The full extent of the calamity is now known. The crews of ten boats, locally called "sixerns," engaged in the "haaf," or deep sea cod and ling fishing, numbering 58 men, are lost, leaving about 200 persons in a state of destitution. To provide for the necessities of these persons, and also, if possible, to raise a Fund, from which immediate assistance may be afforded in similar exceptional circumstances in the future, a large sum of money will be required. Owing to the peculiar dangers to which Shetland Fishermen are exposed, such calamities are-though fortunately not to the same extent of annual and ordinary Occurrence throughout the Shetland Islands. What makes this disaster all the more regrettable is, that, had telegraphic communication existed between Shetland and the mainland, it might in all probability have been averted. But our telegraph broke on the 6th of March, and has not yet been repaired; and the storm-warning, which would otherwise have reached us in time, did not arrive till after the gale had come and gone. Throughout the whole of the past winter and spring, strong representations have been made to the Government, pressing upon them the necessity of uniting the Shetland Islands with the mainland by a direct cable, rather than by the present line, which passes through the Orkney Islands, and which, with its numerous land connections and impetuous tideways, is entirely unsatisfactory as a reliable means of communication. But these representations, based as they could only be on the inconvenience to the fishing and other mercantile interests of the Islands, have not been given effect to, and a much sadder, and, it is to be hoped, a much more powerful argument has now been added by the present disaster to strengthen the case of the Islanders." (Signed) CHARLES RAMPINI, Sheriff-Substitute, &c., Convener of Local Relief Committee. [From The Times, Morning Post, &c., &c.] SHIPWRECKED FISHERMEN AND MARINERS' SOCIETY.-At a meeting of the Board of Management of this Royal National Benevolent Institution, just held at its Central Office, Hibernia-chambers, London-bridge, the receipt was reported of a total sum of nearly £700, representing the aggregate amount, up to the end of the September quarter, of numerous Contributions-including Donations from Her Majesty the Queen and from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, with an Extra Relief Grant from the Society itself—to the "Special Relief Fund," inaugurated by the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Society on behalf of the many bereaved sufferers amongst the local fishing population, through the disastrous storm which suddenly swept over the Shetland Islands on the night of the 20th of July. The Society's usual midsummer issue of Annual Grants of additional relief to the poverty-stricken widows and orphans of drowned fishermen and mariners has also been just recently completed. This most needful and valued charitable aid, to the extent of £4,396, the urgent necessity of providing for which has led to very exceptionally heavy drains upon the Society's resources, was on the present occasion distri buted to 1,489 widows and 1,870 orphans, or 3,359 distressed individuals in all, being the number of certified destitute recipients borne upon the Society's second (or July) half-yearly list for the current year; thus making, with the previous (or January) half-yearly awards of similar charitable aid, a total issue of £8,306 in these Annual Grants, distributed to no less than 6,496 poor persons, consisting of 2,857 widows and 3,539 orphans, for the whole year 1881, in respect of this one sphere alone of the Society's varied benevolent operations. THE VICE-PRESIDENTS, COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT, &c. DURING the past Quarter, the names of the Right Hon. the Earl of Dalhousie and of the Right Hon. the Earl of Erroll have, by kind consent, been added to the list of the Society's Vice-Presidents. Since the last announcement, also, Edward Edwards, Esq. (lately Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers) has been duly elected to fill an existing vacancy upon the Society's Central Committee of Management, in London, and has taken his seat at the Board, as a new member, accordingly. THE LOCAL HONORARY AGENCIES. As many as forty-seven fresh appointments of Local Honorary Agents and Representatives of the Society have, from death, change of residence, or other unavoidable cause, been rendered necessary since the previous reference to such alterations in the Number of this Magazine for April of the present year. In recording their obligations, on behalf of the Society, to all those who had thus-in some instances for very many years-so heartily laboured in furthering the Society's good work, the Committee of Management have specially had to deplore those changes occasioned by the decease of Honorary Agents and Representatives, as follows: Armagh-John Thompson, Esq.; Belfast-John McKee, Esq.; Brightlingsea-Mr. Edward Stammers; Chester-Captain J. Knox; Dumfries-Mr. W. Lloyd; EpsomBenjamin Cubitt, Esq.; Fetlar-Rev. D. Webster; Greenock—J. D. Macdonald, Esq.; Kirkwall-James Walls, Esq.; Lechlade-Miss Cole; Looe-James Bishop, Esq.; Macduff-Mr. James Wares; Norwich-Mr. W. Metcalf; and Oxford-Frederick Symonds, Esq., M.A. THE SOCIETY'S WORK. UNDER each of the subjoined Headings, numbered I, II, III, and IV— answering respectively to the four General Objects of the Society—will be found the interesting, and, in many respects, touching record of the Society's benevolent operations since the issue of the last Quarterly Statement. During the period in question, the numbers (including the Widows and Orphans receiving small sums, as Annual Grants, in the month of Julysee Special Heading, as inserted after No. IV.) directly succoured by the Society's Executive in London, and by the Honorary Agents in all parts of the United Kingdom, with the total amount of relief administered, were as follows: Total Number of Persons relieved.... ..... ......... 