EARL DELA WARRI rise to ask the noble Lord who represents the Admiralty in your Lordships' House, Whether he can give us any further information as to the cause of the accident to Her Majesty's ship "Eurydice," and also whether he can state the number of able-bodied seamen who were on board at the time of the catastrophe?
LORD ELPHINSTONEMy Lords, I have but little to add to the melancholy tale it was my duty to relate yesterday. Nothing fresh has transpired to throw any additional light either as to the 2 cause or anything else connected with the accident. No further lives, unfortunately, have been saved. No more bodies appear to have been recovered. Whilst the loss of the Captain is so fresh in our recollection—an accident which had so much in common with this—we cannot but recall vividly to our minds the old saying, that "every sailor carries his life in his hands." These terrible accidents are not confined to ships of the Royal Navy, for we read in the papers that at the very time these 300 souls were struggling in the water off the Isle of Weight, a yacht, built for pleasure, was foundering with all hands in the Thames, leaving little or nothing behind her to tell who she was. The noble Earl asks me whether I can give any information as to the cause of the accident? Now, my Lords, the cause is clear in one respect—particularly clear—although in another it must ever remain a matter of conjecture. A very lucid description is given by one of the two survivors from the wreck of what took 3 place at the moment. His description is this—the ship was under a heavy press of sail; she was struck by the squall, her sheets and halyards were let go—but too late. She was thrown over—forced over—by the first blow, if I may so call it. She was thrown on her beam ends, and she never recovered herself. The water was not only rushing in through her port holes, but her hammock-nettings were under water. Everything which was possible was done to save the ship. The helm was hastily put up to put her before the wind; but, before that movement could be effected, she was already a log in the water. She gradually settled and gradually sank. So far, the description is perfectly clear. What is not so clear, and what must, I fear, for ever remain a matter of conjecture, and which is a matter of the deepest regret, especially to naval men, is, that there is no officer now alive—no responsible officer—to explain two questions which naturally suggest themselves. The ship was, without doubt, under a heavy press of sail, and the question arises whether the captain was justified in having the ship under that press of sail? Apparently, he was perfectly justified. The wind was abaft the beam. Studding-sails were set, and the ship was only going 8½ knots an hour. The wind cannot, therefore, have been very strong. But there was another reason why he was apparently justified in carrying all sail he could. The tide off Dunnose runs between four and five knots an hour—a perfect race—and it was clear that he had to carry all sail he could in order to get to his anchorage before dark. The next question that arises is—how did the captain allow the squall to find him unprepared? This must ever remain a matter of conjecture; and for this reason, if for no other, it is to be so much regretted that no responsible officer is saved. We know what that squall was in London. There was a clear, blue sky, and an apparent promise of an unusually fine afternoon. Almost in one moment the black cloud rose, and a squall of, happily, a most unusual and severe character, swept over us, carrying death and destruction with it. That we all saw. Apparently it was so off the Isle of Wight. It is possible that, owing to the height of the land off Dunnose, the officers and captain did not see the squall until it was close 4 on top of them. Indeed, it is more than possible; had they seen it, they would most certainly have shortened sail. For, as I said last night, the officers were all selected with great care. The captain and first lieutenant, especially, were seamen, and accustomed to sailing ships. The noble Earl asks, however, as to the crew. The Returns sent from the West Indies at the end of last year shows that there were on board—16 officers, 14 first-class petty officers, 13 second-class petty officers, 3 leading seamen, 22 able-bodied seamen, 58 ordinary first-class seamen, 183 ordinary second-class seamen, 22 supernumeraries, and one officer and six soldiers; altogether, 328 on board. Some of the ordinaries had since been rated able-bodies; the various officers had been specially and carefully selected; and altogether, it was difficult to conceive that a more smart or active ship's company could have been got together. The ballast was the same as she had always carried—the water was 117 tons instead of 84; the weight of guns was 16 tons instead of 55 tons, and this weight was on the main deck only. She was inclined for stability, after removal of her guns before sailing, according to the present custom, in order that the centre of gravity might be ascertained. Her stability was found to be greatly improved. Such, my Lords, is all the information I have it in my power to give. Should anything happen to throw any further light on the accident, I shall be most happy to give the noble Earl and your Lordships every information in my power. One word for the widows and fatherless children. A committee has been formed at Portsmouth to collect subscriptions, under the presidency of the Naval Commander-in-Chief. If I can be of use to any one of your Lordships in this matter, I will gladly become the means of conveying any subscriptions you may wish to send.