1855 H.M.S. Conqueror

LOSS OF THE CONQUEROR

A BRIEF announcement was made last week of the loss of her Majesty's ship Conqueror on Rum Cayo, Bahamas, on the 13th of December last. Happily, no lives were lost. The Bahama or Lucayo Islands are a group of 500 isles and islets-the latter called Cayos, or Keys - in the Atlantic, comprised in the West Indies, and belonging to Great Britain. They stretch in a north-westerly direction from the north side of San Domingo to the coast of East Florida.

Further particulars of the loss of the Conqueror are given in the following letter which has been received from one of her crew by a resident in Dover: -

Rum Cayo Islands, in the Bahamas, Jan. 1.

One of the finest screw line-of-battle ships in her Majesty's service - the Conqueror, 101 guns-three days ago in the highest state of discipline and preparation for war, with nearly 1400 persons on board, is now a useless wreck. Luckily, the weather is tolerably fine, or we should have fared badly, the current having sent us twenty miles out of our reckoning. We ran ashore on a coral reef, and, in spite of all out exertions, there she lies - the water up to the lower-deck, her sides bilged in, and her back broken. We have sent a boat to Nassau, and another (in which this is to be sent) sails to-morrow morning at daybreak for Jamaica, in time, I hope, to save this mail. We are all ashore now, with the exception of the Commander, one midshipman, and ten men. We have all been working hard to get the provisions ashore, and shall be able to save al out gear (private I mean), with the exception of our ale and wine, all of which the Captain saw hove overboard, himself lending a hand. The spirits in the spirit-room, wine, and c., were next broached and started over, and all hands set work clearing the ship. I have no time at present to say much, as it is very late, and this is the third night that I have passed without sleep-the first two of which were passed in the open air, on deck. All hands are saved. EDWARD P. WILLIAMS

Our Engraving of the Conqueror and group of Portraits of her officers, are from photographs by Groom and Co., of Plymouth and Exeter.

H.M.S. Description 1

H.M.S. Description 2