Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-10-19
Dreadful Collision at Sea.
LOSS OF THE COLLINS STEAMSHIP ARCTIC, WI
PROBABLY THREE HUNDRED LIVES.

~~ SCtCC VI tuO sOsnA iOoo VI IuO
Arctic by collision, was received at New
York on Wednesday. We gather the follow
ing particulars from the accounts published :
The Collins steamship Arctic left Liver
pool on the Goth ult., with about $50 passen-
gers, and a crew, all told, of IT'S. On the
9th, II M, in dense fog, about forty miles
from Cape Race, Newfoundland, she came in
contact with large iron barque-rigged pro-
peIier, bound to the Eastward, with sail set.
The Arctic was going thirteen knots per hour.
The shock to the Arctic appeared slight, but
to the propeller it was dreadful. The boats
were ordered to the relief of the propeller,
and one, containing the chief mate, boatswain
and three sailors, left 1t was then discoy-
cred that the Arctic had sustained injuries.
and that the water was pouring into her bows.
The pumps were vigorously worked, and an
anchor and chain thrown overheard, but in
spite of all exertions the water extingushed
the fires and the engines stopped.
-Four of the five other life boats, which are
believed to have been well provisioned, con
tanning the engineers, sailors, few passen-
gers, and all the officers, except the captain
and Sd mate, left at an early stage. A ma
jority of the passengers were working at the
pumps and firing signal guns, and others
launching spars under the direction of Mr..
Luce and Mr. Dorian, the Sd mate, to form a
raft. A panic suddenly seized all on board,
and a rush was made for the raft. A large
number got upon it and into the boat. The
sea was then flush with the dead lights. and
in few moments more the Arctic sunk, and
all on board persisted.
At five o'clock, on the afternoon of the 28th,
ha~ of bo hnat Al ~
raised handkerchief to attract attention,
which they succeeded in doing, and found the
vessel to be the barque Huron of ST. Andrews,
N. b., Capt Wall. bound to Quebec, which
took them all on board. The raft was seen
in the distance with one poor man only cling
ing to it, A boat was Immediately sent, and
rescued him. He stated that after the steam
ship sunk, be counted 70 men and women on
the raft, but at s I-2 o'clock he was the only
one alive.
During the night of the 28th, Capt Wall
hung out extra lights, fired rockets, and kept
horn blowing, in hopes of falling in with
the remainder Of the boats, but his endeavors
were frutless. On the evening of the 28th,
he spoke the ship Lebanon, Capt Story,
bound for New York, by whom Is of the
number were taken off. The Lebanon after
wards transferred them to the pilot boat Chris
tian Berg, No. l6, by which they reached
New York
Mr. Baahlam and the other officers, crew
and passengers saved in the two boats. arrived
at Halifax on Tuesday. From Mr.. Baahlam s
statement we gather the following additional
particulars
The collision made three large holes in the
ship, two feet below the water, one of which
was about l2 feet in length and or l-2
feet in width leaving the whole cut water and
stem of the iron steamer clean through the
Arctic's side. So dense was the fog that the
vessel could not be seen a minute before the
collision. The wheel was put hard to the
starboard, the engine stopped instantly, and
backed at full speed until clear of the other
steamer, which occupied a couple of minutes.
The steamer seemed TO be sinking bow first
Sails were placed over the bow, so as to stop
the leak, which was promptly done, but with
no advantage; so much of the bows and iron
which had been broken from the other steam
er adhering to the Arctic, and projecting be-
yond her planking, that the sails could not be
brought close against the vessels side.
The carpenter was then lowered over the
side, and pillows and mattresses passed down
to him to try, if possible, to close the hole
with them, but the leak was found to be so fal
below the water line that they could not be
got in, and every effort to stop the leak proved
unavailng. Capt Luce then ordered the
ships head to be kept for the land. BY this
time we had lost sight of the chief officer
boat and the other steamer, which we sup
posed had sunk We had not been on ou
course more than four or five minutes before
we ran over boat and crew belonging to the
other steamer, all OF whom persisted, with thu
exception of one who caught hold of a rope
hanging over the bow. Directly, that the boa
was seen, orders were given to stop the en-
gnes, which the chief engineer said could no
be done, as the ship was fast sinking. II
about 80 minutes all the lower fires were out
and there were at least six feet of water in the
ship, fore and aft. BY this time the confusion
among the passengers was very great, bu
they used all efforts to assist the crew in keep
ing the deck pumps going and in Tightening
the ship forward for the purpose of endeavor
ing to get at the leak from the inside, which
efforts were found to be useless; and number:
of them going into the boats, which were still
hanging to the dayits.
In As minutes after the collision, | came VI
from the fore hold, and Informed Capt. Luce
that the water was on level with the lowe
deck beams, and that it was impossible to ge
at the leak, and then asked him what he
thought would be likely to be the fate Of the
ship when he stated his belief to me, tina
there was no hope for saving her. He ther
| told to me to see to my boats. On going Il
those on the port side, found them complete
| ly filled with men and women, and no posi-
bility of getting near them.
Immediately went to the starboard side
and ordered two of the crew to lower the guarC
boat, and asked the Captain what his instruc
tons were, who replied, 'that the ships fate
should be his | then asked him if he would
not allow his son to go with US, as intended
to take boat, but he returned me the answer
that he should share his fate 1t was soor
discovered, however, that there was little hope
OF saving the Arctic, and the lady, daughte
and son Of Mr. E. X. Collins, with severa
ladies', were put on board boat, in the act O.
lowering which, one of the tackles gave way
and all except the lady, who chung to sailo
holding fast to the boat, were precipitated in
to the sea and lost.
! then jumped into a boat and was ordered
by the captain to cut away the tackle falls ant
drop under the stern; did 50, at which tim,
about 90 persons, as supposed, jumped over
board, of whom IL or l8 were picked up
Fell in with another boat, which had beer
lowered from the other side and lightened he
of part of her complement, leaving 10 in her
and 26 in my own boat. The last sight W,
had Of the ship her guards were level will
the water, and the surface Of the sea wa
1 strewn with human beings, who had jumped