The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-07 00:00:00

'The Belfast Newsletter, f•f Saturday, leas the fol-
lowing :
" Yesterday morning, about five o'clock, a very
serious collision took place in the Irish Channel
Semaphore, Captain
betweencamthe
pbell, b -steamer-stteoane
tttre
Belfast Steam Ship
Company, and the brig Nereid, of Whitehaven,
and resulted in the loss of 'the latter vessel, and the
serious injury of the,steamcr. The Semaphore was
'on her. way from Liverp?el for. Belfast, and the
'Nereid' was bound from WhitehaN'en to Card4f.with
A cargo of iron ore. The Oalornin—
was dark, and
'there was a thick fog, and the vessels were about
'five miles off the Calf of .flan when the collision
took place. Of course the most contradictory
'statements are made as to the cause of the collision.
Those in charge of tWeSemaphore assert that they
were run into by the brig, and that the latter had
no lights up, while the mate of the latter asserts
that his lights were all in proper order, having
been trimmed an hour before; that the helm was
ported when they saw the Steamer,.and starboarded
when they saw she was coming down on them;
but that, when the helm was starboarded, the Se-
maphore again altered her course, and coming in
Collision, struck the brig on the port bow and car-
ried it away. However it may have occurred, the
brig immediately after the collision began to settle
down in the water. The hands, seven in number,
including the captain, took to their boat and came
alongside the steamer for safety, and the Nereid
went down about twenty minutes afterwards.
It was soon found that the Semaphore had re-
eeived most serious injury from the collision.
A large hole had been made in the front, and
the fore
,compartment began to fill with
water. Apprehensions were . entertained that
she also would go down. The passehgers, male and
female—many of them in their night-dresses—were
got into the boats, and remained close to the steamer
to await ale result. The water filled the fore
compartment and the steamer went down much
deeper than usual.; but, after some time, it was
found that the worst had been reached, and that,
with prudent management, she could be got into
port. The passengers and the crew of the Nereid
were then taken on board, and the vessel's course
directed for Belfast Lough. It was only by the
greatest exertions that Captain Campbell was able
to keep the steamer afloat, and her disabled condi-
tion as she passed the Sound at Donaghadee was
a subject of general comment to those who saw her
from the shore. On reaching Holyhead Bank the
captain did not hesitate an instant, but ran the
'vessel aground to prevent her sinking, and the
passengers were brought up to town by the tag
Steamer Queen, after a voyage of the most intense
anxiety and distress. It is gratifying that, beyond
a few scratches received by a boy who was in the
rigging of the Nereid, no one in either vessel re-
ceived any injury.

"The following address was presented to Cap-
tain Campbell before the passengers came up to
Belfast

" ' Steamship Semaphore, Oct. 4.

" ' Dear. Sir,—Wo, the undersigned cabin passengers by
your vessel from Liverpool to Belfast, cannot leave you
without expressing our gratitude and admiration of your
conduct under the trying circumstances in which you were
placed, this morning during and after, the collision with the
brig Nereid.

" We take this opportunity of testifying to your noble
conduct and admirable seamanship, and also your polite
bearing to, and care of, every one on board, as woll as the
crow of the unfortunate vessel in the hour of danger.
" We also express our adiniration of the conduct dis.
played by Mr. Creem, the chief officer, and Mr. Briscoe,
the chief steward, together with the crew generally.
" We are, dear Sir, your obedient servants,
" JAMES FINLAY, WM. WOODS,
JOSEPh ATKINSON, jun., HEBER WEBB,
J. BLAIN, JouNHEELEY,
ARTHUR GREEK, RHIN SwINEY,
CHAKLES WM. 114GivEitiN,
PETER QUIN, I ROEEB.T SMILEY,
JOHN M'NElcur, ROBERT AWN,
ROBERT H. GIKVEN, HENRY WISTEALI"
" To Captain John Campbell, steamer Semaphore:
" There will probably be an inquiry by the Board of
Trade into the cause of the mishap."