A terrible marine disaster has marked the week. On the
night of Wednesday, the 17th inst., the Castle Line steamer, Drummond Castle,' 3,600 tons, with one hundred and forty-eight passengers on board, besides a crew of one hundred and five, was off 13shant, on her voyage from South Africa to Southampton. The night was very foggy, and it is supposed that her commander, Captain Pierce, who was on the bridge, trusting to his great experience, neglected sounding, and was deceived as to the lights. At all events, he stood too far in, the steamer struck on well-known sunken rocks four miles south-west of Ushant, and in seven minutes she filled and sank. With the exception of one passenger (Mr. Marquardt), one quartermaster (Mr. Wood), and one sailor every soul on board was drowned,—in one instance a group of sixteen relatives being swept away. Many of the passengers were well-known persons from Natal, and the impression made by the disaster both in this country and the Cape is most unusual, being increased by the implicit confidence hitherto felt in this line of steamers, the Company, the chair- man of which is Sir Donald Currie, having never previously lost a passenger. There is much discussion as to the precise cause of the disaster, but we believe, on the evidence, that it was the old, old story—too much confidence on the part of a thoroughly experienced and fortunate captain.
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