LOSS OF THE BIRKENHEAD STEAM-FRIGATE.

A wreck more terrible in its circumstances, and even more fatal in its results, than that of the Orion on the coast of Scotland, has happened in our colonial seas, off the coast of South Africa.

The Birkenhead steam-frigate, which started from this country some

three months since with troops for the Caffre war, arrived in Simon's Bay, at the Cape, on the 24th February. She put on shore a few invalids, one officer, Mr. Preshfield, and 18 men, with a considerable number of women and children ; and having shipped some horses for the troops, started for East London, :icsar the seat of war, at six o'clock on-the evening of the 25th February. The weather was clear and calm, and the coast is well known ; so Commander Salmond, desiring to make a quick voyage, "hugged the shore closely." At two o'clock that same night, the Birk- enhead ran on a reef of rocks which is well known to stretch out from Point Danger, about fifty miles from Simon's Bay ; and in twenty minutes she broke into three pieces and went down, carrying hundreds with her to rise no more and leaving hundreds to struggle for life amidst the rocks, the masses of wreck, and the sharka, with boats enough to save only a fraction of their number. The official accounts say that "438 lives of officers, seamen, soldiers, and boys, were lost, out of 630 who were on board the ship when she struck."

A clear account of the wreck and its sequel is given by Captain Wright, of the Ninety-first Regiment, in an official report to the Commandant of Cape Town. " Simon's Bay, lst of Marsh 1852. "Sir—It is with feelings of the deepest regret that I have to announce to you the loss of her Majesty's steamer Birkenhead, which took place on a rock about two and a half or three miles off Point Danger, at two a.m. 26th February. "The sea was smooth at the time, and the vessel was steaming at the

rate of eight and a half knots an hour. [Another writer says seven and a half miles an hour.] She struck the rock, and it penetrated through her bottom just aft of the foremast. The xush of water was so great that there is no doubt that most of the men in the lower troop-deck were drowned in their hammocks. The rest of the men and all the officers appeared on deck ; when Major Seaton called all the officers about him, and impressed on them the necessity of preserving order and silence among the men. He directed me to take and have executed whatever orders the commander might give me. Sixty men were im- mediately put on to the chain-pumps on the lower after-deck, and told off in three reliefs ; sixty men were put on to the tackles of the paddle-box boats; and the remainder of the men were brought on to the poop, so as to ease the fore-part of the ship. She was at this time rolling heavily. The com- mander ordered the horses to be pitched out of the port-gangway' and the cutter to be got ready for the women and children, who had all been col- lected under the poop awning. As soon as the horses were got over the side, the women and children were passed into the cutter, under charge of Mr. Richards, master's assistant ; the boat then stood off about 150 yards. just

after they were out of the ship, the entire bow broke off at the foremast, the bowsprit going up in the air towards the fore topmast, and the funnel went over the side, carrying away the starboard paddle-box and boat. The paddle- box boat capsized when being lowered. The large boat in the centre of the ship could not be got at.

"It was about twelve or fifteen minutes after she struck that the bow broke off. The men then all went up on the poop, and in about five minutes more the vessel broke in two, crosswise, just abaft the engine-room and the stern-part immediately filled and went down. A few men ,jumped off just before she did so, but the greater number remained to the last, and so did every officer belonging to the troops. All the men I put on the tackles, I fear, were crushed when the funnel fell ; and the men and officers below at the pumps could not, I think, have reached the deck before the vessel broke up and went down. The survivors clung, some to the rigging of the main-. mast, part of which was out of the water, and others got hold of floating pieces of wood. I think there must have been about 200 on the drift-wood. I was on a large piece along with five others, and we picked up nine or ten more. The swell carried the wood in the direction of Point Danger. As soon as it got to the weeds and breakers, finding that it would not support all that were on it, I jumped off and swam on shore ; and when the others, and also those that were on the other pieces of wood, reached the shore, we proceeded into the country, to try to find a habitation of any sort, where we could obtain shelter. Many of the men were naked, and almost all without shoes. Owing to the country being covered with thick thorny bushes, our progress was slow ; but after walking till about three p.m., having reached land about twelve, we came to where a waggon was outspanned, and the driver of it directed us to a small bay, where there is a hut of a fisherman. The bay is called Stanford's Cove. We arrived there about sunset; and as the men had nothing to eat, I went on to a farm-house, about eight or nine miles from the Cove, and sent back provisions for that day. The next morning I sent another day's provisions ; and the men were removed up to a farm of Captain Smales's, about twelve or fourteen miles up the country. Lieutenant Girardot, of the Forty-third, and Cornet Bond, of the Twelfth Lancers, ac- companied this party, which amounted to sixty-eight men, including eight- een sailors.