4,450 £8,151 Of the numerous Agencies (appending also the names of the Society's Local Honorary Representatives) from which the more distressing claims embraced within these figures were received, the following, with the amounts allotted to each, may be specially mentioned, viz. :-Aberdeen (Mr. Daniel Mearns), £141; Dundee (Mr. J. Machan), £115; Glasgow (Messrs. Campbell and Hall), £60; Hartlepool (Mr. S. Armstrong), £167; Hull (Mr. J. W. Day,) £262 ; Liverpool (Mr. T. Hanmer), £133; Montrose (Mr. L. S. Smith), £12; North Shields (Mr. G. French), £450; Shetland and Orkney Islands, including Baltasound (Mr. J. Spence), Burravoe and East Yell (Mr. G. Henderson), Conningsburgh (Rev. G. Clark), Dunrossness (Mr. J. Bruce, Jun.), Fetlar (Mr. C. Wood), Hillswick (Mr. G. Anderson), Kirkwall (Messrs. J. Walls, and G. Robertson), Lerwick (Messrs. J. Leask, Leisk and Sandison, Hay and Co., J. Robertson, and A. Millikin), Mossbank (Messrs. Pole, Hoseason and Co.), Ollaberry (Mr. G. Sinclair), Reawick (Messrs. Garriock and Co.), Scalloway (Mr. C. Jamieson), Stromness and Longhope (Mr. J. Garriock), Vidlin (Mr. R. Sutherland), Voe (Messrs. T. M. Adie and Sons), and Whalsay and Symbester (Mr. J. S. Nicolson), £511; South Shields (Messrs. Crisp and Hails). £529; Sunderland (Mr. R. M. Hudson), £629; Yarmouth (Mr. G. T. Watson), £145; giving a total of £3,184 issued at these Agencies and Seaports, &c., alone. I. RELIEF TO SHIPWRECKED CREWS1 The Crews of Vessels wrecked on various parts of the Coast, or foundered at Sea, · 231 347 were relieved ..... Number of Shipwrecked Seamen, &c., thus relieved, (members of the Society-142, and non-members-205) During the three months just ended, notwithstanding the comparatively milder season of the year, there have been very numerous and heavy claims upon the Society's resources, for the relief of the Shipwrecked Fisherman and Mariner, as the result of various special calamities, particulars of which— such as the great storm which suddenly visited the Shetland Islands on the night of the 20th July-will be found in preceding pages of the present Number of this Magazine. It would be impossible to give any detailed list of all the ships and disasters brought under the Society's notice throughout the past quarter; but the following particulars, regarding some few of the more notable cases in which succour was afforded by the Society, will not be without interest : THE Asterope, a wooden sailing vessel of 261 tons register, left Cardiff on the 28th of May, with a crew of eight hands, and a cargo of coal, bound for Para, and was stranded and lost off the coast of Brazil. At half-past 10 on the morning of the 7th of July, land being sighted, the course was altered so as to run along the coast to the Atalia Lighthouse, where the master expected to pick up a pilot to take him into the Para Roads. At noon the vessel's head was put one point, or, according to the mate, two points off the shore, and the master and mate went below. At half-past 12 the master and mate returned to the deck. At 1 o'clock the vessel struck on a rock, and almost immediately broke her back. In a short time she was so full of water that it was found necessary to abandon her, and accordingly the master and crew got into the boat. Finding the vessel had become a complete wreck, they made towards the Atalia Lighthouse, which was supposed to be about 35 miles to the westward. They drifted about all the following night and next day, and it was not until daybreak of the 9th of July that they were picked up by the steamship Lisbonense, and landed at Para. The master stated that the vessel struck on the Resolution Bank, not marked on his chart, which, however, was not an Admiralty one. THE barque Clymping, of Littlehampton, 341 tons, having discharged a portion of her cargo, was wrecked at East London, S. Africa in the fierce gale which raged there for two or three days at the end of July. At about 8 o'clock on the morning of the 25th July, the Clymping was observed to be dragging her anchors, and soon after was hurled ashore about three miles to the eastward of the Buffalo. The rocket apparatus was brought into play, but after firing three rockets, which missed, it appeared that more had to be sent for. Whether or not an attachment might have been made with those that came afterwards nobody will ever know. The little ship was fast going to pieces. The helpless spectators saw the vessel heel over, sonie of the crew taking to pieces of spars, others vainly trying to hold on to the ship's bottom, and only one man, the mate, managed to reach the shore. THE steamer Columbine left Hull on August 8, for Cronstadt, with a cargo of coal, carrying a crew of sixteen hands all told, the captain's wife being also on board as a