The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-21 00:00:00

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The Steamship City of liggivi.-, , ..-•Z
QUEENSTO ?
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All the efforts made to raise this v 34YrntrrLatt.s'7.-, "%r •
s
rock on which she ran, in completing herbs meiebrd
voyage on March 29, have proved insufficient to
avert her destruction. There seemed at first to be

very fair grounds for anticipating a successful re-
sult. For the 16 days after her striking the watt- .

ther proved singularly propitious. During a period
when London was visited by heavy sou.th-western.
gales, and while the homeward bound Atlantic ships
were delayed to an extent almost unprecedented by
easterly gales, there was but one period during
which the sea on Daunt'a Rock was sufficient to
prevent tug steiemeis and other craft from going
alongside the vvrLeked vessel, and that but ot very
short duration. The position of the vessel herself
was considered on the whole favourable. Amidships
she lay on a flattish ridge of tee rock, iI. about 15
fret of water, her fore end after parts bring free a '::t1
in w .r of more than ample depth to float her
Toe irjoriss to her bottom, os asc«-rtained by the
divers, were very extensive. The middle compart-
ment was hopelessly broken, the bottom of the
fore compartment was ripped for a length of about
35 feet, while the after compartment was almost
free from damage. The preparations for lifting hex
were apparently made under the impression that
sufficient buoyancy could be given to the vessel
within, and that much external aid was unnecessary.
For the discharging of the cargo about 120 labour-
ers were brought from Liverpool ; a number of
powerful tugs were also brought over, partly to
carry off the cargo and partly to assist in lifting,
and a batch of 'about 50 ship carpenters came to
perform the work necessary on board the ship. By
the Bth of April it was considered all preparations
were sufficiently advanced to make the attempt at
lifting. All the cargo, with the exception of about
120 tons of bacon in boxes, had t
been got outs
Below the 'tween decks a quantity of empty bar-
rels had been placed, while the deck itself was
strengthened by means of planking and shores
attached to the upper deck. As the after com-
partment could be easily freed of water, it was hoped
that by keeping empty the space in the fore part
the vessel would gain great buoyancy, and that she
would, with the further help of two lumps, or decked
barges, placed at either tide of the bow, rise suffi-
ciently to be beached at some safe spot within the
harbour. The weight of the vessel's hull and machi-
nery was estimated at about 2,000 tons. It is scarcely
surprising now that the means taken were found is -
sufficient. At low water the pumps were set to work.
The after compartment was easily kept clear, but
there was not quite so much success in the fore part.
All efforts failed to prevent a considerable quantity
of water from oozing through the lower deck, and.
at a somewhat critical period the principal pump
employed gave. Still, as the tide rose and the lumps
alongside strained upon the ship, she was seen to
sway a little, and at last she did 'move upwards an
almost imperceptible something. At this moment an.
order was given for the tugs to drag her off by the
stern. Fortunately, as it subsequently proved, their
united power was insufficient to stir the ship an inch.
llad they succeeded in pulling her from the rock,
there can scarcely be a shadow of doubt that sho
would have gone dowri bodily with about 100 per-
sons on board, tor, is she lifted, and the efforts of the
tugs to dreg were going forward, the chain passed
under her bottom from the lumps broke with the
enormous weight which depended on that one point,
and she settled down again into her old position.
Oa the next day another slight attempt was made
to raise her with the same appliances, but it had be..
come apparent that they were utterly inadequate.

It was then determined that the barrels in the fore
compartment b ho u 1 d be replaced by caissons of wood,
which would fill the space more completely, and
that some of the dismantled hulks about the harbour „
should be brought in aid of the pumps. Precious
time had, however, been lost. The high spring tide
had begun to slacken, and at length the weather
broke. On Thursday last, sixteen days after the
striking of the ship, it came on to blow strongly
from the southward. The high sea during the
night lifted awl shook the vessel. Wl,eri she first
ran upon the rock she lay as straight on her keel
as in a graving dock ; a pendulum on board
showed a nearly perfect perpendicular. But after
the sea of Thursday night she launched to starboard
to the extent of 45 degrees. It gradually became
evident that she was bi'gA, and would not last very
long, especially if there were any heavy weather.
Even at low water the sea was over her starboazd
topgallantzail, and at high fiaod the greater part of
her hurricane deck we s covered. Orders which had
been given to the local shipbuilding yards for the
construction of caissons were countermanded, and
the last batch of workmen were cent back to Liver-
pool on Sunday morning. Some renewed hopes ap-
pears to have occurred to the parties in charge, as
the orders for the caesions were subsequently re-
newed ; but the weather of yesterday must have
effectually dissipated these notions. Throughout
yesterday a strong wind from S S.W. prevailed,
which towards nightfall refreshened to a gale, and.
this morning the sea was very heavy. In the fore-
noon the ship was observed to be lying nearly on
her beam ends, the waves making a complete breach
over her, and the foremast evidently going over the
side, At noon she suddenly broke in two, between
the main and mizenmasts just at the entrance to her
principal saloon. The mainmast and all the centre
compartments disappeared; for about two or three
hours after the foremost was visible; the foremost

then went; there was still a visible portion of the
port quarter, but about 6 p.m. there was nothing
to be seen above water but the upper part of the
mizenmast. The sea between Daunt's Rock and
the harbour's mouth was covered with drift from
the wreck, consisting of parts of her deckhouse,
bulwarks, and internal fittings. Captain Kennedy,
who remained on board the ship as long as it was
posibl- to find It safe spot in her, and subsequently
stood 1)~ hFr in a tugboat, this evening came in to
Queen town.