The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-05-16

THE GOLDEN Aok DIsAsrxn The gol,,vviae ar
count OF the disaster to the ship Golden Are we
Ind In the Panama Star, from Allen McLapu. who
was on board
li,tie after M idnieht of the 2sth of April we
paased the Island of Montrcsos the sea psriec,Iv ;
| smoeih, and good moon from thence Cant Wal.
ns s1ee1ed direct tor The passage etween the Is-
ianu OF ouioo and Qaicara, inclining to the shore
OIL me latter, In order to keep clear of dangers
tsuoken rocks) laying towards the shore of n =
otner named Island At about IA M. of the 2e,h.
| tns snip going over the ground at the rate of Ii
miles per hour, pointed out for The passage and an
parently clear of the reef off Quicara As Isid down
upon the captains chart, she struck full and fair
The captain was on deck himself (speakiop with
Mr.; Aspinwall as Indeed he had been all night
and doing an that sklfui and prudent navigator
could to guide his ship 10 safety The sea was
| calm and smooth without any appearance or :ndi
cation OF hidden dapger--instanily upon s,rikins
| an immense volume of water rushed into her for.
| ward-the pumps were all put 10 immediate reaui-
| sition boats cleared away, &c. In Ave nisr,tas
| the Engineer reported the water rising with great
| rapidly, utterly beyond II efforts of the pumps.
AT this time we had fifteen feet forward and
| seventeen tathoms aft and amid ships The Cap
tains fisst intention OF landing his passengers To-
| staniy, was frustrated by the rapidly of the rise
OF the water In the hold and her settling aft from
/ the depth Of water amidship aud aft, which cir
cumstance rendered it imperative to drive full
length on the reef At this instant she rolled hea-
vily, and her bow fell off the reef or rock Having
good head of steam, Watkins determined TO run
on little further for the main reef which he
knew lay short distance ahead upon starting.
she rolled heavily from side to side, and steered
wildly, coming to too much, and striking second
time. He backed her of, keeping her stem clear
and again went ahead, summing along the reef de.
laying his purpose of Bleaching her 20 long az he
had steam to foree her ahead until he should End
spot Offering the best chance of saving his pas.
sensers-of course, time flew, and thus passed
another five minutes the water up to the furnaces
oi the port boilers and above those of the starboard
one-ai the iires of the latter out She still had
steam In the boilers; the engineers and fremep IN
TO their necks in water in the IRE room -, =
Afew hundred yards ahead we could make out
small cove, beyond the point of the island blight.
cd apparently with sand bank. The steamer still
still gaining on the pumps, bailing, &c. Another
i've minutes and the balance of the fires were out
we mad about hundred yards yet to go to our
cove. which We were now nearly abreaEt of.
The Captain put his helm hard port and head.
ed right on tho beach. The water along the side
continued deep, and the engine turned over very
slowly. On We went, sounding ten fathoms six
fathons, and finally she stopped her bow within
thirty tect OF the shore; bu. SO slow was her move
ment that no one felt the stop. We had II feet all
round; the boilers only had steam enough left to
make some two or three revolutions. After first
feeling OF altitude to Almighty God for our delive
| rance from sudden and fearful danger from the
Arctics fate-we paid tribute in admiration to
| Watkins for his admirable coolness, presence of
| mind, and great efficiency, quick thought and
prompt action!
cannot omit to mention the perfect behavior of
thepassengers in all respects. The die cipline qui
ety but effectively maintained from the first mo-
rnent OF peril, with the prompt taken, In
spired general confidence No apparent alarm, no
rush. noise-all stood ready to obey orders and
moved and acted as directed The acomen were
the truest OF the true and eet example worthy to
| be remembered and followed.
Another account of il, says:
crash ensued, and the steamer stood still.
| silence followed for moment, tending to inspire
the mind with awe, each whispering to neigh
] Dor, "What s III" 'sWhat has happened %
| Rushing tumuitoouslyyon deck 1t soon BECAME
| too evident to US all what was the matter. The
| noble steamer was aground in about twelve feet,
| with the deep water of the mid-channs under
| her stern post, her forefoot knocked away stem
| broomed ana the water coming in rapidly-s.ean M
| roaring through the escape pipe, and the beam at
As degrees, 0he engine being its censre) All
| this required but few moments for lis full com.
prehensioD, for the people generally were pretty
cool, and discipline prevailed
| "Beach her as quick God will let you," said
| Captain Tyler to the commander, who saw from
the quantity OF water In the fire room, to say no.
thing of the smell of gas produced by the water
entering the furnaces, that the leak was very Sc.
rious one. The weight of the water found it's way
| to the after hold, owing to the inclination OF the
| keel, and buoyed her bows from the rock by rea
sou of which she came gently off, and, rolling hea.
| side to side on the hurricane deck. turn back
! cleared her off the reef. A turn ahead and she
struck again, beiog slow to answer her helm now
| She struck tremendously as though the swell set
from under her, and so let her down upon the
| rocks-she careened badly, and took in water on
| her starboard guard. - .
| Once more the passengers on deck shifted sides
| with the shock. and this time there went Up a
shrek as though the last moment had come Once
| more revolution back. once more a bell to go
ahead, and she swept gently by the hidden dan
ger-res all out and but little steam, and sank in
still water, near smooth, sandy beach,
Many of the ladies now begged to be landed,
but their fears were coon queiled and all remain
sd quietly on board till the J. L. Stephens came
| along and took us to Panama, only two days after
| The Golden Age, it is supposed, would be saved
| The ABoLIT1oNIsr PARK.-Park, the editor Of
| the violently extinguished "Lumnary'' In Parks.
vile, has called on the editor of the ST. Louis De-
mocrat.
He ssys he Is not an abolonist-that he il a
stakeholder, and In favor of Southern institutions
that thereis a secret band In Platte City. who,
three months ago. resolved upon the destruction of
| his ofice-that the mob that destroyed his press
started three times to tear down the Presbyterisn
church In Parkvie, but halted at the command of
their leader, who said tha, was not In their orders
| He says he fought Ia the Texas revolution under
Sam Houston, and intended hoisting the old hero's
name at the head of his columns as candidate for
President.
GOVERNOR ARaEsrED.-Gov. Winston of Alsba-.
| ns, recently arrested at Eutaw, for disturb
ing the court. 1t that the Governor GOT jpto
| an animated conversation with some of his friends
IN which his voice unwittingly to pitch that
disturbed the court.
GRNRRos1TY.-Hop. George Folsom, late charge
| at the Hague. met with poor American family In
Jerusalem, which went out to join a colony to
teach the natives of Palestine agricultural and the
mechanic arts The enterprise proved failure
and the family being reduced to poverty, Mr. Fol-
som gave them $50 to pay their passage to Boston
Mr.. Hawthorne, it is stated is about to resign
the cfhce OF u. s. Consul at Liverpool, in conse-
queAce of Congress cutting down his fees one
| half
A TaANsEER.-First Lieut.. NJ L. Smith, of To.
geographical Engineers, has been assigned to duty
NJ ant in the Tepoersphicsl Rureau La Wash