ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. [Jan. 



Court of Guernsey, to prohibit 

 the importation of French silks, 

 lace, &c. into that island. After 

 the order had been read in open 

 Court by the King's Treasurer, 

 the Court refused to register it, 

 alleging, that it militated against 

 the long established customs, 

 rights, and privileges of the 

 island ; that the islanders had 

 suffered great privations by the 

 abolition of smuggling ; and that 

 should the importation of silks 

 and lace be put a stop to, it 

 would reduce many to poverty 

 and distress. TJie Court further 

 ordered, that a humble represen- 

 tation should be made to the 

 Privy Council of all those cir- 

 cumstances, and praying that the 

 order might not be put in force 

 ill Guernsey. 



Aberdeen, Dec, 31. 



The following is a detail of the 

 melancholy fate of a part of tlie 

 crew of the brigantine Fidelity, 

 of this port, Captain Murray, as 

 contained in a letter from the 

 Agent for Lloyd's, dated Ler- 

 wick, Zetland, 21st December: — ■ 



" I received information, about 

 four o'clock yesterday afternoon, 

 that a- water-logged brig, belong- 

 ing to Aberdeen, was driven 

 ashore on the coast, between 

 Laxirith and Catfrith Voe. I 

 immediately proceeded to the 

 place, accompanied by Captain 

 Creaser, of the late brig Helmsley, 

 and Mr. James Craig of this 

 place ; on our arrival, we found 

 the vessel was the Fidelity, of 

 ■ Aberdeen, Alexander Murray 

 master, from Memel, ^vith a 

 cargo of timber and deals for 

 Liverpool ; that she had left 

 Memel 15 days before, and was 



proceeding on her passage, when 

 she was overtaken by a very heavy 

 gale, and a tremendous sea ; that 

 lying to, on Monday night, the 

 15th inst., she was struck with a 

 heavy wave, in consequence of 

 which she became very leaky, 

 when they were obliged to cut 

 away the mainmast, after which 

 they succeeded by great exer- 

 tion in keeping her before the 

 wind, till Wednesday night, when 

 she was struck again with two 

 very heavy seas, and immediately 

 became completely water-logged, 

 and the sea made free passage 

 over her, sweeping every thing 

 off the deck ; all hands were then 

 obliged to repair to the foretop, 

 where, in consequence of ex- 

 treme fatigue, hunger, and cold, 

 they all perished, except Captain 

 Murray, and James Spander, one 

 of the seamen. Besides the 

 ship's company, there were two 

 seamen passengers, who also 

 perished ; and the deck of the 

 vessel, having seven dead bodies 

 lying on it, exhibits a scene the 

 most deplorable that can be 

 imagined. Captain Murray had 

 been thirty hours in the fore-top, 

 without food, or even a great 

 coat to keep him warm ; yet he is 

 in good health, except that his 

 feet and hands are much swelled, 

 and the seaman is also tolerably 

 well. The vessel had drifted on 

 shore upon an exposed rocky 

 part of the coast, where the least 

 pulF of easterly or southerly wind 

 must have broke her to pieces, 

 had not immediate assistance 

 been given ; and I am most happy 

 to inform you, that not a moment 

 was lost in taking her out of this 

 dangerous situation, which we 

 succeeded 



