Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-22
wreck Of the ship Chauncy Jerome.-Lifc
Saving Apparatus.


Wreck Of the ship Chauncy Jerome Life
Saving Apparatus.
The New York Tribune has obtained from the
first officer Of the ship Chauncy Jerome, ashore
ON Long Beach, New Jersey, an account Of the
wreck of that ship, portions Of which we extract
on account Of the interest il possesses as detail
Of the successful use Of the lfe-savng apparatus
which modern humanity and science have pro-
vided for the aid Of the shipwrecked mariner:
4 NARRATIVE OF THE FIRST OFFICER.
cat o'clock on the evening of Wednesday,
the 1lth January, we sighted the Highland Lights,
shortly after which, think about 10 o'clock, we
took on board a pilot and stood in for the shore
for about half an hour, under double reefed top
sails, and courses hauled up, wind 8. s. f. AZ
ter IL o'clock the fog became very dense and hid
the lights on the shore on sounding we found
ourselves in twelve fathom water, upon which the
Pilot ordered the helm up Immediately, to wear
her round on the off shore. tack, but in wearing,
she struck the beach when halfway round. We
found we had grounded on Long Branch Beach.
As soon as the ship struck, we clewed up the
topsails, and cleared away the boats; but the sea
began TO rise, and the wind blew gale right on
shore, SO that we could not launch them with any
possibility of their riding through the breakers.
By eight O'Clock the sea was running at fear
ful height and as each breaker dashed against the
ship il lifted her higher on the beach. The pilot
ordered the masts TO be cut away; the captain
thought il would be advisable to wait little long
err but finding that matters were only becoming
still worse he finally consented and the weather
rigging was accordingly cut away; the mex:
breaker again lifted the ship, and her fore and
main masts went by the board. The mzzen was
left standing, but as the mainmast went by the
board il carried away the main topmast, and all
its gearing This lightened the ship considerably,
and the breakers carried her still nearerthe shore.
Two surf boats had managed at great peril, TO
get under our lee; into these we dropped dozen
passengers, and they returned TO the shore, mar
rowly escaping being swamped.
The sea had now become too rough for a boat
to be able TO ride through the breakers, and the
shoremen would not venture of again. The fog
between US and the shore had cleared up, and we
could discover that the people, who had by this
time assembled in considerable numbers on the
beach, were making preparations TO get hawser
TO US from the shore. Soon we could see them
coming along from the government station, about
mile TO the southwark, dragging one Of Francis's
metallic life-boats, and mortar and the life-car.
When our people saw the approach of these i'm
plements they began TO be little stouter hearted,
and the women ceased to cry.
About this time Capr. Cone deserted the steamer
jamestown, from Norfolk, coming along through
the fog, hailed her. and took boat and four men
and put off for her At the time, was not aware
the steamers side, though he had considerable
tossing about, and two three times came near
being swamped before he reached her.
The people on shore had now got ready their NOR
tar, and after planting huge stake firmly in the
sand, and made fast the hawser to it. they fred 25
pound shot over us about midshps. This shot
had an eye in one side, TO which about foot Of
cooled wire is attached to the wire small rope
is fastened; the mortar was loaded, and the shot
put in and fired across as have stated. The
rope was payed of from pegged board as fast as
the shot traverscd through the atmosphere. BY
liua we art fal m n hp ma
the strain broke it.
Another shot was then fired across our bows,
and this time we safely hauled the hawser on
board and secured il to the forward capstan and
hauled taut Upon this hawser-about two inches
in diameter, swinging as it was over the boiling
surf and restless, hungry breakers--the whole of
the remaining passengers, men, women and child
rem, were TO be conveyed ashore, and that too in
safety, and without wetting garment, although
they would 60 through breakers twenty feet deep.
We had no sooner got the hawser secured than
the stern Of our ship was dashed in by the sea-
She had gone ashore head on, and lay with her
head one quarter off the beach. The shore being
very shelving, her stern was consequently much
lower than her head. She also rested on her lar
board side, and the sea making against her stern
with great force, swapping of her rudder, and tore
off the planking under hertransom. The sea hav-
ing obtained entrance, washed clear through her
cabins, filed her steerage, and dashed every par
ticle of the passengers baggage all to pieces and
Mr.. Wardle, the government officer in charge
of the life saving apparatus, sent up the life car to
take of our passengers, upon which the people
men, women, and children--all came crowding
into the forecastle the life up over the
hawser. This life car is about ten feet in length,
about four feet wide, and two and half feet deep,
built Of corrugated iron. The car is boat-shaped
with alright top, with small door in the
tire to admit passengers.
Five persons are slowed away inside the car at
each trip. Il is drawn to and from the shore by
lines attached to each end--one from the shore,
the other on the ship. The car is slung upon the
hawser by means of rings at each end, and thus
conveys the ship-wrecked from the vessel TO the
shore, all through the heaviest surf. The car is
air and water tight, with the exception of a few
perforations which, while admitting the pure air,
and letting out the foul, will not admit water. The
time occupied in going between the ship and the
shore was about five minutes, and during each
trip the car was frequently overturned in the
breakers. The car used was one of Francis's Me-
talic Patent and performed its work admirably.
About thirty persons were brought safely ashore
by il, and the remainder, consisting of the crew
and some ten of the male passengers, refused TO
work her any longer, preferng 10 remain on board
to working the any longer that night. as dark
ness had come on and they were worn out with
cold and long fasting and exposure. Myself and
the pilot came ashore the last of all mat came that
night, and left the ship in charge Of the second
mate.o
. b
Who w as Mary Of BurgundyIA some of
our readers may like to know something of this
lady, the mention of whose name by the young
Duke Of Alva, brought on the two Soule duels, we
give the following brief sketch Of this remarkable
lady:
aMary Of Burgundy was the only daughter of
Charles the Rash, Duke Of Burgundy, and Of Isa-
belle de Bourbon, his second wife. She was born
in 1857, and on the death of her father, which
Cured when she was only twenty-one years old,
she became the heir of his vast estates. She was
one Of the most beautiful woman of bcr age, was
gentle, modest, accomplished, and conspicuous for
her constant regard for duty. She married Max
imilian son of the Emperor Frederick ~, and died
at the early age of twenty-five, in consequence Of
the negect of a wound received in falling from her
horse, which her excessive modesty prevented her
from making know to any one.-BaA Argus.
An Empire Ruined by Wharf.-The public
debt of Austria is stated at over $500 900 900 at
the present time, and the annual deficit in its in
come x31 0O0 000