The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-11

The following Particular Of chs lca q the steamer
Moaunsntal City, Of Baltimore. brief account Of
which has already appeared in our columns Is from
tho Sydney HeraN. Capt. W. Ii. Adams. her com.
II Is our painful duty to narrate the total destruc
ton o the above noble American steampscket, Cap
tain w. H. Adams, commander, together with tue
loss Of thirty Of the lives Of the passengers aud
crew, occas0ne1 by her running on q rock in Maa-
goutta Bay, at about quarter 70 o'clock A. NJ on
Sunday, May Is. on her passage from Melbourne to
Sydney This vessel started from Melbourne on Fri.
day, the 18th instant, and having fair wind all on
board were light hearted at the idea Of having q
speedy passage to Sydney. She was progre sing at
the rate OF about IL knots hour up to the time OF
her arriving at the fatal spot which will be long re-
membered by the friends OF those who are no more,
their lives. 1t appears that on the Saturday night
previous to tho wreck. captain board, well ac-
quainted with the coast, had cautioned those In
mand that she was huegiDg the land too closely
This aivice, however, it seems was unheeded and
at the above time the passengers were a~oke by the
vessel running on the rocks. A scene of cousteraa-
ton Immediately epsued by the passengers and 9th
ers running about the deck. The sea was then calm,
and all might have been saved. but the captain or
deied the engineer to back her, with the intention
Of getting her off, which proved iuefectual the sails
were furled to .lIay the incessant humping the
rocks, the commander informing all that he hoped
to get her off at daybreak, it being then quite dark
At o'clock the scene entirely changed, violent
gale springiDg up from the southeast. The pumps
peared TO be made.
The heavy heaving ofthe vessel now increased and
water he gan to gain rapidly on the pumps in very
short time 1t had extinguished the engine fires, made
its way intethc steerage apartments, and appear
sDces began TO threaten very serious results. At
this juncture the foremost was cut away which con
siderably eased the rolling Of the vessel until she
seemed in very short time to setus sideways on
the rocks, her forepart being considerably higher
than the stern. The female passengers and children
that had been taken on the poop to the captains
office now went to the cooks galley. At about 8
o'clock the first boat lowered and was as speedily
dashed to pieces by the breakers; the secobd met
with similar fate, and the third was drifted away
The only chance Of escape from destruction now eft
was by the life boat this was drawn from the stern
Of the vessel to the bows which the majority Of
the passengers were clinging; into it jumped
Charles Plummer, seaman, and in this manner,
with rope attached, 1t was allowed to drift to the
rocks but not before the connecting line had broken
before the eyes Of the anxious crowd who now stood
on the bOws-and then
Hope whitening fled, AID Mercy cried farewell.
All chance Of escape appearing to be cut off, as a
after considerable delay 1oated to within reach Of
the brave fellow, who had landed himself on the
rock. TO this rope was attached another, aud fnsl
y the hawser, which he hauled in and fastened to
rock the other end Of it being secured to the bow
spirit Of the vessel and all those who had courage
enough to venture had to 6sencumber themselves
OF superiuous clothing, and pass themselves in
cling down the hawser to the rock where they were
drawn out Of the surf by Charles Plummer, whose
heroic conduct saved fifty -four souls from watery
grave. So strong and fearful, however, was the sea
raging at the tune, that many poor fellow was
washed off the hawser, and persisted in the sea.
One, more daring than the rest, being good swim.
mer, trusted to his powers, but his fate showed
how vain it was to combat with the remorseless bill
lows The sea had by this time made fearful havoc
with the vessel the under part OF the stern had
been washed away, the engine work. boilers, &o.,
having passed through the bottom. Now came tho
last scene OF all. The pillows were running noun
her stern by enc Of these her quarterdec was Sc
parated from the fore part presently another sea
split asunder the forecastle, and nothing now re-
manned Of the Monumental City save the floating
timber, with which the sea was covered.
At the time che separated about dozen persons
were standing on her bOws-the doctor sitting on
the bowsit, waiting an opportunity to descend the
hawser with lady: not one of them, however, es
four who we're fortunately saved had now to wade
through q strong current from the rocks to o
small island, where fires were lighted and there they
remained until Tuesday mid day, when the life boat,
the main land, not, however, without considerable
danger, for some time before landing the boat was
filed with water to the gunwales by the heavy surf.
The next morning an attempt was made TO get the
remainder over from the island, but it was found to
be impossible to get the boat through the surf;
therefore, drenched with wet and with only pound
of flour each for provisions, the nineteen started for
Twofod Bay, where tioy arrived in most destitute
and miserable condition on the evening of Friday,
Goth instant, after encountering many hardshps,
such as being forced to subsist partly shell fish,
portion Of them, however, met not far from the
bay by Mr.. Allen, to whom notice had been given
by some Of the party who had arrived at Twofold
Bay short time before. This gentleman with great
to his own house. where he lodged them for the night
In the most kind and hOspitable manner; which act,
We have doubt, viii cause his name and family TO
be remembered long by those who were the reci-
thasW
remained on the island constructed a raft by which
they all got safe to the main land; they reached
Twotold Bay on Sunday, the ed.
The following Is the list Of those who were saved:
Captain w. H. Adams, commander; Edward Van
sice, mate; w. v. Cutter, second mate; William
Duncan, chief engineer; w. H. Adams, William
Pearson, Eugene Broader assistant engineers; p.
Harem, William Stewart, J. S. Wilson, David Robin.
con, fremen; J. G. Gay, Hugh Miller, J. Edwards,
John Lemon. cooks; J. L. N. Omstead, chief stew.
ard; VIM. Kennedy, C. 8. Davidson, J. M. BestGs,
ards; j. G. Ogle, baker; George Taylor, boatswain;
William Perkins, carpenter; Thomas Macke, John
Perry, walters; John Higgins, James McEune, M.
CSnlCr Jom SSnner JGhn p pnPs ;,, coal psssers
Edward Roberts, William Litchfeld, Charles Stone,
Charles Vine, scamen
PASSENGERS.
LIST class Mr.. Mc1arrow, Sydney. I'd class Mr..
w. G. Howard, Charles johnson, John Fisher James
Wheeler, all Of Melbourne; Peter Ferguson, Samuel
Dick, John Mildred, William Weilly, James Collins,
A fred Marsh, John Clune, all Of Sydney. The num-
Der Of persons, as far could be as:ertaned, who
unfortunately persisted. was thirty three: amongst
whom may be mentioned, Mr.. and Mrs Stubs aad
child, Goelong; Mr.. Uric, stockbroker, Glasgow;
Peter Stroebel, Esq, owaer; Mrs. Wilson, Charles
Hopcott, William O'Gorman, James Porter, Charles
Sweet, DR.. David Rolf.
Mr.. w. II. Adams, the captain Of this steamer. has
addressed o letter to the sydney Herald, in which,
in answer to reports detrimental to his conduct in
navigating that vessel says he is ready, and has Of
ered. through the American Consul to subject him
self to the inquiries OF any body of respectable ship
masters. He adds "lt seems to me that the writer's
of these reports would have the public think that /
caused the loss of my ship Intentionally, did not
know the position ofmy ship. l beg OF you TO make
known to the public that the night Of the loss of
the Monumental City judged her to be at midnight
safe aud sufficient distance from the coast al which
time left the deck in charge of my chief officer,
man in whom have al WAYS bad imnicit confidence