Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-14

LOSS OF TIL X STEAMER ARCTIC!
n MOST LAMENTABLE CATASTROPHE.
The agonizing suspense in which the public mind
has been held for the last ten days regard to the
fate Of the steamer Arctic of the Collins line of Liver
pool Steamers has been broken by the sad intclli-
gence that she was engulphed on the 9TH Septem-
ber with many Of her passengers and crew, in conse
quence of collision with another steamer during
d fog. From the great strength and complete
equipment Of the Arctic this was the only sort Of
casualty likely to be serious to her, and this does
not appear to have been anticipated by even the
most sagacious sea-faring man
The subjoined account Of the disaster will carry
deep and heartrending sorrow to the homes of
thousands both in this country and in England
1t is the account furnished us by Mr.. GEORGE H.
BURNS, the express messenger Of Adams Co.,
who was on board the Inflated steamer.
STATEMENT OF MIR. BURNS.
The steamship Arctic with 226 passengers exclusive Of
children, It's employees valuable cargo and heavy mail
is lost Of the than four hundred souls who left
Liverpool the 10th ultimo, full Of hope gaiety and
health, many returning from European tour Of plea
sure only thirty known have been saved and
certainly not more than hundred cam by any posi-
biity, have escaped watery grave In addition to all
this another large steamer freghted with hundreds Of
human beings has, in all probability met like fate
The details Of the horrible disaster are as follows:
On Wednesday, September q, precisely at II o'clock
NJ In dense fog, in contact with barkrigged
iron propeller, With black hull salmon colored bottom
eadcolored poop and boats. and black pipe She was
bound eastward and had all sail set with strong rar
wind. The speed Of the Arctic at the time was about
thirteen knots hour The shock to appeared slight
but the damage to the other vessel was frightful.
Capt LUCE instantly ordered the quarter boats cleared
away, and the chief mate, boatswan and three sailors
went relief Before other boats left the order
countermanded The Arctic then described circle twice
round e wreck, during which time caught glimpse of
more than two hundred people clustered on her hurr
cane deck
At this junctare it was FIRST ascertaned that we had
sustained injury, and the water pouring in of our
bows. When the first officer alongside to report
the captain unable to take him up, but headed
in thehope of making land Our position on the pre-
vious Fay OF y o'clock latitude 4So 39 longitude
45o ~ We had run about three hundred and ten miles
from he time Of this observation until the moment of
coils n and supposed to be forty miles from Cape
Race.
Th pumps were vigorously worked, and an anchor
chai thrown overheard but in spite Of all exeron the
engines stopped and the water extngushed the fires.
-Four of the five other feboats believed to have been
well provisioned containing the engineers sailors, few
passengers, and all the officers except the captain and
third mate, left the ship early stage. The majority
of the passengers working at the pumps, firing
the signal guns and others launching spars under the
direction of Capt Luce and Mr. Dorian the third mate
to form raft
In order to facilitate this latter work the sixth and
last boat lowered Dorian, two remen three
of the other passengers saved andmysef were bnsy
gagged flashing water casks and settees to the main yard
two topgalant yards and several sparsthe cap
tain, with number of gentlemen protecting the work by
keeping back the crowdwhen panic seized all board
rush made, passengers and fremen precipitated
themselves headlong the bulwarks to the raft
and in moment little boat was full and in imminen
danger of being sunk.
In this emergency Dorian ordered the rope which he'll
to the steamer to be cut and with hands and
I've padded from the RATS side. The mate. who through
out great presence or mind ana labored wit
heroic energy, cried out For Gods sake captain clea
the raft, that work l won't desert the shi
while there's timber above water" But the sea wa
flush with the dead lights In less than three minute
from the time he spoke the sunk and the
went boiling the tumbling heap of human beings
many dashed forward against the pipe. heard ont
wild yell t ringing in my ears and the Arctic
the struggling mass rapidly engulphed.
Numbers yet clung to the imperecy raft
but, alas we could render them aid Our stu
alton was less perious; and cruel as it seemed, VI
were forced to abandon them to fate. Heaven forbt
/ that should ever witness such another scene!
We, however, picked up two more men, and then, wit
nm overloaded boat without oars, tholepins, food, o
drink avoiding with difficulty the fragments Of the wreck
and passing many dead females, prepared for nigh
i upon the ocean We secured floating pumpkin AM
cabbage guard against immediate starvation dashed
spar to the prov Of boat to keep her head to tn
wind and sea- and thus drftcd until daylight The nigh
was cold and foggy with heavy SWELL and, in cramp
ed, dreuched, and half-naked condition, we sufere
terribly. -
Without dwelling upon miseries, alleviated muc
by the Consciousness that had endeavored to do
duty to our feow-men suffice it to say that at ococ
on the afternoon Of the 2Sth espied sail and raise
handkerchief to attract attention. We successful
With the rude substitute for which had construct
ed during the day by ashing planks capsan bars Wit
a viewof attempting to gain land when the subsidized
we pulled towards the ship On our way passed tn
IL