American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-10-02

HE PASSAGE OF THE GREAT WESTERN
Fs0le"t Storm and Na,ro,o Escape. The Gre,
western had narrow escape from shipwrecl
on her late passage from Liverpool whenc
she sailed on the 18th ult. with I26 passengers
and SIS hands The weather was verv plea
SAINT untl the evening of the 18th, when galc
came on, increasing soon the next day, that the
steamer had to lay to under bare poles
AT +. M the wind had increased to hea.
Wy storm and great quantity of water rot into
the engine room. The passengers in the morn.
ing assembled IN the cabin, seriously alarmed
at the dangers that encompassed them. AT IL
heaVy sea broke over the starboard wheel
mousse and started the ice house and iron life
boats from their fasteninps.
Ihe wind was veering northward, and thew
attempted to wear shp-but were OBLIGED to
oeslst, meantime the square-sails blew awav.-
The lee quarter boats were torn away from the
davits by heavy lee lurch and the others
seemed likely to follow. At noon the storm
still ragged IN all its fury and heavy sea strik-
ing the larboard paddle box, smashed it to
atoms, sprung the spring beam and shattered
the parts oil the ship attached thereto. A splin-
Ter struck the Captain on the head, and would
Eeve knocked him overheard, but he was caupht
IN the nettings
The water was gaining on the pumps;-ail
the matches were buttoned down except those
uSeu IN pumping into the engine room, and the
weather continued the same until midnight
when there was lull of half an hour.
The sails were blown from their furlg and
ssTeamed out to leeward in ribbons. But aboutI
O'Clock sea struck the vessel and tremen-
oouS crash ed;-torrents of water delur-
eonhe cablnthrough the sky-light! The pas
SINGERS In total darkness, sprang to their feet,
@lu scream OF agony told the terrible appre-
tensions mat prevailed. The crash was caus-
60 by the wave which swept the quarterback
OF all the woodwork upon it.
Night closed in,-the wind increasing in fi,-
~ Line whole ocean was covered with foam.
IN the evening Rev. Mr.. Balch administered
tlie sacrament to about 90 persons. The scene
was most solemn and impressive.
On Monday the storm still ragged with terriE
&c Jury hil in the evening, when the clouds
began 70 break and the squalls were less severe.
inc sh'Ps head was got to the N. w. and the
YARDS Easied around. At noon the storm ceas-
co. aho III 4. M, the sea abated-the storm
having lasted Sc hours.
AT t.s on Monday morning the vessel was
I..-ll III "s0i5 lroH tornado which
hulieu .ile guhwaes OF the ship in the sea; at
this critical moment the engine was trnc to its
duty and brought the ship up to her conrso
The wind had veered 20 points in s6 kours
On Tuesday morning all assembled in Tho on
min, when religious services were performed hv
Rev. Drs. Smucker, Beecher, Baich and othc,
clergymen on board. A meeting of the passsn.
gers was also held, Archibald Oracle ESQ he
lng called TO the chair, and resolutions were
adopted suited to the circumstances of the
case.
A letter of thanks 10 the captain and other
,aicers of the ship was also drawn up, and the
um of 1900 was raised to present to the officers
nd crew, Of which the captain was asked to
ccept ESQ. fund was also started for the
lpport of the widows and children of those
ho perish a. sea, to be called The Great Wss-
IN Fund