Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-14
AWFUL CATASTROPHE!

AWFUL CATASTROPHE!
We know not in what terms to announce the
overwhelming news which reached us last night.
The fate of the steamer San Francisco is at length
known, and terrible beyond expression it is. Uni
versal anxiety has become dreadful certainty. The
ship foundered, and two hundred and forty of the
seven hundred human beings with which she was
freighted have perished in the sea- They did not
indeed 60 down with the ship, but were swept over
board from her decks days before she founder
ed But bene6cent Providence tempers the seve-
full calamity might, but for his mercy, have been
infinitely more disastrous; for all Of the hundreds
on board when the ship sank were providentially
rescued by vessels accidentally at hand. OF those
who perished some were of the most distinguished
and beloved of the land. The following a,e the
sad particulars and the names of some of the lost,
as they reached US last night by telegraph:
.. New YORK, JANUARY 13.
The ship Three Bells has arrived with one hun
dred and sixty persons saved from the steamer
San Francisco, which foundered at sea on the 5th
of January.
Those who have arrived include about one hun
dred officers and soldiers and most of the crew Of
the ill-fated steamer A number of other passen
gers were taken off the sinking ship by the barqus
Kilby, bound for Boston, and many by the shiI
Antarctic, bound for Liverpool
Most of the cabin passengers, together with as
many soldiers as it was deemed prudent for her te
take, numbering in all about one hundred persons
are on board the barque Kilby She has probably
gone to Bermuda, having parted company with the
steamer during gale on the night of the 29th De
L. i, L. al Dill 1ort
ship Antarctic has on board the residue of the troops
and Capt. WATKINS, of the steamer San Francisco
who has proceeded to Liverpool with them to see
that they are properly provided for.
In the gale of the 23d December the San Fran
cisco broached to twice, and was much disabled. On
the Oath all her spars and sails were blown away
At one o'clock in the morning Of the 25th the en-
gine stopped in consequence of the breaking of the
piston-rod and left the vessel totally unmanageable
the sea at the same time striking her tremendous
blows under the guards, tearing up the planking
fore and aft on both sides, and causing the ship tc
leak badly. The troops were then organized into
bailing parties. At nine clock on the 25th heavy
sea struck the steamer amidships, carrying away
quarter deck, and washing overheard alarge number
of persons, besides killing three of the ships
On the 2Sth the barque kDby was spoken and laid
by the steamer until three o'clock in the afternoon
of the 29th, when number of the passengers were
transferred to the barque, which let 60 her hawse,
at ten o'clock at night, and nothing has since been
heard of her. The gale continued throughout the
30th and 31st number Of the men being sick
and some in dying condition. In the evening Of
the lst Of January the British ship Three Bells
spoken, and laid by the steamer until the Sd, when
her boat was got alongside, On the same day the
ship Antarctic discovered and bore down for the
steamer, and on the 4th both ships commenced
taking off the passengers, together with the
ry provisions and water, which accomplished by
six o'clock in the evening The next morning they
took off the officers and crew, Capt. Watkins having
been the last to leave the ship which had beer
with difficulty kept afoat for ten or twelve days.
Those lost overheard are COL JOHN M. WASH
INToN, Major GEO. TAYLOR and his wife, Capt. H
B. FIELD, Lieut.. r. H. SMITH, three civilians and
two ladies whose names not reported, and some
two hundred and thirty Of the troops Of the crew
of the ship there eleven deaths from the time
she was disabled till the 9Th instant.
Major WYsE and Lieut. w. A. WINDER are
amongst the passengers who have arrived in New
York. Col. GATES, Col BURKE, Major MERCHANT,
Capt. JUDD and wife, Lieut.. FREMONT and family,
Lieut.. LoEsER, Lieut.. VANvoRT, and the ladies
and children are on board the barque Kilby. Capt
WATKINS, Lieut. CHANDLER, and Lieut.. c. S.
WINDER are on the ship Antarctic.