Broadside entitled 'A Leith Smack Lost'

Transcription

             A Leith Smack

                   Lost.               

A Full and Particular Account of the
COMET, a fine Smack belonging to
the London and Edinburgh Shipping-
Company of Leith, on her passage
from London, on the morning of Tues-
day last, on Yarmouth Sands; with the
Wonderful preservation of the Passen-
gers and Crew, and their astonishing
Sufferings, and extraordinary escape,
when the Vessel sunk in deep water,

WE are sorry to state that the smack Comet,
Richards, belonging to the London and
Edinburgh Shipping Company of Leith, was lost on
her passage from London on the morning of Tues-
day last, in consequence of having struck on a sunk-
en wreck, on the outside of Yarmouth Sands.    The
accident happened about 2 o'clock in the morning ;
and the damage received by the shock was such        
that the vessel sunk in deep water in little more
than ten minutes.    Happily the crew, and three
passengers, a gentlemen and 2 ladies, got safe into
the long-boat before the smack went down, which
she did a few minutes after they left her.    The 3
passengers made a naraow escape ; the 2 ladies be-
ing asleep in the cabin at the time of the accident,
and through the exertions of some of the crew, were
wrapped in blankets and hurried upon deck in their
bed clothes, when the water was up to the cabin
table.    The gentleman passenger, a Mr Dundas,
escaped a still more imminent danger, having fallen
into the sea while passing from the vessel to the
boat.    He was, however, fortunately picked up by
the crew ; but in this uncomfortable condition the
whole company remained in the long boat till 6
o'clock in the morning, when they got on board
the floating light anchored on Newark Sand, of
Lowestoffe, after being tossed about for four hours
in a boisterous sea, which every minute threatened
to engulph them, as it had done their ill-fated ves-
sel.    In the course of Tuesday they were all safely
landed at Yarmouth.    The cargo of the Comet is
understood to be of considerable value ; and very
little of it is said to be insured. All the losses which
have occurred of London and Leith smacks, within
the last sixteen years, have been very nearly on the
same spot, and in every case they have sunk in deep
water; thus affording strong presumption that the
statements of their crews, as to the accidents hap-
pening on sunken wrecks, instead of on the sand-
banks, are correct. Indeed, in the case of the De-
light, which was lost last year, the breach which
was made in her hull was near the surface of the
water, and evidently made by the mast or bowsprit
of a sunken vessel. It is to be regretted that some
plan has not yet been devised, by which those
wrecks can be successfully raised.

previous