The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-07 00:00:00

THE LOSS OF THE SCAM-ANDER.

The following is the report of the loss of the
screw-steamer Scamander, of Liverpool, 1,050 tons,
Thomas Jenkins, master, from Liverpool to Alex-
andria, which vessel foundered on the 31st January,
1860, in lat. 47.2 N., lon. 7.15 W., as mentioned in

yesterda)'s Sun.
"Jan. 27. Left Liverpool at 2 p.m. this day, with
a crew of 37, including myself and three passengers,
and at 11 p.m., same day, passed Ilolyhead, and
proceeded down channel with a light N.W. wind.

Midnight, fresh breeze from W.
"28th. Strong S.W. gales this day. At 11 a.m
pissed the Smalls, distance five miles. At 8 p.m.
sudden shift of wind to N.W., with a heavy cross
sea. Midnight, gale moderating, and backing to
the westward.
" 29th. Strong S.W. breeze, with frequent heavy
squalls. At noon, sudden shift of wind to N.W.,
with a heavy cross sea, causing the ship to labour
and roll heavily and ship much water on deck. At
10 p.m. the wind again backed to S.W., and in-
creased to a gale.
" SOtit. Strong N.W. gales, with rain. At 4 a.m.
veered to W. and N.AV., and moderated to a fresh
breeze. Set all possibly sail. At 8 a.m. strong gales.
Shortened sail as required. At 9 b 1.111., the gale in-
creasing, and the vessel shipping much water, I was
compelled to heave her to, which I accordingly did,
under a double-reefed maintrysail and mainstay-
sail. At noon the gale increased to a complete hur-
ricane, blowing the mainstaysail out of the bolt-
rope. At 2 p.m. such was the force of the gale, that
although the engines were working at full speed
and a double-reefed maintrysail set, I was unable
to keep the ship to the wind. At 6 p.m. the chief
engineer reported a leak in the midship compart-
ment, or engine-room. Applied steam and hand
pumps, and kept the ship before the wind to enable'
the steam-pumps to throw as much water as pos-
sible ; but the vessel shipping so much water and
washing the men from the pumps, I again hove the
ship to at 7 p.m. At 9 p.m. the leak increased so
fast that fires in st)ke•hole were extinguished. Con-
tinued to pump and bale the water out of the engine-
room, and at midnight discovered four feet water in
the two midships compartments, and increasing
rapidly, notwithstanding that all hands were em-
ployed in pumping and baling without intermission
during the night.
" 31st. Gale moderating, and ship filling fast.
At 4 a.m., found eight feet of water in same compart-
ment; at 8 a.m., 12 feet in same ; and at 9 a.m.,
seeing no possibility of saving the ship, as the sea
now made a complete breach over her, having car-
ried away a great portion of bulwarks, rails, and
stancheons, besides deck-houses, and the crew
being nearly exhausted, I determined to abaildon
the ship. Accordingly, ordered the boats to be
lowered, three of which were lowered with great
difficulty, owing to the heavy sea ; the fourth was
stove lowering. At 11 a.m., having succeeded in
getting the crew and passengers safely in the boat.,
by which time the ship had settled down to her
gunwale, and fearing to remain, I abandoned the
ship without being able to save my own or crew's
effects, or the ship's log-book. There being no
vessel in sight, I ordered the boats to be kept before
the sea, to endeavour to make the French coast,
then distant 120 miles. At noon discovered a sail
to the N.W., and pulled for her, at the same time
showing a signal of distress ; on seeing which she
bore down on us, and proved to be the screw-
steamer Cornelia, of Rotterdam, from Trieste to
Rotterdam. The captain, with much difficulty,
succeeded in getting us all safely on board by 2
p.m., at which time the Scamander had sunk stern
foremost.
" Too much praise cannot be given to Captain
Muntendam, not only for rescuing us from our
perilous position, but for his extreme kindness to
us while on board his ship, which also had suffered
in the late gale, having lost deck-houses, boats, and
galley ; and, consequently, having no convenience
for cooking, even for his own crew, and our provi-
sions consisting of biscuit, saturated with salt
water."

Letters from Guayaquil of the 31st of December
state that Mr. Cope, her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at
Quito, had left that city for Guayaquil for the purpose of
insisting on the payment of the bondholders' proportion of
Customs duties, hypothecated for the interest on the con-
solidated bonds of Ecuador.

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