The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-19 00:00:00

FOUNDERING OF THE MONITOR.

The iron-clad 'battery Monitor has sunk off Cape
Hatteras in 45 fathoms water. The following is
from the narrative of one of the officers :
. " The Monitor, in tow of the steamer Rhode Island,
started from Fortress Monroe about 3 o'clock on Monday
afternoon, December 29 The Passaic, in tow of the steamer
State of Georgia, had gone out some time before, and was
perhaps ten miles at sea. On board the Monitor were 63
persons all told. The sea was calm and smooth as glass,
and the weather warm and pleasant. The vessel proceeded
at the rate of five or six knots an hour, with a perceptible
motion less than that of any other vessel. Everything
seemed auspicious for a pleasant trip, and at night all went
below to sleep. Then they began to experience the effects
of close air. In the interior of the Monitor, as will be re-
membered by descriptions, a few feet forward of the smoke-
stack to the stern is located the machinery, the fire-room,
&c. Under the turret, and a few feet forward of the main
hatch, is the place occupied by the sailors, Still further for-
ward is the cabin and ward-room. This is lighted by turret-
holes. Around this are four large rooms—say 71t. by Bft.,
and four smaller ones, Eft. by 9ft., occupied by the officers.
She had blower-engines put in at Washington for the pur-
pose of drawing all the air possible through the holes of the
turret and blower-stacks. With the exception noted of the
closeness of air, which was almost insupportable, there was
nothing to mar the comfort of the first night. The nextmoru-
ing broke beautifully, but with a light breeze that smashed
up little waves against the turret, just enough to make small
rainbows when the sun was shining on the bows. So the
weather continued until Wednesday (Thursday?) afternoon,
when it became cloudy, and as the sky grew darker it was
thought they might have rain. Soon, however, the wind
cleared all the clouds away, and they thought there would
be agreeable weather all the way down; but later in the
afternoon, about 5 o'clock, it commenced to blow, At 6
o'clock they stood S.S.W. from Hatteras Light, having
cleared the Cape, the breeze freshening more and more, but
no apprehension being felt of a gale. About 7 o'clock they
discovered the Passaic, some three or four miles to the
north-east. When they saw the Passaic thus in her stern,
she having been 10 miles ahead at the start, all on board
the Moniter could not but feel a pride that she (the Moni-
tor) was the first there, as everywhere else; that she was
the first iron-clad that had rounded Cape Hatteras, as she
had led in naval achievements. The conclusion was arrived
at that the storm would not overtake them, and therefore
that it was not necessary to run towards Hatteras Inlet.
The breeze was blowing pretty freshly and increasing in
violence, but there were indications in the west of its clear-
ing off, until about 8 o'clock, when, in the space a a few
minutes, a storm of wind and rain gathered in the south-
west, the wrath of the waves augmenting with a sea so
rough that it began to dash against the tower, throwing up
fountains that leaped :30 or 40 feet in air, washing all over
the turret. The fury of the storm kept on, every wave
dashing over the whole vessel from stem to stern, and en-
tering at every crevice intended for the admission of air.
The vessel was thumped about in a manner indescribable.
The rain lasted from a quarter to half an hour, but the
gale raged even more intensely than before. The vessel
began to leak—they hardly knew where it came in—but it
was very serious around the forecastle and anchor. It was
about 9 o'clock, and the pumps were set in motion, They
rapidly gained on the water, but in about half an hour
they kept about even pace with each other. The gale had
increased to a hurricane, the Monitor reeling and
shuddering from end to end. Faster and faster the
water came in. It was gaining on the pumps. By half-past
10 o'clock the water was reoorted gaining rapidly. A few
minutes later, and the report was that it would soon be up
to the fires. This again was followed by the report that the
vessel could not live more than two or three hours longer.
The water rapidly neared the fir es; when they were put out
the pumps could not be worked. When it was reported that
the Monitor could not stand it more than an hour or two
longer, signals of distress were at once made. Red, white,
and blue rockets were thrown up, and were answered by
the Rhode Island. This was at 11 o'clock, when it had been
decided as impossible to save the vessel, and attention was
turned to saving their own lives, One of the hawsers con-
necting the Monitor with the Rhode Island had parted be-
tween 8 and 9 o'clock. When the Rhode Island answered,
a voice on the Monitor cried out through a trumpet that
they were in a sinking condition. Those appealed to on the
Rhode Island went to work with the utmost speed to send
boats to the rescue. It was a most daring undertaking, but
they got out a launch and manned her, and, riding on the
crests and sinking in the hollows of waves, she made to-
wards the Monitor. At this time the sky was filled with
clouds, through which a little light from the moon appeared,
so that objects could be distinguished. The remaining haw-
ser is now cut, so that the boats shall not get entangled ;
the hawser becomes entangled with the paddlewheel of the
Rhode Island; the rope clogs the wheel, and the Rhode
Island, a large war steamer, is drifting towards the Monitor;
the launch is between the two vessels thus reaching each
other, and seems doomed to destruction. The launch reaches
the side of the iron-clad. The proximity is dangerous to all,
for two or three lurches and the sharp prow of the Monitor
will stave in the wooden walls of the steamer. All feel that
they will go to the bottom. There is a terrible silence, so far
as those on the Monitor are concerned. As two or three jump
out of the boat the oars are seen to flash in the air ; the
launch is heard crashing; in a second the crew have sprung
on the deck of the Monitor. Simultaneously the hawser is
cleared from the paddlewheel, and the Rhode Island runs
off, without the fatal shock, to a safe distance. "While the
vessels lay alongside, several of the Monitor's crew sprang
for the ropes that dangled from the side of the Rhode
Islam', and some succeeded in climbing up, while others
were washed into the sea. The crew of the launch now
sprang back into her, but those of the Monitor were re-
luctant to trust themselves to make the attempt, as several
were washed off the deck by the great seas washing over.
They clung, therefore, to the top of the turret, fearing they
might share the fate they had witnessed overtaking others,
preferring their chance to live a little longer, although there
was the moral certainty that they could not remain and
live long. Finally, tho launch was filled, having taken on
probably some 15 from the Monitor, All that were on deck
at the time got in, and the launch was ordered off. Some
stuffed the crushed side with pea-plot eta, while others baled
out, and the rowers tried to get to the steamer, which was
their only hope. Meanwhile, the Rhode Island had launched
a whaleboat. The sea, which was terrific, dashed the whale-
boat upon the launch with terrible ferocity. One of the
officers in the launch sprang over towards the side and
stretched out both his arms to break the blow and turn the
course of the boat. This he succeeded in doing, but not
without considerable injury to nimself. Getting close to
the steamer the men spring for the ropes, and same lose
their hold and are swallowed by the sea, although nearly
every one in the boat is saved. The whaleboat saved others
from the iron-clad. A third rescuing boat was sent, com-
manded by a Mr. Brown, a brava man, and skilful in the
management of a boat. This has not been heard from, but
it may have picked up some survivors and have got sately
to some other vessel. The Monitor went down about 2
o'clock in the morning."

