Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-07-13
From the Boston Atlas OF Monday.
Loss of The Steamer Columbia.

i
Mail Steamer Columbia, Capt. Shannon,
which sailed from this port on the ! st inst.
She was wrecked, M will he seen by the
accounts which we present below, upon
Elack Ledge, near Seal Island, N. S.,
on Der passage 10 Halifax. All her pas
sengers, among whom was the Hon. Alb
bo'i Lawrence, Of this city, with his lady
and daughter, were safe. The vessel
was going TO pieces when the schooner /
that brought the intelligence left her,
and would be IA total wreck.
We have been favored by the polite
ness of S. Abbott Lawrence, Esq. with
n letter liom the Hon. Abbott Lawrence,
to his family in this city, giving the full
| particulars Of this unfortunate occurrence
| - and we have also another letter from
Lieut. Parsons, the Mail Agent of the
Columbia, TO George w. Gordon, Esq,
Postmaster Of this city, which he has
| kindly allowed us to use. Both these
letters were written in great haste, and
as we received them at late hour last
evening, we publish them Just as they
came 10 hand.
\ The intelligence Of this calamity was
forwarded to this city by S. II. Lyman,
Esq, Postmaster o, Portland, by Special
Express.
\ We are informed ,ha, there is at Hall
fax an extra steamer, the Margaret, a
vessel of 800 or 900 tons, and Of over
800 horse power, kept there expressly TO
meet such exigencies as the oss "i the
Columbia, and capable of carrying for
ward her mails and passengers. The
Murgarct will unQueslionably be de-
spa,caed from Halifax to Liyerpool,
taking Il.o mails, and SUCH passcnssrs as
prefer to 60 forward in her, IN preference
f to awaiting The sailing of the li'bernia.
The latter vessel, j, will be recolIect-
f cd, leaves this port fol Liverpool via
Halifax, on Sunday next, 10th inst.
ii SEAL ISLAND, July Sd, 8l3.
/ NV dear Son-\ye left Boston at
quarter past Q o'clock on the lst instant,
! and experienced most agreeable run
ill yesterday at quarter past !, ct beng
fnggv, the Columbia struck on the
Black Ledge, one and n quarter mules
distant from this Island, AT bigh wa.er.-
hen the tide began to ebb, We saw
jarue racks on the larboaId side, about
o 10 la,homs distance, and long reel not
+. a cables length from US. Before hall
tide down these rocks were feet above
the water. Soon after she struck, VIC
commenced throwing over coal, which
was continued through the day. al hal'
G past Q we began firing our cannon IN
/! half an hour after we we've answered by
v a musket, whicA relieved US from the
most painful anxiety, as we were not
quite certain where We were, and hoped
il mirh. be from the land. AT 4 O'Clock
J. the fog hitcd, and we had the inexpressl'
X h!e satisfaction Of seeing n fishing sch''
n niskng for the ship, with small boat IL
9 tow. The captain Of the schooner
(Imchens,) who is the keeper OF the
; Lighthouse, came on board and gave III
an account of our situation, which ap
- peared any thing but ha.'ering. W
o' soon concluded, as it was evident th'
Columbia was IN a rocky berth, that
y, was prudcnt to take the ladies on shor
m "a in number,) besides scvela! in tn
o steeraye, and five or six children. Ihl
q was accomplished al 6 O'Clock, wllhol
;, injury to any one and here we ioun
!, two small houses, ii mile or more dlstar
'" from each other, Inhabited by kind an
g. efficient people, who exhibit all the sym
h. paihy and care we could desire. |her
+. are no other habilaiions upon the lslant
nd which is rough and barren. The near
n est main land is Darlington, 20 mile
~, distant. This morning, at high tide, a
attempt was made to float the ship, whlc
~ proved unsuccessful aGd at half past
Is the Captain requested the passenge
80 in nunbcr) who remained on boar'
&C. to 90 on shore about 40 having lande
last evening. The passengers are no
ed all on shore and one half the baggage
nj. The mails arc all here, and the rena''
for ing par, of the baggage will be receive
in the course of an hour.
CO. The opinion now is that the ship W
he lost-sho is very much strained nj
has heecd over considerably. We hay
nm 95 passengers, and 73 officers. crew, &c
ca belonging 10 the ship, in all l63 souls
OF The captain has conducted himself wi
nr' O, at coolncss and courage, and displa
NC ed that energy and magnanlnl'y tn
- belong to his noble profession, A
res now having no more time To write,
led have only to say that | deem our p'
yer servation extraordinary-2O yards
me either side of the ship, with mode,'
'nd breeze, would have consigned US all
,I ,hD n watery grave.
49," nn Through the mercy Of Almighty u
nor. we have all been spared, living MOI
.n,s ments Of his protecting care and
ner, and you, and all our friends, should of
the up to our Heavenly Father the homa
and OF grateful hearts, for lbi7 signal 'nstar
erut of his sparng mercy. The ladies
~, a all the passengers have conducted the
~ selves in II manner that should comma
" onr admiration. We shall send an
press to Halifax for a steamer, which
was suppose, is nearly 200 miies-we be
,ekl now about 24O miles from Boston.
was have provision enough for the Prest
hun and can make ourselves tolcrably c.
b'aln Portable, under all the circumstances
'istle which we are ulncpd Your mother