The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-29 00:00:00

I THE LATE COLLISION ON LAKE ERIE.
Some few weeks since it was reported that among
the number who found a watery grave by the colli-
sion between the Atlantic and the Propeller, on Lake
lErie, was Mrs. Cornwell, a sister of Elihu Burritt,
This, we are happy to say, is incorrect, as the follow-
ing deeply interesting letter, just received in London,
will satisfactorily prove :
" I awoke about five minutes previous to the con-
cussion which caused the destruction of so many un-
fortunate beings. I did not at first feel alarmed,
thinking that nothing serious had happened. My
room-mate, however, sprung out of her berth, and,
seizing me by the hand, inquired in a tone of terror
what could be the matter. I endeavoured to quiet
her, but soon perceived that some great change had
come over the boat. The machinery seemed to be
disabled, and was fast suspending its operations.
"The bell commenced tolling at this moment,
which indeed was a death-knell to many a poor soul.
I listened a moment, and there followed immediately
the most heart-rending cries from every part of the
boat Fire!' and We are sinking I' I arose from
my berth, and looking out of the window saw at
once thatate we m
o were
down rapidly. I then left
my t nothing with me but one
state-room,
ro takinggo i going
of those stools called life-preservers, expecting to test
its efficacy in a few moments. As I reached the
deck I witnessed a scene of which those who read
the newspaper accounts can form but a very faint
idea. Friends were embracing each other for the
last time—lips met lips that were in a few moments
cold in death. Those tones, so full of agony, are still
my ears, and will be remembered by me
ringingti I
in
human sorrow and suffering are forgotten. One
thought afforded me much comfort in this trying mo-
ment—that I had no friend with me ; I was glad
that all I loved were away. Scores of persons were
now overboard on my right hand and on my
left;j utrepng
wateri was too deep for me to remain longer
in the position I then occupied, and I made an at-
tempt to climb upon the hurricane deck, but fell
twice ; the third time I succeeded. When I reached
'this highest part of the boat I looked in every direc-
tionfor a light, but could discover none nearer than
any help nearer than from Him who
reigns above them. There seemed time but for the
one solemn thought, that here, beneath 30 fathoms
of water, far from friends or the green shore, I
was to find my last resting place. The veil that
the stars, stars, nor
separated me from the unseen world seemed already
turned aside for me to enter. A poor Ger-
man clung to me, and in broken accents begged me
pray for him.
to He was a wicked man,' he said,
and did not know how to pray.' I reminded him that
Our Father's
kneeling down at the helm.' I noticed a gentleman
by a cross beam. I went and knelt
aide, and put my arm through his as
dheow engagedn
prayer. The water was now even
with the hurricane deck. Just at this moment I
saw the light of the steamer Propeller, that had
struck us. The water about us was black for some
distance with the heads of persons struggling for
byhis
in
life. As the Propeller was nearing us our boat
seemed to retain its position—the reason God only
knows. There was a spot a few feet square still
above water, and all the living persons left on our
lvseestseelamwee alongside,
clustered upon it. The other steamer at
and took us all off. I was the
last lady who left the wreck, and was lifted by three
men into the Propeller. Here the scene was harrow-
ing in the extreme. This vessel was also seriously
injured, and it seemed very uncertain whether we
should not be subjected to a repetition of all the
horrors from which we had just escaped. Parents
were asking frantically for their children, brothers
looking eagerly in every face for a lost sister,
friends loudly
lamenting their missing companions.
The lady who had first awakened me to a sense of
our danger was gone. One young lady was the
only survivor of a family of six, on their way from
England to the far west; she had not a friend on
this side the Atlantic. When we were landed at
Erie I had to walk a considerable distance barefooted
and bareheaded, having escaped with only one under
garment. I was seriously bruised, and almost covered
with some tar into which I had fallen. We were re-
ceived and treated with the greatest kindness at one
of
ladies the
We had clothes brought to us by the
place, and everything done to us that
of hotels.th
e
was
n Monday,power to do. I arrived home the fol-
lowing very weak and debilitated, but can
it heir
never forget what okligations I am under to the
Lord for His saving mercy, when more than 200 of
my fellow-passengers were lost. " E. B. CORNWELL."

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN

THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, SEPT. 25, 1552.
Epidemic, Endemic, aad 'Contagious Diseases ...*271
Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... ... 42
Tubercular Diseases ... ••• ... 200
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... ... 99
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 43
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration ... 129
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion... ... ..• 54
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. ... 10
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, sud Muscles ... 14
Diseases of the Skin, &o. 4
Malformations... ••• ••
Premature Birth ... 31
Atrophy
Old Ago ••• ••• ••• ... 38
Sudden ... ... • • • ... • 11
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 74
Causes not specified ... 3

DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES
...
... 1,077
Population Deaths in corre. Deaths
Enumerated, oponding Week in the
1851. of 1851. Week.
West Districts... 376,427 . . 133 ... 155
North Districts.. 490,396
r. 189 ... 191
Central Districts 393,256 ... 163 ... 213
East Districts ... 485,522 ... 190 ... 224
South Districts .. 616,635 ... 283
...
294

--- _ _
Totals..., 2,362,236 ... 958 ... 1,077
Males ... ••, ...
... ... 589
Females ...