New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-07-12
Loss of the steamship Columbia.


morning a full account Of the loss Of the steam.
ship COLUMBIA, Capt. Shannon, which left Bos
ton on the lst inst She ran, on the I'd, while
going at the rate Of ten knots an hour during a
fog, upon Blank Ledge, near Seal Island Light
Housc-a craggv rock, partly covered with SOIL
about % miles west Of Cape Sablc-the southern
most point Of Nova Scotia. 1t is about twenty
miles from the nearest land on the Continent
There arc only two houses on the Island, bat Ii
is believed provisions, &c. were saved from the
vessel sufficient for the wrecked passengers and
crew. The letter which we publish below con-
tains all the particulars of the disaster. letter
received in Boston from Hon. Abbot Lawrence,
one of the passengers, speaks in the highest terms
of Capt. Shannon, and expresses the bellet that
if the vessel had been run either to the right or
left Of the place on which she struck, she would
have qonc down. and probably all on board would
have persisted The Atlas says that there Is an
extra steamer, the Margaret, kept there expressly
TO meet such exigcncies. The Margaret will un-
OCCASIONALLY be despatched from Halifax to Llv
erpool, taking the mail and such passengers as
may prefer to 90 forward in her, in preference to
awaiting the sailing of the Hibcrnia, which leaves
Boston on Sunday next, 10th inst. The loss Of
the Columbia is attributed entirely TO the care
lcssncss of the pilot. The following is the letter
of Lieut.. Parsons to the Postmaster of Boston:
SEAL ISLAND, July 10 ?. NJ.
The Columbia sailed from Boston at ?. NJ,
on Saturday, the lst of July, with the American
mail for Halifax and England, with 90Passengers
and crew Of 50 in number, making IN all from
10 upwards. Water smooth, but weather very
foggy.
On Sunday at quarter past |, in the afternoon,
while steaming at the rate of ten knots per hour,
grounded and heelcd to port, with her bow high
up, leaving her stern in deep water, having quarter
less five fathoms depth aft. Observed spllntcrs
from the false keel, and fore foot along side
Fired alarm guns, which were answered by
muskets and the sound Of log-horns.
At4 P. NJ, boat with the master of Seal
Island Light came alongside with information
that the Columbia lay on Black Ledge Rect
and within a mile and quarter Of the Island at
this time. The fog was dense and the WIND
moderate from s. S. T..
AS the tide fell, pointed rocks Of a sugar-loaf
construction uncovered to the depth of ten feet,
shin Law on an inclined plane of smooth rock,
from her paddles forward, while her stern was in
deep water, and as she strained heavily, it was
JUDGED fit to land the lady passengers about
twenty, who up to this time had displayed Won
dcrGu fortitudc and lfpossesslon nor did 1t de-
scrt them when placed under the protection OF a
perfect stranger, the master of Seal Island Light,
to land on "a small, rocky and ragged island, with
only one other family beside his own to take from
its desolatc appearance and well did Mr.. Hitch
ems the master Of the Light, fulfil that trust
His great kindness to them, and his efficient ser
vices TO us, cannot be too highly estimated.
On the night tide, having lightcncd the ship
by discharging coal, anchors, chains, &C. Sc,
tried the only engine that would work, and hove
on our stern anchor.
But although she rolled uncasily on her bed,
she did not start an inch At 5, A. NJ. judging
from the distressed situation of the ship and the
falling tides that our chance of saving her was
small. landed Her Mulcsty's mail on Seal Island,
and got it secured by the kindness of Mr.. Hitch
ems. Found the island as barren as lis desolate
appearance denoted, and our lady passengers
were kindly but poorly accommodated, with the
distressing want of water added to It's numerous
discomCorts-all of which were borne with cheer
fulncss and res gnalon.
have to observe that this beautiful steamboat
ran ashore under charge Of her welI-trcd pilot,
Capt. Stairs, and that the cool seamanke con-
duct of Capt Shannon, his officers and crew, with
their interchangeable and never-failing exer.ons not
only excited my admiration, but that Of all his
passengers who abored with much zeal, though
fear in vain for this most excellent steamer Will
only be taken by pieces from her present danger
Gus position.
We were enabled yesterday to send the melan-
cholv intelligence to Halifax, and expect the Mar
raret here tomorrow night. This is written un-
der confusing and unpleasant circumstances,
which in some measure will account for the hur-
red and imperfect statement of this melancholy
loss am my dear sir very truly yours,
q. S. PARSONS, Ii. r. \. British Adm Agent
To GEO. W. GoRpoS, Esq.
NEWSPAPER SrATISTIcs.-There are IN Massa-
chusetts 10 newspapers published weekly OF
oltener, twelve of them daily and two scmi-weckly
the residue weekly. Most Of the dailles publish
semi-weckly or tr-weekly edition for the coun
try. The oldest paper is the Massachusetts Spy
at Worcester, established in I'LL; next to 1t the
Salem Gazette, started N l173 The Boston
Daily Advertiser was first issued in 1872; the
Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, IN l1o7
the Greenfield Gazette in 1871; the Newbury-
port Herald in 1896. -Four of the residue were
started in 1929; one in 80; FIVE in 81 three II
80; one in 80; four in "a; four In 80; two II
81 SIX in IS; two in '39; three in 40; SIX II
Al; and seven in the present year. We condenst
these statistics from the Salem Gazette.