The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-10-11 00:00:00

pum.4DELpfrf,f, AVOUST 17.

SHIP CORNU.IA.

EXTRACT OP A LETTER PROM CAPTAIN SLIM, TO
A GENTLEMAN IN TNIS CITY, DATED AIIIP

LAST, AT SLA, JULY 12

" Ere you receive this, in all probability you will
heir of the I”ss of the ship Curnr4,r, v;i7 New York.
I his melancholy, arid most singular circumstance
took place in the following manner ; July 1 I, at 11
p. a( in lat. 46. long 40, the ship under full sail,
with a f-air wind, going about seven knots, she struck
on what I suppose to be a vessel bottom up, with
such violence, that it was some time before she
could recover herself. We immediately applied
the pumps, and landing sufficient employ for them,
we cleared away the fore peak, by throwing the
staves overboard, and to our utter astonishment
found the stern started, and several of the hoods-
ends opened, so as to admit of several thicknesses of
blanket. It now being four o'clock, we discovere.l
the gripe carried away, hanging by some of the
lower bolts only, and after five hours very hard pump-
ing, found four feet water in the hold. All those
circumstances comprised together rendered our si-
tuation at once hopeless and deplorable, and all
our exertions to stop the leak of no effed. We now
employed some hands in preparing the boats, and in
making every necessary arrangement as the last al-
ternative for our preservation. At ten o'clock, the
people, after all their exertions at the pumps, find-
ing six feet water in the hold, began to be dis-
heartened and low spirited ; but to our extreme joy
and satisfaaion, two ships were descried from the
mast head, which gave us all new life and spirits
(the people being reanimated, plyed the pumps with
great alacrity) ; but they being a great distance to
windward, and bound to the westward, it was 2p.m.
before they came up with us; we then had eight feet
water in the hold: they proved to be theSduth Carolina,
Capt. Steele, bound for New York, and the Vigilant,
bound for Portland : Captain Steele having a great
number of passengers on board, we concluded to go
on board the Vigilant, Capt. Prentiss. I feel my-
self much indebted to those gentlemen for their
prompt and humane assistance, and also to Mr. Bai-
ley, a gentlemen passenger on board the Synth Ce-
ram& who, in a very handsome manner, came en
board, and made us a tender of part of his accom-
modations. Captain Steele staid by us till 7 o'clock ;
by this time we had got most of our provisions and
water on board the Vigilant, and when die South
Carolina left us. the water was up even with the
lower deck; we were employed till nine o'clock,
in getting our baggage, stores, &c. out of the
ship, and Captain Prentiss being willing to stay till
morning in hopes of saving somnliing of conse-
quence, we all went on board the Vigilant, fourteen
in number, and left the Cereelra, with her lower
deck under water. Early the next morning the
boats-returned to tile ship, aim; -,ur.d Ler full of
water. It now blowing fresh from the S. W. and
the ship lying over very much, the boats were or-
dered to leave her. Therefore all our endeavours
to rave something from the general wreck pr .ved
abortive. At half-past eight o clock, a. m. I had the
extreme mortification to see her capsize and carry
away her masts—in that situation the Vldant made
sail and left her. Thus fell the good ship Coemeha,
by an accident, which all human prudence could not
foresee, nor human assistance prevent."
Captain Bliss adds, that he hopes, in the course of
a few days, to meet a vessel for England, in which
be proposes to embark and accompany Messrs.
Marro and Clifton (passengers with him is the Cor-
nelia), and when arrived, intends chartering a vessel,
and expeas to be home in good time.