One of the most fearful disasters of modern times occurred this evening on the river Thames at Woolwich. The Princess Alice, one of the largest saloon steamers of the London Steamboat Company, with six or seven hundred souls on board, left London about ten o'clock this morning for Gravesend and Sheerness, the fine weather tempting aboard many excursionists for their holiday trip. She left Gravesend on the return journey soon after six o'clock in the evening and arrived within sight of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich about eight when a large screw steamer said to be named the Bywell Castle, was seen approaching on the opposite course. The two steamers were near the middle of the stream just off the well-known City of London Gasworks at Beckton, and just below North Woolwich Gardens, almost the precise spot, in fact, where a fearful collision took place some ten years ago. What happened it is impossible accurately to detail. All that is known amid the maddening excitement is that the screw steamer struck the Princess Alice on the port side near the Sponson, and a scene which has no parallel on the river ensued. A few, very few, clambered on the other vessel ; nearly all rushed to the after part of the steamer as the bow subsided gradually under water. The shrieks were fearful, and nothing could be done to save life. There were a dozen or more lifebuoys on board, and some boats were swinging in the davits; but, even if they could be got at, what were they amongst so many The Princess Alice sank deeper and deeper, and within five minutes of the fatal blow she heeled completely over and sank in deep water. 

   Some small boats which happened to be near hastened to the dreadful scene; and the Duke of Teck, another steamer belonging to the same company, which was also on her passage up with a party of excursionists, made haste to the rescue; but the river for a hundred yards was full of drowning people, screaming in anguish and praying for help. The only coherent account your Correspondent was able to obtain came from a passenger on board the Duke of Teck— Mr. Warren Hawkes,† landlord of the Steam Packet, Woolwich, who, assisted by Mr. Plaisted, also of Woolwich, saved several of the passengers. Some half-dozen women, wrapped in blankets, before the fire in the Steam Packet kitchen, and about a dozen, who are supposed to have gone to their homes by rail, composed the full roll of survivors that I am able to account for; but the dead are being brought in—men, women, and little children. The board-room of the Steamboat Company, on Roff’s Wharf, is turned into a temporary mortuary, and the gas is lighted in the Town Hall to receive more of the ghastly tenants if need be. But even of the recovered dead there are not many—a score or so, all told. The floor of the scanty board-room is almost covered with the bodies as they lay wherever they are put down, for shells and stretchers are bringing them up from the Duke of Teck and the small boats. All the police of the town and the arsenal are helping in the work, laying the corpses in order, putting labels on their breasts, and doing all the little that there is to be done when all are impatient to do much. Outside the board-room window is a balcony, upon which lie, as in repose, the bodies of three or four little children mere— babies. The majority of the dead are women. A body has been identified, that of Joseph Freeman, the steward, who has been with the company all his life. The engineer was saved, but the captain, William Grinststead, and all or nearly all the remainder of his crew, are amongst the lost—in the dark river. Mr. Towse, the superintendent of the company’s fleet, was on board with his wife and five or six children, but he went on shore at Gravesend. The body of his wife is one of those brought lifeless to Woolwich, and there is too much cause to fear that all the children are drowned though a rumour prevails that one has been saved. Amongst the others supposed to be lost are Mr. John Hawkes (brother of the Mr. Hawkes aforesaid) and his wife, who were both on board the Princess Alice, and have not appeared. The officials at the Plumstead Workhouse made prompt preparation to render any help in their power, and half-naked survivors were about midnight taken in cabs to the infirmary. Doctors, police, parish officials, and others rendered aid, and the whole population of Woolwich seem congregated in the streets about the water—side eager to hear a scrap of news or gain a shade of comfort over the addition of one more to the list of saved. At North Woolwich Gardens, where the usual gay scene was in progress the news fell like black pall. Mr Holland at once stopped the music and dancing and the grounds were very rapidly cleared. A Lodge of Freemasons at the Henley Arms at once adjourned, and the most; intense feeling of sorrow, sympathy, and excitement prevails on all sides. 

   12.30——I have just learned that about twenty-five passengers were landed on the north side of the river near the Beckton Gasworks, and a few may have been picked up and carried on to London or Erith. I am afraid that, making all allowances, the loss of life must be set down at fully five hundred souls. 

   The following is the statement of the second steward:—My- name is William Alexander Law, living at 37, Wansey Street, Walworth Road. I was second steward on board  the Princess Alice. We left Gravesend at about  six o’clock. At the time of the col1ision I was in the saloon and there were about fifteen people there. The time I should say was about a quarter to eight. P.M., When I heard a crash. It was not very heavy the first time, and I said to the stewardess, “There’s some barge alongside,” when immediately there was another crash. I ran upon deck, amid, the confusion and screams of the passengers, I heard water rushing in below, and saw that we were sinking. I then rushed to the top of the saloon gangway and shouted, “Come on deck we are sinking.” The scene on board I shall never forget. I ran to a young lady with whom I was keeping company, and took her on my shoulder, being a good swimmer’ and jumped overboard, and swam  to the shore, but as I was going my poor girl slipped off my shoulders, or was dragged off, and I lost her, although I dived for her. I saw a gentleman (Mr. Talbot, of Forest Hill), who was sinking, and caught hold of him and held him till we were picked up. 

   In answer to inquiries Mr. Law said that the steamer that run them down went on. He saw hundreds in the water drowning, but could not help them. He thinks there were about seven hundred on board. One young woman, now at the work house, says that her baby was washed out of her arms, and that she has lost her husband and three little ones. One man reached the north shore with a 1ife-buoy round him. He states that he jumped overboard, after telling his wife to throw their children and jump after him, but he lost them all. At the Beckton Gasworks Mr. Trueby and Mr. Bush, the manager and assistant—manager, provided warm clothing and nourishment for the survivors, and, like the helpers in the town of Woolwich, did all that in them lay to restore animation to the lifeless bodies, all of whom had been too long immersed to give hope of restoration. Some of the living were, however, in such a prostrate condition that but, for the help they received they, too, must have been added to the long list of dead. 

The vessel which ran into the  Princess Alice was a screw collier going to the north, light in ballast, and she was in charge of a pilot named Dicks. Captain Grinstead was not seen after the accident, but he was observed at his post shortly before the collision. A large proportion of the passengers were on the upper or saloon deck, and must have seen beforehand their impending doom ; but those in the stern of the vessel had no warning until they heard the crash, and found the fore passengers running aft. Beyond the fact that the tide was about two hours ebb, which would enable the Princess Alice to ease and stop sooner than the screw, which would be borne on the tide, it is impossible to discover any of the circumstances immediately preceding the collision. Before the boats struck there were cries from one to the other to keep out of the way ; but as usual in such cases the accident is probably due to a misunderstanding, the one misinterpreting the intentions of the other. All the rules of sailing are cast to the winds in the moment of peril, each taking the wrong course to avoid each other’s blunder, and, like the meeting of two embarrassed pedestrians on the footpath, rushing into each other’s bosom.

†.  Mrs A. Hawkes-Archer a decendent of the Hawkes mentioned in the text above tells us that Mr Warren Hawkes should in fact be Mr Reuben Hawkes.