"I then went down to the coast ; and during Friday, Saturday, and Sun- day, I examined the rocks for more than twenty miles, in the hope of finding some men who might have drifted in. I fortunately fell in with the crew of a whale-boat that is employed sealing on Dyer's Island. I got them to take the boat outside the seaweed, while I went along the shore. The seaweed on the coast is very thick, and of immense length, so that it would have caught most of the drift-wood. Happily, the boat picked up two men, and I also found two. Although they were all much exhausted, two of them having been in the water thirty-eight hours, they were all right the next day, ex- cept a few bruises. It was eighty-six hours on Sunday afternoon when I left the coast since the wreck had taken place ; and as I had carefully ex- amined every part of the rocks, and also sent the whale-boat over to Dyer's Island, I can safely assert that when I left there was not a living soul on the coast of those that had been on board the ill-fated Birkenhead.

"The order and regularity that prevailed on board, from the time the ship struck till she totally disappeared, far exceeded anything that I thought could be effected by the best discipline ; and it is the more to be wondered at, seeing that most of the soldiers had been but a short time in the service. Every one did as he was directed, and there was net a murmur or a cry among them until the vessel made her final plunge. I could not name any individual officer who did more than another. All received their orders, and had them carried out, as if the men were embarking instead of going to the bottom: there was only this difference, that I never saw any embarkation conducted with so little noise or confusion. "One fact I cannot omit mentioning. When the vessel was just about going down, the Commander called out, All those that can swim jump over-

ard and make for the boats.' Lieutenant Girardot and myself stand- ing on the stern-part of the poop. We begged the men not to do as the Commander said, as the boat with the women must be swamped. Not more than three made the attempt."

Cornet Bond, of the Twelfth Hussars, gives a graphic account of his own escape.;

" All the officers were then employed with gangs of men at the pumps ; and a number of soldiers under the command of Mr. Brodie, the master, were endeavouring to haul out the paddle-box boat on the port-side ; which was nearly hoisted out when the tackle broke, and it remained fixed in the air. The fore-part of the ship now broke off at the foremast, and soon after she cracked in the middle and filled with water. The poop immediately afterwards, owing to the force of the water rushing up, went down, drawing all those who were on it, as well as myself, under water. I rose to the sur- face almost immediately. I had one of Mackintosh's life-preservers on which may be filled in the water ; which I did. The sea at this time was covered with struggling forms, while the cries, piercing shrieks, and shout- lags for the boat., were awful. I swam astern in hopes of being picked up by one of them. I hailed one sixty yards off, but could not reach it, as they pulled away, I suppose for fear of too many attempting to get in. I then turned round and made for the shore, about two miles distant; which I finally succeeded in reaching, at a little after five a.m., by swimming only. Two men, who were swimming close to me, I saw disappear with a shriek, most probably bitten by sharks. I fortunately bit on the landing-place ; but, owing to the great quantity of seaweed I had to struggle through, and being quite exhausted, I almost failed in reaching it. 'I then walked up a sort of beaten track from the beach, in hopes of finding- some habitation. In doing so I perceived my horse at a short distance„ standing in the water on the beach. I got him out, and then returned to the place at which I landed ; when I saw a raft, with about nine men on it, en- deavouring to land; but they did not succeed in doing so until they saw me on the rocks standing opposite to the proper spot ; they than steered straight for me, and finally landed at seven a.m. Lieutenant Girardot, of the Forty- third Light Infantry, was one of them. At the same time, two or three other men were thrown on the rocks off a spar, and landed, very much cut and bruised and entirely naked. We all then proceeded up this track ; and, after two hours' march, we saw a waggon along the shore, to which we. went, and obtained some bread and water. The driver directed us to proceed further up the beach, and at five miles' distance we should find some fishing cottages belonging to Captain Smales ; where we arrived, very much fatigued, at noon : here we obtained some more bread, and then marched on to Captain Smales's residence about twelve miles oft; over the sands. On our way thither, we met a liullock-waggon, which took some of our men, who were too much knocked up to proceed, back to the cottages we had just left. At seven o'clock p.m. our party, con- sisting of two officers and four men, arrived at Captain Bmales's ; where we were most kindly received, the men being provided with both clothes and victuals. Captain Smales immediately despatched a messenger for the field- cornet and mag,istrate of the district; who on their arrival proceeded with us the next morning to the scene of the wreck. On our way thither, we met numbers of men who had landed. Some came ashore in the paddle-box boats, which had floated up; the one was full of water' and the other keel upper- most. One of the ship's guartermasters told me that there were seven others in the boat with him, which was full of water. They, however, all died from cold, having been many hours in the boat and quite naked. He had his clothes on. We also met Captain Wright, Ninety-first, who had landed on the spoil.- soon ; he had been along the shore and had picked up several men. Some rafts reached the shore with bodies lashed on them quite dead,' other bodies washed up, some of them dreadfully mangled by sharks. Her Majesty's steamer Rhadamanthus hove in sight on Sunday, took us off, and brought us into Simon's Bay the next morning."

