File:Wreck of the Steam-Ship 'Earl Percy' at Tynemouth - ILN 1865.jpg

English: Wreck of the Steam-Ship Earl Percy at Tynemouth. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 11 February 1865.

ead the ILN WRECK OF THE EARL PERCY STEAM-SHIP AT TYNEMOUTH. THE iron screw-steamer Earl Percy, 400 tons burden, belonging to the Tyne Steanm-shipping Company, and engaged in trading between Hamburg and the Tyne, was wrecked on the rocks called the Black Middens, at Tynemouth, on Friday week, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon. Happily, the lives of all on board were saved by the lifeboats. There was only one passenger-Mr. Peterson, a merchant of Hamburg; the crew and officers numbered sixteen men, commanded by Captain B. Taylor. The Earl Percy had arrived from Hamburg with a general cargo, which comprised thirty-five head of cattle and fifty-five sheep, all kept between decks. When the ship came oft Tynemouth Bar the weather was foggy to some extent, but not susficiently so to prevent surrounding objects from being seen at some distance. There was little or no wind blowing at the time, and the slight air that was felt was from the south. There was, however, a tremendously heavy easterly sea running on the bar, the tide being about the first quarter ebb when the steamer took the bar. Notwithstanding the height of the sea, the improvements effected by the Tyne Commissioners by the removal of the bar made it perfectly safe for the Earl Percy to come in, even if her draught o' water had been much greater than it really was. She came safely over the bar, and held on her course up the harbour. When approaching that part of the harbour nearly opposite the Spanish Battery, the persons on shore, who were on the look-out and watching her movements, saw that her position was one of great peril, and it seemed almost impossible that she would be able to reach her port in safety.

A succession of heavy waves came rolling in between the piers, and, as she was alternately lifted on their foaming crests and then left in the trough of the sea, it was seen that she had lost steerage way, and that she might be thrown upon the rocks momentarily. While lying in this helpless state, a heavy cross sea struck her on the starboard quarter, causing her to run off against her starboard helm; and the next sea hove her upon the Black Middens. on the identical spot marked by the appalling calamity which happened to the Stanley on that dark November night when so many precious lives were so miserably,lost. On this occasion, however, the calamity took place in broad layiight, and with hundreds on shore eager and willing to render assistance to save the lives of those on board the Earl Percy. It unfortunately happened that one of the boilers of the Stanley had been left on the rocks at the spot where that vessel struck. The Earl Percy took the ground with this boiler immediately beneath her, midway between the fore and main masts. The heavy sea caused her to beat ieavily, and the consequence was that, having this boiler beneath ier keel, she broke her back on it, and was also holed in several, places upon the rocks. As the tide left her she settled down with a strong "list" to starboard, the foremast having an inclination over her bows. The heavy sea thundered against her port side, but, owing to the rapid fall of the tide, little else but spray came over her. The pilot, Mr. John Ramsay, of South Shields, as soon as the vessel parted, ordered all hands to the poop. In the mean time preparations were made by those on shore to rescue them without delay. Mr. Lawrence Byrne, chief officer of the coastguard at Tynemouth, immediately caused the rocket apparatus to be brought down to the beach, opposite the wrecked steamer. The first rocket fired carried the line right across the vessel. The crew hauled the tail-block on board and made it fast to the mizenmast, but just then the appearance of a life-boat on the scene prevented them from availing themselves of the rocket apparatus. Had the apparatus been needed, the mode in which the crew made it fast showed that they were not going to repeat the fatal mistake which led to such a fearful loss of life on board the Stanley. Amongst the first life-boats that were, manned and put off to the wreck was the Providence, of South Shields, the coxswain of which, Mr. Joseph Smith, has distinguished himself on several other occasions. The South Shields life-boat, the Tyne, Mr. Andrew Herrison, coxs-wain; the Northumberland life boat, Mr. Gilbert Young, coxswain; and the California, steered by Mr. James Gilbert, coxswain of the Constance life-boat, were all quickly afloat and doing their best; but the Providence was the first to get to the Earl Percy and take off the persons on board her, who were safely conveyed to the shore at the Low Lights. As soon as the tide had fallen a little the wreck was bodled Ly ;.arty of men for the purpose of saving as much as they could, of the cargo and stores. The cattle were thrown overboard and hauled ashore by ropes, but some of them were more dead than alive. A number of casks of lard and butter were floated to shore, not much damaged; and the sailors managed to save their hammocks and chests. The scene during these operations was a very animated one, and witnessed by thousands of people on the beach.