Worcester daily spy., 1854-10-06
Full Particulars of the Loss of the iron
SieMInship CITY Of PhilndeIphia.

Clean brighter in its ray!
Fall Particulars of the Loss of the iron
Steamship City of Philadelphia.
Up to the present time the only account of
the wreck of this fine iron steamship that has
been published is the meagre telegraphic re-
port from Halifax. This morning we Law be-
fore our readers the full particulars of this sad
catastrophe, copied from the New York Tri-
bune:
NARRATIVE OF MR.. J. W. aADsBY.
The City of Philadelphia sailed from Liver
pool on her first trip for Philadelphia favored
by wind and tide, at noon, on Wednesday, the
29th of August.
For six days we were favored with fine
weather, clear skies and smooth seas, and eve-
rything babe fair for prosperous voyage. Our
ship sailed and steamed right gallantly along,
and we enjoyed all the pleasure with none of
the usual discomforts of an Atlantic voyage.
But l could not help observing that, amid
the general hilarity, our commander, though
prompt and unceasing in his attentions to his
onerons duties, was evidently troubled about
some matter of grave moment. He rarely re-
tired to his stateroom, even for an hours re-
pose, but paced the deck night and day, ever
and anon peering into the compass boxes, and
then consulting with his officers. AT length
closely examined those objects Of his par
tlcular solicitude, the compasses. We had
six OF them on board, all of which it is said
were duly adjusted in Glasgow and Liver
pool but l discovered that no two of them
agreed, some of them varied between five and
six points, and the two steering compasses in
the wheel house differed from point to a
point and half.
On the morning of the Oath of September,
heavy rain began to fall, and the atmosphere
1 became so densely clouded that no observation
! could be taken that day. The same kind of
weather prevailed throughout the next day,
and again no observation was practicable.
About IL l-2 p. m., when nearly all the
passengers were in their berths, and the ship
was going at the rate of over ten knots an
hour, she ran against sunken rock with a
most trightful conclusion. Instantly the ship
was alive; from every hatchway the passen-
gers-men, women and children-poured over
the deck, in the widest confusion and dis
tress, and many of them in an almost primi-
tive state of nudity, rending the air with their
shneks, and manifesting every symptom Of
mortal terror.
Now the seamanship of our Captain, and
the discipline of the crew came into requisi-
ton. The engines were reversed and on
taking soundings it was found that the ship
was in deep water on both sides, and that she
had struck rock on her port side near the
cutwater. A man was stationed at the well
to see how fast the water gained, while the
carpenter and his crew with oakum and blan-
kets sought to stop the hole. But the latter
was found to be impossible, as the orifce was
some six feet long by four broad through
which the water poured in cataract, soon
filling the forward compartment of the hold
to the water-line.
1t was ascertained that the point upon which
the vessel had struck was off Cape Race, SO
having taken in all sail, the steamer was back
ed off and headed for Chance Cove, about
IL miles to the northward This Cove she
reached however. She had hardly got into
shallow water ere the second compartment
was flooded and the fires extinguished. Dur
ing all of this time the sea was calm as mir
ror, but the fog was so dense that objects
could not be distinguished ships length dis
tant. Boats were launched and party sent
to survey the beach; they reported it good,
with fine sandy bottom, whereupon the ves-
sci was run aground as far up as possible, and
but about three-quarters of a mile from the
shore, and the anchors let go.
The boats were then hoisted out, and the
passengers having by this time mostly come
to something like their senses, the work of
getting them ashore was commenced. The
ladies and children were first debarked. and
after them the male passengers. During the
performance of this arduous duty, the utmost
care was taken to prevent accident, by keep,
ing in check the excited crowd, who would
otherwise have rushed into the boats, and
swamped them. Fortunately, but little surf
was on at the time, SO that the whole of the
passengers were got on shore by IL A. NJ.
without the slightest accident.
The shelter and provision for so large a
number Of people thus thrown upon desc
late shore, some sixty miles from the nearest
village or town, was the next consideration.
Spars, sails, provisions and fuel were sent
ashore tents rugged, fires lighted, food cook
ed, and everything possible under the circum-
stances was done for the comfort of the casta-
ways. By night. mattresses and bedding
enough for the ladies were got ashore for the
men, large fires and close quarters had to suf.
fee.
On the next day, most of the passengers
luggage was got out and conveyed ashore;
but in doing this some confusion occurred,
from the fact that part of the crew broke
open some of the trunks, and distracted their
most valuable contents. These fellows were
arrested and put in irons. On the day fol-
lowing the beaching of the steamer, the wreck
was surrounded by fleet of fishing smacks.
the crews of every one of which watched ey-
cry opportunity to steal property, and l am
informed that they did carry off considerable.
Some few of the more audacious got broken
heads, and treat to some scalding soup, from
the cook and his crew, for their pains. A
large quantity of the ships plate, as also
many valuables belonging to the passengers.
were subsequently found in the forecastle of
the steamer, where they had been sscxeted by
some OF the delinquent crew.
After the effects Of the passengsrs had been