The New York herald., 1850-02-26
Ths wreck or the so.m.r MAJ. u.,...


1t win be In the recollection Of our readers that On
last "wednesday week. We detailed in the Herald An
account Of the melancholy wreck of the steamsr Rhode
Island and the supposed loss Of lives when
bound on her passage from this port San
California. She left New York on the 28d Janu.rv
ut laden With Goals and provisions and had
persons on board, Capt. Colby commander HAVING
stopped two days in quarantine, she commenced hsr
voyage on the 26th when Il was discovered that tbr
Teen persons were sscreted board without the know
ledge OF the captain As the accounts then reached us
appeared that the ship completely destroyed on
the 10th Of January In the Gulf stream Twelve opv
Of those on board were saved amongst whom we're Ben
smin Boyd the second mate eight others CT the crew
and only three Of the passengers When they escaped
the steamer was In sinking condition, and the sury
supposed that the captain and the rest Of the sea-
men and passengers, thirty two in number perished
We need not here recount the circumstances Of the
sad disaster 1t is sufficient for present duty to
say, that since then {" rumor, with her hundred
tongues" has been busy in wrapping up the causes
of the shipwreck in horrid mystery, which will per-
haps in the course Of this day, tomorrow be un-
ravsed by An investigation before the United States
District authorities In consequence Of the strange
versions Of the AFFAIR, which have been given BY some
Of the survivors the United States Marshal
caused benjamin Boyd, the second mate, to be ar
rested In his possession found two quadrants,
one one IL Is alleged belonging to the captain, and the
committed for examinstion
John Davis, Zone Of the survivors) who was Areman
on poard States In his depositions before the District
Attorney, after giving description Of the adverse
winds and bad weather which they encountered that
on the Monday after they sailed the was aborng
very heavily and the gaining on the engine In
the evening they sail in sight and was proposed
to the captain BY Of the to signsize her for
safety but he replied was no danaer shortly
after o'clock the hold filled with water; the vessel
then pitched in different ways and subseq aently sea
came and lifted her up so as to stop her engne the
water then came In In great quantities. ut two O'Clock
in the morning boat launched by some one, but
she was smashed and swsuped, and the captain com
planned Of 1t having been launched without orders:
but the captain said they should wait his orders ss
the other lost through esreesness ct this time
there was about Ave feet Of water in the cabin the
captain then orders to launch the boat witness
and VIM Sweeney, Cbas. Haskins, the cook and hie
BOY and some others got inte her, and the captain
lowered woman in the boat by rope; they then
sung out for more persons to come, but no one else
would get into her. the struck the gunWae OF
the boat out and broke two panks they then started
az the boat was nearly broken in two II:
eomethng those in the boat tried to turn her three
times, but failed they crowd Of persons standing
the boat to and take them OF the guard Jof the
steamer was then down In the water (contnusd Dav)
and as We found we could render them assistance,
ths boat on her courses We were cut Of sight Of
land about hour left vessel was the last
we saw OF her. in the ming taken up BY the
schooner Mary Wise Of Thomaston told the captain
Of schooner that II he would put sail on and 20
twelve miles TO the windwsrd, he could save about
thirty lives the captain said there another YES
sci In eight which would pick them up the schooner
kept on her coursee We we're put board the Rich
mond. whaer, of Providence in two DAYS Afterwards
isrriyed in New FORK week ago last Tuesday; there
were twelve persons In the small boat Boyd the Sc
copd mate was In her; be brought nothing but his
clothes with him. saw two quadrsnts in the boat;
think Boyd brought one Of them; the captain tell
man to pass quadrant into the boat; the captain
could have got into the boat.