Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-07-05

TREMENDOUS STORM AT sEA.-Tbe
following singular interesting narrative Is com.
nunicaed TO the Liverpool Commercial Chroni
Gle of NAY IL:
ship .FesS f0rk, Princes Dock, LiyernooI. \
May IL, 1927.
"SIR-i trust that. although a stran D..
ger, shall find sufficient apology in
the very uncommon nature of the or.
eurreuces herein described, for iron.
bling you vita the detail of the foIlowing
partculars. The ship has been twice
struck by lightning on her present vow
age from New-York. On the 18Th of
April. our third day out, in the Gu'nh
Stream, (Iat. So N. long. CIT ". at
noon about half past Eve ia the morn
ing. being in our births, we were reused
by sound like the report of a heavy
cannon close to our ears. In a mo-
ment we were all out, and the cabin
and all parts of the ship were fill.
ed with dense smoke, having strong
smell of sulphur. From tlfe deck the
word was quickly passed that the ship
had been struck with lightning. and was
on fire. The CONSERVATION which for
some minutes prevailed may be more
easily imagined than described. Every
one ran to the deck with a full impress.
sion that the ship was in blaze. There
all the elements were in a violent com.
motion. Ii had been broad day, but so
dark, so dense, and so close upon as
were the clouds, as to produce almost
the obscurity of night There was Just
sufficient light TO give bold relief to
every object in the appalling scene
The rain poured down in torrents, ming
led with hail stones, as large as flberts,
which lay upon the deck fully an inch
thick. Overhead bIazed the lightning
Oh all sides, accompanied By reports
almost simultaneously, thus evincing its
nearness. The sea ran mountains high,
and the ship was tossed from one sea to
another with incredible rapidity. One
appearance was peculiarly remarkable
The temperature of the water was TAO
of Farenheit, while that of the atmos-
phere was down to 4S. This Produced
acopious evaporation, and caused i'm
mense clouds of vapour to rise, which
ascending in columns all around US, ex.
hlbltej the appearance of innumerable
pillars supporting a massive canopy of
clouds. These phenomena are extreme
ly unusual, no person on board ever
having witnessed any hing like it before
InE no
Spouts, which rising feariully to the
clouds. seemed actually to present to
the eye a combination of all the ele.
ments for the destruction of every thing
on the face of the deep Although the
scene was one of awful sublimity which
battles description. Amid tits scene of
Impending ruin, when all nature was in
the utmost oDfusion-when nautical
science and experience availed nothing
while an irresistible element was
playing about us, and the ship seemed
to be on the very verge of fate; when,
IN short, dismay and despair were re-
hected from every other countenance-
nothing could exceed the calm tranquil.
ty OF Captain Bennett nothing could
excel the firmness with which every
order was given for examining the ship,
In prospect of meeting fire below deck,
nothing could equal the manner in which
every one was encouraged with the hope
oil security, even beyond what could be
eApec thus | but echo the sentiments
OF all on board.
But hasten to my narrative. Some
parts OF the ship were tor moment on fire,
but were quickly extinguished by the rain.
Inc ship was then thoroughly examined
10 ascertain whether the electric fluid
had penetrated among the combu stible
part OF the cargo below the lower deck.
lhls investigation disclosed the follow
ins facts:-fhe lightning, having struck
the main oyal-mast he ad, shattered the
mast head, and, descending theme.
penetrated the deck into one of the
store rooms, the bulkheads and fittings
o. winch are completely demolished
neh separating, one part was conduct
ed by ieaeen tube to the side of the
Snip, through which it passed out be-
tween wind and water, starting the ends
Of three i've inch planks. Another por-
non IRON the store-room passing into
zoe LADIES cabin, shivered to atoms the
Plate OF large mirror, leaving the
'tame unIajnrcd. From the looking
S''Ns to the pianno forte was an easy
usos'ioD; it touched the instrument
W'h %" delicate impulse, dismountng
II, ana leaving it out Of tune.-Thence