§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, he had observed with very great concern a rumour of the loss of Her Majesty's ship Galatea on the coast of North America, with a 962 considerable portion of her crew. Perhaps the noble Lord the Secretary to the Admiralty could give the House some information on the subject.
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETSir, we received at the Admiralty yesterday a telegram that there was a report at New York of the loss of the Galatea. It was, however, so vague that we thought we should only be giving unnecessary pain to many families if we published it. To-day we have received a report that the Galatea is not lost, but I regret to add that it contains a melancholy account of loss of life among her crew. The report is as follows:—
The reported loss of Her Majesty's ship Galatea is doubtless unfounded, since private letters from Norfolk of the 11th and 12th ult. say she was still in the roads, where she would be perfectly secure. Papers say, however, that two barges filled with men belonging to the Galatea were sent on the 12th ult. to rescue a boat which had broken adrift from the frigate, with one man in it. The barges were carried by a storm on to the beach at Cape Henry, and it is supposed that all hands perished. A steam tug was sent to their assistance, but was compelled to put back by a storm. This, doubtless, accounts for the rumoured loss of the frigate.