An Account of Sir Stafford Fairborne's Distress in the late Storm.
SIR,
Her Majesty's Ship Association, a second Rate of 96 Guns, commanded by Sir Stafford Fairborne, Vice-Admiral of the Red, and under him Captain Richard Canning, sailed from the Downs the 24th of November last, in Company with seven other Capital Ships, under the Command of the Honourable Sir Cloudesley Shovel, Admiral of the White, in their return from Leghorn up the River. They anchored that Night off of the Long-sand-head. The next Day struck Yards and Top-Masts. The 27th about three in the Morning, the Wind at West South West, encreased to a Hurricane, which drove the Association from her Anchors. The Night was exceeding dark, but what was more Dreadful, the Galloper, a very dangerous Sand, was under her Lee; so that she was in Danger of striking upon it, beyond the Power of Man to avoid it. Driving thus at the Mercy of the Waves, it pleased God, that about five a Clock she passed over the tail of the Galloper in seven Fathom of Water. The Sea boisterous and angry, all in a Foam, was ready to swallow her up; and the Ship received at that time a Sea on her Starboard-side, which beat over all, broke and washed several half Ports, and forced in the entering Port. She took in such a vast quantity of Water, that it kept her down upon her side, and every Body believ'd, that she could not have risen again, had not the Water been speedily let down into the hold by scuttling the Decks. During this Consternation two of the Lower-Gun-Deck-Ports were pressed open by this mighty weight of Water, the most hazardous Accident, next to touching the Ground, that could have happened to us. But the Port, that had been forced open, being readily secured by the Direction and Command of the Vice-Admiral, who, though much indisposed, was upon Deck all that time, prevented any farther Mischief. As the Ship still drove with the Wind, she was not long in this Shoal, (where it was impossible for any Ship to have lived at that time) but came into deeper Water, and then she had a smoother Sea. However the Hurricane did not abate, but rather seemed to gather Strength. For Words were no sooner uttered, but they were carried away by the Wind, so that although those upon Deck spoke loud and close to one another, yet they could not often distinguish what was said; and when they opened their Mouths, their Breath was almost taken away. Part of the Sprit Sail, tho' fast furled, was blown away from the Yard. A Ten-Oar-Boat, that was lashed on her Starboard-side, was often hove up by the Strength of the Wind, and over-set upon her Gun-Wale. We plainly saw the Wind skimming up the Water, as if it had been Sand, carrying it up into the Air, which was then so thick and gloomy, that Day light, which should have been comfortable to us, did, but make it appear more ghastly. The Sun by intervals peeped through the corner of a Cloud, but soon disappearing, gave us a more melancholick Prospect of the Weather. About 11 a Clock it dispersed the Clouds, and the Hurricane abated into a more moderate Storm, which drove us over to the Bank of Flanders, and thence along the Coast of Holland and Friesland to the entrance of the Elb, where the 4th of December we had almost as violent a Storm, as when we drove from our Anchors, the Wind at North West, driving us directly upon the Shoar. So that we must all have inevitably perished, had not God mercifully favoured us about 10 a Clock at night with a South West Wind, which gave us an opportunity to put to Sea. But being afterwards driven near the Coast of Norway, the Ship wanting Anchors and Cables, our Wood and Candles wholly expended; no Beer on Board, nor any thing else in lieu; every one reduced to one quart of Water per Day, the Men, who had been harrassed at Belle Isle; and in our Mediterranean Voyage, now jaded by the continual Fatigues of the Storms, falling sick every Day, the Vice-Admiral in this exigency thought it advisable to put into Gottenbourgh, the only Port where we could hope to be supplied. We arrived there the 11th of December, and having without lost of time got Anchors and Cables from Copenhagen, and Provisions from Gottenbourgh, we sailed thence the Third of January, with twelve Merchant Men under our Convoy, all loaden with Stores for her Majesty's Navy. The Eleventh following we prevented four French Privateers from taking four of our Store-Ships. At Night we anchored off the Long-Sand-Head. Weighed again the next Day, but soon came to an Anchor, because it was very hazy Weather. Here we rid against a violent Storm, which was like to have put us to Sea. But after three Days very bad Weather, we weighed and arrived to the Buoy of the Nore the 23d of January, having run very great Risks among the Sands. For we had not only contrary Winds, but also very tempestuous Winds. We lost 28 Men by Sickness, contracted by the Hardships which they endur'd in the bad Weather; and had not Sir Stafford Fairborne by his great care and diligence, got the Ship out of Gottenbourgh, and by that prevented her being frozen up, most part of the Sailers had perished afterwards by the severity of the Winter, which is intolerable Cold in those parts.
A LIST of such of Her Majesty's Ships, with their Commanders Names, as were cast away by the Violent Storm on Friday Night the 26th of November 1703. the Wind having been from the S.W. to W.S.W. and the Storm continuing from about Midnight to past Six in the Morning.
The Van Guard, a Second Rate, was over-set at Chatham, but no Men lost, the Ship not being fitted out.
Of the Damage to the Navy
This is a short but terrible Article, there was one Ship called the York, which was lost about 3 days before the great Storm off of Harwich, but most of the Men were saved.
The loss immediately sustain'd in the Royal Navy during the Storm, is included in the List hereunto annex'd, as appears from the Navy Books.
The damage done to the Ships that were sav'd, is past our Power to compute. The Admiral, Sir Cloudesley Shovel with the great Ships, had made sail but the day before out of the Downs, and were taken with the Storm as they lay at or near the Gunfleet, where they being well provided with Anchors and Cables, rid it out, tho' in great extremity, expecting death every minute.
The loss of small Vessels hir'd into the Service, and tending the Fleet, is not included in this, nor can well be, several such Vessels, and some with Soldiers on Board, being driven away to Sea, and never heard of more.