Gold and silver specie from Chile lost on the Irish coast

Intelligence has been received of another most disastrous wreck on the south-west coast of Ireland, by which the loss of nine lives has been caused and property to a very considerable amount destroyed.   

The "Lady Charlotte", which sailed from Callao on the 1st of July, 1838, and laden with a valuable cargo, had struck on the rocks at the entrance of Long Island Harbour, at the bottom of the bay, in very thick weather, at 4 o’clock in the morning, on the 22nd of October.

The Captain, John Burton Gill, and eight persons perished.

One of the crew, John Waddington, only survived and it appears that he had been upon the rocks upwards of nine hours before any assistance could be rendered to him.

The "Lady Charlotte", is reported to be in two to three fathoms of water and it is hoped that some of her cargo consisting of wool, hides etc… and a large quantity of goods shipped by the Consul at Bolivia, may be recovered.

She is wrecked on the Barrels rocks, about six miles to the north west of Cap Clear, on her voyage from Lima to Liverpool, conveying a large freight of specie when she ran on shore and went into a thousand of pieces within two minutes of her striking the rocks.

Captains Reeves and Mackie were dispatched from London and Liverpool to take charge of the property on the part of the underwriters. On arriving at the wreck, they found her remains guarded by Captain Carter of Her Majesty’ revenue cutter at Long Island, under the command of Lieutenant Baldwin.

The spot were the specie lay was discovered about 24 feet below the surface of the water, over the sea rolled with great violence, but, notwithstanding, the boast of the cutter and coastguard hooked up about 36.000 dollars and seven large plates of silver of 1 cwt each.

In a few days afterwards, Messrs. Deane, Edwards and Davy, with their diving apparatus, arrived in their vessels and were immediately employed by Messrs. Mackie and Reeves, and as the weather has much improved, they have succeeded in raising a large quantity of treasure to the amount of £ 70.000 sterling, in gold, dollars, silver bars, broken silver and several sacks of silver ore, from the £ 115.000 supposed to be on board…