Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-10-21
r-RiChAOND DAihY-WHIG.
60 Fs.s sAs Nee Yssk Nsv..
LETTER FROM A PASSENGER ON BOARD THE
GREAT BRITAIN STEAMER.
Os soAap ruK GAkAr BRirAIs trEAnEx,
HoLsks' HoLk, Oct. IL, ISl5. (

Yufk. have
thought would interest you relate the strange ,hinss
which have occurred passage across tho ocean In
ths mighty Levisthan Of human art We left Liverpool
ON the appointed dsy. the 9Th umo amidst tho cheers Of
many thousands who crowded the shores and armed Ia
the many steamers. yachts aud ssi boats which grsced
our departure. drawn together from many miles
gigantic vessel
As we sat down 6rst meal. found wc number
cd about hundred passengers. The next day We
s~oko TO adverse Winds which. In scamsn phrase hard.
hesftcdly Opposed the whole way the Banks of
Newfoundland. blowing time with tho full &c verify
Of heavy gale IL wind the etnept oi which :.
bounded ON US Mt ono sudden Jump. swept overheard
foremost, which the we saw t..e .iou,
In tho heavy swell by the Tapping sail. st adh.rng a, n
and the whole yet lashed the ship by portion, of nns.y
cred eofdsge-ihe engines Of the vessel stop
ed iot some limo, until these sails aud the broken mas,
could Do again secured board. This gale continued u
oo~ WIN hr greatest severity for about hours
sno confess that when this burst in such &C.
senyl lett considerable aarm,ss had that confidence
In the ship that should like her inter yoy.g.
and ieli that would the Vi Pror atrna
lively
81 did but purpose to embark with thee,
On the smooth surface Of summers sen:
Aud would iorsake tho skiH aud make ,L. shorc
When the winds whistle aud the stnpests ron,
But sho rode out the gale most joyously aud .,l,ouy
some heecy spray occasionally clambered moun-
tain sides. and baptized her iron ame yet d not see
chip one sen; matches fastened down. nor wa,
mere the slightest need To do In the meantime how
ever most piteous the complaints Of the sen sick
Rsn the excessive rolling al the think that the
action OF the propeller. acting like scaling a small boat
contributed to tins. They say also that she wants tu,e
Keel aud that all VI her mssts excepting ON. heinz
simply clsmped tho upper decks instead OF
10 the keelson, additional cause w. never in ,,I.
OF wind even OF less severity did dinner eaten so
peaceiuiy, and nj which the dishes behaved
WIN eqoai popriety; soups initiated in ups
and downs Vt ihe tidr. gravy chssseed right
lett without improperly leapng ladies' laps; and in ia.
general dance OF the dishes, dinner tiue usually .p
uproarious IN gale Of wind, they yet on tins
enjo'ned themselves within decent bounds. This how
ever may perhaps DO accounted becar, the dining
saloon IL the second deck below the uppe d.ck ~
tho vessel and thus situated the centre Of such roll
ing motion.
Al the conclusion of the gale, I hink il was in. very
general opinion Of the passengers that the r,., Br,.
very buoyant and dry boat, aud capable OF be-
having herself most handsomely in a storm.
We had come to this pleasant belief when on IN,
morning OF the lt Instant, on many
trembling heart, from alarm Jus, ma tb.
iron gauaeted hand Ut the resound. nj tn.
do1 nj the supper in the opera Don Giovanni s
Numbering iron knocks felt and heard dashine
against the bottom Of vessel aud soon became ey
dent that our propeller, which with 6
teen ct IN circumference of solid ron aud said To welsh
several tons, aud which revoves the rate Of from 40 n
3o revolutions IN minute. was. from some disturbing
cause, dashng its iron against the bottom oil the
vessel Well il for that met iron and tint the
propeller proved the weaker conbaan and soon pave m
the contest with as was said alter examinsonl one -
broke OH aud another doubled Ia the evening
nj tea me many face turned pale the contest was re-
ne~ed and which again terminated with damage to
the propeller.
