ARRIVAL OF THE " TARARUA," WITH THE JANUARY MAILS FROM EUROPE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 232, 23 March 1866, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE " TARARUA," WITH THE JANUARY MAILS FROM EUROPE.

WEECK OF THE "LONDON." LOSS OF TWO HUNDKED AND j TWENTY LIVES. » LOSS OF THE LONDON. The steamship London, Captain Martin, for Melbourne, foundered in the Bay of Biscay, Two hundred and twenty persons were drowned, and only nineteen saved. The London left I Gravesend on the 30th December, and put into St. Helen's Koads, owing no a heavy gale, on the Ist of January. She left there on the 2nd January and arrived at Plymouth on the 4th, to receive passengers. On the sth, she proceeded on her voyage to Melbourne, moderate weather pi-evaii-ing. On tho 7th, the wind increased, with head sea. On the Bth, a heavy gale ; 9th a furious gale — ship under easy steam, when jibboom, foretopmast, topgallantraast, &c, were carried away by the violence of the gale. All the exertions of the crew could not clear the wreck of the spars, owing to the tremendous sea, which carried away the life-boat. On the 10th, Capt. Martin, seeing the sea increasing to a dangerous extent, and the vessel labouring heavily, detterniined to run back to Plymouth under full steam. After her course was altered, the London, roiled heavily before the south-west gale, shipping tremendous seas in the waist, sweeping a*vay the eugine-room batches. The water then poured down in torrents, flooding j the lower decks. The chief engineer and his assistants stuck to then* posts below until the water was above their waists, the fires out, and che engines useless. The London was then hove to, and the donkey engine set to, work to keep the ship clear, but without avail. The cross seas which now broke over the vessel rendered her so low in the water that she did not rise to the sea — and, in fact she was settling down. On the Hth January she wa3 struck by a stern sea, bursting in stern ports. Capt.Martinwhothroughout behaved energetically and biavely, then announced to the passengers the cessation of all earthly hope. Attempts were made to launch some boats, but all were stove except one. Captain Martin then instructed the cheif engineer and his assistants to go in tins boat, as it properly belonged to them according to the ship's waybill, giving them their course, and the distance to Brest, and wishing them Q-od -speed, as he was determined to stick by the vessel. The Revs. Dr. Woolley, Draper, and Kerr, although working at the pumps the same as the others, in their leisure time before the awful event occurred, prayed constanily, surrounded by all the passengers. When the boat left the ship, containing nineteen persons, one thousand guineas were offered for a passage in her, although she was only built to carry 12. Immediately after this the bravo and courageous Captain Martin, pas- . sengers, crew, and the ship, went down. The boat narrowly escaped sinking, owing to the suction. Gr V Brooke worked incessantly at the pumps. His sister was with him. His last words sjjoken to the steward were, "If you succeed in saving yourself, give my kind farewell to the people of Melbourne." The crew of the boat were fortunately rescued by an Italian barque, and landed at F almouth. It was reported that the London had fifty tons of coal on deck, which, being washed about, stopped the scupper- hole 3; also that she was fearful. y overloaded with railway iron and oilier heavy materials, causing her perhaps to spring a leak, and hence the fearful disaster. The following is the passenger-list, from the Some Hews: — First-class — R-tv Mr and Mrs .Draper, Mrs Owen and child, Mr and Mrs &FP Drquhart, J Patrick, Gr V Brooke, Miss Brooke, J. Alderson, P Benson, Mr and Mrs J Fen ton and two children, Gr M Smith, Mr and Mrs Ularke and son, If Lewis, Mr a«.d Mrs Bevan, Dr J Woolley, Mr and Mrs Debenham, Miss L Alaunder, J Robertson, T M Tennant, Mrs Traill and child, Q- Palmer, T Brown, Mr and Mrs Amos, E Brooke, J R Richardson, Rev Mr and Mrs Kerr, Mr and Miss King, Mr ana Mrs Thomas and two children, A Sanduands, }<'. Youngman, H I Dennis, E A Marks, D F De Pass, Master W D Bui-rill, D S Hunter, Miss Doroy, Miss C M'Lachlan, Miss Cuthing, Mr M'Miliaii. .Second class — Mr and. Mrs White, Mrs Morland, Miss Gr Graham, Messrs Kaye, Eastwood, T Stone, J L Williams, B G-Bowe, B C Wilson (saved),- j Dothie, 0 Grough, A Bruce, J Woodhouse,Gr CrosSj W Day, D W Lemon, Gr (Jhennels, Mr and Mrs Wood, Master and Migs Claryson, Thos Wood, •odfrey Wood, Miss E Wood, Miss rt Brooker, Mr and Mrs J Greil'et, M ss H Price, Mr and Mrs .iiclviiiau and four children, Mrs and Miss Meggs, -Vir. Davies, T OHagen, H W Harding, F Fryer, J Muiiro (saved), D C Lain (saved), C Jolmstone, f Kenwick, Gr fi" Cambel, E Gr Trevenan, A W'Lean, Mr Davies, Miss C Marks, Mr and Mrs Graham and B Beavan. Third-class — W. Passmore, H Miller, C P Chandler, B Hay .vliss E Jones, Mr and Miss Simpson, Mr anil Airs Hauecn, Mr ane Mrs Graham and thrree .jiiildren, Daviu Graham, Mr M'Vittie, Mr and Airs Seacoinbe and three children, Mr and Mrs cr Flick and four children, dr Roiivegan, E Trex i'orrow, D Block, J Nerkam, Messrs Seuiec, Morris, and Seulic, Barnett ; S Bolton, T S Kegg, jlrs D kSraith, A Uniphray, Master Spring, a tloyein, J Wall 3, W Barrow, Mrs Lamp and -•hiidren, A L Ottei', John Little, ,H M' Covey, Aliss F Batchelor, J Eirkwood, W Clifton, R Reynolds. lam informed by the officers of the Madras hat it is doubtful whether Mrs Traiil and child ,vere on board. ■♦