Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-14
THE CATASTROPHE OF THE STEAMER SAN
FRANCISCO.

We record with emotions Of sorrow the ter
respecting the fate of this Inflated vessel, and
its unfortunate multitude Of passengers and
yet not without feeling Of deepest gratitude
for the deliverance of the many who escaped
from the awful perils that for time seemed so
inevitably before them.
The ship Three Bells arrived at New York
Yesterday evening, with one hundred and sixty
persons saved from the San Francisco, which
foundercd at sea on the 5th Of January.
They include about one hundred Office and
soldiers, and most Of the crew Of the Inflated
steamer. A number OF other passengers were
taken of the sinking ship by the barque Kilby,
bound for Boston, aud many by the ship Ant.
arctic, bound for Liverpool.
Most Of the cabin passengers, together with
as many soldiers as it was deemed prudent for
her N take, numbering in all about one hun
dred persons, are on board the barque Kilby.
She has probably gone to Bermuda, having
parted company with the steamer during o
gale on the night Of the 29th December, four
days before the Three Bells left The ship
Antarctic has on board the residue Of the
troops, and Captain Watkins, Of the San Fran
cisco, who has proceeded to Liverpool with
thcm to see that they are properly provided
for.
In the gale OF the 23d December the San
Francisco broached to twice, and was much
disabled. On the cath all her spars and sails
were blown away. At one o'clock in the
morning of tho 25th, the engine stopped in
consequence Of the breaking OF the piston-rod
and left the vessel totally unmauageable, the
- t....n okriL,uex btn.
under the guards, tearing up the planking fore
and aft on both sides, and causing tho ship 60
leak badly. The troops were then organized
into bailng parties. AT nine o'clock on the
25th a heavy sea struck the steamer amidshps
carrying away both smoke stacks, all the up.
per saloon, staving the quarter deck, and wash.
ing overheard large number Of persons be-
sides killing three of the ships crew. On the
2Sth the barquo Kilby was spoken, and laid
by the steamer until three o'clock in the after
noon Of the goth, when a number Of the pas
sengers were transferred to the barque, which
let 90 her bawscr at ten O'clock at night, and
nothing has since been heard Of her. The
gale continued throughout the 30th and 3lsi,
a number of tho men being sick, and some in
dying condition. In the evening of the lst
Of January the British ship Three Bclls was
spoken, and laid by the steamer until the Sd,
when her boat was got alongside. On tho
same day tho ship Antarctic discovered and
bore down for the steamer and on the illi
both ships commenced taking of the passcn-
gers, together with the necessary provisions
and water which was accomplished by six
o'clock in the evening The next morning
they took off the officers and crew, Captain
Watkins having been the last man to leave
the ship, which had been with difficulty kept
ahoat for ten or twelve days.
Those lost overheard are Col John NJ
Washington, Major Geo. Taylor and bis wife,
Capt n B. Field, Lieut.. X. II Smith, three
civilians and two ladies whose names are not
reported, and some two hundred and thirty q
the troops. Ofthe crew Of the ship, there were
eleven deaths from the tirac she was disabled
till the 9Th instant
Major Wyse and Licit w A. Winder a,s
amongst the passengers who have arrived 70