Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-10-19
Captain Tnce's Statement
QUEBEC, Oct. IL, 1851.


QUEBEC, oct. II, I-ji
f. X. COLLINS
DEAR SHIT becomes my painful duty To- in.
form You IT the total loss Of the Arctic, under
my command, with your wife >on aud daughter.
The Archie sailed from Liverpool CA Wcdnc-
day, sept. p, at II a NJ, with 28 passengers
and ab ut l51 ola crew. Nothing Of >pccialuotc
occurred during the passage uutil Wednesday,
Sept p. when at noon, We wrrp on Thc Banks. in
lat lob north and long - west, steering west
by compass.
The weather had been foery during the day
generally a distance ot half 10 three quarters Of
a mie could b. seen. hnt at intervals of few
minutes n cry dense fog, followed by being suf
foiently clear 10 see one or two miles At noon
| left the deck for the purpose of working out the
position of the ship. In about fifteen minutes
heard the cTv of Hard starbnard" from the off
GERS OF the DICK. | rushed on deck, and had
just got out when felt Il crash forward, and a.
the same moment saw steamer under the star
board how at the next moment She struck against
our guards, and passed asst Tn OF US The bows
of the strange vessel seemed 10 hc literally cut
or crushed off for full ten feet md seeing that
she must probably sink in Il fcS minutes. and
taking II hasty glance at our own ship, and belcv-
ing that we We're comparatively uniniurrd. NV
first impulse was to endeayor to save the vcs Of
those on board the sinking vessel. The boats
were cleared. and the first officer and six men left
with one boat, when it WINS found our own ship
was leak Z feartnllv.
The engineers were set to work, being instruct
ed TO put on the steam pumps, aud the four deck
pumps were worked by the passengers and crew,
and the ship heade for the land, which Judged
to be about fifty miles Distant. | was compelled
TO leave my boat with the first officer and crew TO
take of themselves
Several Intellectual attempts were made 10 stop
the leak, by getting sails over the bows; but
finding the leak gaining very fast, notwth
standing all our very powerful efforts to keep her
free. resolved TO get the boats rea ", and as
many ladies and children placed in them a. pos
sible; but no sooner had the attempt been nude
than The fremen and others rushed into them in
spite Of opposition
Seeing this state of things. | ordered the boat
astern TO be kept in readiness until order could
be restored when TO my disnay. | saw them
cut the ropes in The bor and disappear asiern
in the fog. Another boat was broken down bv
persons rushing at the davitS, and many were
precipitated into the sea and drowned This oc-
CURED while had been engaged in getting the
starooard guard boat ready and placed the second
officer in charge, then the same fearful scene as
NTH the FIRST boat ,eaS being enacted-men team
ing from the top ofthe rail tmenty feet, pushing
and manning those ieho ,eere IN the boat ,hrn
gave orders to the second officer to let 90. and
row after thu ship, keeping under or near tn,
stern, to be ready To take on board women and
children. as soon the fire. were out and the
engines stopped. Ny attention was then draw
to another quarter boat which found broker
down, but hanging by one tackle. rush rra
made for her also, and fifteen got in aat
cut the tackle, and mere soon out of Sight.
found that not seaman was left ON board, @
carpenter, and without any tools to as
sst Us in building raft, as our only hope. h
only officer left Mr.. Dorian, the third mate
who aided me, with the assistance of many of th
passengers, who deserve great praise for thei
GOODNESS and energy in doing all in their powe
up to the very latest moment before the shi
sunk.
The Chief Engineer, with part of his assis
tants. had taken our smallest deck boat, and be
fore the ship went down pulled away with abou
fifteen persons.
We had succeeded in getting the fore an,
main yard and two top gallant yards over ooard
AMI such other small spars and materials rs w
could collect, when / was fully convinced tina
the ship must go down in very short time, an,
not moment was to be lost in getting the spar,
dashed together to form raft Ia do which it be
came necessary to get the boat, only re
naming boat into the water.
This being accomplished, ! saw Mr.. Dorian
the chief officer of the boat taking care to keel
the boat on board ~ prevent them from leaving
the ship. hoping still to get most of the womeI