The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-30 00:00:00

THE VOYAGE OF THE INDIAN

EMPIRE.

The following particulars are supplied by the
Freenian's Journal :—" The anxiety which for some
time past has prevailed so generally in this country
relative to the safety of the Indian Empire, whose
arrival at Galway was so long overdue, is now
happily allayed, the gallant vessel having anchored.
in Broadhaven at 9 a.m. on Friday morning, after
having experienced one of the most terrific and
continuous storms that has ever been witnessed
in the Atlantic. The gratification which all
persons muet feel at learning the safety
of a ship respecting which some apprehensions
had been entertained will be enhanced in the
minds of Irishmen by the fact that the steamer whose
safe arrival we now chronicle is one belonging to
the newly established Transatlantic line, whose
prosperity is a subject of such lively interest to the
people of this country. The arduous and danger-
ous passage which the Indian Empire has success-
fully accomplished under the most adverse circum-
stances lasted in all 25 days from Halifax to
Ireland. We have been enabled to glean the
following particulars of this interesting voyage,
which will satisfactorily account for the delay, and
which may be relied on as strictly accurate.
Having taken in a fresh supply of coal, and repaired.
some trifling damage which had been sustained by a
collision with a brig on leaving New York har-
bour, the Indian Empire having then 16 days'
supply of coal, left Halifax on the afternoon o
Saturday, the 31st of October, and had a
tolerably favourable run to Cape Race, a distance
of about 500 miles. The wind was not directly
favourable, being on her quarter, and the average
speed of the ship during this time was 11 knots an
hour. Upon rounding Cape Race the wind shifted
dead. ahead, and gradually rising blew with great
violence, which in a few days increased to a most
fearful hurricane. The ship gallantly struggled
against the violence of the wind and waves, the
captain displaying all the resources of skilful and.
experienced seamanship, and being ably seconded
by his officers and crew, who had the most implicit
reliance in his ability and judgment. Of
course, progress was scarcely possible under the
circumstances, and after 13 days of such weather as
has rarely been experienced in the Atlantic, even at
this season of the year, the captain found himself
still four days voyage from Galway. Upon calculat-
ing the amount of coal which remained on board,
and. finding that it was barely sufficient for a four -
days' run, he thought it expedient to lie-to rather
than incur the risk of expending all his fuel in an un-
availing struggle against the elements. At this
time there was a fair prospect of more favourable
weather; the barometer was rising, indications of
a change were apparent, and moreover it is
an unprecedented thing for a south-easterly
wind. to last three weeks in the Atlantic, espesially
at this season of the year, when westerly winds
more generally prevail. However, the expectation
of fine weather was not fulfilled ; the wind still
continued high, and the Indian Empire lay to seven
days, during which time she made a little headway.
At the end of seven days there was a lull, and the
captain gave orders to steam ahead, in the hope of
completing the passage without further difficulty.
In a short time, however, the wind again sprung up
and increased almost to its former violence. At one
time on Wednesday last, the Indian Empire reached
within 25 miles of the Galway coast, running at
the rate of 21,- knots an hour against a heavy sea,
when the gale increasing in violence, drove her a
distance of 100 miles away to the westward. The
prudence and foresight of Capt. Courtenay in hav-
ing laid to for seven days was then made manifest,
for at this time the coals had been completely ex-
hausted, and it became necessary to consume a small
portion of the cargo, consisting of cotton, stores, &c.,
and also some spare spars and part of the planking of
the decks. At half-past lon the morning of Friday,
the lights of Broadhaven were sighted, and we need
not say that every one on board experienced the
keenest delight at the approaching termination of
their long and difficult voyage. Broadhaven, as
our readers know, is an excellent harbour on the
coast of Mayo, about 40 miles from Westport ;
and eight hours after its lights were sighted the
Indian Empire dropped her anchor in the harbour
amid the hearty cheers of the passengers and
crew. It is gratifying to be able to state
that at no time—even during the greatest vio-
lence of the gale—did the passengers manifest the
slightest alarm or apprehension. Their confidence
in the captain, officers, and crew never for a
moment failed, and they took frequent occasion
give expression to this feel-
ing. Tthhee IykrnYg.eawthtt everything which skill and
judgment could do would he effected to bring the
vessel in ; and their confidence was increased by
the good qualites displayed
i by the ship, which
excited the admiration alike of the experi-
enced and the inexperienced. The manner in
which the Indian Empire stood 'the severe test to
which she was subjected proves her to be an excel-
lent sea boat, well adapted for Atlantic navigation.
No more convincing proof of this could be afforded
than the fact that she shipped one sea only during
the whole passage, Captain Courtenay, who has
had large experience as an Atlantic navigator, states
that the weather was unprecedented in its combina-
tion of violence and duration.