New-York daily tribune., 1854-05-15
MARINE AFFAIRS.

Loss OF THE SHIP WINCHESTER OF DosTOS-PAssESGERs
AND CREW SAVED By THZ u 5. NAIL STEAMER
WASHINGTON.
BY the arrival Of the mail steamship Washington yes
terday we received full Of the entire loss Of the
ship Winchester, Of Boston, Capt. Moore while a
voyage from Liverpool home ward with assorted
and ass passengers We give the details az follows
ABsTRAcT OF THE LOG OF THE STEAMSHIP wAsBISGTOS:
April 2G-Ieft Southampton waters at p. ~, with a
large mall full cargo and 24O passengers for New
wind northeast fine and pleasant 1t L. NJ. left pilot on
Needles bar at 1880 midnight, Start Point bears n l'
mIes-wind W. with heavy head April ~, strong
wind and heavy head at 10 A. NJ passed Lizard ship
pitching heavily. April 25 and 90, weather the same,
passed English bark Echo, bound +. April 3d. strong
breeze and showery wind NV; Al A. NJ, lat. 40 deg ~
lon 20 deg 10 min w. exchanged signals with ship Md
dlefex bound E. strong breeze and fine ran al 10 A. NJ
passed Black Ball packet bound f. May l. severe gale
and high cross sea- with rain and hail. slowed on yne
wind n. W. to S. W; May ?, continued gale 81 A. NJ
wind n. n. w. hard gale; no observation this day at
A. d. made vessel with stump of mizzenmas and jury
foremast standing scuddng under squaresail aud stay
sail at 10 A. NJ neared the wrecked, discovered the
American ensign union down hailed and rendered assist
ance; requested TO lay by; ship the Winchester
Of Boston, from Liverpool for Boston, with an assorted
calgo ana passengers al IL a NJ "eather cisaI WIN
strong breeze and high lowered large lee life boat
Francss meac sent chief officer and four men to board
If possible to obtain further nfOrmatiOn did not sue
ceed III boarding. but obtained letter III bottle thrown
from ship, to wit:
sixteen day rakng water fasi men spd wish all
to be isken consisting passengers saPs
Ship inchtster Boston Respectfully, Capt moore
2 L. M.-lOwed boat ship as possible, with
letter OF encouragement ordering chief officer and boat
10 get on board and remain till 1t moderated by
the assistance on board ship W. they fortunately
ceeded our best boat bursting forward air chamber and
sink ing almost Instantly. lowered around ship TIL day
light A. NJ of Sd, lowered second boat, sent third
officer and four to wreck to bring of passengers Az
T. NJ received first lot and lowered three more boats,
and with remaining boat from w. continued Receiving
till T. NJ. oil passengers board. Commenced recey-
ing provisions at 4 p NO barrels on board. Received
('arf
bouts and shaped course for home. 80 T. NJ, wreck
went down head foremost Officers crew and passengers
worked WELL and We'd with each other to relieve the sur
ferings of the unfortunate also giving up rooms,
terths and comiort filled deckhOuse with women and
children spreading an awning over quarter Geek @c.i
f. NJ, sent ell hands but four below. AT A. NJ. May
called sll hands OF both ships and commenced clearing
port side of forward berth deck also clearing coal oil
boiler deck at A. NJ three deaths among the emgrans
from exhauston shifted cargo and baggage aft into deck
houses Z. NJ, had all emgrans but iow sick from
exhaustion below berth and boiler deckstor the last
two days observation May two more of the engrants
died from exhaustion; weather moderate and coudy-no
observation. May g. fresh breeze and clear-wnd n W.
ai. AZ deg. 20 MN. N, lon. "a deg 20 NM W. May
moderate breeze and heavy rain squalswind ;. W.. TINS
dav two more deaths among the emgants toggy all day
lat. 40 deg. 40 min. NJ Ion. A deg. 4J MN. N-Caps
Race bears westward say 800 miles Mays light breeze
and thick fog middle part do. weather sounded thlck
foes latter part heavy swell from sOuhward; WIND -
thermometer 42deg water 40 deg barometer 2yo4V
PASSENGERS AND CREW SAVED FROM THE WiNCHEsIER'
Received from ship WncLester-Passengers ii'i crew.
