and near the coasts of the United Kingdom from unseaworthiness, unsound gear, etc., in the last ten years, is 528; and the number of casualties arising from the same causes, during the same period, and resulting in partial damage is 586. In 1870 there were on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom 83 wrecks and casualties to smacks and other fishing vessels. Excluding these 83 fishing vessels, the number of vessels employed in the regular carrying trade that have suffered from wreck or casualty here during the year is 1,782. If this number is again subdivided it will be found that less than half of it is represented by vessels of the collier class, chiefly employed in the coasting trade. For the six years ending 1870, the number is more than half. In the ten years ended 1870, disasters on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom to comparatively new ships bear a very high proportion to the whole number; and during the year 1870, 130 wrecks and casualties happened to nearly new ships, and 307 to ships from three to seven years of age. Then there are wrecks and casualties to 366 ships from seven to fourteen years old, and to 518 from fifteen to thirty years old. Then follow 206 old ships from thirty to fifty years old. Having passed the service of half a century we come to very old ships, viz., 49 between fifty and sixty years old, 20 from sixty to seventy, 4 from seventy to eighty, 5 from eighty to ninety, and 1 upwards of one hundred. The ages of 259 are unknown. Of the 1,865 vessels lost or damaged on or near the coasts of the United Kingdom in 1870, 69 were rigged as ships, 195 were steamships, 481 schooners, 276 brigs, 234 barques, 199 brigantines, and 124 smacks. The remainder were small vessels rigged in various ways. Of the 1,865 vessels referred to, 790 did not exceed 100 tons burden, 659 were from 100 to 300 tons, 304 were from 300 to 600 tons, and 112 only were above 600 tons burden. The greatest number of wrecks occurred on the East Coast. The numbers are as follow:East Coast, 701; South Coast, 148; West Coast, 412; North and West Coast of Scotland, 46; Irish Coast, 163; Isle of Man, 18; Lundy Island, 6; Scilly Isles, 8. Westerly gales are far more destructive than easterly gales-the most destructive being from south-west. As regards the loss of life the returns show that the number of lives lost from wrecks, casualties, and collisions on or near the coasts of the United Kingdom in 1870 is 774. This is 159 less than the number in 1869, and less than the number lost in any year since 1865. The lives lost in 1870 were lost in 124 ships; 99 of them were laden vessels, 18 were vessels in ballast, and in 7 cases it is not known whether the vessels were laden or light. 111 of these ships were entirely lost, and 13 sustained partial damage. Of the 774 lives lost, 105 were lost in vessels that foundered, 112 through vessels in collision, and 467 in vessels stranded or cast ashore. The remaining number of lives lost (90) were lost from various causes, such as being washed overboard in heavy seas, by explosions, etc. The greatest loss of life during the ten years ended 1870 occurred in the Irish Sea. The statistics of wrecks abroad show that the total number of wrecks for the year 1870 is 1,272. The number involving loss of life reported in 1870 was 178, and the number of lives so lost was 2,271, showing an increase of 586 over the number reported in 1869, and 649 over the average for the three years preceding 1870. This increase is to be accounted for by the large number of lives lost in H.M.S. Captain, and the steamship City of Boston. LOSS OF H.M.S. MEGÆRA. WE are glad to be relieved from the great doubt respecting the relief of the officers and crew of this ship. By the telegram received at the Admiralty in the early part of the month, we were led to believe that the unfortunate crew had only thirty days' provisions, quarter allowance, and the period at which it was expected the three vessels bound for their relief would reach the island, would leave scant time to the exhaustion of provision: that this happily is not the case the official report will prove, as also will the following extract from a letter which has been received from one of the officers of the Megara by a relative in England :— "St. Paul's Island, South Indian Ocean, July 1st, 1871. "When half-way to Australia, in mid-ocean, more than a thousand miles from land, and it blowing hard, the ship at midnight began to leak. They found holes in her bottom like a teakettle worn from age. We then ran away for this island, 1,500 miles off. God in His mercy sent us a strong wind, and away we went, leaking fearfully. The men could not keep it down, so we used steam-pumps, and even these broke down. At last (ten days after) we reached this island. It came on to blow hard; we lost all our anchors, and were blown under a huge precipice, and gave up all hope. I put on my life-belt as a last hope; but God intervened just as her bowsprit was touching the rock, and took us off clear. We then went to sea a little, and during a lull ran the ship right on shore in the best place we could, and here we are, thank God, all safe and sound, with everything saved-wines, provisions, clothes, furniture, books, etc. We are all like so many Robinson Crusoes, in huts and tents all over the island. It is pretty in some places, but rather barren. There are fine fish, wild goats, and lobsters are caught by dozens. We have emptied the ship of everything in her. She was rotten throughout, and her bottom worn into holes like a colander. Imagine 350 men in such a ship! The wear and tear, mentally and physically, for the last two weeks has been very great. Merchant vessels sight this island on their way to China, India, and Australia. We saw two yesterday, and nearly caught one in a boat, but it was late in the evening and too dark. We shall send away an officer and men with dispatches in the first one, and then can wait even for men-of-war to come to us from the Cape or Mauritius, or Australia. We have plenty of food, etc., till