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From Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser, 1st January 1857.
SHIPWRECK AND EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE OF THE CAPTAIN - A letter from Falmouth announces the total loss of the brig Ritson of Maryport, which left Liverpool on the 26th ult. for Barbadoes, with a general cargo. She was a brig of 237 tons, and had a crew of seven hands on board, one of whom was drowned. The brig foundered on the 15th instant, having met with a hurricane, attended with a very heavy sea, which, on the 13th, started the stern, and did other damage, so that on the 15th the crew could no longer keep her afloat, and she foundered. The damage was done in lat. 45 44N. long. 10 44 W. Captain Colzier went down with the vessel to a great depth, and was on her when she blew up with tremendous force, but happily he rose again, and was saved by a spar which came up from the bottom with extreme velocity, so as to rise 45 feet above the surface of the sea. The crew got away in boats and were picked up by a Dutch vessel.The Ritson was built at Maryport by Isaac Middleton in 1828, and in 1840 was described as a snow in the shipping register (see Source 2). A snow differs from a brig by having a square mainsail. In 1840 she was owned by John Ritson & Co. and her master was named as Samuel Johnston.
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