The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-19
WASHINGTON. ID. C.
LOSS OF THE sTEAMER ARCTIC.
Most LAMEsrABLE cArAsrRopHE!

the Collins line Oh Liverpool steamers, mas
been broken by the sad intelligence that che
was epgulfcd On the 27sh of September, with
iasny Of her passengers and crew, in conse-
opcnce Of q collision with another steamer
during a fog. From the great strength and
complete equipment of the Arctic, this was
the only sort Of casually likely TO be serious
60 her, AID this does DO. appear to have been
anticipated by even the most sagacious sea-
faIing man.
The suhioined account of the disaster will
carry deep and heartrepding sorrow to the
horlee OF thousands, both in this country and
in EoGlsnd. 1t is the account furnished Us by
bir George II Burns the express messenger
cf Adams & Co., who was On board the III
fated steamer.
STATEMENT OF MR. BURNS.
The steamship Arctic with 226 passengers,
exclusive Of children, IFS employees, valu-
able cargo, and heavy mail, is lost. OF the
moro than four hundred souls who left Liver
pod On the 2O.h ultimo, full of hope, gsiety,
and health, many returning from European
tour of pleasure, only thirty-two are known
70 have been saved, and certainly not more
than GIG hundred can, By any possibility, have
escaped watery grave. In addition TO al
this, another large steamer, frejghted with
hundreds Of human beings, has, in all proba-
bility, ret like fate The details of tho hor-
riblo disaster are as follows:
On Wednesday, September 81, precisely at
10 o'clock NJ, 10 dense fog, we came in con-
tact with a bGrque rugged iron propeller, with
black hull, salmon colored bottom lead coloreo
poop and boats, and black pipe She was
bound eastward, and had ali sail set, with a
strong, fair wind The speed of the Arctic at
The time was about thirteen knots an hour
The shock 10 US appeared slight, but the dam
ia thu other Vessel was fr1yhtIui
Captain Luce instantly ordered the quarter
boats cicGred away, and the chief mate, boat
swain, and three sailors, went TO her relief
Before other boats left, the order was counter
mandeG. The Arctic then described circle
twice around The wreck, during which tinno
caught glimpse Of more than two hundred
people c'uste.ed on her hurricane deck.
1t this lalesurc, it was first ascerteined tia,
ws had Sustained injury, and the water was
pouring in al our bows. When the first officer
cano elon gsjdc to report, the captain was IN
able TO take him up, but headed N. n. W., in
the hope of making land. Our position on the
arcvious day at IL O'Clock was latitude 4S deg.
80 min, longitude as deg. 81 min. We had
run about thrco hundred end ten miles from
the time Of this observation until the moment
Of collision and were supposed 70 be forty miles
from Cape Race.
The pumps were vigorously worked, and an
ANCHOR chain thrown overheard but in spite
Of ali cxertioD, the engices stopped end the
water extiDguished the fires. -Four of the five
other lie boats, believed TO havo been well pro
NisiJIed, continuing tho engineers, eail0rs, u
fow passengers, and oil the officers except the
captain and third mate, Icrt the ship at al
,.Tly stage. The majority of the passenger
wore working at the pumps, Some firing the
signal gu3s, and others launching spsrs, under
e \
tie th;rd mate, to form a raft.
In order to facilitate this latter work, the
sixth aad last boat was lowered. Dorian, one
or two fiFsm n, three of the other passengers
saved, and myself, were busily engaged lash
ing water cssks and set.oes TO the main yard
two topgsliGnt yards, and several smaller
spa-s-,ho captain, with a number Of gentle
Inen, protecting tho work by keeping back the
crowa-.tcn q panic cc;zcd ali en- board, a
rush was made, passengers and f5cmcn pre-
oipita;od themselves hcsdl0pg ever the bul
waEka ca to nc raft, and ia a moment cur
Etile boat wGs full, AID in imminent danger of
being sunk.
La tl4'5 emergency, Dorian ordered tho rope
which hold us 10 tho steamer to be cut, and
with ouv hands ard axes We padded from
the RATS side. Tho mate who throughout
preserved great rrescncc Of mind and jab0rod
with hcro;o energy, c5ic1 out: For Gods
sake, captain, clear the raft, so that we can
work. | won't desert the ship while there's q
timber above water But the sea was now
fash with the dcad-ights. Ia less than three
minutes from the time no spoke, the stern
sunk and, the foam went boiling over the
tumbling heap of human beings many were
dashed forward against the pipe. heard one
wild yell ts'li! ringing ia Eny ears) and saw the
Arctic AMI the struggling mass rapidly en-
Gulahed.
Numbers yet clrug 70 tho iu,perfectly con-
strucied rsfs; but, alas We could render them
no aid. Our own situation was no less peril
Gus. and cruel as it seemed, we were forced
81 abandon them to fate Heaven forbid that
| should ever witness such another scene!
We, however, picked up two more men, ard
then, with overloaded boat, without oars,
tholepins, food, or drink, aToiding with difficult
~ the fragments Of the wreck, and passing
many dead f5naies prepared for night upon
the ocean. We secured floating pumpkin
and cabbage to gusrd against immediate star
walton, leshed a spar 70 the Prov of our boat
ID keep her head to the wind and sea, and
thus dritte1 until daylight. Tho night was
cold ana .oggy, with heavy swell. and, 10
crem2ed, drenehei, and half naked condition,
We suffered terribly.
without dwelling upon our nniseries alleVia-
ted much by tie consciousness that we had
ondcsgoTed 70 do our duty TO our fellcw-nen,
suih c IT - SAY that, at five O'Clock on the az
tcrnoon OF the 2Sth, we espied sal and rus I'd
hnGcfcrCh.et - attract attention. We were
successful. With tho ride substitute fur care
which We had constructed daring the day by
flashing plaSks TO carsSan bars with view Of
attempting TO gam land when the sea subsi
ded, NC pulled towards the ship % our wny
We passed the remnant CT the raft, with ono
man on IL aDrarcDtlv aIivr
The baiqae proved to be the Huron, of St.
Andrews IN. b J Capt. a. Wall, bound for
Quebec. Our men safe on board the noble
hearted Dorian with some of the Huron's crew.
returned to the raft and rescued the poor fell
low who for twenty-six hours had clupg to the
spars. lie states that after the steamship
sunk, lac c1Uuted seventy-two men and four
women on tho raft, hut at St5 O'Clock he was
the only one alive. In the morning, two bodies
were beside him, much eaten by fishes, and at
the hne nc ssw orr boa. he vas on the pcin:
OF vcfastar'iy dropping into the sea 10 end his
agony. Cor'iog from the rafs, Dorian encoun-
tered and examined the life car Of the Arctic
IL contained L bottle Of wascr, some cheese,
and q lady's garment
BY the humane captain of the Huron and
MIR. Wellington Cameron, cen of the owner,
we were received with great kindness. our
wounds dressed, fires kipdlsd, Gnd food and
clothing provided in abundance
During the night Of the 2Sth, Capt. Wall
hung out extra lights, fccd rockets, and kept
q horn blowing in hopes of falling in with the
remainder of the boats. But his cadeayors
were fruitless On the evening of the 29tb. he
spoke the ship Lebanon, Capt Story, bound
Tor New York, by whom eighteen Of our mum.
Der were taken of, kindly welcomed, and well
treated