The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-15 00:00:00

A FEARFUL ATLANTIC VOYAGE.

A few days ago much tineasintsa was felt for the
/safety of the Guion Company's splendid steamer Ne-
braska, which was several days overdue, with the mails,
passengers, and a cargo conmating of $0 488 bushels of
wheat, 434 bales of cotton, and 58,3001b5. of cheese
from New York. The ship has since reached the
Mereey. after nue of the most eventful voyages on re-
cord. The following account of the passage will be
read with interest, as showing the narrow escape the
ship had from a fate such as that which befell the Lon-
don or the Ama:on

The Nebraska, James Guard, commander, sailed from
New York on the morning of Friday, the 16th September, at
ten O'clock am ,discharged her pilot at noon, same day, off
Sandy Ronk. All were in Rood spirits on board until the
evening of Sunday, the 18'h nit , about eleven o'clock, when
there arose a very strong breeze from the southeast the
prevailing wind since leaving New York), with a very
heavy swell from the south-vest. At midnight the wind
greatly Increased In force, but still all had every con-
nrience in the ship and her commander. About two
o'clock on the morning of Monday, the 19h. the wind
had increased to a terrific gale from the ESE to 8.6,
with very heavy squalls of wind and rain, and a tre-
mendous sea, the vessel shipping large imaritities of
water on deck. No words could adequately describe the
terrible force of the gale, or the angry nature of the sea
at this time. All due precaution, however, had Ixen
taken before this to prevent the water from forcing itself
Into the engine-room, stoke-hole, or any part of the ship
under the main deck. Every moment increased the strength
of the wind and sea; nearly all the sails were rendered use-
less in a few seconds, the ship rolling very heavily at the
time, and shipping much water. At six am, the gale was
still increasing, and the sea breaking over the bridge
deck; and at seven am. the chief engineer reported to
the captain that the engine-room and stoke-hole were feet
filling with water, and that it was utterly impossible to
get it out, owing to thy cargo commencing to shift and
the ship beginning to Ilst. More dlsaatrotm news could
not come to the ears of a commander of a steamship, and
he at once tried to get her on the port tack, bat It WAS
Impossible. At eight am., the gale still Increasing, with a
heavy sea breaking over the ship from stem to stern, and
with such force aft as to burst open the saloon doors and
snap the strong iron bars which secured the same. as if
they hal been so many pipe-stems, and lloodlnir the saloon
with water. Every roll the vessel gave the quantity of water
she took on board was something IrightfuL At eleven am.
the cargo shifted to a much greater extent than before,
heaving the ship down on her port side, with lee deck under
water, It still blowing • heavy gale, and the sea coming on
board with such terrible force, making a clean breach over
the ship, filling the engine-room and stoke-hole with
water, and putting all the fires out In the furnaces,
washing away port lifeboats 1.4 os. 4,6, and 8, topgallant mast,
bulwarks fore and aft, lamp.room, boatswain and car-
penter's room, steerage water-closets, and every moveable
thing on deck.
The wind now suddenly shifted to north-west, blowing
terrifically, the vessel continually shipping great quantities
of water, sea after sea striking her with such force as to
make one think It impossible for any ship to withstand any
one of the shocks. The Reliant vessel was now at the mercy
of the wind and waves, and too well could those on board
realise the lons of the 11l fated Londol,
To add to the already numerous dimdere, the most terrible
of all cries on board ship arose—" Fire V On examination
It proved to be the woodwork behind the boiler on the star-
board side, the boilera haring become se heated as to ignite
the casings. The chief engineer, with one of the firemen, in
attempting to get the fire hose along, was thrown against r
sweptthe a(ter steam
alongwinc
the
alley-ways
fracturedwt
between
nl e arts
the
c ;k anotherus
sea
and he was picked up quite Insensible. la being restored by
the surgeon, he resunied his duty, though suffering great pain.
The hose having been promptly int on, the fire in a abort
time was suppoaed to have been extinguished.
During all this try lug time the captain, in giving his
orders, was IA cool and quick RS any man could be, thus
giving confidence to all around him. Towards midnight
the wind moderated, but the vessel still shipped immense
quantities of water, which washed away portions of the
woodwork on deck.

on the morning of Tuesday, the 20th, the wind was strong
and a tremendous sea running ; the ship still on her beam-
ends ; every one on board (including captain and officers)
were employed trimming cargo, and getting the water out
of the engine-room and itokeihole. About eleven aim •
fearful cry arose that the ship was again on tiro It proved to
be only too true, and of a terrible nature. The coals in the
bunker. on the starboard side being In • perfect blase, orders
were Immeolately given for the ereilose to be played on the
burning mass, but the water was so high in the engine-room
that the engineers could not get steam on the donkey engine.
The decks were torn up in several places on the starboard
side to gain admittance to the fire, and the hand-pump was
brought into requisition, and fire-buckets were passed
rapidly from band to hand. The position of the
ship can be well understood when it is considered
that the supply of water for the bsicketa was
got from the lee side of the deck, officers and all hands work-
ing for hours without rest or intermiesion. The panic among
the passengers was at one time very great. The conduct of
the captain and his r ffi-era was beyond all praise. The chief
officer seriously hijured himself by falling on an axe, severely
cutting his right arm, but after being dressed by the surgeon
was as prompt and energetic AS before. The smoke from the
tire was ef ao suffocating a nature that the men could hardly
withstand it for more than two or three minutes at • time,
Ind being cheered and led on by the example of Captain
Guard and officers they worked well. Captain fluent,
at great risk of his life, made his way forward to the tire,
and having exerted himself below for a few minute.,
came up again on deck, almost suffocated. Oa being
remonstrated with before going down, he replied In his
quaint way, " Ah, it is all very well," and immediately
ordered fresh apertures to be made In the deck in order to
work with greater facility at the fire, all hands, without dis-
tinction, carrying water to try and extinguish the tames.
MI on board now fully expected that they would have to
take to the remaining boats for safety. The purser, pro-
per, d for every contingency, had ordered provirdons to be
got up ready from the store-room for this last desperate re•
arce the vessel being then 673 miles from New York), but
animated by the captain and officers, the crew renewed
their turttotis, the passengers doing all in their power to
assist, and after several hours of hard labour the fire was ex-
tinguished. All hands were then ordered down to trim
ear to and get the water out of the engine-room. Towards
the wind calmed lOWA, but atilt there was the
same heavy sea. Being still unable to get steam on the don-
key-engine to pomp the water out the work was done by
hand the night through without intermission, part of the
crew at the sante time trimming the cargo to get the ship
upright.
-

About eight o'clock In the morning of the 21st a four.
masted steamer, bound week distant about six miles, was
lighted, and the crew went art to the captain, wed asked