Captain Wright and Cornet Bond agree in stating that Captain Sal- mond, the commander of the vessel, was struck on the head whilst swim- ming, by something which was washed off a piece of the wreck, and im- mediately sank ; but Mr. Assistant-Surgeon Culhane says that Captain. Salmond was seen alive after this, with others, in the rigging of the mizenmast, which stretched above the water after the vessel had finally settled down at the bottom. Mr. Bond also says, "Young Mr. Reit, of the Lancers, asked the Sergeant of Marines to try and save him : he did try, and got him on the raft ; but as it surged against the rocks, it parted, and he sank." There is no mention of the later moments of Major Seaton, who was so brave and cool in the management of his officers and men while the ship held together : he must have been one of the first who perished. The extent of the calamity is seen on an enumeration of those who were saved. The troops on board were drafts for the various regiments now in service on the frontier, under the charge of Major Seaton of the Seventy-fourth Regiment. They are thus told off. "Second (Queen's) Foot—Ensign Boyland and 61 privates. 6th Regiment. —Ensign Mitford and 61 privates. 12th Lancers—Cornets Bond and Rolt and 6 privates. 12th Regiment—Lieutenant S. Fairclougla and 71 privates. 43d Light Infantry—Lieutenant Girardot and 41 privates. 45th, attached.

to 12th Foot-4 privates. 60th Rifles, 25 Battalion-41 privates, attached to 91st Regiment. 73d Regiment—Lieutenants Robinson and Boot, and Ensign Lucas and 71 privates. 74th Regiment—Major Seaton and Ensign Busse and 66 privates. 91st Foot—Captain Wright and 61 privates. Staff-2 sur- geons and 1 assistant-surgeon. Total-12 officers, 472 rank and file, 2 sur- geons, 1 assistant-surgeon."

There were also the following women and children ; the rest of those who left England having been put on shore at Simon's Bay. Women—Mrs. Dar- king, Mrs. Nesbitt, Mrs. Mullins, Mrs. Montgomery, Mrs. Gwichar, Mrs. Spruce, Mrs. Hudson. Children, 13. The names of the ship's officers and crew are not given in detail. Of the troops on board, and their women and children, the following were saved in the boats. Officer, 1: Mr. Bowen, Staff-Surgeon. Soldiers, 62. Marines, 3. Women and children, all on board, as above named. The following got to shore by swimming or on portions of the wreck. Officers, 4: Captain Wright, Ninety-first Regiment ; Lieutenant Girardot, Forty- third Regiment; Ensign Lucas, Seventy-third Regiment ; Cornet Bond, Twelfth Lancers. Soldiers, 46. Of the ship's officers and crew, the following escaped in the boats. Offi- cers, 4: Dr. Ciilhane, Assistant-Surgeon ; Mr. Richards, Master's Assistant',

Mr. Renwick, first class Assistant-Engineer' Mr. Hire, Clerk. Seamen and stokers, 22. Boys, 3. The, following, got to shore by swimming, or on portions of the wreck. Officers, 2: Mr. Barber, Assistant-Engineer ; Mr. Archibald, Gunner. Seamen, 16.

