Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-03-17
LATEST NEWS
The Steamship raei6e-Propeiier Arctic Nj.

nc eteamsaiP Fdeifc-PropeHer arctic Miss
-, ing.
The New York agent of the Collins line states
that the ornamental doors reported to have been
seen on the ice at by the steamer Edinhurg
correspond with those in use in the deck cabins
"f the Pacific. but as they are also common to
most OF the transatlantic packet shps,it is quite
possible that they may have belonged TO some
sailing vessel. tits now ffty-one DAYS since the
Pacific saled from Liverpool. and the only hope
for her safety is based upon the superstition that
having become crippled in the ice, she made for
the Azores or Western Islands. The New York
Tribune saws:
1t she has attempted this five and twenty days
would be fair allowance of time for her to reach
Fayal Surprising her to have arrived safely
there in that time, could scarcely hear from
her in less than thirty days more, and might not
under forty or fifty. The communication with
the Western Islands is wholly by sailing vessels.
and the intercourse unfrequent. We ought not.
therefore, to consider the safety of the Pacific
wholly out OF the question before the first week
in April.
But, notwithstanding the cherished hopes of
her safety, based upon highly probable mode Of
proceeding i'll case of the breaking of shaft or
other serious damage to her machinery her CON
tinued absence fills the mind with apprehension
She had been out at tho sailing of the Arabia,
five days longer than the Atlantic at the time
of her memorable disaster the latter having
reached Cork on the thirty second day after eav-
ing port. 1t seems hard to admit the loss of this
nohle ship; but while consider the chances
| of her safety, we must not forget the circum-
stances under which she making her voy-
age. She had u new master, and Il new engineer.
Both undoubtedly competent, but both of course.
ambitious. The new ship Persia was behind
| her but three days distant and with the highest
reputation for speed and great expectations of
her performation on her fist trip. 1t is natural
to suppose that both master and engineer would
strain every nerve to make the Pacific do her
best and to loose as little time as possible from
any precautionary policy on the voyage. The
ocean was filled with vast fields of floating and
berg ice.
The concurrent testimony of Numerous arrivals
goes to establish that scarcely ever was the
usual path between this coast and England ever
before INSTRUCTED Is it not to be feared that,
ignorant perhaps of the extent, or it may be of
the existence Of this unusual impeachment at this
season of the year, the eager commander of this
i'll fated ship, his eyes strained behind him as
we'll as before. may. in the darkness OF night,
have driven his craft straight upon the desoate
and turbulent masses of Arctic ice, and he
was aware found himself and all on board sud
denly being engulphed in the angry and sullen
and darkened If this sad possibility be the
fact, who shall ever rise to tell the tale of the
Pacificl
A new anxiety has taken possession of the pub
lie mind in reference to the propeller Arctic,
Com. Harstein, which sent in search of the
Pacific. Her instructions were to run pretty far
to the North after leaving Halifax, and the fear
is that in executing orders she has encountered
similar perils TO those which supposed to
have environed the Pacific The Arctic has
not been heard from since she sailed from Hall
fax. 1t is suggested that the Arctic may have
discovered the Pacific, but, so far, has been un
able to approach her. The n. Y. correspondent
of the Philadelphia Ledger writes:
A few days since | mentioned the fact that the
head fireman of the Pacific, Mr.. Ravens, had
family residing at Hoboken. The poor woman
desparing of ever again hearing of her husband,
las sold her house and with her children, gone
to reside with her relatives. Woman like, she
went 10 a fortune teller's the other day, and was
there informed that the ship was lost with all on
board,
A singular piece of gossip in this connexion
you may have noticed,appears in the Jersey city
Telegraph, TO the effect that an experienced eng-
neer who had taken passage in the Pacific, from
Liverpool, declined doing so, in consequence OF
being satisfied that there something wrong
about the engines. We shall, probably hear
more from that engineer, as the Messrs Collins
are making an effort to hunt him up for further
explanations.