The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-02 00:00:00

THE WRECK OP THE STEAMER IBIS.

On Saturday the Marine Department of the Board
of Trade received the sworn depositions of the late Com-
mander, Captain Richard Holland, of the Ibis steamer,
relative to the total loss of that steamer on the Irish
coast, as follows was master of the Ibis screw-
steamer. She was 608 tons register, and was owned by
the Cork Steam Shipping Company. Was three-masted,
schooner rigged, and was built of iron in 1860. Her crew
consisted of 24 hands all told. She left London for Cork
on the 18th of December' with 16 passeegere and a general
cargo of goods. Passed the Longships bearing E. at 1.15
am. on Wednesday, the 20th, all well. Kept
along the west course at an average speed of nine
and • half knots per hour ; a strong breeze from
the S.S.W., thick, and foggy occasionally. At 2 p.m.
the same day weather cleared • little. Made Ballycottow
Lighthouse about three points on the port bow, and Cable
island on the starboard bow, distant from about ten to
twelve miles. Hauled the ship up W.N.W. It then came
on thick and hazy weather. Stood on that course till about
three p.m., when we made the loom of the land, Mere-
'leen Bay. I altered the ship's course to N.W. and by W.
to try and make out Poor Head, the weather still being
thick, knowing that this course would take me about half a
mile to the southward of Poor Head. The ship was going
at full speed, with all sails set. Immediately atter we had
altered the course the after crank-pin of the after engine
broke short off. I tried to bring the vessel to the wind by
lowering the foresail down. She lost her way immediately
on account of the sea being so heavy. I immediately went to
the engine.room with the first engineer, whom I met
coming up for me. I asked him what was the matter. He
told me the after crank-pin was gone. He asked me to put
my hand upon it, which I did, and found it quite 000 L I
returned immediately upon deck, and found the ship had
fell off in the trough of the We and not answering her helm.
Finding the vessel drifted towards the land, 1 ordered the
after sails to be taken in and the 'niche,' to be got ready.
Kept the lead going, and found the ship in 10 fathoms
water. L-t go the port anchor and brought the ship round
heed to wind. I immediately let go the second anchor,
paid oat 65 fathoms of chain on the port and 45 fathoms of
chain on the starboard anchors, the ship at the time being
about one mile and a-half from the breakers on the shore.
The gale increased with a heavy sea, immediately on the
breaking down of the machinery. 1 hoisted ensign union
down, and signalled "machinery damaged," lowered a boat
down with the second officer and three men in her, and
attempted to communicate with the shore. On the re-
, turn of the boat the officer told ore he had been ordered
not to land by the coastguard. Kept the lead over the
ship's side with a man to attend to it, with orders to re-
!, port to me if we had shoal water. I occasionally attended
to it myself. Between S and 9 p.m. I observed a steamer
coming round Poor Head bound east. I immediately sent
I up signal rockets, and burned blue lights, but the stranger
proceeded on her course. In the morning the sea was so
heavy she tautened the cable, and was riding very heavy.
I Between 8 and 9 a.m. the Sabrina steamer came close
I to as, and made several attempts to get a small line
! on board of us. Made two attempts to get a hawser on
board, but failed ; made a third attempt, which sec-
, ceeded—a nine and s-half inch hawser which hsd never
before been used or uncalled. We had a larger hawser
on hoard ready, about 15-inch, we generally use for tow.
lug ships, but which I was of opinion it was useless to
attempt to get out, the sea was so heavy. Finding the
&brio& had got the rope fast, and towing the Ibis off the
land, boding it quite impossible to heave up either of the
anchors, I slipped my starboard anchor; and finding the
I Sabrina still 'tanning good way on us, I slipped the
, other. I then went aft to the man at the wheel. Before
I hid got there the hawser broke. The vessel then fell
off towards the land. I ordered the boats to be lowered
from the davits, which had been ready all night. The
crew seemed horror-stricken. I gave orders for the
crew and passengers to get into the boats, ea I con-
• entered it was the only chance of saving their lives.
They all seemed afraid of going in the boats. At this
time the ship struck violently abaft the Julien Rock.
1 got into the boat with two of the crew to induce them
to follow my example, it being my intention, if they got
I into the boat, to pull fee the Sabrina, being apprehensive
, at the time if the ship forged over on the rock she would
go down immediately isto deep water. Immediately on
, my getting into the boat with two of the crew the steamer
, rolled over and filled with water, which prevented the pas-
, senors and crew getting int., her or our getting into the
shim Seeing the dingy floating a short distance from us,
I we got into her, and tried our utmost to reach the Sabrina,
1 which wag eland a quarter of a mile seaward of us ; bat
the two men becoming exhausted, we kept her away for
the shore. On reaching the surf As &au was tuned
arm; one msu and a:reelf contrived to mob the shuns,