American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-07-30

uhIhEh AhIlCULAhs VI Ihh NNSlDENA
To THE Passengers Returned
We mentioned yesterday that an accident had
occurred TO the steamer Britannia near Halifax,
and that Is of her passengers had left her at
that place. Among the number was the Rev.
DR.. Roberts, of Baltimore, who reached Bos-
ton on Sunday. The Boston Post gives the
following account of the accident:
The steamer Britannia, Capt Hewitt, which
left here on the 10th inst, with SO passengers
for Liverpool, and II for Halifax on board,
grounded during a dense fog on the afternoon
of the 18th inst, on the rocks of Jeddore
Head; about 80 miles to the north-eastward of
Halifax. After leaving Cape Ann, from which
she took her departure, the weather continued
pleasant during the night, but the next morn
ing dense fog shut i'll the horizon, so that it
was difficult to see more than cables length
from the vessel. The sea, however, continued
smooth, and the vessel steamed along rapidly.
On Saturday her speed was much diminished,
and frequently she was stopped and the deep
sea lead hove. About noon sounGngs were OBJ
tanned in 100 fathoms, and the vessels speed
was then diminished to the rate of about two
knots per hour. Guns were also fired, fog
horns blown, the bell rung, and other exped-
ents used to warn vessels in the vicinity, or to
obtain information. About 8 h. 40 m. P. Nj.
the Britannia struck the bottom, forward-the
captain and all hands on the lookout at the
time--and made the men stagger as she brought
up. The engines were Immediately reversed,
but she would not start. All the boats were
then got in readiness, and lowered even with
the vessels rails, but only one was lowered i'll
to the water, for the purpose of sounding.
There was no land nor rocks above water in
sight, but the bottom aud sea-weed were plain
" visible. A schooner was seen, and after
sounding the boat pulled to her, but could only
learn that she had lost her reckoning and was
lying to, waiting for the fog to clear away
She was from Shelburne, but where bound did
not report. The boat returned, and sounded
again astern of the steamer, and another effort
was made to back her off. This time she float
ed clear, and continued backing slowly as those
in the boat reported the soundings. Unluckily,
half an hour afterwards, she scraped the bot
tom, humping occasionally, but eventually
backed clear into deep water. She remained
tight until this time, but on sounding the well,
it was deemed prudent to set the engine pumps
going They worked well, and soon cleared
her of water. After ''no bottom" could be OBJ
tanned with 100 fathoms of line, the boat was
hosted up, and the vessel continued backing
off shore until about A. Nj. on Sunday, when
the fog partly broke up.
Her course was then altered, and she arrived
safely at Halifax about O'Clock on Sunday
morning, 10Th inst. An admiralty survey was
Immediately instituted, and those comprising
it, after carefully examining her inside and out,
reported-"That her false keel, (perhaps shoe)
was carried away, her fore foot gone, and that
she leaked; but were of opinion that by erect
ing dam on the inside, opposite the place in
jured, and by otherwise repairing her damages,
she would be competent to proceed on her pas
sage"
Carpenters were set to work, a dam or bulk
head was set up inside opposite the leak, and
by raising her bows, the stem was as we'll Sc
cured as the circumstances would permit. She
was then pronounced seaworthy, and sailed on
Monday morning at O'Clock, full of passen-
gers. Some seven or eight left her at Halifax,
but their places were Immediately occupied by
others. Indeed, she could not accommodate
all who wished to go in her. Among those
who remained and returned to this city, by way
of st. John, N. B, and Eastport, were the Rev.
DR.. Roberts of Baltimore, Rev. DR.. Kennedy,
of Wilmington, Del, and Messrs. Parker and
Greenough, of Boston.