The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-22 00:00:00

WRECK OF A LIVERPOOL STEAMER.

The boards at the Exchange News Room, Liverpool,
were covered on Saturday with notices of casualties,
extending over the whole of the western coast • but
the most serious of these was the announcement Of the
total wreck of the fine Liverpool steamer Cyprian,
which went ashore on the Carnarvonshire coast on
Friday night, two miles from the village of Plas
Nevin, and not far from Pwllheli. The Cyprian
sailed from Liverpool on Thursday with a crew of
27 hands all told, and under the command of Captain
John Alex. Strachan, bound for Genoa and other Medi-
terranean ports. The survivors are eight in number,
and include the second officer and the engineer.
The story of the disaster, as told by one of the sur-
vivors, is appalling, and shows that the catastrophe
was owing solely and entirely to the severe weather
which the steamer encountered after leaving the
Mersey.

It appears from the statement that the Cyprian left
the Mersey on Thursday afternoon with a general
cargo for Genoa, &c. At the time of starting a full
gale was blowing, which continued during the whole
of the day, though gradually increasing in strength
until a perfect hurricane was encountered. The vessel
made fair way at first, but shipped sew regularly.
In fact, her deck was never free from water. The
water shipped swept every moveable thing off the deck.
All whose duty was under cover never showed face on
deck. Indeed, the only deck that was tenantable
with any safety was the middle one, where the
bridge was situated.

The steamer laboured heavily until three o'clock on
Friday morning, when the first of the series of dis
asters which ended in her destruction took place. The
•
seas had been dashing against arid battering the
steamer's sides for many hours, and at three o'clock
the steering gear of the fore wheel-house gave way,
leaving the apparatus in the after wheel-house alone
available, and it was at once utilised to the best
advantage. Very shortly afterwards one of the boiler
tubes burst, and the water pouring on to the fire, put
it out.

Meanwhile the other boiler remained intact, and
gave sufficient steam for the propulsion of the steamer.
The engineers managed to make some temporary re-
pairs to the tube, but they were of little or no avail.
The steamer remained blttling with the elements for
about eight or ten hours.

When the first accident happened not one of the
crew had been to rest shoe the time when the steamer
sailed from the Mersey, and most of the men fully an-
ticipated that the vessel would be unable to weather
the terrrible storm. The engineer's boy endeavoured
to bring some water for the engines, having for this
purpose to go on deck. He had no sooner, appeared
on deck than he was caught by a wave whith had just
then come over the ship and hurled nearly the whole
length of the vessel. Curiously enough the little
fellow was scarcely injures! at all. The worst being
feared the steamer's boats were got ready and provi-
sions, whilst a compass was placed in one of them.
To launch them in such a sea was impossible, but
even had ' they been once pat on the water they
would most assuredly have capsized. By this time
most of the crew endeavoured to get on the bridge
deck, fearing the vessel would founder while they
were below. Shortly before five the tubes of both
boilers had burst, and put out both fires, so that no
steam could be got to work the engines. Whatever
hopes the crew had entertained of their vessel being
able to withstand the storm were now dissipated, and
the whole of the poor fellows endeavoured to prepare
for the worst. The captaini who had beeworf the