An item reported what happened on 14 January when the British transport Warren Hasting was wrecked on the coast of Réunion at 02.30 o’clock when it was dark and heavy raining.(1) There were 1,230 men, woman and children on board, the latter part of the households of the soldiers. Immediately after she stranded went every men to the deck but the soldiers were ordered to go back to the cargo hold and to wait there in in line. The heavy surf made it impossible to use the boats so an officer land on the rocks which was the only way to disembark everyone. At 04.00 o’clock was started with the landing. The intention to wait for the women and children until daylight could not be executed while the ship was slowly capsizing. At 05.00 o’clock made the deck a corner of 50 degrees with the surface. Everyone who could swim went into the water taken lines with them making it possible for others to come safe at land which was completed at 05.30 o’clock. Just two native servants were killed.
Note
1. An article titled ‘Letter from lance-Sergeant Alfred Addyman’ can be found via the following link http://www.krrcassociation.com/archives/warren_hastings_a_letter_home.pdf. On this website is a second article available dealing with this disaster, http://www.krrcassociation.com/archives/warren_hastings.pdf
