The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-10 00:00:00

FOUNDERINGS AT SEA.

Two lamentable cases of foundering at sea are re-
ported this week, and in each a vast loss of life is to
be deplored. Certainly, if huge vessels enjoy special
advantages, the risk is in proportion ; and if an acci-
dent happen, the loss of life and property is enor-
mous. In the case of the Central America, New
York steamer, reported this week, no less than 419
persons perished ; while the Russian liner, Lefort,
carried to the bottom 826 human beings. By these
two wrecks, occurring within a few days of each
other, upwards of 1.201) persons were drowned. This
loss of life is appalling. It surpasses the losses of
the bloodiest battle, and inflicts a more bitter re-
morse; for, in both the cases here reported, ordinary
care and precaution should have prevented the
calamity. Where is the advantage of these huge
ships, if they cannot withstand the fury of the winds,
and the raging of the waves ? The Central
America left Ilavannah on the Bth of September,
and in sixty hours she was a helpless wreck
drifting in the trough of the sea. The gale
appears to have set in on the 9th of September ;
the ship soon after sprang a leak, and the water
gained so rapidly that the boiler fires were put
out, and the ship fell into the trough of the sea.
An effort was made to reduce the amount of water.
The men were formed into baling parties, and did
their work manfully. When they tired, even the
women came forward to help the work of salvation.
Steam was again got up, and an effort was made to
rig the donkey engine so as to clear the hold. The
effort was temporarily successful, but the engines
(or the pumps) soon got out of order and ceased to
work. The sea all this time was running at a
fearful height and dashing against and over the help.
less vessel. Alter in vain attempting to again get up
steam—for it was got up only to be lost again for
ever—it was found that the water was hopelessly
gaining upon them in spite of all baling and pump-
ing, and in spite of all eflbrts to stop the leak. The
hold was by this time filled, and the water was in the
lower cabins—warm water, heated at times by the
boiler as the vessel careened over, so as to be almost
unbearable. The women and the children, driven
from their own cabin, had gathered in the men's
saloon. The rough California miners, who made a
large part of the passengers, and who at first had
gathered together their gold-dust, the savings of
years, and bound It about them in belts,
now dashed their gold upon the deck, and
prepared fur the struggle with death. On the
afternoon of Saturday, the 12th, when hope was
about departing, the brig Marino, of Boston, hove
in sight, and, although herself disabled by the
gale, rendered such assistance as she could.
'To the honour of human nature, those rough miners
stood peaceably by, while the women and children
were put Into the boats and transferred to the
Marine. The captain himself superintended the
lowering of the women into the boats. It is one of
the noblest examples of self-sacrifice on record, that
of these rough men, unused to restraint, and accus•
tomed to selfishness, permitting the helpless women
and children to be the first to pass from danger
to safety. When the last boat had gone with the
women, a terrific sea broke over the steamer. She
gave one rod, lurched lorward, and sank. Then
ensued a scene surpassing all the horrors of
shipwreck. The waves, as they rose and fell, re-
vealed a crowd of human heads. Those unfortunates
who had lost their lite-preservers or planks while
under water, owing to the force of the whirlpool,
were frantically awatchiag at the broken pieces of