that time, even for three months, but we hope to stop merchantmen, and to leave by batches of fifty or so in them, so have no more anxiety about the matter." Next to the safety of the crew, our anxiety will be to know on whose shoulders will rest the blame of sending such an untrustworthy ship on such a voyage, and until this is done the public will not be satisfied. If the blame be brought home to Captain Thrupp, we know what his fate will be; but wherever the fault be found to lie, we shall look for strict justice to be meted out. We reprint the official reports, but cannot say that we find in them any satisfactory explanation of the disaster. "Her Britannic Majesty's Acting Consul at Batavia to the Secretary to the Admiralty. "British Consulate, Batavia, "Sir,—On the 7th inst. I had the honour to send the Board of Admiralty the following telegram:-'In terms of your telegram I have chartered the British steamer Oberon for St. Paul's, with provisions, and Lieutenant Jones sails Wednesday morning daylight. Speed ten, perhaps fourteen knots. Capacity 1022 tons. The Rinaldo expected Wednesday.' And on the 9th inst. I received. your reply as follows: "Approve Oberon being chartered. Inform Captain Thrupp, if this reaches you in time, the crews of the Blanche and Rosario are to be sent to Sydney in the Malacca which is to bring relieved crews to Aden, unless already chartered for England. Captain Thrupp to return to Singapore in Rinaldo with witnesses required for court-martial, and come thence with them to England in ordinary steamer. Acknowledge this.' From which I am pleased to notice that my arrangements have met with the approval of their lordships. "The Oberon is a fine steamer of 1022 tons register, and will probably make the voyage to St. Paul's under favourable circumstances at an average speed of ten knots an hour. She sailed for St. Paul's at daylight on Wednesday morning, and is expected to reach her destination in less than a fortnight. "The peremptory nature of your telegram left no other course open to me than to charter at once, if any suitable vessel was obtainable, and the only choice I had was between the Oberon and a steamer of the Netherlands Indian Steam Navigation Company. I fixed the former, as it was eminently qualified to perform satisfactorily the service required. At the same time I regret that the Board did not leave me any discretionary powers, especially as it was known that Lieutenant Jones was on the way up from Sourabaya, and could inform me precisely as to urgency in the matter. Had this been done I most certainly should not have considered myself justified in incurring the above great expenditure, as Lieutenant Jones was of opinion that the few days elapsing between the arrivals of the Oberon and Rinaldo at St. Paul's would not in any way have affected the condition of the officers and men of the Megara. "I supplied by the Oberon all the provisions that Lieutenant Jones thought necessary, consisting of biscuit, flour, sugar, yams, onions, and pumpkins; while the captain of the Oberon agreed to supply to the island, tea, beef, and pork, should the paymaster of the Megara require them. "Lieutenant Jones writes you all particulars regarding the loss of the Megara and the condition of the men on the island. Captain Thrupp's letter reporting the disaster was unfortunately not in the bag when Lieutenant Jones hurriedly left the island; but it will go forward in the Oberon, which is bound to London direct. "The Rinaldo arrived on Tuesday, the 8th instant, and in terms of your telegram of the 9th instant, proceeded on the 10th, at midday to St. Paul's, with further provisions, and to convey to Singapore Captain Thrupp and witnesses for the court-martial. I regret that your telegram reached me too late to inform Lieutenant Jones of this: and a telegram I dispatched to Anjer also most unfortunately arrived there an hour after the Oberon had passed. I telegraphed you on the 10th instant:- - Oberon had already left before your telegram was received. Rinaldo starts for St. Paul's this forenoon, which I hope reached you intelligibly. "(Here follows enumeration of accounts and vouchers forwarded)-I am, etc., "W. T. FRASER, "Her Britannic Majesty's Acting Consul." "From Acting-Lieutenant Lewis T. Jones, of Her Majesty's ship Megara, to the Secretary to the Admiralty. "Batavia, August 7th. "Sir, I have the honour to report to you that Her Majesty's ship Megara was run on shore on St. Paul's Island on Monday, June 19th, in a sinking state, and that all hands are saved and landed, with provisions and stores. "The circumstances under which the Megara was run on shore are as follows:-On June 8th, on the voyage from the Cape to Sydney, a leak was reported, but was for several days kept under by hand-pumps and baling. On or about the 14th of June the leak became more serious, and the water gained on the pumps. Steam was then used, and by the aid of the main steam pumps the water was kept in check. "It was determined to steer for St. Paul's Island in order to examine the ship, where she arrived and anchored on Saturday, June 17th. A survey was then held, and a diver sent down to examine the leak. A hole was discovered worn through the centre of a plate, about 12ft. abaft the mainmast, and about 8ft. from the keel port side, besides other serious injuries in the immediate vicinity of the leak. "On Sunday morning, June 18th, the report of survey was sent in. It was considered unsafe to leave the anchorage. Provisions and stores were then landed. On Monday forenoon, June 19th, weather being very stormy, and being unable to keep the ship in position, having carried away and lost three anchors since first anchoring, and being unable to carry on the work of landing provisions on account of the stormy weather, it was determined to beach the ship. At about one p.m. the ship was run full speed on to the bar, and remained there. She soon afterwards filled up to the main-deck aft at high water. The work of landing provisions and saving cargo was then continued, and a portion of the men |