era satisfactory belief that in spite adverse nds dana
gsd msss and crippled propeller ioud meet you and
my friends safely New YOrk this evening but after IN,
new dangers OF this day. delighted safely
ed. l am this evening wriung you Holmes Hole
Rhode Island. 1890
In the morning, stepped on the deck saw
signals set Tor pilot aud guns preparing TO fire loud
calls for aid while could tell or knew wher. ~.
were but the breakers which every s
too plainly testified that in imminent danger of
shipwreck Our alarming situation had however .xeed
humanity TO aid shore, and after a few hour. no ,
Nantucket farmers who had brought three miles over
land were seen launching u, they fastening 10 our
assistance They were board. and from them
learned that had sayed among tho daurerous and
extensive reef OF rocks called the "Rps lying bet~
Cape Cod aud the northern point OF Nantucket md that
the little town we the shore called Siacons.tt
tavoriio summer watering place, delightfully."- situated
.,one INC NIP, eeeoa'cu among sposmen Tor their
shark fisheries These honest puzzled themselves IN
many Argument how safely steered among ihem
reef of rocks without destruction One them MT Ma
than Gibbs, who keeps s"ro Ssconset but ~ partly
farmer, and more fisherman and most OF very good
pilot aud fine felow then took charge OF our vessel and
anchored safely Holmes Hole. In the meantime il
was announced that had only sixteen hours supply Of
coal on board, and taking In u supply which
we have fortunately found board bbg now along
side.
In accounting for this most strange and dangerous mis-
adventure am inclined To the opinion that We made the
banks Of Newfoundland north by Cape Bruce and
then having down souiherly and hugginp very
closely the shore, driven easery around the
inland among the Rips. by the strong which thore
set inland towards them; the making proba-
blew freshly from the south east and vessel very light
y laden from the consumption her coal was
liable To wander from her There may also have
been defect in steering induced by the com.
pass FROM caused b. iron vessel and its
massive machinery. II there any fault IN the navi-
CATION by captain which got the scrape but
no one seemed To mpuieD am the pleased
happened, and would the sail with him az ain from
witnessing the admirable GOODNESS and judgment with
which he laid his huge vessel in safe place, with shoals
reefs OF rocks and breakers all around him. and where
cookie boat would have persisted II had Tor in
slant guided tho helm. lie among them from one
o'clock in the morning until about noon the farmers
board feeling every inch of way the lie and
their nautical eye. Could you have the place and
the vessel would have the amaze
meni Of the Nantucket to find there and safe
The Great Britain noble vessel its spacious dimen.
sions sfords most ample for comfort yet great
plants are Justly made against the smnn,ss Of the
rooms-the rigging wanting in elasticity also endnnR.r
the masts, which besides appear weak Her great
length secures her from pitching and her length being uni
ted with her mode and the materials Of her construction she
is In opinion, very safe boat and all the vi
e'udes OF our the greatest Of danger which
now feel in reference her rejecting on the i'm
mense length, and velocity Of motion Of her shaft which
turns the propeller and situated along the keson That
shaft Is about hundred aud twenty feet long and
weighs about thirty tons and is meant reyoyo fifty
times in minute and is only boxed and fastened at the
twoeIiremities such weight united with such velocity Of
motion readily suggested thoughts Of easy arrangement
while such arrangement might IN a moment involve the
destruction Of the ship-Shoud weak spot exist in il.
unusual longthshoud u break, often has opened
10 steamboat shsfts-wih its immense weight and velocity
would probably in an instant, aud before the engines
could be stopped, dash through the vessels sides and bu
DISTINCTION upwards smong the saloons.
guarantees Of safety could DO furnished in the above
particular. have doubt she would provo Inc safest az
have also confidence that proper Improvement, being
made, she will eventually be the swiosi and most CONNIE
dious boat that crossed tho Atlantic, Facio Prince-
surprising oil others IN speed. comfort and safety.
enclose you several English papers of late date which
the kindness Of Mr. John Povey. agent Of tho Park and
other hoaircshas enabled secure he passenger on
board aud accompanied by the following ARTISTS Mon
sopr Leopold dc Meyer Pianisic de majestic PEmpe.
rep Ausirehe, also Msdaposee Augusta the celebra
ha. ~