80; il all All. - .
LETTER FROM MI. P. W. KING, CHIEF OFFICER OF STEAM
SHIP WASHINGTON.
On boarding the chip Winchester was entreateu oy tne
immigrants 10 take them off the wreck as they were very
much worn out having been able to lay down Tor e
previous sixteen days account OF the snip rong
some of them very much exhausted, not able to help
themselves The general feeling among them as that all
had been done by the Captain and ofcers thar ay IN he
power and they either leave the ship or ma watey
Grave | next examined the depth OF water IN the mold
and found six inches the crew and passengers az he
time working the pumps The state OF tne spars ~as as
follows The fore and malnmast gone, the uiZzehnssI
A~i~u tho Ts'av had rgged in place OF a
foremast jurymast where they could set mzzsn topsah
with reef in II, and very small lb Also, had set on
the mizzeDmast spanker and mizZen staysai. At this
time il blowing very heavy gale and tremendous
heavy AT IL midngh II commenced to moderate
at A. NJ. blowing strong breeze at A. NJ. commenced
10 embark passengers with four boats at this time the
pumps were not 10 work the water gained on the ship
very fast F. NJ. all the passengers were embarked
without accident and sent board the steamer also
sent about 80 barrels of provisions; the only properly
belonging to the ship that saved was the
"ERsgR' which the Captain ordered TO be taken. Al
43O r NJ sounded the pumps and found ~ feet OF water
The last boat left the ship containing Capt Moore
his first officer and myself In my opnon It was not safe
for any remain board the snip, tor the pumps
had become chOked the ship must have gone down, as
afterward proved to be the for in an hours time
there was nothing be of the good ship nches,er
OF Boston she had found haven beneath the waters oil
W kisc. Chief ocer U 5 Mail Steamship Washington.
May 5 1854 ....,
ATTACHED abstract offthe ships log)
And now beg to offer my best ana mOsi sincere lhAs
TO Capt Fitch Commander OF the L. ;. mail steamship
Washington his officers and as well As to his pas
sengers for the high instances OF benevoence ana hnaa
y they CAV TO myself officers and passensers from
the first moment of meeting them antil car arrival II
New-York Forever shall be extreme Obliged 10 CapI
Fitch who kindlyd all the good that lay IN his power
and even much than could possibly expect Nhen
he perceived Qerou situation he did not hesitate mo
ment TO and from that n1nenf uurlh
two days and enc night he did not in The greatest
personal Efforts. take moments rest until IL hsa
saved 4i6 souls and although heavy gaie opposed ne
managed our rescue with suca admirable clrcumspec-
on hat not single aceden, happened and after We had
been taken ON board his ship. by Us excellent arrange
menis in the shortest notice he brought - al unGr smell
ter without any considerable il onyenence for his own
rass.ngers and with very much kndnes and careiuness
he afforded poor immigrants every support and accom-
modaOn they wanted =,
N,xt 10 him | must pay my hearty thanSs and tIe
now Judgments 10 BIS chief oifscsr, M T. w Mug
who with the utmost intrepdi;y "a IN sp'e o. hV az
narept psr of death ventured his e ioT eur sake Inc
very moment the gale had reached It's highest degree
struggling with four undaunted amen as-.rst w
uendeu. sea he came twice alonSsiG. a. silp' a1-
finally with the creates. effort, suoce led IN set On
hoard when his boat instantly ,Gnk Iheie nc ws say
ING and working with US all the n'sh' anu i,0 ..5
dsy with restless energy unit he embarked every pel
from our ship Nor did be qu pe until the asi ooa' ei
and after everything had been douei JUST quarter Vi ~
hour before the ship sunk n r,,,,,.- ,vro
Also feel under many obligations 10 Dr. aii,I, W
very willingly took the greatest pans aid cae' y ~
,roabe in attending and relieving the suffering an
hausted and whose skill and perseverance Su' -
saving most Of them from death -, ....a-s of
Ersiy return my thanks to the kind passengers OF
the Washington who, when first they saw US sIo"ta -
.bo most sincere compassion, who cheered capt rc ~
~ rerous resolution of helping us, and e1presse1 ~