The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-24 00:00:00

THE LOSS OF THE CAMBRIA.

The supposition that all the boats launched from the
Cambria must have been capzised is strengthened by the
report of the screw steamer Caledonia, another steamer of
the same line, which passed Innistrahul on Wednesday
night during the height of the storm, and some of her
passengers express an opinion that small boats could not
have lived in such a sea. The following telegram through
the Central Press has been received :

GLASGOW, Saturday,

Captain Chenoweth, of the steamer Rose, arrived at
Greenock this morning from Portrush. He reports that
a large quantity of the wreck of a large steamer had been
washed ashore along the strand from Portrush to the
Giant's Causeway, including part of a lifeboat which had
evidently been dashed to pieces amongst the rocks. Up
to dusk no bodies had come ashore. The wreck chiefly
consisted of cabin furniture, such as fronts of beds and
bedboards, boxes, lids of trunks and loose deck.
Several cartloads of wreckage had been brought into Port-
rush up to the previous evening. The first thing that
caused Captain Chenoweth to come to the conclusion
that it was the wreck of a large steamer was seeing upon
one of the bed boards the number " 327." A large
quantity of apples and broken barrels also came ashore,
the apples being of the best American description. Later
in the day the news of the Cambria's loss reached
Portrush, and the wreckage was then considered to be
plainly identified. Captain Chenoweth is of opinion
that parts of the wreck ashore consists of pieces of at least
two of the boats. Captain M'Lachlane, of the steamer
Shannon, arrived at Greenock, from Londonderry. He
reports that he heard of nothing on his passage down
Lough Foyle last night, excepting that several pieces of
wreck, believed to belong to the Cambria's boats, had
been seen floating past Lough Foyle. He passed through
floating staves off the mouth of the Lough.

The Cambria was an iron screw steamship, of 1,312
tons register, and 1,997 tons builders' measurement. She
was built at Port Glasgow by Messrs. Robert Dunean
and Co., under special survey, and classed at the highest
rate at Lloyd's, havingc, been constructed with heavier
plating than is required by the rules. Her length was
324 ft. Gin. ; breadth of beam, 35ft. tin. ; depth of
hold, 22ft. sin. ; and she was fitted up with
six bulkheads and part awning deck. Her
engines, which were made at the Finniestown
Steamship Works, Glasgow, were of 400-horse power.
She left the Clyde for New York on Saturday, the 17th
of September last, her crew numbering 74 all told. She
was in command of Captain George Carnahan, who has
long been in the service of Messrs. Handyside and Hender-
son, and enjoyed their confidence as an able and expe-
rienced officer. When in command of the screw steamship
Columbia, of the same line, he navigated his vessel across
the Atlantic in December, 1868, under circumstances of
great difficulty. The propeller shaft broke during
a gale, an accident of the same kind as that which occa-
sioned the terrible catastrophe to the Hibernia, and the
screw commenced to hammer at the stern with great
violence, it was attempted to withdraw the shaft and let
the screw drop, but the water rushed in when the effort
was made, and those engaged in the work, headed by the
captain, were only too glad to get it replaced and secured.
Thus the screw had to be made fast for the safety of the
ship, and to superintend this operation Captain
Carnahan had himself slung over the stern from
the rail by a rope fastened round his waist, dipping down
into the water with his vessel, but nevertheless giving his
orders with marvellous clearness and precision. The
work was done, and the ship reached port in safety under
sail, though, of course, much behind time. The Cambria
left New York on the homeward voyage on, Saturday,
the Bth instant, with a general cargo, consisting of
cheese, grain, and other produce. The number of
passengers on board is to some extent a matter of uncer-
tainty, for while the owners have a partial list the
exact record, it appears, will follow by a later vessel.
Inistrahull, the island upon which the ship struck, is
situated about ten miles due north from Malin Head, the
extreme north-west corner of Ireland, and not more than
about thirty-five miles from the city of Londonderry. It
is known to be a dangerous spot, and, being in the direct
course of ships rounding the north of Ireland, was pro-
vided, so far back as 1812, with a lighthouse having an
excellent revolving light. Apparently the lights were
not seen by the look-out on board the Cambria. The
first warning was given when, with full way on, the ship
struck heavily on the rocks. It is thought that the blind-
ing rain on Wednesday night must have obscured the
light. The Cambria was considered one of the finest
vessels of the Anchor fleet.