Washington sentinel., 1854-01-12
General Sntelligeate.
The steamer SAN Francisco.-Mr. McCary,

| The Steamer San Francisco McCarty,
the chief mate of the Napoleon, who came TO New
York. at the request Of Mr.. AspinwalI, gives the
| following detailed statement of what occurred
when the Napoleon fell in with the steamer San
Francisco;
On Friday the 23d of December 1853, at S p. NJ,
land time, the brig was struck with severe gale,
| which soon increased TO perfect hurricane from
| N. w. The Napoleon was hove TO under a bal
| ance reefed mainsail, and so continued without
intermission, until Sunday, December 25, dread
ful sea running all the Time Al 2 A. M. of that
/ day, we discovered on our weather quarter, dis
tant some seven or eight miles, dismasted yes
sci, which we Judged 10 be barque. The mzen
mast and mzen topmast We're standing We dis
covered that her ensign was union down, but could
not make out her flag. AT noon of that day we
We're in latitude $50 n, longitude 600 30 w. The
/ vessel in distress being 10 the windward, il was
| impossible to render her any assistance; and the
wind blew so fercely and the sea ran SO high, no
boat could possibly have lived.
| AT ll.30 A. NJ, 10Th December, the disabled YES
sci had drlted to leeward of us, and bore s. 5. W.,
distant about four miles. The weather was clear
and through the glass we discovered her, manage
able, but lying in the trough Of the sea, and rolling
! 10 and fro.
! BY this time, the wind having uled some,
though it still blew violently and the sea running
| dreadfully high, Captain Strout wore ship, set
reefed main stay-sail and fore topmast stay-sail,
| and run for the wreck
AT 1890 we approached her, and passed under
| her stern, which was round one, and read
| clearly and distinctly her name--it was "San
| Francisco, New York" She had side wheels and
guards, and her hull was painted black. We
sailed under her stern within fifty or sixty yards,
and ranged ahead Of her, for we did not wish TO
be on her lee as she was drifting faster than we
were. saw her bow; she had very short bow
| spirit, painted black; sharp bows, but did not
observe her model closely, as my attention was
| directed to her damaged condition. and mainly TO
the suffering people on board.
We passed TO eeward abreast of her, when
man, whom we supposed to be the master, hailed
us through speaking trumpet He was stout
man, and had on a dark coat and cap either of
cloth or leather
His first salutation was" Brig ahoyW
Captain Strout answered.
The captain Of the steamer then said--"I want
you to lie by and send boat"
Captain Strout replied in effect, that he could
not send boat, but added" Put up a light at
night"
Captain Strout then said, that as boat could
not live in so fearful sea, he would lie by till
morning, and then would, if more moderate, board
the wreck. He then asked:
Where you from? :"
" From New York. bound to California
sWhen were you disabled 2"
/" On the night the 23rd-my vessel is making
| water .t-
To which Captain Strout replied, g | am in dis
| tress, too, and short Of provisions
81 have plenty of provisions" answered the
captain of the steamer.
We passed by this time too far to hear anything
more. As we came under her stern some twenty
persons came from the cabin on deck, wearing
dark clothes and caps. On the forward deck saw
one hundred or one hundred and fifty men, dressed
in caps and blue coats, and look them at the time
for soldiers. AS we approached we heard them
| they gave three hearty cheers. We saw nofcmales
upon deck. Il
Amidships observed several men wearing oiled
clothes, and some caps and blue jackets. Some
four or five of these men had axes in their hands,
and We're cutting away on some woodwork, throw
ing pieces of it, perhaps chips, overheard. could
not what they were cutting, but supposed at
the time that they were making something for the
security of the vessel-perhaps drag. There
seemed TO be no fear among any Of the people on
deck, and those amidship continued their work,
and appeared 10 pay little heed to the approach of
the brig Napoleon. yt s
Also amldship observed smoke, or rather steam,
issuing from small pipe. did not see any people
working pumps.
She had no boats left.
The main and miZen topmast were standing,
with spanker gaf attached On its end hung
small remnants of sail, and underneath it the
ensign, union down, a
also saw the stump Of foremast which reach.
ed as high as the top of the pilot-house. That
house was situated on the hurricane deck, just
abaft of the foremast; its doors and windows were
stove in, and no person in it.
The paddle boxes on both sides were gone the
wheels remained, and seemed unininred; did
not observe any Of the floats TO be Off The bull
warks We're gone on both sides, from abreast of
the piot-house to ten or twelve feet forward ofthe
mizenmast The hurricane deck, too, was gone
equal distance. The hull seemed uninjured.
These observations being at a distance of only
some fifty or sixty yards, think if she had been
more seriously injured would have observed il.
Captain Stront kept his vessel merely under
steerage way, and continued 10 see the steamer
till dark. She was then about three miles TO the
eastward of US. When night set in, we lost sight
OF her.
The steamer was drifting much faster, and next
morning she was not in sight.
think that, so far as personal safety is con-
cerned, would rather have been aboard the I'M
manageable steamer than the disabled brig
When the San Francisco left this port, she drew
fifteen and quarter feet of water even keel
and when she was still lighter. She was
abundantlv supplied with cables and provisions
and was in the best condition 10 meet with such
disaster as has happened to her.
The United States mail steamer Union arrived
al New York on Monday evening from Charles
ton, and was Immediately prepared for sea- She
was to leave yesterday morning well supplied
for cruise II
The government has not been remiss in efforts
TO send the required relief, will be seen by the
following extract from letter from William ii.
Aspinwal president of the Pacific Mail Company
The Alabama was chartered by the order Of
government and went TO sea yesterday, within
twenty-six hours after coming into port with
full cargo of cotton.
On receiving the first teegraphic report Of the
disaster deemed il my duty Immediately to trans
nit the said intelligence to Washington, and as
soon thereafter as the wires could take and bring
back message, there came orders from the Sec
retary of War TO charter the most available
steamer, Of sufficient power and size for the SER
vice, without restriction as TO expense. All that
was enjoined was efficiency and dispatch. My
agency arose from the deep interest felt in the
m hee ed q
Col Swords in the selection of the steamer
The Secretary of the Navy, by telegraph, also
ordered Commodore Boarman 10 charter the North
Star, and, failing TO accomplish this, he has since
under fresh orders, chartered the steamer Union
and she leaves tomorrow.
The Secretary of the Treasury Immediately
telegraphed orders 10 this port, Wilmington and
Charleston, TO dispatch the revenue cutters, and
he has since ordered those from Boston and New
London 10 Join in the search