THE ENGLISH MAIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 162, 26 March 1866, Page 2

THE ENGLISH MAIL.

NEWS TO FEBRUARY 14.

By the arrival of the Rangitoto from Nelson we have Sydriey papers tb tlie' l?th instant, containing full telegraphic summaries of English, intelligence brought to Glenelg (South Australia) by the branch mail steamship Alexandra. Tho Madras with the inward Australian mails, left • Gallo on the 24th February, and King George's Sound on the 11th instant. We publish from the " Sydney Morning Herald" the summary of intelligence, forwarded to it by its King George's Sound Special Telegraphic Correspondent, omitting unimportant items and those which appeared in our issue of Friday last. PARTICULARS OF THE FOUNDERING OF STEAMSHIP LONDON IN BAY OF BISCAY. —TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY DROWNED ; ONLY NINETEKN SAVED.

The London left Gravesend on the 30th December, and put into St. Helen Roiuls, owing to a heavy gale, on Ist January; left there °nd January : arrived at Plymouth on the 4th, to receive passengers ; on the 6th proceeded on her voyage to Melbourne. Moderate wind prevailing with increasing head 'sea on; Bth, heavy gale ; 9th, furious gale—ship under easy steam, when jibboom, foretopmast, topgallantmast, &c, were carried away by the violence of the gale. All exertions were unavailing. The crew could not clear the wreck of spars, owing to the tremendous sea, which parried away the life-boats. 10th, Captain Martin, seeing the sea increasing to a dangerous extent, and the vessel laboring heavily, determined to run back to Plymouth under full head steam. After her course was altered, the London rolled heavily before the south-west gale, shipping tremendous seas in the waist, and sweeping away the engine-room hatch. The water then poured down in torrents, flooding the lower decks. The chjef enfineer and assistants stuok to their posts clow until the water rose above their waists, when the fires were put out and the engines rendered useless. The Lon don was then hove to, and the donkey engine was set to work to keep the ship clear, but without f avail. Cross seas, which now broke over the vessel, rendered her bo low in the water that she did not rise to the sea — in fact, was settling down. 10th January, the ship was struck by a etern aea, bursting in the stern ports. Captain Martin, who throughout behaved energeticalty and bravely, then announced to the passengers the cessation of all earthly hope. Attempts were made to" launch some boats, but they were all stove in but pne. Captain Martin then instructed tl\e chief engineer and his rbbii*

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fants to jio in this boat, as it probabl belonged to them* avoiding, to the ship 1 waybill, giving them the ctfurse' and dis tance to Brest, 'and then wishing tnef -^. God speed, as he was determintd to sticl by the vessel. The Revs. Dr Woolley Draper, and Kerr, although working a the pumps tl\e same as the others, in tneii leisure time and before the awful even occurred, prayed constantly, eurroundec by all the passengers. When the boa! left the ship, containing nineteen persons, one thousand guineas was offered for t passage in her, although she was only buill to carry twelve. Immediately after thia, the brave and courageous Captain Martin, passengers, crew, and ship went down, and the boat narrowly escaped sinking, owing io the §uction. G. V. Brooke worked incessantly at the pu'itiptf ; His sister was* with him ; his last words, spoken to the steward, were, " If you succeed in saving yourself, give my kind farewell to the people ot ( Melbourne." The crew of the boat was fortunately rescued, next day, by an Italian barque, and landed at Falmouth. It is reported the London had fifty tons of coal on deck, which, being washed about, Stopped the.scupper-lrtlesf and also that $he was fearfully overloaded with railway iron and other heavy materials, causing her, perhaps, to spring a leak ; and hence the fearful disaster. The following list of passengers is from the Home News : — Ist class : Rev. Mr and Mrs Draper, Mrs Owen and child,' Mr and Mrs G; F. P. Urquhart, J, Patrick, G. V. Brooke, Miss Brooke, J. Alderson, P. Benson, Mr and Mrs J. Penton arid 2 children, G. M. Smith, Mr and Mrs Clarke and Son, T. Lewis, Mr and Mrs BdVatt, Dr. J. Woolley, Mr and Mrs Devenhain, Miss L. Maunder, J. Robertson, T.M. Tennant, Mrs 1 raill and child, G. Palmer, T. Brown, Mr and Mrs Amos, E. Brook, J. R\ Richardson, Rev. Mr and Mrs Kerr, Mrs arid Aliss King, Mr ttnd Mrs Thomas and two children, A. $andelaiids,E. Youngrn,ari, H. J. Denis, E. A. Marks", D. P. De 1- ( pass,' Master W. D. Burrell, D. S. Hunter, Miss Doboy ' Miss . C. M'Laughlan, Miss Cuthing 1 , Mr liMillan. Second Cabin— Mr and Mrs White 1 , Mrs Morland, Mia^ G. Graham, Messrs Kaye, Eastwood, P. Stone, J. L. William*, B. G. Rowe, B. E. Wilson (saved), J. Duthie, C. Gough, A. Bruce, J^Wpodhouse, G. (J)ross, W. Day, JF. W. Lennon, G. CKenfield Wood, Master aW Atiffg Clay.son,''Th'oni'a'rt Wood; Godfrey Wood, Mlss'E.Wood, Miss S.'Broocker, Mr and Mrs J. Geffet v Miss H. Price, Mr and Mrs Hickman and .4 children, Mrs'a'nd Miss Meggs, Mr Davies, T. O'llagen, H. W. Harding, P. Treer, j. Munro (saved), D. C. Mayne (saved), C. Johnson, P. Penwick, G. H. Campbell, G. Trevenan, A. M'Lean, Mr Davies, Miss E. Marks, Mr and Mrs Graham, and B. Bevan. . Third cabin: W. Passimore, H. Miller, C; P. Chandler, B ; Hay, Miss E. Jones, Mr arid Miss Simpson, Mr and Miß,s Faueien, Mr diid Mrs Graham" and ' 3 children, David Graham, Mr M'Viitie; Mr n,nd Mrs Seacombe and three children, Mrs and Mr G. Flick and four children, G. Relwegan, R. Trevorren, D. Block, J. Merkin, Messrs Senlead, Forris, Senlic, Barnett, 8. Bolton, T. S. Ragg, Mrs D. Smith, A. Humphrey, Master Spring,. A. lioyem, J. Walls, W. Barrori, Aira [ Lamp and children, T. Lotter, John Little, M'Covey, Miss F. Batchelor, J. Kirkwood, W. Clifton, R. Reynolds. Our correspondent was informed by the officers of the Madras, that it is doubtful whether Mrs Trail and child were on board.