Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-10-06
From the y. Y. Tribune.
Full Particulars of the Loss of the Iron Steam
ship City of Philadelp hia

ship City OF Philadelphia
NARRATIVE OF APAssENGER.
The City OF Philadelphia sailed from Liver
pool on her first trip for Philadelphia, favored by
wind and tide, at noon, 81 "wednesday. the 18th
of August. The day wa, line, and scarcely iii
gle individual of 600 pas seng but appeared
happy though bound upon same pleasure tx
cursion, rather than as Ia most cases lowing
home and country to seek shelter and subsis
tence in another land. The day following our
elnbarkation we took last LOOK at the dim cliffs
of Old England, and turned our faces toward our
Western haven For six days were favored
with fine weather, clear skies. and smooth seas,
and everything bid fair for pr, ~ptrous voyage
Our ship sailed and steamed right CALAMITY along
aud we enjoyed all the pleasure with none of the
usual dscomforts of an Atlantic voyage.
But could not hep observing thai, umid III"
general hilarity. our commander, though prompt
and unceasing in his attention IL his - ferrous du
ties. was evidently troubled about some matter
Of grave moment He rarely retired to his state
room, even for an hours repose; but paced the
deck night and day, ever aud anon prcring into
tho compass boxes, and then consulting with hi
officers. At length closely examined these ob
jrcts of his particular so,.citule trn conpn ~.
We had six fthen on board all Of which it i
said were d Ily adjusted in Glasgow and Liver.
pool;but discovered that m two of them agreed
some of them varied betv,' II five and six points
and the two steering compasses III the wheel
house differed iroma point tna point and II hall.
This sad state If things was undoubtedly to
be attributed 10 the per-on pretending IL regulate
the compass, for in my opinion withpt"pcrly iso-
lated compasses, Hu iron ycs-rl l. rs cnsl worked
as would be one of wood. On the morning of
the 21h of September heavy rain began to fall
and the atmosphere hccamr dcnsely elnuded
that no observation could be taken that day.
The same kind of weather prevailed throughout
the next day, and again no observation WAS prae-
ticnble About O'Clock in the afternoon, ii re
collect Alright, on casting the log, the steamer
was said to be making II knots an hour.
About ia =. NJ, when nearly all the passengers
were in their bur,hs, and the ship was going at
the rate of over ten knots un hours ran against
"A sunken rock, with frightiu -coneussion. In
stanly the ship was alive; from every hatchway
the passengers women and chdrcn-pour-
ed over the deek,in the widest confusion and dis
tress, and many of them IN AN almost primitive
state of nudity, rcnding the air with their -,,rieks
and manifesting every symptom OF mortal ter
ror.
Now the seamanship of our captain, nd the
discipline of the crew came into rcqaioiton. The
engine reversed, an on taking soundings II
Iaund that the ship was in deep water on both
sides, and that she had struck II rock on her port
side near the cut-water \ man was stationed II,
the well 10 sec how fast the winter gained, while
the carpenter and his with oakum and han
kets sought 10 stop the holc.-l'ut III" butter was
found to be impossible, rs the orliee was some
six feet long by four broad through which the wa
ter poured in cataract, soon filing the forward
compartment of the huld to the water line.
1t was nsccrtaincd that the point upon which
the vessel had struck wah off Cape Race, 50 hay
ina, ink en- in MI mil the steamer wa backed off
mud b.ndrd for TN ncr c we il1out - miles to the
nortLward. TIN, Cove she reachra, however,
She had hardly rot into ShnlIaw water ere the sec
and c,mnnrtmen, was flooded md the fires extin-
rnisbrd Dorinfr all of This time the sen was
Calm ns n mirror, bat the for was 50 danz, that
objects could not he DISTINGUISHED ships length
distant Boats were launched and a party sent
To survey the beach; theY reported il good, with
a fine sandy bottom. whercuioa the vessel was
uut npround ~ tartp ~ .,S,ih,. and but about
three quarters of "A mile fr IN thu shore. and the
anchors let go.
The boats were then hoi-te mt anil the pas
senrers having by this time mostly come to some
thing like their senses, the work ut . lttng them
ashore was commenced. The ladies' and children
were first debarked and after them the male pas
sengrrs. During the performance of this ardu-
Gus duty the utmost care was taken to prevent
accident, by keeping in check the excited crowd,
who would otherwise have rushed into the boats
aud swamped them. Fortunately but little surf
WAS on at the time, so that the whole of the pas
sengers were got on shore by u A. NJ, without
the slightest accident.
The shelter and provision for SO large num-
Der of people thus thrown upon desolate Shore
some sixty miles from the nearest vIlnge or town,
the next consideration. Spars, sails, pro-
visions aud fuel were sent ashore tents rigged
fires lighted, food cooked, and everything posi-
bic under the circumstances was done tor the
comfort of the custaways. b. nght mattresses
and bedding enough for tine Iadias we're &
ashore; tor the men, large fires and close 'ar-