, 1854-11-18
The Revenue Cutter Jefferson
Davis

gratifying to the inhabitants Of Washington
Territory as it is important to the interests
of the General Government.
The Davis" was built expressly for this
station She is of 100 tons burthen, well
manned, heavily armed, and well calculated
to do good service in our waters.
Below we give an account of the disas
ter which occurred to the vessel soon after
she sailed, which we copy from the Charles
ton Mercury, and also an account of her
passage from Charleston TO San Francisco
Any one familiar with nautical matters
will not fail to observe the manner in which
the vessel was managed during the disas-
ter, and until arrival at Charleston, as well
as the singular method adopted in "heav-
ing to" off Cape Horn. The passage
from Valparaiso to l5 degrees north lati-
tude was made it seems in 2S days, which
appears te US to be the quickest we ever
heard of.
We wish the Captain and officers pleas
ant sojourn amongst us, and trust while
here their time will pass agreeably and
happy; at all events, the citizens of the
Territory will do all in their power to make
it so.
The Charleston Mercury of 2Sth gives
the following account of the gale and its
consequences
"On Saturday night, 18th inst, gale
commenced from northeast, and soon after
the cutter JEFF. Davis was hove to un-
der a close reeled foresail.
During Sunday, the 18th, the wind haul
ed to the eastward, with very heavy sea
running. At 5P. N. q sea broke into the
larbOard quarter boat, and while an at
tempt was being made to scuttle her, on
other sea broke into her, and broke down
the cranes, when she was cut away. All
the matches were now battened down fore
and aft, and every preparation made for
the safety of the vessel.
During the night the wind haulded to
the southeast, and blew with great vio-
lence, keeping the vessel in an ugly cross
sea. At 5 o'clock Monday morning, the
gale was very severe, and the sea heavy
and very irregular, in consequence of the
frequent change of the wind. The chain
bobstay parted, when the bowsprit broke
close to the knightheads, carrying with it
jib-boom, sails, &C., also the eagle on the
head. 7... .....
At the hazard of having the decks swept
by sea, the vessel was instantly kept of
before the wind, with view TO steady and
secure the foremast. All the efforts to
save the fOremast were Of no avail; it broke
some ten feet from the deck, and fell oser
the side, carrying with it the maintopmast.
At this time the situation Of the vessel
was most critical The bowsprit under the
bows, and the foremast under the stern,
both humping heavily against the bottom
of the vessel, her destruction seemed inev-
liable, as the rigging that attached these
spars was under the bottom, and beyond
reach. A chisel, however, secured to a
pole, was used, and the rigging cut, when
the spars we're got clear Of the vessel.
Just at this time the wind again shifted
to N. W., and blew perfect hurricane,
bringing the cutter into an awful cross SEQ,
which come tumbling toward her in almost
every direction. A reefed storm trysail
was set on the mainmast, which brought
the vessels head nearer the wind, and as
the violence of the gale from N. w. soon
smoothed the irregular sea, she behaved
very well during the continuance of the
gale.
A foreyard was used for bowsprit, and
In fnr n 70 .,
foresail, a job boom for foremast, then
with storm trysail for q jib, a staysail and
two studding sails used as a square sail,
the vessel stood on to the southwest, being
to the south Of the Gulf Stream. She
crossed the Gulf Stream In the latitude of
Savannah, and reached this port, as before
stated, having sailed, after the disaster,
over seven hundred miles in seven day
This was q singular storm, commencing
at N. e., then changing to E. S. E., s.,
s. W., and then N. w. The cutter was
in the centre of this circle, and being hove
to on the starboard tack, as is the custom
in such gales, her head following the wind,
which brought her into a very irregular
sea. ,r . rars TO a..lH n. 70
The Jefferson Davis seems to have
far exceeded the expectations Of her cap
tain, who fitted her out in New York, and
all her officers. They speak in the highest
terms of her sailing qualities, as well as her
capabilities of riding as safely through a.
gale as any vessel that floats" 4
From the Ala California of July oath,
we copy the following memoranda Of por-
ton of the cruise
Per U. S. Revenue Cutter Jefferson
Davis-Cruised as fur east as long. so be-
tween the parallels of 99 and 35, 10 search
of steam ship San Francisco, without dis
covering her, and then put away for Rio
de Jenerio; was 80 days working down to
Cape Horn from Rio, with light head winds
passed inside the Falkland Islands; expe-