seven men besides Mr. Culham. The other two contained thirty-five souls in each, including the women and children. The Government steamer Rhadamanthus has been despatched to the wreck, and to look after the missing -boats. The Styx , which sailed last night, would pass the spot about daylight this morning—hint 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, 650 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.]