Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-01-27
wreck OF the ship chauneey Jerome-I,ve Saving

Wreck OF the Ship Cha uncey Jcromc-Live Saving
Apparatus
The New York Tribune has obtained from the first
officer of the ship Chauncey Jerome. ashore on Long
Roach. N an account of the wreck of that ship,
orons If which we extract on account of the inter
est Il nossesses as detail of the successful use OF the
life saving apparatus which modern humanity and
science has provided for the shipwrecked mariner:
NARRATIVE OF THE FIRST OFFICER.
.sAt O'Clock on the evening OF Wednesday, the
18th January, sighted the Highland Lights snort
Iv after which think about 10 o'clock, we took on
board pilot and stood in for the shore tor ABOUT nall
an hour under doube-reefed top-sails, and courses
hauled up wind S. S. E. We then braced up snarP
and stood off Shore the wind until O'CLOCK III
the morning, Wore ship and stood IN again In'n
o'clock: we then hanled the main topsai aback, ana
laid still until o'clock. After IL o'clock the fog
became very dense and hid the lights on the shore;
at O'Clock the weather was still foggy on sounding
we found on rselves in twelve fathom water, upon
which the Eliot ordered the helm up Immediately TO
wear her round on the oshore tack, but in wearing
she struck the beach when halfway round Inc log
was still dense that we were ignorant OF our "hefe
abouts but supposed ourselves on the outer bar on
the clearing up of the fog, however, ABOUT "aIl an
hour afterwards, we found we had grounueu oh ho"S
Branch Beach.
AS soon as the ship struck, we clewed up the top
sails, and cleared away the boats but the sea began
to rise and the wind blew gale right on SHORE so
of their riding through the breakers. The passsen-
gers were fearfully excited ami rushed into the steer
age pell NELL for their little property, and then clam
bered into the boats as they hung upon the daylts-
The futility of this of conduct was explained
to them and they were at length induced to go be-
low and wait until assistance could be obtained from
the shore By eight o'clock the was running at
fearful height, and each breaker dashed against
the ship it lifted her higher on the beach. and IN re-
ceding let her down with great force upon the sand
! Rv al BLOCKS
began 10 give way and fall upon the deck to the I'M
mincnt danger of all upon deck. In CONSCIENCE the
pilot ordered the masts to be cut away the captain
thought it would be advisable to wait little longer
but finding that matters only becoming still
worse he finally consented and the weather rigging
was accordingly cut away the next breaker again
lifted the ship and her fore and main mass went by
the board. The miZZen was left standing, but as the
main mast went by the board it carried away the
main topmast and all it's gearing. This ightened
the sh o considerably, and the breakers carried her
still nearer the shore. She continued 10 thump so
heavily that person could stand upon the deck and
the sea began to make clean breach over her. 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, narrowly escaping
being swamped'
The sea had now become too rough for boat to
be able ride through the breakers, and the shore
men would not venture off again. The wind increas-
ed in fury, and the at length seemed absolutely
ravenous for destruction 1t sent huge swelling
tongues of water and along our deck, licking
up every movable object that lay around and lash
ing into eXultan foam it broke around and swept
off The fog between 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
10 from the shore Soon we could see them COM
ing along from the Government Station about mile
to the southwark. dragging of Francls's Metallic
Life boats and mortar and the Life Car. For such
emergencies there is of these Stations situated a.
ten mile intervals. all along the shore. In each house
there is wood ready set in the stove, and supply OF
fuel together with blankets AID every necessary fol
the comfort of shipwrecked people. And TO AFFORD
them assistance, of Francis's Metallic Life Boats
is kept upon wheel frame, together with the Life
Car mortar shot, hawsers, and other requisites, TO
the rescue of the shipwrecked. When our people
saw the approach of these implements they began Il
be little souter hearted, and the women ceased tt
cry.
About this time Capt Cone deserted the steame
jamestown. from Norfolk, coming along through thu
fog, hailed her. and took boat and four men and pu
off for her. At the time not that he ha'
! left but afterwards saw him get up the steamer
side, though he had considerable tossing about,
+ two three times came near being swampe2 befor
r he reached her did not see him or the again
that day, but he explained to me subsequently, tina
he hoped TO get the steamer to alongside an
take off his passengers; failing in that he deemed
! his next best course to come to the city, and get
II steam tug to down to their assistance. Thu
b and after planting huge stake firmly in the sand
and made fast the hawser TO it, they fired 25 poun
$ shot about mdshps. This shot had an ey
e in side, to which about foot of cole wire is al
tached; TO the wire rope is fastened the morta
l. loaded, and the shot put in and fired
d as have stated. The rope was payed off from
pegged board fast the shot traversed throug
the atmosphere. By this line attempted to har
q in the hawser, but the strain broke it.
RI Another shot then fired across our bows, an
al I,loA thob oue or1
It secured it to the forward capsan and hauled aut
IN Upon this hawser-about two inches in damete
o swinging it the boiling surf and restIes
is hungry breakers-the whole of the remaining pa
Dt sengers men, women and children, were to be col
80 veyed ashore, and that too in safety, and wihou
wetting garment, although they would 90 throug
Is breakers twenty feet deep. We had no sooner g
It the hawser secured than the stern of ship w;
$ dashed in by the sea. She had gone ashore head
and lay with hear head quarter off the beach
ID The shore being very shelving, her stern cons
e. quentIy much lower than her head. She also reste
e. on her larboard side, and the sea making again
IN her stern with great force. swapping off her rudde
ne and tore off the planking under her transom TT
n Sea having obtained entrance, washed clear throue
tie her cabins, filled her seerage and dashed every pa
ticlc of the passengers baggage all to pieces, al
!, compelled them to seek refuge in the forecastle NJ
y WardIe the government officer in charge of the Ii
" saving apparatus, sent up the life to take off
Il passengers, upon which the people-men, wom
II and chIIdren-a came crowding into the forecast
81 as the life car came up over the hawser. This Ii
car is about ten feet in length about four feet wi
~ and two and half feet deep, built of corrugat
az az IRON The car is boat shaped, with an airtght tc
w with small door in the centre to admit passenger
- Five persons are slowed away inside the car
ia Hro tn and frop fbo ,bo.o