Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-04


We are gratifed in being able to state that the
telegraphic report of the rescue of the emigrant
passengers of the ship William and Mary is fully
confirmed. The particulars of their rescue given
in the subjened extracts, copied from the Savannah
Republican of Tuesday last
70 our .-sa AND MARy.--It win be gratiiyins
LEADERS to learn that the unfortunate passenger
one hundred and eighty in number, Of this ili-fated
ship have been saved, with the exception Of two Who
in endeayorng to get into the long boat drowned
The, heroic and humane conduct Of the two seamen
WILLIAM WARD and SAMUEL p HARRIS, who refused
70 quit the ship and abandon the passengers helpless
ness and despair is in noble contrast with the cow
ardy ana reprehensible conduct the Captain and his
omcers VINO aVaed themselves of the first opportunity
10 desert ana save their useless lives The unsefsh
brave anu humane spirits of WARD and HARRIS win elicit
the admiration and appreciation of mankind For their
heroism and humanity trust they will receive. as
they deserve some substantial token of public approba
ton The efforts of Captain SANDS, of the wrecking
schooner Oracle in saving the lives and relieving the
distress OF the passengers of the Wziam and Mary
are worthy also of the highest commendation His
was that OF wrecker and his interest was to save
the cargo But ne noby sacrificed his interest and rsed
MS lie 70 rescue his fellowbeings from the imminent
peril to which they had been abandoned
gentleman from Nassau Mr. JoHy r B.ooN) in
forms us that the William Mary could easily have been
run ashore in place hours with the wind in the
direction it then prevailed The passengers might all
have been safely landed and much if not all the cargo
might have been saved, though perhaps in damaged
state The statement that the William and Mary ,oent
doUn false She found afoat three days after
wards, at least twenty miles from the place she struck
and if the passengers had been taken off they doubt
less by working the pumps, could have kept her aoat
longer.
The agents Of the British Government at Nassau have
taken charge OF the passengers saved FROM the William
and Mary and they will be forwarded to New Orleans
the point of their destination Mr. Bacon informs us
that considerable fund had been raised by private sub
scrpon among the good citizens Of Nassau to purchase
supplies for the needy of these unfortunate sufferers
Mr. b. also informs that the British passenger act Of
1852 makes full provision for disasters of this kind and
the entire cost of maintaining these passengers although
borne in the first instance by the British Government
becomes by section Of that act Crown debt and is
recoverable from the owners master, agent and char
erers of the shpa bond being given the port from
whence the ship sails to any such contingencies
The cost of maintaining the passengers at Nassau and
transporting them to New Orleans will be about 81 OOO
We append the following particulars which we find in
the Bahama (at Nassau) Herald of the 14th
The American ship William and Mary, of Bath, Maine
Stnson, MASTER from Liverpool for New Orleans with
cargo OF railroad iron, pig iron, dry goods and crockery
and hundred and eighty emgrant passengers struck
On small rock mine feet under water the Great
kaacs on Tuesday evening May 3D. at 20 minutes past
eight o'clock The ship was ashore about three hours
Three of the crew. who have arrived at this port sta
that after the ship struck they let go anchor parted
the chain and then let go the other anchor The boats
we're got out two Of which were stove At A. NJ the |
captain, NTH the mates and part Of The cec left in one of
the boats, and four seamen and passengers filling long
boat also left Two passengers in endeavorng get in
the long boat were drowned Two seamen VIM. Ward
and Samuel D. Harris refused quit the ship and
don the helpless and unfortunate passengers Discerning
the land about eight miles ahead they shipped the chain
snd tried to get the ship under way in order if possible
reach the land and the ship ashore but the pas
sengers could render but little assistance in working the
ship, and they therefore unable to do So Had
captain and deserted The ship it is the conviction of
the seamen referred to that the ship might have been
ashore Being unable to manage her for Of proper
assistance she dred to the northeast the passengers
exerting themselves the at the pumps During
not launched until the following morning Early
the morning Of the 9th the land seen about ten
miles distant, and after schooner hove in sight.
The coors set half mast when the schooner
ddtey bore down to the ship The passengers redoubled
their exertons at the pumps and relieved by
the wrecking schooner Oracle ROBERT SANDS master,
coming alongside % their assistance The women and
children first taken off and landed, afterwards the
schooner returned and saved the remainder of the
sengers being the deck when the ship went
down. ION friday but saved themselves by jumping into
the wrecking schooners boat When the ship down
the end Of Grand Bahama bore about east northeast
twenty miles distant. Capt Sands has doubtless been
instrumental in saving the lives all board and, with
the who remained with the passengers deserves
the warm appreciation of the humane and generous
ward from the British and American Governments.
portion of the emgrants thus rescued consists of
party of Germans eighty -four in number of whom
were infants and children under the age of twelve
years. leaving sixynine adults. They all engaged
by German named BoNSEMA, who has brought them
at his own exclusively with the intention OF pur
chasing farming lands and making settlement in Iowa
The ST. Louis Integencer states that three scientific
expeditions are their way to explore tract of
country bcveen Fort Laramie and Fort Pierre known
Mauvais Terres Bad Land scattered which
immense quantities of fossil bones of various shapes and
unlike the skeletons Of any living animals.
The Eclectic Magazine translates from NJ. AapERE's
Promenade en- Amerique that savants account of his
visit to New York. The article is good-humored and
generally correct We much amused this passage
smoothing shows better the difference between a Gov
eminent where the people every thing and where
they are cipher than the earnestness Of these
remen and all other citizens, compared with the ndif
ference shown by the modern Romans under similar cir