Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-11-02
CAPTAIN LUoRs STATEMENT.
QUEBEC, Oct. IA, 1854


E. X. CoLLINs:-Dedr iSir-It be-
comes my painful duty to inform you
of the total loss of the Arctic under
my command, with your wife and
daughter. -gH .h
The Arctic sailed from Liverpool on
Wednesday. September 20, at II A.
NJ, with 233 passengers and about $50
of a crew. Nothing of special note oc-
Cured during the passage until Wednes-
day, September 81. when, at noon, we
were on the Banks, In latitude 46:45
north, and longitude, SO west, steering
west by compass.
The weather had been foggy during
the day; generally distance of half to
three-quarters of mile could be seen,
but at intervals of few minutes very
dense fog, followed by being sufficiently
clear TO see one or two miles. AT noon
l left the deck for the purpose of work.
ing out the position of the ship. In
about fifteen minutes l heard the cry of
''Ifard starboard," from the officers of
the deck. | rushed on deck, and had
Just got out when l felt crush forward,
and at the same moment saw steamer
under the starboard bow; at the next
moment she struck against our guards,
and passed astern of us. The bows of
the strange vessel seemed to be literally
cut or crushed off for full ten feet; and
seeing that she must probably sink in a
few minutes, and taking hasty glance
at our own ship, and believing that we
were comparatively uninjured, my first
impulse was to endeavor to save the
lives of those on board the sinking yes
sci. The boats were cleared, and the
first officer and six men left with one
boat, when it was found our own ship
was leaking fearfully.
The engineers were set to work, being
instructed to put on the steam pumps,
and the four deck pumps were worked
by the passengers and crew, and the
ship headed for the land, which i
judged to be about fifty miles distant
l was compelled to leave my boat with
the first officer and crew to take care Of
themselves. .ra
Several Intellectual attempts were
made to stop the leak, by getting sails
over the bows; but finding the leak
gaining on us very fast, notwithstand-
ing all our very powerful efforts to keep
her free, l resolved to get the boats
ready, and as many ladies and children
placed in them as possible; but no SOON
er had the attempt been made than the
fremeR and Others rushed into them in,
spite of opposition.
Seeing this state of things, l ordered
the boats astern to be kept in readiness
until order could be restored; when, to
my dismay, l saw them cat the ropes in
the boar and soon disappear dstern IN tie
fog. Another boat was broken down
by persons rushing at the dayits, and
many were precipitated into the sea and
drowned. This occurred while / had
been engaged in getting the starboard
guard-boat ready, and placed the second
officer in charge, ,chen the same fearful
scene as nth Tie first boat ,cds being en-
Gcted-men leaping from the top Of tie
rail tuenty feet, pushing and manning
those pho were IN tie boat. then gave
orders to the second officer to let go,
and row after the ship. keeping under
or near the stern to be ready to take on
board women and children, as soon as
the fires were out and the engines
stopped. My attention was then drawn
to the other quarter boat, which l found
broken down but hanging by one tackle.
Il rush ,oas made for her also. dad some
fifteen cot IN, and cat The tackle, and rsrs
soon om of right. ! found that not a