These numbers make a total of 183. But the official reports of the latest date correct the total, without giving details, by stating, as we have said at the outset, that not more than 438 out of 630 were lost ; leaving the number of those saved at 192. Thus, it would appear, eleven more have been saved than are accounted for in the details.

Commodore Wyvill, Commander-in-chief of the Cape Naval Station, gives the following professional details and opinions on the conduct of Commander Salmond.

"4. It appears that her Majesty's ship Birkenhead was duly pricked off* on the chart at eight o'clock on the night of the 25th within False Bay, by the master, Mr. Brodie, and officer of the watch, Mr. Spear, second master ; that the course was shaped S.S.E. E., and Cape Hauglip giving a berth of about four miles. The man at the wheel, John Haynes, A.B., from ten to twelve o'clock of the first watch, states that he steered that course, with directions not to go to the Eastward of it. A leadsmen was on the paddle- box, and look-out men were placed. The night was fine, starlight, and calm but a long swell setting in on shore. The land was seen all the night from three to four points on the port bow. At about ten minutes before two o'clock, in the middle watch, the leadsmen, Abel Stone, ordinary seaman, g01 soundings in twelve or thirteen fathoms • of which he gave notice to the officer of the watch, Mr. Davis, second maker. The ship was going about eight knots. Before he could get another cast of the lead the ship struck ; and he found seven fathoms alongside : there were two fathom water under he bows and eleven by the stern. "5. It appears that Mr. Salmond, who was roused by the shock, went on deck, inquired the time, a few minutes past two o'clock, and the course steered; it was reported to be S.S.E. E.; which he stated was quite cor- rect. He immediately ordered the engines to be stopped, the small bower anchor to be let go, the quarter-boats to be lowered and lie off alongside the ship, the paddle-box boats to be got out, and a turn astern to be given by the engines. He ordered the military officers, who were all in attendance, (Major Seaton, of the Seventy-fourth Regiment, and Captain Wright, of the Ninety-first,) to send the troops to the chain-pumps : the orders were im- plicitly obeyed, and perfect discipline maintained. So soon as Mr. Salmond heard there was water in the ship, he directed the women and children to he put into a cutter, in charge of Mr. Richards; master's assistant ; which was done. In ten minutes after the first concussion, and while the engines were turning astern, the ship struck again under the engine-room, bulging the side in several feet, and tearing open the bottom : the water rushed in' drowned the fires, and stopped the engines ; the engineer, Mr. Renwick, and stokers, making their escape to the upper deck. Instantly the ship broke in two, abaft the mainmast, and sank, leaving the maintopmast and topsail-yard only visible above water, lip to this awful moment the resolution and coolness of all bands were remarkable. Mr. Salmond gave his orders with much presence of mind to the last. The three boats, which had staid by .the ship, now left her to seek a landing or to save themselves, and at daylight they were out of sight from the wreck. The two cutters were picked up by the schooner Lioness, and the gig landed, with eight men and Mr. Cul- hane, at Port D'1Jrban. 7. There is no doubt but the course of the ship was shaped to hug the land too closely ; and, as it does not appear that either Mr. Salmond or the master had attended on deck from ten o'clock in the first watch until the ac- cident occurred, it would infer much inattention and extreme neglect of duty on their parts; and when soundings were first struck, had the helm been put to port, this ill-fated ship might have escaped the danger. It is much to be lamented that not an officer has been saved who can give any satis- factory information upon these points. "8. It is also to be deeply deplored that a young officer, Mr. Richards, master's assistant, should have been the only executive in command of the boats ; as, from the circumstance of their leaving the scene of the wreck before daylight, the landing-place discovered on Point Danger by those who reached the shore on rafts would have shown itself, and the hapless indi- alduals who were clinging to pieces of wreck and spars might have been picked off and carried to the shore by the boats, and thus many more lives would have been saved. Also, when the schooner visited the wreck, had the cutters examined the coast in the locality, it is probable they might have found a few others. I can only attribute this fatal error to want of judgment, and to the excited state of the people in the boats under such ap- palling circumstances."