The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-12-13 00:00:00

—mouths,

SINKING of a PASSENGER STEAMER by

H.M.S. " BELLEROPHON."

By the arrival of the linguini at Liverpool, with the
captain and crew of the nteamer Flan:steed, detail.
have been received respecting the sinking of that vessel
after collision with her Majesty's ship Bellerophon.
The Flainsteed, which was one of the Liverpool, brezil,
and River Plate Steam Navigation Company's fleet, left
Liverpool for Madeira and Brazilian ports on the 12th
I November, under the command of Captain Brown, and
with • crew of 39 men. She had on board eleven pse.
iseugere, and carried a general cargo. Ste left 'Madeira
I on th.g. 21st November, and early in the morning of
the 2Th the Bellerophon was sighted abont three or
four mike abeam, arid to windward. The Belerophon
eignall.d to the Flagnateed, and hove tom order to obtain
communication with Mr, and accordingly the latter
vessel approached. When • short distance off a bolt
was seat from Bellorophon, and was taken in tow
by the Flanisteed. The vessels had by this time
approached each other, and the Bellerophon, critttng
to leeward, came broadside on to the passenger
steamer, the collision, however, being only slight
in its effect. The Flantsteed ported h r beim,
and endeavoured to get ,dear, but the Bellerophon
continued to drift to IPewani, anti again 0111110
1140 c Plision with her, this time in a somewhat ohs
Mine direction. It wee then fonud that the ram of the
man of war, which extruded 25 feet in advance ot her
how, bad struck the Firamerced at a depth of 14 fe,4
under ewer, making an imm use bri • di in the oeseers
side. Everything was done on he part of the crew of
to,, nest/feted aol the officers and crew of the Belero-
phen to save the vessel, but without auvvess, and it
became evident that he was in a sinking con-
dition. The psseengers and crew were thereu' on
transferred to the Bellerophon, Captain Brown being
the last to leave her, and the unfortunate steamer
went down stern foremost almost immediately after-
wards, about five hours after the collision. The
passengere wersconveyed to St. Vincent by the &Vero.
piton, where they remained, in order to proceed upon
their voyage by the first outward bound steamer,
and the crew were transferred to the Pacific Steam
Navigation Company's steamer /llimani. The value
if the vessel awl cargo is es, iinatdsd roughly at £lOO,OOO.
The vessel hermit was not insured, the company bah.l
their own underwriters. The Bdtcroplion was uuirjured
be the colhwon. The life.boet 01 the Flanisteed was
lowerwl immediately after the eervoui c and
tor k off the passengers to the Billerophon, aud the
boats of the latter rescued the crew of the stoking
etssmer. Whilst the two r.esela were al•proacoing
eat, other previous to the Mat cvrlision the man nit•
war's boat, which was In t ,w of the Flarristeed, got be-
tween them, and the men leaped into Or weer.
Fortunately the sea was couiparricely calm at the
time. the 1' la mated wan Struck on the port side &bat t
the malnmiurt.

THE INCREASE of RAILvJAY TRAFFIC
The steady increase of railway traffic during the last
fifteen years, in bad as in god times, is provtd by the
fl owing table just published by • contemporary of
high authority :
Increase on predout yean.
Amount. Moonlit. P• 2 Cent.
1869 ..... 24 741,000
18 0 ........ 27,7<.7 00
1861
29,126 ,09
11111 ........ 131.186,000
1884 ..... 34,01%0 0
181 s ........ 95.6110 000
1866 ..... 89,1. 4,. 00
1817 89,460,090 ..... 1,316,000
868 ........39,41 000
19/9 ...... 41 MAO)
1870
1871
1271