The American whale ship Alert, Captain Middleton, arrived last week at the Bay of Islands, having as passengers the officers and crew of the American whaler Delphos, Captain West, who purpose (sic) obtaining relief from the Consulate of the United States at this port.

The following statement was forwarded to the American Consul :

Ship Alert,
Bay of Islands,
Nov. 26, 1846.

On the 6th instant we made Palmerston's Island, and stood in for the purpose of procuring fresh recruits, if possible. While approaching the island a boat came off to as, containing part of the crew of the ship Delphos, of Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, who were wrecked there ten days previous. The particulars of the disaster are thus given by the master and officers.

On the morning of the 27th October, in the midst of a violent squall of wind and rain, breakers were discovered at a short distance on the lee bow. The order was instantly given to " veer ship ; " the helm placed hard up - mizen top-sail haulyards let go, and yards trimmed and she had already got the wind upon her quarter, and had begun to breast the waves, when she touched lightly aft. Her fate was sealed - in a moment more she struck heavily amidship, and in five minutes was shattered into a thousand fragments.

By almost a miracle all but two of the crew were saved. When she struck, she rolled bulwarks under towards the reef. By the returning wave she rolled outboard with her masts underwater, and so remained when the crew clambered over upon the side which lay out of water, and which offered some protection from he waves.

The next sea which struck her stove in her decks, and partially broke up her stern, and a succeeding one detached the side entire to which they were clinging, and threw it with them upon the reef. Thankful for their preservation thus far ; their situation was now far from enviable. No land was to be seen, and there was much reason to suppose they were on a simple reef in the mid ocean, the boats were all stove, and even had they been sea worthy, they were destitute of the instruments necessary to direct their course, as well as the provisions necessary to sustain their crews in their passage to the nearest land. The morning light, however, dissipated their fears in this respect, revealing the land at the distance of about four miles, to which they were able to proceed on the reef. New Zealand

(From the New Zealander, December 3.)

SG & SGTL ; Vol 4 ; Page 16.

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