The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-01
Another Interesting Account Of the Lite
Voyage OF the y. 3. Mall stsanaaaip Ole.


is at the service of any one desiring to know it.
1t is ascertained that every part of the Ohio is
perfectly sound and firm, except the cylinder and
the pipe and valve, which became injured or
broken. She was to leave Norfolk yesterday,
on her return to this port where she will be put at
once in complete order for resumng her voyages
previous to which, however, if she can be ad-
mitted into the government dry dock, at Brooklyn.
she will be coppered, as she would have been
nearly year SINCE, had the dock been ready to
receive herr
The Ohio sailed from New Orleans on Saturday,
the l4th inst, at A. M. The vessel was apparent.
ly in good condition, and the engines and ship
worked well. Nothing Of interest occurred until
after our arrival at Havana. She moored in her
18th, at ii Al the signal was given for starting
on our return to New York. Myself and two or
three others had taken stations on the starboard
wheel house-wheL, just after the engine was put
in motion, we. heard slight noise, which we sup
posed was occasioned either by the wheel striking
something, or by some OF the buckets being loose
but we felt no jar or conclusion. The engines
were imme diatey stopped, and an anchor cast out
On examining the machinery, II was found that
the starboard engine was disabled, and could
not be put in working order. The escape valve at
the bottom OF the cylinder of that engine had not
performed its duty In dischargiDg the water which
collected there. The result was, that when the
engine started, the water having no vent, burst a
small hole in the cy Under near the valve,
and thus escaped. This injury 1t was found
! impracticable to repair at Havana, and the
engineer Immediately took measures to discon.
meet the engines from the shaft, so as to enable
the ship to proceed with single engine. Before
the next day this was accomplished, and the ma
chineTy submitted to the inspection of the engi-
neers Of the Georgia and Pacific, which steamers
were then in port, and they pronounced it perfectly
safe TO proceed TO sea in that condition. 1t was
well known 10 the passengers that we were to 60
to sea with a single engine.
On Thursday, the 18Th, at 10 O'Clock A. M, we
get under way, and left the port of Havana. On
Tuesday evening, we had arrived nearly in the
latitude Of Cape Hatteras, and, until then, every
thing had gone on prosperously, and our progress
had exceeded our expectations. In the afternoon
of Sunday, the clouds gave indications of an ap-
preaching stom-the wind blowing moderately
from the southeast As the evening advanced, the
wind rose; and at III o'clock, when left the deck
for the night, 1t had increased to a severe gale.
After the vessel felt the severity of the gale, the
machinery was worked moderately, sufficient to
keep the chip in manageable condition and
out of the trough of the sea. About half.past two
o'clock on Monday morning, when the gale was
at its height, TIE engine caught upon the centre
and stopped and the ship refused to obey her helm.
urched 10, and became manageable. The Off
GERS Of the ship did all in their power to relieve
her from her critical situation; but it was ineffec-
tual. The moment a sail was unfured it was
blown to shreds. The storm and wind from T..
contiEutd with little or no abatement until Mon
day afternoon, the ship laboring in the trough OF
the sea, and tossed about, the sport of the winds
and waves She nobly sustained the Shocks rising
from each with great buoyanc and renewed
strength and on Monday evening, when the wind
shifted to the southwest, appeared again to ride
upoa the waves as if nothing had happened.
Measures were then mm. diaiely taken to raise
steam, and early in the night the engine was put
in motion, the ship was brought about, and
proceeded On our course. Everything then looked
favorable, and we were encouraged TO believe the
danger passed, but the wind soon increased to a
gale; OF Unprecedented severity, from The south
wet, and IL was then discovered that the ship had
sprung leak. The water soon gained upon US
10 such an extent that il put out The fire, and rem
cered the vessel unmanageabe. The hands on
board the boat were set 10 work pumping and ball
ing, and they continued until they became ex-
hausted. The captain then called upon the
passengers, and requested their aid at the
pumps and IN baling Efficient measures were at
once taken, under the lead of General Howard, of
Baltimore, for the organization of the passengers
to work by sections About l2o volunteered for
the work. They were divided into five sections,
each section TO take its turn at the pumps aud
baling. As soon as the sections were organ
Hed, they entered vigorously upon the task,
and continued thus at work. from an early hour
on Tuesday morning, until about four o'clock on
Wednesday morning, by which time they had sue
ceeded 80 far IN reducing the water that the fires
had been renewed in the furnaces, and we were
IN momentaTy expectation OF starting the engine
and getting the ship under way. The wind, at
this time, had abated very much, but was still
blowing heavily. The baliog was discontinued,
as being. in the judgment Of Capt. Schenck, no
further Necessary; bu, IL was found that much
coal had been washed under the machinery, that
il could not work The pumping and baling were
then resumed by sections, as heretofore; the flow
OF water was again overcome, and the engine was
cleared and in motion at about III on Wednesday,
AM. BY this time the wind had almost entirely
abafei, and the sea was calm. Our course was
then turned homeward, and by an observation
taken al noon of that day, we find ourselves to be
about 81 miles from Norfolk, and a short distance
north Of Cape Hateras. At the earnest soil
citation OF The passengers, Captain Schenck con-
sented 10 put into Norfolk, and there land his pas
srngers. After This the engine continued In opera
ton until we reached Norfolk harbor at two o'clock
\, M on Thursday, although we encountered au-
other severe gale from the westward on Wednes-
day night-the bang being continued from the time
y r.. commenced until about ten o'clock on Thurs.
day forenoon. Soon after, we entered the Chesa-
peahe bay, when IL was finally discontinued
The leakage in the vessel was through one of the
supply pipes 10 one OF the boilers, which was found
to be burst or broken, where passed through the
bottom Of the chip. This was Stopped as well as il
could be with larrsd canvass and rags; but II was
difficult TO do II tfiectually during the gale and
great strain upon the ship. The pump connected
WIN me boiler not being IN operation, the mode OF
getting out the water, in addition to the hand pump
forward, was TO bale with the four large buckets
ordinarily used 10 draw up the coal cinders from
the hold. =
The Ohio was proved TO be a vessel Of suoeuor
build and strength and OF great buoyancy
Had she not been so, she could not have with
Stood The heavy sea and long. continued shocks
she received during the successive gales Al
though she lay 10 the trough Of the rea for go
many hours, and encountered so many gales with
me waves running mountains high, she did not,
during the whole time, ship single sea Hal che
not met with such an unusual and extraordinary
succession of gales, I'D the supply pipe given
away so as TO cause the leakage, the single en-
CINE would have proved abundanty sufficient to
have brought her into port. This is fully proved
by the fact that on Sunday noon, the third day out
from Havana, we had made 700 miles and be-
tween Friday noon aud Saturday noon we made
POI miles, being nearly eleven miles an hour
cehnot close this communication without the
remark that Captain Schenck, and the officers and
men under his charge, in the management and
m gh h..
thar rs Of The owners and passengers for the able
untiring and efficient manner in witch they dis.
charged their respective duties Nor can Ia ius-
uee iorbear 10 add, that to the great strength and
admirable construction of the Ohio consider NV
self mainly indebted, under Providence, for safety
from the peris OF the voyage.