New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-04
THE .FIASTROPHE or TIE PACIFIC.
STATEMEN y OF THE SPIRIT-RAPPgRS
rxor 'As sprvffa1l T,;.,xc,x

before thew transpire and We have several time, pub
lishod such prophetic statements in these columns II
several the truth of their predictions has b.
realized in the most sgns manner, the case -
The remarkable fulfmont Of the Napoleon prophecies
given to Mr. Coles of Wliamsburgh. Tbrongha great
number of media the spirits have predicted OF affirmed
the les Of the steamship Pacific and the fatal disaster
with IFS terrible details has been represented with fear
iu distirc'ness In presence Of many witnesses. Tho
suloired account from Mr.. ). w Britton merchant
Of this city, emtodying the results of several inter
views with spirits this subject can hardly fail 70
awaken int, rest the mnd of the serious reader
mr.. BRITTos'S STATEMENT.
On The evening Of December %, 1855, while tho
winter was engaged in conversation with several
f1,nGs who had assembled in the rooms OF s. b. Bnt
tan az The Tremont House in this city, Mrs. Harriet
Porter lone Of the best mediums have ever knownl
belRg also present, was employed al the time in max
ing magnetic passes over of the editor daugh-
tefs with view to remove a neuralgia pain in the
head. The writer was sitting the parties observ-
ing TIE movements of Mrs p, when the latter sud
denly turned round and said with peculiar emphasis:
You have ssked for test; will now give you one:
The steamship Pacific Will be wrecked aud al on
board will perish. Put that in your pocket and keep
Il for test The spirit purported to be my go
Edward and on my nquring for further particulars,
he sdded, l vii. tell you nothing more now; there
viii be an excitement on the subject and you win
come to see me again. There viii also be a report
that she is safe but il will provo 10 be- false
There were present on the occasion Mrs. s. Il.
Britain Emma Frances Jay, +. Virginia Britain, NM
Wells Mr.. ard Miss Nail, the medium and myself any
of whom will yerify the truth OF the foregoing
statement. / have still in my possession the original
memorandum, on the back OF which rs the following
Endorsement made at the time the communication was
received: Spiritual prediction given through Ms.
Harriet Porter, Dec. %, 1885 Soon after the
pouncement respecting the loss OF the Pacific was
mace, communicated the same to the editor of TIE
telegraph and to Mr.. Charles Partridge. Subse-
quentiy and before any apprehension OF the loss
of the Pacific had been awakened, l mentione9
the subject to many Others and exhibited the memo
randum to some twenty persons including several who
had little or oOnfdence in the claims OF Sprusiisna
Tie pames of the persons here referred to can DO gves
if Necessary.
"Some time after the occurrence Of the circuna-
stances already described and when the arrival VI tho
Pacific was beginning to be looked for, again visited
Mrs Porter at her residence No. 100 West Twenty
fourth street. In the course OF the interview some
remark was made respecting the Pacific, whereupoa
Mrs. T., speaking with unusual earnestness, saids
The Pacific is lost, and all ON board have gone 70
their long homes. ~,
"A a still later date, the writer called on Mn.
Porter early one Saturday evening, when the Pacific
had been out thrty days and the Atlantic seventies
DAYS from Liverpool. Our inquiries respecting the
fate of the missing steamers were answered by the
emphatic that the Pacific was lost, but thas
the AT antic was safe At 10 O'Clock the same oven
inc the Atlantic arrived and thus was verified tho
statement respecting her safety. The next morning
the report widely circulated, and generally cred
tied that for some cause, the Pacific had run into tho
river shannon and was still safe. Before the report
was contradicted l saw Mrs. Porter yet agani the
Spirts would neither retract modify WHEY they has
ga reRnpftlQC
particular TO remind that they had on the oocsso.
Of the first interview predicted that such report
would obi ain currency. .
"Not many day had elapsed, when the wrtof ot
this hgaiu found himself at Mrs. Porters table, tho
comnany on this occasion consisted OF twelve persons
We had been seated but q short time. when the me-
tum was entranced by Spirit who said his name was
= Faulkner-that he was purser on board tho Ia
ci6c Ind brother in New-York who was silver
smith, &C. In reply TO questions propounded by the
writer and others the following additional particulars
were elected
at IL oc ok on the evening of January %, and very
soop went down. stern foremost. As the yessei sank
three persons escaped from the wreck ana tound
temporary resting place on the zee but tSey s@sS
that there were forty eight passengers ON board
forty males and eight females that at the time OF the
catastrophe the ship ID latitude 40 NORTH tnas
the Captain was at fault in taking the course he
did his object being to make quicker trip than
the Persia wi ch then on her first voyage. In
the course of the evenlDg-the medium beng en-
tranced--the heart-reDdiDg scene was graphically
reuresepted the general CONSERVATION, tho wild
tunut and the frantic prayers TO God for deiverance
excited intense and solemn emotions ia all who were
present.
sps citing the oss of the Pacific the writer has had at
least dozen interviews with the Spirits through Mrs..
Porter. On all occasions they have maintained q
general consistency, and no important discrepancy
thus far appears in their statements Had the under
signed anticipated the publication OF these facts many
additional particulars might have been preserved;
but they were not noted at the time they uanspred,
and cannot readily recall them at this late day with
sufficient clearness to warrant more circumstantA
description. B. w. BRrIOs.
Similar representations Of the loss of the Pacific have
recently been given through other channels, but We
know Of no other instance of a definite prophecy on
this subject having been made at 80 early date as
the 23d Of December. Spirits from the doomed ship
have purported to be present on numerous OCCASIONS
and in prese nee Of many have given curious,
interesting and satisfactory proofs Of their identity.
When the Pacific had been out some thirty days,
Mrs Porter day visited by two strange ladies',
who on entering her gave no inmation respect
ing the specific object for which they sought an inter
view They had not been long seated at the table
before the special purpose of their visit was made.
known by al invisible intelligence; spirit said, IN
substance through Mrs. Porter, 81 was al engineer
ION board the Pacific am your brother; l was tho
main stay of the family; dOnttell mother Of this yeti
"ihe Pacific il lot, but am here. Samuel IIsvens.
On the receipt OF this communication Of the ladies
gave way to sudden and painful emotions. Sbe &C
Enowledged that she had brother by that name %.
board the Pacific, and that he was employed In the
capacity of engineer.