New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-16
MARINE AFFAIRS.
THE FERRIES.

THE FERRIES.
The residents of the suburban cities found great diff
fcuy yesterday in crossing the ferries Thus far the
Winter has been far more than the last 1t is
worth about half day time TO attempt to cross the
Moth or East Rivers by any Of the ferries
The ICE BLOCKADE-Is BALTIMORE TO Be A CLOSED
PORT
The present condition of the harbor of Baltimore
and s marine approach the Patapsco River Is sub
ec demanding Immediate and practical consideration
The seyere weather has at this early period, 80 Of
eoualy bockad both that for the general purposes
OF commerce. navigation has been effectuay closed.
The Norfolk boats and some OF the eteamugs m snage
10 keep open channel sufficient fr their purposes,
but il cannot expected that the abOrs of either of
these parties will be 80 expended except accidentally,
IA 10 servo the general interest Slhe consideration
also presents itself that, if these private interests are
left 10 struggle alone against what may be justly con-
sidered public calamity, they must eventually sue
cunb and that without a moderation of the weather,
which we have right 10 expect, our hatbor Will be
completely closed for the next two months, the com
MERGE of the port suspended our business character
and interests preiudiced, and an immense amount 9f
less and suffering incurred. Bait Amer, jan H.
DEVOTION OF A SAILORS WIFE.
The oObsgnees of the ship Neptune's Car furnish
the following extract from San Francisco letter for
publication;
"The chip Neptuues Car arrived on the 18th instant
December. Fifty days ago Cap'ain Patton was at
lacked with the brain fever aud for the last twenty
five DAYS has been blind. Previous to his illness, he
had put the first of duty account Of HE nco n
potency. After the captains Illness the second mate
took charge OF the ship but, az he did not understand
alton the captains wife worked up the reckoning
every day ard brought the ship safely into port The
fret mate wrote Mrs Patton letter, reminding her OF
the dangers Of the coast and of the great responsibility
.he had assumed and offered 10 take charge OF the snip
but che stood by the decision OF her husband and de-
cired the offer. During all this time she acted as
pur-e 10 the captain. She studied medicine to learn
how to treat his case, ard shaved his head and by
constant care and waIchiulness kept hun alive. she
sad that for fifty nights she had not undres ed herself
Few women could have done 30 much, ana done 1t 80
well She was at once navigator, nurse, physician,
and protector Of the property iustei - her husband
The matter has excited good deal OF interest here;
and independent Of other consderations all are anI-
ious for her sake that the captsin should recover
SEVERE CALI Al VERA CRUZ.
Our telegraphc summary yesterday from Charleston,
stated the extent Of the late gale at Vera Cruz and s
consequences; we extract the following details in rea
ton to the same from the Progress of Vera Cruz Of
Dec. 3:
ION the 10th instant there ragged on coast fu-
,icus mol hern gale which lasted for 81 hours, and
caused considerable losses and damage among tue ship
ping. Among the disasters figures foremost the ship
week of the national steamer Iturbide which deeply
affected az the inhabitants OF Vera Graz, IN whose
very sight the catastrophe took place without being by
any possibility able TO prevent II. The steamer had
three anC hols fastened with very strong chsins; and
although she was seen iEorously struggling against
the waves nobody thought, up TO the moment OF the
disaster OF the probability of her being torn off from
the euchoring ground. But having lost two Of her
anchors by a violent shock from another ship which
was THROWN against her by the force OF the waves, and
the one anchor left her sot being sufficient to maintain
her che was driven by the current upon the reef known
urde5 the name Of La Lavendera. There, in fifteen
minutes more less, she was broken IN pieces, and
disappeared, with 81 persons on board, beneath the
waves.
''Of all those on board only Il were in proviien-
tia mar ner saved, succeeding after cluging tor many
bOu's TO tmbers boating on the sea- 10 reaching
"Ofthe other shipwrecs ed vessels there are no oher
losses 10 be lamtnted than those OF their bulls sad
Roes with the exception Of the North American brig
Nenuphar, whose plot suddenly died, probably from
fit Of spOpleIy. SIZE was one OF the sang PACKETS OF
the New York line.
1.-THE steamboat Calhoun found itself forty miles OF
the coast when the hurricane swept the sea and Tor
ten hours was drifting srolnd the reefs, struggling
egainsi the waves before being able to overcome the
Fnd and the Grens, ana get free OF her dangerous
Once this object was obtained she breasted in al
ADMIRAL manner the storm, as we are informed "
persops who were on board of her, and who DO not
doubt that they owe their lives 10 the excellent quail
ties OF the ship The Calhoun has suffered great dam
age in her upper works, for heavy Sea tore away the
lover csbin. leaving the upper one entire suPpor.ed
by the pillars upon which II rested but the bull OF the
ship and her machinery were unhurt thus giving tue
lie once more the rumoIs Of her Insecurity spread %
persons who perh,fs were interested IN dlscredtlng
that line. The which tore away the cabin OF ne
Calhoun carried of two servants and ths butler, who
did not reappea. Another misfortune happened on
board the ship in consequence Of the storm Sosn'
sh passenger took away bis own life by pistol shot,
be believing the steamer would be lost without help,
aid Pr,feiDg lose bis life tia, way rather than be
drowned
EXPLOSION on FERRY BOAT.
Yesterday forenoon abou, O'Clock an explosion oc-
CURED on the Peck slip Ferry Boat Oneota, by which
the engineer Was badly. and several others slightly
scs!ded. The boat lying a, the Grand stree: Dock
90 the New-York side undergoing repairs. fire had
beeo started in the furnaces and sewers. en-
gagged ct work in the crank pit From some cause
known. the feed pipe, leading from the boiler TO the
f6ccs pump erpleded ssd the sesldins water wss
forced out N coasiaersbe Quantities The engineer,
Robert Car. W. vsY badly scsld,d on ths bsek par