Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1854-10-21
loss nr rnr Mrlnrh lnrrlr.

ling occoun, ns published by the Captain o
the illldled vessel, who was reported o,
lost but who, with II olhcre, was fshct
'up at sea, on the 3d day o0cr tho disaster
and brought TO Quebec.
QucJcc, October ilh, 1854.
Il. X. COLLINS, ESQ Dear Sir--lt be.
comes my painful duty to inform you o
tho total loss Of the steamship Arctic, un
der my command, with your wife, son and
daughter, The Arctic sailed from Liver.
pool on Wednesday, September goth, al
eleven O'Clock, A. NJ, having on board
two hundred and ihirty.threo passenger.
and about one hundred and fly in the
crew.
! Nothing worthy Of special note occurr,
ed during the passage, until Wednesday
the 9th, when at noon we were on the
banks Of Newfoundland, in latitude forty
five degrees north, aud longitude lorty.lwc
degrees West. We were steering west by
The compass. The weather had been fog.
gy during the day, and generally a dis
tance Of from half TO three.Quarers Of q
mile could bo seen, but at intervals Of u
few minutes u very dense fog would be
followed by its being sufficiently clear 10
see one or two miles.
AT noon | left the deck for the purpose
of working out the position Of the ship
In about fifteen minutes heard the cry OF
"llard siarboard !" from tho officer on
deck. | rushed on deck, and had just got
out when felt crush forward, and at the
same moment saw a steamer under the
starboard bow, and the next moment she
struck against our guards and passed
astern of US.
The bows of the strange vessel seemed
to be literally cut or crushed Off for full
ten feet, and seeing that she must proba.
bly, sink IN ten minutes, and taking Il
glance at our own ship, and believing that
We were comparatively uninjured, my first
impulse was to endeavor to save the lives
Of those on board the sinking vessel The
boats were cleared, and the first officer and
six men left with one boat, when it was
found that our own ship was leaking fear.
fully.
The engineers set TO work, being in.
structed TO put on the steam pumps, and
four deck pumps were worked by the pas.
sengers and crew, The ship was headed
for land, which judged TO be about fifty
miles distant. | was compelled to leave
my boat with the first officer and crew 10
take care Of themselves.
Several Intellectual attempts we're made
to stop the leak by getting sails over the
bows, and finding the leak gaEing on us
very fast, notwithstanding all our very
powerful efforts TO keep her free, | resoly.
ed TO get the boats ready, and have as
many ladies and children placed in, them
as possible; but no sooner had an attempt
been made 10 do this than the fremeu and
others rushed into the boats, in spite of all
opposition. Seeing this stale of things,
ordered the boats astern to be KEEP; in rea.
diness until order could be restored. -
When, 10 my dismay, saw them cut the
rope in the bow and soon disappear astern
in the fog. Another boat was broken down
by persons rushing on at the dayils, and
many were prccipltated into the sea and
drowned. This occurred while had been
engaged in getting the starboard guard
boat ready, and placed the second officer
IN charge, when the same fearful scene as
with the first boat was being enacted-mcn
leapng from the top of the rail, distance
ofwenty feet, pushing and manning those
who were in the boat. then gave orders
to the second officer 20 let 90, and row al.
ter the ship, keeping under, or near The
stern, 10 be ready 10 take on board the
women and children as soon as the fires
were out, and the engine stopped. My at.
tention was then drawn 10 the other quar-.
ter boat; which | found broken down, buI
hanging by one tackle. A rush was made
for her also, and some fifteen got in anC
cut the tackle, and were soon out of sight
Not a seaman was left on board, or
carpenter, and we were without tools tC
assist US in the building a raft, as our onl,
hope, and the only officer left was Dorain
the third mate, who aided US with his as
sistance. Many Of the passengers, who de
serve great praise for their coolness an,
energy, done all in their power up 10 th,
! very latest moment before the ship sunk
The chief engineer, with part Of his assis
tants, had taken one Of the small decl
boats, and before the ship went down pull
ed away with about 3 persons. We hac
succeeded in getting our fore and mair
yards, and twoiop gallant yards overheard
and such other small spars and material
that we could collect, when was convinc
ed that the ship must 60 down in a very
short time, and not moment was 10 b
lost in getting spars flashed together {,
form the raft, 10 do which it became ne
ccssaFy TO get the lile.boat, the only re
naming boat into the water.
This being accomplished, saw Mr.
Dorain, The chief officer of The boat, takin!
care TO keep the oars on board, TO preyen
those in the boat from leaving the ship
l hoping still 10 get the women and children
into the boat at last. They had madt