SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE. Liverpool was visited on Saturday, Sunday, and
Monday [14-16 April 1838] by a severe gale from the northward and westward
which was accompanied with frequent falls of snow. On Tuesday morning, a
telegraphic despatch arrived
in Liverpool, that a barque, which was subsequently discovered to be the
Athabaska, bound from Liverpool to Quebec, was on shore on the West Hoyle
Bank, situated at the mouth of the river Dee, and distant from Liverpool about
fifteen miles. It is supposed that she had struck during the night, and been
dismasted soon after.
The dawn of Tuesday morning [17 April 1838] discovered the hull of a
vessel utterly dismasted and stranded on West Hoyle Bank. She had a
figure-head, painted ports, and a round-house. The crews of the life-boats
stationed at Hoylake and the Point of Ayr, undaunted by the adverse gale and
dangerous sea which they would be compelled to confront and encounter, bravely
attempted to rescue the people, who were seen clinging to the rigging and
lashed to the round-house of the wreck. Their zeal and courage were
unavailing, and they were reluctantly compelled by the force and fury of the
storm, after an ineffectual attempt to reach the vessel, to return to their
respective harbours.
So soon as this
information was communicated by the telegraph to Liverpool, the Towing Company
dispatched one of their steamers to the rescue of the crew of the dismasted
ship. This was of no avail - and then the owner of the Vale of Clwyd steamer,
which was at this time at Rhyl,
ordered her commander, by means of that most especially inestimable mode of
communication, the telegraph, to proceed to the wreck. We are sorry to add
that this latter expedient was unsuccessful, as the Vale of Clwyd was unable
to reach the ship. As a last resource, the Dublin mail-packet undertook to tow
a life-boat to windward of the wreck. Every effort proved useless. The name of
the vessel is discovered to have been the Athabaska. She was a barque of 406 tons
built in 1836 at Pictou and owned by Swales and Co of Liverpool.
Towards night
the vessel went to pieces, and every soul on board, to the number of eighteen
perished. The captain's trunk has been washed on shore during the night. He
has left a widow and four children. We have not heard of any bodies having
come on shore as yet.
There was concern expressed by the mercantile community at Liverpool that,
despite upwards of £700 per annum being allowed by the dock trustees of Liverpool for
lifeboats, the service was unable to rescue the stranded crew. It was suggested
that some new developments needed to be made. This echoes the concerns after the
Hurricane of 1839, when the lifeboat service was again poorly performing.
[Liverpool Albion - Monday 21 May 1838]:
AT GRONANT, BETWEEN MOSTYN AND RHYL. For the Benefit of the
Underwriters, On THURSDAY next, the 24th instant, at two o'clock in
the afternoon, on Mr. John Dawson's Premises, Part of the WRECK of
the Ship ATHABASKA, Lost on West Hoyle, Consisting of Fir Beams, Bowsprit,
Timber, Planks, Knees, Iron Bolts, Windlass, Bitts, &c, &c. The Ship
being only one year old, the Wood is nearly all sound, and very suitable
for Housebuilders, Farmers, etc. For further particulars apply to
Captain TARLETON, at Rhyl; Mr. JOHN DAWSON, Gronant; CHAPMAN and
WILLIS, Agents for Lloyd's, or JOHN HURRY, Broker, Liverpool. N.B. Steam
Packets will leave George's Pier Head for Mostyn and Rhyl at Seven
o'Clock on the Morning of Sale, and return the next day at Nine.
SHIPWRECKS AT LIVERPOOL. - The following disasters, additional to that of the Athabaska, have taken place off this port during the gales on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday [14 -16 April 1838]
The Scotia, which sailed for Demerara on Saturday last, was totally wrecked on Sunday night at the entrance of Beaumaris Bay; the crew and one passenger were, however, saved by the Penmon life-boat. The Scotia had thrice put to sea before, and had, owing to contrary winds, been compelled to put back. [More details.]
The Charlotte, which sailed from Lancaster on Sunday last for Quebec, has been compelled to put into this port, owing to the dreadful gale.