Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-10-14

Ballhm, second officer Who with other uthccr-.
crew aud passengers saved in two Of the first
boats, reached the shore Of Broad Cove, aud ar
rived at 81. Johns on Tuesday last:
On Wednesday, the 9th, nj noon Cape Race,
/ bearing y y % miles Distant while running
in a thick fog, struck on the ,tarboard bow,
about 81 feet abhft of the cutwatcr: by an iron
steamer. which made three large holes in the
/ ship, two below the water, one Of which was "A
bout five aud half in length, aud one aud n half
feet widr, letting the whole cutwatcr and stem of
the iron steamer clear through the Aretics
sides.
The fog was So dense that the vessel could not
be seen Il minute before the collision. The wheel
VA, put hard II stnrboard, and the engine stop
ped and instantly backed ut full speed until clear
Of the other steamer, which occupied couple of
minutes.
The propeller wn- believed to be n French yes
sci; aud was sinking bow first, Capt. Luce i'm
mrdiately give orders to clear away the quarters
boats, which being done, Gomley the chief 9TH
ccr left the Arctic III charge Of the starboard
boat.
On lowering the port boat the captain exclaim-
ed hoist up that boat again, Mr. Ballnm;" and
/ beckonod me to goto him, Upon doing 81 he
ordered me Ia go over 10 the steamer 10 asccr-
tain if possible. whot damage he had done |
then found the holes above mentioned.
Upon informing him of the facts he gave or
der- Ia get the sails up aud to try and get them
/
which promptly done, but was of no adsan
tagr whatever 40 much of the bow broken off
from the other steamer projecting that the sails
could not be brought close to the vessels side.
The carpenter was then lowered over the yes
sells side, aud pillows and mattresses passed
down 10 him 10 try aud force them in, but the
/ leak was found to he far below the water line
that they could not bc got in.
Every cSertion to stop the leak having proved
uuavaillug, Captain Luce then ordered that the
ships head be kept for land which bore \. w.
BY this time we lost sight of the chief officers
boat and the other steamer which are supposed
To have sunk.
In about 30 minutes all the lower fires were
out and 80 feet water in the ship fore and aft.
BY this time the confusion among the passengers
was very great but they used all efforts to assist
the crew in keeping the deck pumps going, and
in tightening the ship forward for the purpose of
endcnyorng to get at the leak from the inside
II was, however, found to be useless, and mum
bers of them were going into the boats which
were still hanging Ia the davlts.
We had not been on our course more than five
minutes before ran over boat aud crew be-
longing to the other vessel, all of whom persisted
with the exception OF one who caught hold of
rope hanging over the bow. Directly the boat
was seen orders were given to stop the engine,
which the chief engineer said could not be done
/ a. the ship fast sinking.
Forty five minutes after the collision, | came
up from the foIchold and informed the Captain
that the water WAS ON n level with the lower
deck beams and that it was impossible to get at
the leak. then asked him what he thought
would be the fate of the ship, when he stated his
/ belief that there was no hopes of saving her,
/ lie then told me 10 see To my honts.
ca going to the boats ON the port sidcl found
/ them completely filed with men, women and
children, and no possibility of getting near them.
Immediately went to the starhoard side and
ordered two of the crew to lower the guard boat,
and asked the captan what were his Intentions!
lie said that the ships fate should be his then
asked him if he would not allow his sou to go, he
returned me the answer that he should share his
fate.
1t wa- discovered that there was no hope of
saving the Arctic, aud the lady, daughter and
SON of L. *. Collins, with several lndies were put
on boarl bout, and in the act of lowering it
ono of thc tackles gave way, and all except one
/ lady, who chung Ia sailor, who held fast to the
boat were prccpatcd into the sea and lost.
then jumped into bout and ordered by
Captain Luce to cut the tackle fall and drop
drrthr stern, | did So aud at the snme time about
% persons Jumped overheard, of whom Il or l.
were picked up. We fell i'll with another boat
which had been lowered from the other side, aud
| hEhtencd her If part of her complement; hay
ing l9in her and % in my boat.
The last sight | had of the ship her guards were
/ level with the water, and the suriace of the SEA
was -trewn with human beings who jumped over
board, Ia whom it was impossible To render angus
sisaoee, aud we soon lost sight 81 all as the fog
continued very dense.
PbiladeiphianS on Board the lrctic
PmLAprIrIuN \, oct. l1.-lherc is terrible anv-
cty here, as large number ofthc passengers of
the Arctic were philadephians, including Prof
Hourly Rced,of the Pennsylvania University and
lady; the brother and sister of William b. Reed,
Attorney General of this State.
4 81. &