passenger. On leaving the Humber, a course east by north was Goshaped, and it was never altered. ing at full speed, and with nearly all sail set in a strong north-west wind, the Columbine struck on Hoorn Reef, off the Jutland coast, about half-past 3 o'clock on the morning of the 10th August. She remained fast, and the sea broke heavily over her. The master having ordered the boats out, two engineers and five others of the crew got into a boat, into which the captain's wife was also passed, and subsequently this boat capsized alongside a salvage steamer, and the captain's wife and four of the hands were drowned. The vessel later on came afloat, and the engines, which were damaged, were got to work slowly ahead; but the steamer in the end settled down and sank in six fathoms of water, becoming a total wreck. THE barque Fairwind, 1,178 tons, abandoned at sea, sailed from Cardiff with a heavy cargo of coals, for Cape de Verdes, having a crew of twenty-two, under the command of Captain P. F. Rawle. At St. Vincent Captain Rawle died suddenly from apoplexy, and Captain Atkins was despatched to Cape de Verdes to take charge. Having shipped ballast for Pensacola the Fairwind sailed, and, reaching that port, took in a cargo of timber, for Penarth Roads. Favoured with fine weather, the Fairwind made a good run to the Western Isles. Then severe gales set in, alternating from east to south-east. It was ultimately discovered that the rudder, &c., had become loose, undoubtedly the effect of the seas. Captain Atkins instantly determined to do what he could to strengthen the rudder, and with that object had chains got ready, though there was a dangerous sea running. The barque was hove-to, and the wind soon after abating a little, the chain was got through the rudder, and made fast on deck. For forty-eight hours there was a lull in the gale, after which it broke forth with renewed vigour, but the Fairwind was kept as near as possible to her course. There was a change in the weather for the better in a few hours, and the crew hoped that Penarth Roads would be safely reached. But on the morning of January 24 a terrific southeasterly gale sprung up suddenly. The Fairwind was hove-to under main-topsail, lower-main-top-sail, and mizenstay-sail. Again the rudder showed signs of looseness, but the sea was so great that it was utterly impossible to do anything. At midnight the gale slightly moderated, and an attempt was made to get the vessel towards the sea, which even now was exceedingly rough, but it failed. With the daylight an inspection of the rudder was made, and it was seen that it had gradually loosened. Again the wind rose, and at half-past seven the rudder broke, taking the gudgeons, the rudder-head, and part of the stern-post. At this moment the hands on deck had hold of the tackle that held the rudder, and to prevent the wreckage from injuring the stern, the ropes were cut. The sea became more boisterous, and occasionally water came aboard. As there could be no idea of the quantity of water which the vessel was now taking in through the open chasm in her stern, the pumps were tried, with the result that it was found that a great deal of water was finding its way into the ship's hold. Into the hold went the carpenter, second mate, and a couple of seamen with a quantity of canvas, with which they hoped to stop the hole made by the loss of the rudder and stern post; but to no purpose. A hawser was sent over the stern in the hope that the vessel might possibly be weared round so that the hole could be got at the better to repair the damage but the barque would not wear. Next it was trusted that with the help of a water cask and log, and all head sails to windward, the effort to wear ship would be successful. To the chagrin of the crew, this endeavour also proved ineffectual, these two attempts occupying five hours, and about this time the Fairwind became unmanageable. The men were now terror-struck at discovering that the planking across the stern had commenced to burst. Added to this, with nearly all the hands at the pumps, the vessel could not be kept free from the water. As the Fairwind fell into the fearful sea, so the planking widened, and at last three planks dropped completely out. As a last attempt, the top-gallant sail was lowered over the stern and into the water, it being hoped that the suction might possibly take it into the hole, and thereby prevent the water from effecting an entrance. This effort failed as completely as the attempts that preceded it. Meanwhile ship laboured heavily in the mountainous sea. A steamer was sighted about two o'clock, from which, however, the distress signals that flew from the mast of the Fairwind could not have been seen. Soon after a sail was reported, and it was noticed that the stranger was bearing down on the unfortunate barque, and, it being impossible that the Fairwind could live long in such weather, the captain reluctantly consented to leave his ship. The strange sail had been hove-to two miles off. The men first hoisted out the lifeboat, which was lowered over the starboard side at four p.m. In descending the boat struck the channels, and the foresheet bolt went through her bottom. The boat at once filled with water, the painter was cut, and she disappeared. There were now left a small lifeboat and two other smaller craft, but the lifeboat was the only one of the three fit to be |