New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-17
MIR. SMITHS NARRATIVE.

Account of the collision and loss Of the American
mail steamship Arctic, and the screw steamer Vesta,
by James Smith Of Mississippi.
was passenger on the Arctic. We had been out
from Liverpool seven days and were In about iongi
tude $50, and somewhere about so or 90 miles on
Cape Race on the coast of Newfoundland, when the
dreadful occurrence took place on Wednesday, the
2rh September.
During the day up TO the time of the accident the
weather had been quite foggy aud was somewhat
astonshed and alarmed several times when on deck,
setting the weather thick. that lsDcied not more
th1n re four Of the ships lengths ahead could be
seen, and she going on at ful speed, without any
alarm bell steam whistle or other signal beng sound
ed OF intervals in some such manner a. i had been
accustomed to in fog other vessels. AT about ID
minutes after the meridian, eight bells hsd been
struck and while sitting my state room ia the Tor
ward cabin, the earnest cry OF voice on deck VINO
at the moment took be the man on the look-out to
"stop her -" stop her; steamer ahead was neard
with alarm by my self and all Others in the cabin, at
the same time the man giving the alarm could DC
hesrd running off towards the engine room. L
stepped out of nay stae-room and while endeavorng,
with MI Cook, my room mate TO calm the excltemsnt
among the ladies in the cabin and before the man
giving the alarm on deck had reached the engine
room, we were made aware OF the conclusion by
somewhat slight jar to our ship, accompanied by
crashing noise against the starboard bow. IL was
momept of awe and suspense, but / thnkswe all
seemed to satisfy ourselves that the shock was~gh'
aud that We were on so large and strong Sessei
TO such a ship, in an occurrence OF such nature:
With such a reliance my own mind, at any rate, 1
was very quickly on deck, and in detached accounts
from other passengers learned that screw steamer,
with all sail set had struck on the starboard bow,
and CHANGING aft starboard wheel and wneelhouse
struck her gain and she passed oil assern oil US OUT
Of sight, Immediately, in the thick fog saw on inc
first glance bulwarks that all was right '7A u.s.
but instantly began TO get alarmed from our careenng
over on the side we had been struck as well as from
the call for the passengers TO keep on the pors!ae
understood, also, al this time that one OF our ooa's
had been cleared away and lowered with our hrst
officer and six Of the men, to repder assistance 70
tia other vessel and that our ship was making rodnd
in search of her also. j saw Captain Luce on the
paddIe.box giving orders in one way and another;
and most of the officers and men running here ana
there on the deck, getting into an evdeAt stale OF
alarm without seeming TO know VIVA, was
TO be done or applying their energies TO
any one thing in particular, except In getung tne
anchors and other heavy articles over on 10 the port
side of tbs ship. l looked over the siareoard
bow and saw several large breaks IN the side oil
our ship from TO l2 IA feet SHAFT the cut
water. and was convinced that in the 10 or 10
minutes time our wheels were further submerged IN
the water than usual Our ship seemed to right her-
self somewhat after getting the deck weight upon
the larboard, but il was too evident that Csptan
Luce himself as well as all hands, were becoming
aware of our danger, and from the tremendous VOL
ume of water being thrown OUT from our steam
pumps l was convinced we were making wster al
other vessel presenting most heari-rending spec
tace the whole Of her bow Tor at least ten ee' aoat
her cutwater vas literally crushed away leaving to
all appearance open entrance Tor me sea- saio now
she had remained ebove water for 50 many nlnntes
seemed mystery. Her decks were covered Win
people and all of her sails on al three OF her inssls
were set We merely passed her again. aud she was "a
less thar minute hid in the fog. but scarcely our o,
SIGHT when we heard arise from her deck loud anu
raj wall of mourning and smentatlon that told US
81 their hurial en- Faasse / should think there were
~ Last 200 souls ON the deck of that ship Ii vas
;rst previous to- or al the same time that We tnus
came in sight of and passed her, that our wheels wen
oer two or three separate inoivduals In the wster
~ ,rsl As a boat and crew who had evidently leit the
other ship for safety on ours one man only We peAe1
mn an old wesiherbeaten French fisherman, VINO nav
~ Iasred nom the small boat before she went under
our Wheel caught rope hanging no'l our snip, anu
6nsIly pullsd on board OF Us. and nom whom We
wan, wa nnH somsthinr of the other vessel Capt.
ra s.i NV the time of our coming IN sight OF
hu'S 80 BECOME 40 convinced OF our own ent-
.ne ;,rs,on ,hat our only or best chance was 70
- nnSsr he .dvay as fast as possible toward me
is,f deem seated thoughtful look Oh ue,pal oegan
80 sst,le mon every eeuniensnee-no -, 80
isdiss and children began ~ collect on ueeH IA -
sD.ous and inquiring looks, reee.'ihe ~ s-,S,sr
coDsolat;op wife and husband, tatne, an. -
h,o,hsr and sister would weep 10 eacn -. n "A g.
49, ., ~ al toc.,her implonng Aimghy "ot Io
80 NJ xxoph 90 about the decks an sosI "a "
3ts,csrt a. 20 vhs, was hes, TO be done nov .'y
~ hsd a. ,hs hand pumps with redcuolea ene,e' - -
~i,h s;cksninc Effort Supplying their power - .V
bauling mn Of freich out of the torSetu nvS'
sost;nS IN va.er before the lowe hstcaes ee.I
I opeued. System OF tnsnas eneat u e'-V'A