LOSS OF THE NATAL MAIL STEAMER WALDENSIAN.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1843, 17 March 1863, Page 2

LOSS OF THE NATAL MAIL STEAMER WALDENSIAN.

The following particulars of the loss of the Natal innil steamer Waldensiau are abstracted from the East Province (Cape of Good Hope) Herald. On October 16th Cape Town was put into a painful state of excitement by the intelligence that the screw' steamer Waldensian had been lost off Struy'g Point, near Cape Agnlhas. The following letter, written by Captain Joss the morning after the. catastrophe, gives ft clear account of the occurrence : — " I am sorry to tell you that the Waldensiau is a total wreck on Struy's Point Beef. I passed Cape Infanta about half-past six last night, about seven to eight miles off the land, and steering my usual course from L'Agulhas Point Light. The night was very hazy, and about half-past nine I went off the deck, leaving the second mate in charge. 1 said to him keep a good look out for ships. It was dark and a light south-east wind, with the square sails set. I did not leave the deck to turn in, but I went down to read, and about 10 p.m. I fell asleep, and about eleven p.m. the ship ran on the reef, going about seven knots. I jumped on deck, and was for a moment quite taken baok, as I thought we were so far off the land. I tried to back astern, but found her so fast she would not move, and the bottom soon got holed ; the water came in and put the fires out. By this time we had all the boats out and under the lee side af the ship, and had by that time got a sight of the land, and knowing the place, I then sent the second officer with a boat to look for the landing place, whioh I also knew was there. He came baok to say that he had landed. I then got the ladies in the first two boats ashore — sixteen of them—under the charge of the first and second officers ; the other two boats under the oar. penter and boatswain! then took the old men. All the others we sent, as we could, in several trips, which took a long time, but by daylight I had them all on shore, and by that time two of the boats had been stove. A shore boat came off at seven p.m. and I took the mails in her, and left the ship myself all the, others being safe on shore. The ship i» now broken in two parts. I have been off again, but we can save nothing. All are well. Mr Barry is down, and we have arranged to take the passengers to Struy's Bay, and you must send the Kadie or Albatroßs for us." The most perfect order was maintained by all on board, and it is no doubt owing to this circumstance thit no lives were lost. The, vessel broke in halves about half past eleven on the morning of the 14th, and,, with the cargo .became a perfect wreok. The passengers saved nothing,: beside the clothes they wo.re. The Christy, Minstrels who were on board, . lost all their costumes; and instruments, besides £400 in cash. By far the heaviest loss, however, is that of Gapt. Bailey, who j had with him- ob board fouryears' observations en trignometrioal survey of the colony, the whole of whioh went down with the .wreck. Oii reaching the j land the gentlemen lighted a large Bre, and mado the ladies as comfortable as possible* and on : tha fyliowisg morning several ne&UMuti#w hft&jw

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informed of the disaster came down to the beach and behaved very hospitably and liberally to the shipwrecked travellers. The passengers vjere conveyed overland in whatever vebiolss^wprtv^Bbtain- . able, and reached Cape Town o'fi.vTha'rßdayy A letter bearing testimony to. Captain Josh's lful conduct und_er the trying . pifedmstanqes Kas been sent to the 'Cape papers 'by jhe i ,Ghrjßtjr 1 ; I MJD'strels, and the passengers were arrarigjhg fto^rej|nt>i him with a tcstiinonial'for his admirable beiiavftjftr after the wreck, and his wonderful.sjaocWs of saying fll^ I the passengers. It Is stated as being almost next to.a'mir'acle any being saved.- The, wateft is scarcely ever so smooth at the scene of the wreck' as on this eveutful night, and usually there is a terrific sea running there. Thanksgiving services took place on the following Sunday in the Dutch churches; having special referenoe tothe Jf«scue of the passengers, and a commission had been appointed to investigate the losses of the passengers,; with a yiew to^ opening a subscription list for their relief."

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, at the 1 Observatory r . Wellington, for the week ending 2lat February, 1863. Lat. 41deg. 16min. S. » Long. 174 cleg. 47min. 25sec. E. Height above sea! 9i^. feet. . r gif&l P•■ S- ■ Day of Month;^ «<j 3 ' * CT. ■ /-:• ...(;.; ~J Oi Ol rf>> CO tO H* „..■: .-!'■? N . . ■1.• r 1 « to ■ ■" . „.'•" bb'-obaofcS Barometer. s bs cc tp w m if. «> -* .Cn f£ 00 M {£ : . ,• — : ~ r : ; f ©SB£Bg3 Dry Bulb. „ -5 s w b '-? oi bet q» . . g g MbJqb'bb'o Wet Bulb. • ? jf». —-q Oi Cft pi "| 'OIOUdS. • ocnboocxo.-i.' odooooooooo^ Max. insun^rays. -» en to cm -^ "Q co blackened bulb. . <n at ess ' «3 •>? •<! ~^ Max. in sbade. Morning. tt . IT- : |' "* tHJsjCDpofejtzj^ Afternoon. * co oo m h* w e» tOfco^Js^^b en o« en wOtc^ o i : ■ >i " bwbo II I «-»' In.6frainin24hrs.

Note.— OlouAs % — 10 is an overcast sky, and 0 i» » ■" cloudless sky. : ..„ ..-, Wind : Force.— Tho maximum pressure tin- 24 hours in lbs. and decimal parts of a-lb» v ,pn-; tn© square foot. '" Y. t Barometer.— The height is reduced to sfea ;level, at a temperature of 32 deg. Far. '..'.". ..-. Thermometer Meansi— Deducible from the Maximum and Minimum readings, at lOa:m. 4 of the 24 hourß' previously. Max. in sun's rays and tluide.— These figures we the readings at 10 a.m., and, like the wind n force, thermometer means, and .fall of ram, apply to the 84 hour* previously, VV * JOHNKNOWLES, In charge.