A despatch from Fortress Monroe, of the 4tb

says :

"There were lost on the Monitor four officers and 12 men ;
one officer and seven men belonging to the Rhode Island
were also lost in attempting to save the men of the Monitor.
One boat, which left the Rhode Island to save the Monitor's
men, has not been heard of. The Monitor sank off Cape
Hatteras in 45 fathoms of water. The cause of her being
lost was leakage, She gained two feet of water in one
hour, with all her pumps working. Sailing-master Stodder
was the last man to leave the Monitor. Those who were
lost refused to come down from the turret, as the sea was
constantly breaking over them, and they were afraid of
being washed away."

Sir Henry Bulwer at Alexandria.

The dinner given by the English residents at Alexandria
in honour of Sir Henry Bulwer came off the last evening
in the year. All the principal members of the British com-
munity were present, and, according to universal consent,
the success of the evening's entertainment was in every re-
spect complete.

" His excellency," says an Alexandria correspondent,
speaks at considerable length on well nigh every topic con-
nected with the local and international affairs of Egypt,
and of the Ottoman empire in general, comprising, there-
fore, some of the most important questions of the present
day, the interest of which, it is perhaps unnecessary for me
to add, was in no small degree heightened by the eloquence
with which they were treated."
A curious incident occurred when the Queen's health
was drunk. "To the suprise of most, if not ail the guests,
the cheers with which the toast was received had not quite
died away when they were loudly re-ehoed from outside
while the windows of the ro im were suddenly lighted up
with the glare of fireworks. A crowd of Greeks filled .the
square in front of the hotel. The words ZHT2
A.Ad3PEAO2 in large letters, on an immense trans-
parency, which was displayed over their heads, gave suffi-
cient explanation of the objects of the assemblage."
In returning thanks after his health had been drunk,
Sir Henry Bulwer alluded, amongst other topics, to the
Suez Canal.

"The projectors of this canal (his excellency continued)
believe that it will overflow the land not only with fresh
water, but with salt water also,lalni denxoctelloennlcy whitdh these,
opinions uponytho suabli-eociat-
ould ob3ervejnoi
but with respect to those opinions
masonic reserve. But he
simply a diplomatic, but event
nit
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np
ho w
y of acknowledging the
with the great scheme." • of Egypt. The writer
d from all those connected
He turned afterwards to the affairs c.
wouldgreatcogulardt,lsyytahkeehathdeex°pPePr°iernuce
summing up his speech, says :--
in'efisclii3tafhlheei t;l:hcrtpssornao
ifasleh. qualitiesi
Esryu pl et:
h 0 Sirf
saidll lh e:ni Vier6ya•
beneficial in
always been distinguished by this peculiarity, that its condi-
tion immediately reflects the character of its ruler. Ac-
cording to what the latter may be, the- valley either
blooms into a garden or subsides into a wilderness. He
BcolluNnyterry spoke
eha s
described the flourishing condition in which he had found 1
the country-, and enumerated the many wise and beneficial 1