Washington telegraph., 1847-02-17

sfrlaaoar EKrloaoS-Loss or LFE-Tha
y. q. Mercury Of the 3Oth uli, eontsin. an ae.
e1uat Of the explosion Of the steamer Tuscaloosa
en- the 99th ul., about 10 mci above Mobile aa
the Alabama fiFsr Two Of the boilers exploded.
tearing up the deck aud otherwise shailcfIng the
boat and sitting heta ere
The remains Of ,hr late Lieut. luso were On
board, in charge Of the Alabama committee, and
were lost
Tie number Of killed and missing ii prabal'y
between twenty and thirty.
The Mobile Advertiser gives the following De-.
tails Of the melancholy Disaster
The crash was appalling. as related to us by tho
survivors Of the terrible wreck. That portion Of
the social hall which wns not earned away In
fragments, by the explosion, ,iril down in prumscols
oonlusion, with falling ohiuinics, umbcrs. etc =,
upon the bed Of the henird boilers hearing wilh il
all the passengers and other persons 10 that neigh.
nofhood--some Of whom were Killed others badly
bruised, hufnrd aud scalded By the stram that
continued for some time to rush forth from H.
broken confinement. Al the moment Of III. ss.
plosion the boat u represented as being either
aground, or 50 near TO shoal waief that 10 turning
Immediately aiterihe shock she became stationary
aud irnmoyabie. No person In the after nart Of
the boat was injured BY the conclusion. and as
soon as tie steam, which pefyadcd every part Of
the cabin, had cleared l.lie away, preparations
were made by some Of the passengers flr leaving
the wreck, while other. booked after the wounded
and distressed in the forward part Of the b1ai,
towards whom they were directed by inoans and
walings that were truly heaHrtndins. The r..
male passengers were al iirsi considerably alarmed.
but almost instantly regaincd a calmness and pres.
ence Of mind, which were ns surprising rs they
were commendabe. The forward portion Of the
boat was soon discovered to be on FIRE; and what
added 10 the hofroro The situation Of the survivors
on board, at this iunoiufe, was the knowledge Of
the fact TO some Of them, that in the hold Of tho
iurcoage were tiogcd tneHfy;f fire kegs ef B5rdsr.
The boat gas some distance from shore, aud fast
aground. The yawl boat was Of small capacity,
was IN rather bad repair, and could only carry
some two or three persons at a time. To hasten
the debirkaiion in this frarfu! emergency. the
passcnge;s commenced forming RATS or floats oi
such plunks and other articles as they could ind
Of hand In these labors several Of the ladies. we
learn, with praiscworil y fortitude and hlacriy,
took part. The night was lrightfuly dark, and
rendered still more terrific by the prevalence Of a
storm Of wind aud rain, accompanied by thunder
aud lightning. After the lapse Of a half hour, by
dlnt Of unIaienng ekefiions nearly all thii we're
able to help themselves, with some Of the sealded
aud malmcd, had Cotton clear Of the boat and
were waiting IN uomeniury expectation Of the
explosion of the powder in tie hold A. ihi. time
the cries and gToans Of those who were ef, burned
and aeefaied on the wreck, beyond the reach Of
fnrf husaltufga uuI st.. a
Of the burning vessel crept on ihrm represented
as being pilcous and woefnl beyond all description
The anticipated explosion finally came-irafiul Ia
s effects, aud dcaiening in Ia roar. Amer Il.
echoes Ind died away, all was silent us the grave
The moansof the wounded and dying were hushed
in The stiffness Of death.