Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-11-05
Wreck Of the Steamer Great Britain.
Interesting Narrative from the Req. DR.. Cos
Of Brooklyn. ., (
LIVERPOOL, Sept. sob, ]

To the Editors ofAhe Mem York Euanegl,st
REvEREND AND DEAR StRsr-You will
have heard, ere this, of the condition of the
Great Britain steamer and screwer, strand
ed on the coast OF ireland, week since
Having been aboad, with my daughter, a,
that memorable time, / am thus tried addi-
tionally with about six weeks detention
from my desired home, my beloved family
and congregation. I: is indeed a strange
affair and great disaster. Still we, have
great reason to sing of mercy, and to thank
God, devoutly, as TRUST we do, for our life,
given us as prey, from the opened jaws of
destruction, in one Of its most terrible and
sudden forms.
We left this place on Tuesday, the 22nd
OF Sept: about noon. The day was fine and
everything seemed auspiciors. Our friends
accompanied us to the ship" and stood on
the quays with arrested and gazing thou
sands, while her huge and gallant majesty
moved, like the personification of the empire
whose name she bore, thro' the gates, and
then, with boom OF cannon, began, in the
offng, toscrew her prosperous way, acceler-
ated and momentuus, for Americans we
ignorantly thought! Only think Of he. e.
normous magnifcence, one thirty second Of
q mile in length, lacking only FIVE feet, and
inlength OF beam, depth, capacity and tom
rage, proportionately ample and grand -
Her ornaments, her conveniences, her sym
metry, her tasteful and well.appointed beau
ty, taken as whole, unparalled-she seem.
ed to challenge to herself, or for her royal
little mistress, VICTORIA, the trident Of the
main-which, since the wreck Of the pro-
fame Inrincibh armada, has been forfeited
by Spain, and welded by the monarchy of
England. True, our Incompatible Hudson
river and other American home steamers are
as long, as delightful for their purpose and
more richly decorated and sumptuous in
their way; as the Empire, Knickerbocker,
and others of their class. But the Great
Britain was a regular Atlantic steamer, a
regular iron-sides, and faced with iron in
all directions,
"Whose march was on the mountain wave,
&c Whose home was on the Deep"
She moved like superb floating castle,
with all her living tenan,ry on board, well
ordered, well founded, and giving the best
earnests ofvanquishing the Alpine ridges Of
the ocean, and making her desired haven in
triumph, at the swifiest rate, and al the APP
pointed time!
"Who would not brave the battle and the
ae,- wreck, 9l.a3 .-g. oo.- 1a- Ha.t.
To move the monarch of his peoplcd deck p
Alas that monarch is no object of envy
now!
Ifelt pensive, whatever others did, at
leaving. With no allowance of supersti-
tious feeling, and perhaps with no remarka-
BILE propensity to that wretched religious
vice of poor human nature, I realized that
all earth's pledges, in favor Of q prosperous
voyage, might NOT be redeemed. The way
in which we left America on the 9Th of June.
in the good ship Mediator. was very diff.
ferent way. Some hundreds Of dear Chris.
tians friends were on board, and sailed with
us about twenty miles, and number of our
beloved brethren in the ministry were there !;
and our worthy captain, Seth Chad,Oick,
seemed pleased TO patronize the proposition
for prayer to God, when we all bowed to-
gether, as unworthy sinners, before the Eter-
nal Majesty, and commended the ship, the
captain, the passengers, the crew, and all
our friends, to the care Of God Almighty, in
the name Of our all.worthy Redeemer.
wish all captains, as well as he, realized
their duties and attended 10 their business,
AZ faithful, as efficient, and as temperate as
he, preferring usefulness to show, and ser.
vice 10 fame But we had no prayers,
or other public and proper acknowledge
ment Of God, ON this occasion. fear that
some of as felt as If there was no need of
prayer on beard of such q paragon Of a stea-
mer. And surely 4 more presumption-war-
ran,ing and fear dispelling vessel. in popu-
lar esteem, probably, never foafed or sailed
With passengers, from any port in the Brit-
ish Islands, FOR America or elsewhere. .
Besides, the wind was fair, the tide was
with as, our canvas was soon set, our ma.
chinery worked to a charm, our screw OF
Archimedes Eeyolved invisibly nader water
and famed our way onward with a won
derful celebrity, ut the rate Of twelve or thir-
teen knots; while the wake was shining a.
stern, and at night glittered with abeau.iful
hosphoresceEce-which, we hoped, was
soon to become more iuposingly brilliant in
the wide Atlantic. | ought to have men
toned, however, that at parting, the thou
sands of spectators, that remained gazing
at Us vita intenssa PpareAt interest, strange
~, as we though. instead Of cheering US
with a right hearty valedictory, huzzs for
England end America! stood mate rs stat
Ies, silently Witnessing the scene. Some
thought it omineus, especially as we ALI ex-
pected their salntes, and were waiting to
peal our loud demonstrations in return. So
it was. No cheering, nO word Of gEatuls-
ton, no general demonstration on either
side; so un-American, 50 unlhinking, 90
queer. .,...-.-u- vi, d.
Contrary to expectation, I soon found
thar cur course was rather northwest than
southwest, and perceived that the captain
intended TO 60 between the Isle Of Man and
Ireland, thence through the North Channel,
and 30 north about 70 the ocean instead OF
The ordinary way, south sbout, BY Cape
Clear. vessing toward America. We had
no objection, however, whea we knew his
plan, Our company enjoyed themselves,
our anticipatioas were high, our content
meDt great, our fellow passengers agreeable
cur progress excellent, and orr prospects
bright. We had on board nearly 400 souls
l-perhaps quite have no means OF Ger
tain Information. What 4 charge, 70 de,
serve the care Of all The officers, especially
The chief! We launched et about ] O'Clock
dined 81 4, and took tea a z; an in, good
49, -