American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-10-18


ed that, safely anchored, | am this evening
writing you from Hotr,tS' Hole, Rhode Island
la the morning as soon as | stepped on deck
| saw signals set for pilot, and our guns pre-
pariRg TO fire loud calls for aid, while no one
could tell or knew where we were; but the
breakers which everywhere surrounded us too
plainly testified that we were IN iH'nnent dan
ger of shpWreck. Our alarming situation had,
however, excited humanity to Oh: aid on shore,
aud after few hours come Nantucket farmers
who had brought boat three m3es over land,
were seen launching it as they were hastenng
30 our assistance. They wsre coon on board,
and from them we learned that we had strayed
among the dangerous and extensive reefs Of
rocks called the Grips" lying between Cape
Cod and the northern point Of Nantucket, and
that the little town we saw or shore was called
SlaConsett, q favorte summer watering place,
delightfully."- situated among the Rips, celebrated
among sportsmen for their shark-hsher;Ss.- -
These honest men puzzIed themselves IN many
an argument how We safely stcercd among
them reefs Of rocks without destruction. One
oil them Nj. Nathan Gibbs, who keeps store
at Siaconse:t, but is besides partly farmer, and
more a fisherman, and NEST of very good pi-
lot and fine fellow then took charge OF eur
vessel, and anchored us safely in Holmes Hole
only sixteen hours supply Of coal on board,
and we arc now taking " supply which we
have most fortunately :ound OH board brig
now alongside.
In accounting for thie most strange and dan
gerous misadventure, am inclined to the OPT
MON that we made the banks of Newfoundland
very far north by Cape Brace, and then having
to come down southery and hugging very close
ly the shore, we were driven easterly around
the cape island, among the Rips, by the strong
current which there set inland towards thcm;
at the same time making, probably, much lee
way the previous afternoon, while the wind
blew fteshly from the southeast, and our YES
sci very lightly laden from the consumption Of
her coal, was particularly liable SO to wander
from her course. There may also have been
some defect in steering, induced by error Of the
compass from arrangement caused by our iron
vessel, and It's massive machinery. ii there
was any fault in the navigation by our captain,
which got us in the scrapc, (but which no one
seemed to mpute,) | am yet the moro pleased
that it happened, and would the SOONER sail
with him again, 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 if er-
ror had fer an instant guided the helm. lie
was among them from one o'clock in the morn
ing until about noon, when the farmers came
on board feeling every inch OF way with the
lead and their nautical eye. Could you have
seen the place and the monster vessel, you
would have understood the amazement of the
Nantucket men, to find her there and safe.
The Great Britain is a noble vessel, its spa
cious dimensions afford most ample room for
! oop,nluint, ;,,st 40
against the slnallness OF the state rooms--the
iron rigging wanting in elasticity, also endan-
gers the masts, which besides appear loo weak.
Her great length secures her from pitching and
her length being united with her mode and the
materials Of her construction, she is, in my
opinion, very safe sea-boat, and after all the
vicissitudes Of our voyage the greatest cause of
danger which now feel in reference TO her is
in rejecting on the immense length, weight
and velocity of motion of her shaft which turns
the propeller, and is situated along the kelson.
| That shaft is about one hundred and twenty
feet long and weighs about thirty tons, and is
meant to revolve Fifty times in minute, and Is
only boxed and fastened at the two extremi-
ties, such weight united with such velocity of
motion readily suggested thoughts Of easy de-
rangement, while such arrangement might in
a moment involve the destruction Of the ship.
Should weak. spot exist in it's unusual length;
should it break, as so often has happened to
steamboat shafls-wth its immense weight
and velocity it would probably in an instant
and before the engines could be stopped, dash
through the vessels sides and hurl destruction
upwards among the saloons.
If guarantees Of safety could be furnished in
the above particular, | have no doubt she
would prove the safest, as have also conf
denco that, proper improvements being made,
she will eventually be the swiflest and most
commodious boat that ever crossed the Attain
tic, "Facilo Princops" surprising all others III
speed, comfort and safety