The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-31 00:00:00

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"JAMES C. LUCE.

The news brought by the Canadian relative to
our North American colonies is devoid of interest.
In the House of Assembly at Quebec, cn the 12th
of October, on the motion of Mr. M'Kenzie a re-
port on the expediency of keeping the public ac-
counts in decimal currency was ordered.

I and lady and Mr. Sutherland, who were passengers on
board the Cambria, have been unceasing in their en-
deavours to promote our comfort. To them and Ali
all on board we shall ever owe a debt of gratitude for
their unbounded kindness to us while on board the
Cambria; From the Frenchman who was first picked
up we learnt that the steamer with which we came in
collision was the iron screw steamer, -Vesta, from St.
Pierre, Newfoundland, bound and belonging to Gran-
ville, France. As near as I could learn, the Vesta was
steering E.S.E., crossing our course two points with all
sail set, wind W. by S. Her anchor-stock, of iron,
about seven by four inches square, was driven through
the bows of the Arctic, about 18 inches above the water
line, and an immense hole had been made, most likely a:.
the same instakt, by the flake of the anchor, 2 feet belot
the water line, raking fore and aft the plank, and finally
breaking the shank, leaving the stock remaining in and
through the side of the Arctic, or it is not unlikely that
as so much of her bows had been crushed in, some of the
rough
hundredsour soifdielsl ,0
most
vain-
able causing
heavy longitudinal pieces of iron running through the
tsilli
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oiisys mayeosf. ho au vr e
ship,b e e na
nddr:
Iv driven
atrh,

" Saturday Morning, -7 o'clock (the 14th). —We have
safely arrived at Quebec, and I am left without a penny
in the world to help myself with, or anything but sincere
gratitude to repay those from whom I have received such
unboundel kindness since I have been so providentially
thrown among them, and from whom I am now about to
separate to go to my home of sorrow. I learnt from the
doctor at quarantine, last evening, that the Vesta had
reached St. John's, with some persons from the Arctic,
but could not learn the particulars. As soon as I can
get on shore I shall make arrangements to leave for
New York with the least possible delay, and expect to
take the steamer for Montreal this afternoon.—l am,
dear
sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

The
Quebec, Oct. 14."
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for o f the
his sixlieprteion
The following is the statement of Captain
whomßug-
nmsbriisa,retsocuing thots o
greatoooupcarnedit is
f
the several rafts
"About 50 miles east of Cape Race on the 29th of
September, about S a.m., the weather forP some days pre-
vious having been very thick, the chief mate observed
some floating object right ahead • he immediately in-
formed me of the circumstance, and 'I
went aloft and saw
a human being standing on a piece of wreck ; he being
so near, had no time to put out our boat, but ran the
ship up to him, and throwing lines over the bow, sent
some of the men down to assist him, who, with some
difficulty, caught hold of him and got him on board the
vessel, much exhausted. He turned out to be a French-
man, but not knowing his language, found it difficult to
understand him ; however, I was made to understand,
by signs, and by a lady passenger on board, who could
talk a little English, that there were some others floating
about in the distance. I immediately went aloft with my
glass, and distictly saw five separate pieces of wreck, and
on four of them there were human beings. Immediately
hove the ship in stays, and stood to the north, so that
we might reach them on the opposite tack, they being
about two miles to windward ; got my boat put out, and
all ready for lowering, with some water and provisions
on board. At about 1 p.m. came towards one raft, with
three persons on it ; hove the ship to, and sent my boat
to their assistance ; got them off the wreck and took
them on board, much exhausted. They proved to be
Captain Luce, of the Collins' line of steamer Arctic, a
cabin passenger earned G. F. Allan, of the Novelty
Works, New York ; the other a young German lad,
named Ferdinand Meyer. Proceeded on towards the
other raft ; sent my boat again to a raft, with two per-
sona on it, who proved to be two of the firemen ; the
other two rafts being at a short distance, the boats
proceeded on towards them, being anxious to get
them all on board previous to the weather coming
thick, as there was every
appearance of it at the
time. The last raft, with one single person on it,
who proved to be a Mr. Smith, belonging to the
United States, was reached. I then made inquiries
whether any other rafts were floating about, but they
having stated that they were under the impression
that there was no other, the boat returned to the
ship with the persons picked up. They were all much
exhausted. In the meantime I sent a man to each mast-
head to look out if anything else could be seen, but night
coming on we saw nothing further ; and then the wind
increasing to a gale from east-south.east, I concluded that
if there were any rafts or boats floating about they could
not have resisted the storm. I then proceeded on my
voyage. Captain Luce suffered severely from contusions
on several parts of his body, but principally on the head;
also Mr. Allan and Mr. Smith, two of the passengers
saved."