The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-15 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE MAIL STEAMSHIP
AMERICAN.

We extract the following account of the disaster from The
Tines of Monday :

"Intelligence was received on Saturday, by tele-
grams from Madeira, of the foundering at sea on the
23rd of April of the Union Company's Royal Mail
steamship American, Captain A. M. Wait, which left
Southavipton on the Bth ult. and Plymouth on the
9th, with the Cape of Good Hope and Natal mails.

"It appears that the stern shaft of the American
broke on the morning of the 23rd, and the vessel
foundered at twenty minutes past noon the same day.
Every soul on board left the ship safely in eight boats.
On the evtning of the 25th three of the boats—the
steamer's second lifeboat and forth and sixth cutters
—under charge respectively of the first and third
officers and boatswain, containing in all fifty-four
persons, were picked up by the British and African
Company's steamship Congo, from which vessel they
were landed at Madeira on Saturday morning. The
other five boats when last seen were making for Cape
Palmas. The weather was fine at the time.

"In regard to the cause of the steamer foundering,
it is supposed that the shaft in breaking rent asunder
the stern tube carrying away the after-part of the
watertight tunnel with it, which would allow a greater
quantity of water to enter the aftee-hold of the ship
than could be kept under by the auxiliary pumps.
Although the loss of property is great by the destruc-
tion of this fine ship and her valuable cargo, it is an
illustration of the admirable equipment and discipline
of an English mail steamer that all the passengers,
numbering 58, and the large crew of 76—or a total of
134 persons—were safely taken off the sinking steamer
in her own boats, which were evideßtly in full readi-
ness for such an emergency.
"The loss of the American is the most serious dis-
aster which has occurred to the Union Steamship Com-
pany's fleet since the European, on her way from
South Africa to this country, sank near Ushant on the
sth of December, 1877. On that occasion no lives were
lost; all the passengers and crew were saved by the
ship's boats. The Union Steamship Company carry
the mails between England and the Cape in conjunc-
tion with the Castle Packet Company. The American
was an iron vessel, but had five bulkheads, which
should have divided her into seven watertight com-
partments. She was built in 1873, her gross tonnage
being 2,126 and net tonnage 1,357. She was 320 ft.
long and 34ft. beam, her depth being 19ft. 7in., or
25ft. lin. -reckoned from the main of her two
decks proper or the spar deck. She was built by
Messrs, Stephen and Co., of Dundee, seven years ago,
at which time Messrs. Gourlay, Brothers, and Ce.,
of the same port, put in her two. compound engines
inverted direct action of 320-horse power, the diameter
of the cylinders and the length of stroke respectively
being 45 and 78-48 inches. The machinery was
certified, the anchors and chains proved at a public
machine and the ship of the highest class, although
not so large or swift as the latest built boats of
the great limited company to which she belonged.
She was registered at Southampton, from which port
these steamers sail, calling at Plymouth, while the
alternative steamers belonging to the Castle Packets
Company (better known by the name of Donald
Currie and Co., by. whom the line was established)
sail from London, calling at Dartmouth. The
American was built under special survey; her official
number was 68,822."

The secretary of the Union Steamship Company,
in a letter to The Tinres, says :—" The spot where the
ship foundered was about 250 miles to the south-west of
Cape Palmas, in the track of vessels trading on the Afri-
can coast; so that little apprehension forthe safety of the
remaining five boats need be entertained. A further
telegram from Madeira states that from the move-
ments of the West African steamers the agents believe
that the five boats from the American which have not
yet been picked 1.11) are in safety." ••