The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-06-22
The Escape Of Sir Robert Peel

Readers will remember the wreck of a.
steamer Ercolano, by collision with \.
steamer Stella, and the escape Of Sir Roh.
crt Peel. who was passenger in the lorme,
vessel. 4 late English paper gives H..
following account by Capt. Townsend
The British Navy, who had il from Sir RA
ert:
Sir Robert Peel, said that feclin, n
from the motion Of the vessel, he was 4,
ting in his carriage, which had been moya
to midships on account Of the heavy rollins
Of the seq, smoking cigar, when suldenly'
and without the slightest warning, coli.
ion occurred.
4 large vessel (the Sicilia,) came nm,
them at the rate Of i or II knots an bnn,
running for eight Of nine feet into the FRI
lano, and literally doubling her up" Tbs
collision was 50 sudden, and death so inmi.
nent that there was no time for consider.
ton. Sir Robert had just time to spring on,
Of his carriage before the funnel Of M
steamer and the apparatus Of the gallery
fell against il, and threw il overheard. IL
take off his coat, his trousers and his boots
was the work Of moment. His seryan,
was standing by him-and old and valued
servant, much attached 10 him; and in ina,
awful moment Sir Robert (who mus, pardon
Us for referring to a circumstance which IL
never intended to be made public found
tine and courage and caImness enough 4
say few words to his faithful seryi,or--
Good bye. God bless you, Nothing can
save us. In a very few minutes we shall
be in the other world; but be conior,ed.
have made u provision for your daughter"
(the old mans only child.)
/ The old servant saddle would never leave
his master; but Sir Robert, feeling thu,
there was no chance for either OF them, ex.
eept in prompt and individual activity ex.
claimed, "fou cannot help me Do the best
YOU can. shall jump into the sea- and
then he took u strong leap to escape tie
eddy caused by the sinking vessel, whichhe
happily cleared in the sea Sir Robert
got hold OF something which he supposed 70
tie bowsprit Of the Stella, which was car.
red away at the moment Of the collision
Then he got hold Of chain, aud finally q
piece Of the wreck, to which he found
three other persons, ono ofWhom he thinks
was MS ola SERVANT were IHNsIHg -
In this position h. remained, the sea
rolling heavily, for three-quarters Ol an
hour.
One by one his companions relaxed Their
grasp on the floating portion OF the wreck,
and dropped exhausted into the sea--ther
grave: and at last he alone remained hold
ing on, till he was picked UP by
boat belonging To the vessel which had ra
them down. Till that moment Sir Robert
never lost consciousness or seli-commzn5,
but once on board the boat he sank into
state Of insehsibiiity, from which he Ts'
restored TO the engine room OF The Sieia-
Sir Rober, says he heard the cries Of pegf'~
IN Distress fren, ths ErtuIano before she
sank and he thinks that lives might have
been saved il proper means bad been taken
Mr, iialsey and his family aad many other
passengers, he believes. were bclo% u thc
cabins in all probability asleep, al the nm",
OF the collision, and the doubling up Of Tie
vessel would prevent them from getting on
deck; but Sir Robert thinks that u the Sc
liza had remained about the spot 'tliday t2h!
she might have picked up some q the Pa.'
songprs, who would probably have been
washed out and found clinging 10 the
wreck.