The Wreck of the "Royal Charter": Compiled from Authentic Sources, with Some Original Matter — John Shaqi
The Wreck of the "Royal Charter": Compiled from Authentic Sources, with Some Original MatterFowler, Frank
History
The Wreck of the "Royal Charter": Compiled from Authentic Sources, with Some Original Matter
Fowler, Frank
Royal Charter (Ship); Shipwrecks -- Wales -- Anglesey
'Captain Taylor was evidently an able and courageous seaman. He
animated all his officers and crew to maintain discipline and
continue their exertions to the latest moment, and it is with no
desire to suggest blame that we express the belief that but for
relying on the power of his screw to keep the vessel off, he would
never have been in the position he was on that fatal Tuesday
evening, when on a rugged lee shore he was losing precious hours
endeavouring to procure a pilot. Either a safe port or the open sea
were the only situations that could give security in a hurricane
like that of Tuesday. There seemed to be a fatality attending the
last voyage of the ill-fated ship that was to pursue her crew and
passengers to the extremity of destruction, for the rapidity of her
passage brought her upon the most perilous part of our coast that
she had to near, just at the outbreak of the most violent storm we
have experienced for very many years, and after striking upon the
shore, her hull succumbed to the fury of the waves, and became rent
and shattered almost in a moment, just as a communication had been
established, by means of the hawser passed to the shore, that
promised the fairest chance of saving the lives of all on board. The
gallant action of the seaman who performed this feat, all but too
late as it proved to be, was the means of saving many of the
thirty-nine, who were all that escaped out of near five hundred.
'The records of shipwrecks upon the coast of Great Britain have been
carefully compiled for some years past, and the annual number of
vessels totally lost is known to range from 1000 to 1200. Of these,
however, a very large proportion are small craft, coasting traders,
and colliers, whose short voyages generally keep them in dangerous
proximity to the shore, and whose crews are often insufficient for
working them successfully out of a sudden emergency. This year,
there will be a terrible excess over the average losses. The
destruction of vessels in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday
amounts, according to what is already known, to hundreds; whilst the
loss of life by the "Royal Charter," which, though the greatest, is
only one amongst a numerous list of such losses, will vastly
increase the average mortality. The sacrifices even of human life,
demanded and paid in the pursuit of our peaceful commerce, are not
less appalling sometimes than those which render war terrible. This
storm gives us a longer list of lives lost in a few hours on the
English coast than has been the result of many a mighty battle.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account