Pizzey, left London on the 22nd of June, The British ship Tonbridge, Captain with @ full general cargo for Shanghai. Fine weather and befiling winds were experienced down the channel, but nothing worthy of note ocourred until Anjer was passed, after which a succession of gales Andadverse winds was encountered. When off Formosa, the ship got into typhoon, by Which she lost all the canvas bent at the time, and was driven a long way down the China sea again. On Thursday, at 10.30 Pin, the ship came to an anchor of the 'Saddles, and in the morning sig-nailed for a' pilot. At 11 am, on Fri-doy she was got underweigh, and steered to the northward and eastward, but the wind increasing from N. and W., she tacked at noon and stood to the W. by S.
At 6.30 p.m. on Friday; Gutzlaff bore W.
ight E. by S. 3 S.. As it was blowing heavily and the weather was very dirty, the captain deemed it judicious to an-char for the night. After sounding in 9 fathoms, sail was taken in therefore, and the ship brought up with 30 fathoms chain on the starboard bower. The wind increasing, 45 fathoms were veered. At 11 P.at., the wind still continued to increase, and 75 fathoms chain were payed out. ' About 1 4.%. on the 23rd, the officer of the watch observed that the ship was dragging, when all the chain on deck was veered away, and the port anchor let go. About this time the sea-was running high and the ship plunging heavily, each sea coming clean over the jhows, Between 2 and 3 a. broken water was observed under the ster: of the vessel, and stoppers were then put on the chains to prevent the sh further astern, but she broken water was el alongside hips. Soundings were taken over the stero, in 7 fathoms twater, and the ship almost immediately struck heavily on the rocks. The port cain ran out of the locker to the clinch, and then, it is supposed, broke away at the hawse-hole. The starboard chain still holding, though both were believed to have gone, brought the vessel uj after she had gone over when the foretopsail had to try and run her down through the islands. Took in sail and started pumping, the carpenter reporting 2ft. 8in. of water in the wells, and shortly afterwards Sit. Gin, The pumps were kept going till there was 7 or 8 feet of water inthe ship, when the crew knocked off to get the boats out. Both lifeboats were put out before anyone left ti and then the captain ordered the second mate to take charge of one, and to stand by till the other was ready. Finding it possible, however, to keep against the sea and current, which was driving the boat among the breakers, he bore away, and landed on Raffles' Island. 'The other boat was still hanging astern, with all her crew in her, except the captain, chief officer, and' carpenter. After these had found' there was nothing more to be done, and that the ship must very soon sink, they also embarked, but the chief officer wished to go back for his sextant. He had no sooner done so
down hows foremost, gradually sinking, than the ship pitched heavily and while the mate, who jumped off the ta mil, could not be seen. As he was a Gisturbed state of the water, caused by the ood swimmer, it seems probable that the
sinking vessel, overcome all his efforts to rise. The boat's painter was cut to free her from the sinking ship, and she was pulled ronnd the place, in the hope that the mate might be picked up, but without fi him. It was only after the ship went down that the second boat went away, and made for Chasney Island, where the crew landed. When the 2nd officer got on shore, he walked to the top of the island, and witnessed the ship go down head foremost about noon on the 23rd. By report from the natives they heard steamer approaching, and this eventually turned out to be a Chinese, gunboat, which anchored under the lee of the i An officer from that vessel Janded and kindly offered to receive them on board, an offer of which the captain and crew gladly availed themselves, and they all embarked in a fishing boat, which they chartered to convey them to the steamer for the modest sum of §12, During their stay on the island, repeated requests were made by the captain to the natives to take him off to the wreck, to see if anything could be saved,: butifall to no purpose, as they pleaded that the weather would not admit of any such undertaking, but notwithstanding this, large portions of the wreck were seen by themonthebeachdrying. ' opcesin the heavens, These the lecturer When last seen from the island, on'Monday afternoon, the lower yards of the ship were just visible, and several fishing boats were javering roand the spot. The Chinese steamer, with the captain and crew of the ill-fated' vessel, left Parker's Group about 2am. yesterday, and arrived in Shanghai at noon. 'The Captain reported his case at the British Consulate, and the crew, who had managed to save an extra suit or two, removed to the Sailors' Home, where they were well cared for, and provided with all necessaries. The only life lost was that of the Chief Officer, Mr. J. 8. Shires, The wreck is said to be on the N.W. point of the Raffles, close to where a light-Vessel was lost in 1869.
We understand that the Chinese gunboat No. 3, which took the crew of the Tonbridge up to Shanghai yesterday, returns this morning at daylight with Captain Pizzey, and Mr. Henderson, Chief Engineer to the Mr. Tucker, Surveyor for Lloyd's Register,
Customs, in order to see what can be done in the way of salving cargo, the expense being guaranteed by the underwriters. The crew, numbering 19, exclusive of the Captain, and also of the chief officer lost, have stated their circumstances at the Shipping Office of B. M. Consulate, Most of the men have saved little or nothing in the way of clothing, contributions of which for their benefit will be received at the Sailors' Home.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.