Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-09-23
Loss Of the Steamer Central Amer;..

AAe ""v'e Aes"'c country mas Oeen startled and
panied by the intelligence of the loss of the steam..
Central America, formerly the George Law. With ;.
large number of passengers and one million six h.,
dred thousand dollars in gold dust and specie =.
board. The steamer left Havana on the 9th ,us
encountered the raging storm Of the 18th and ,o,s
and when about two hundred miles out off ~
Hatteras, on the coast Of this State at about
O'Clock, p. M, on the 18th, she went down ms
were on board 100 constituting the crew and sas
passengers, waking 625 in all. As far =. h. ON'
from, only 95 of these were saved. Some Ak oss 'u
rescued passengers were brought into NorfoL :: '"'
most distressed condition. One of the n.s.o' ="
who was saved, and who swan six hours md
finally rescued and landed at Savannah q. vas
made the following statement: D'S
~ LETT Havana in the steamship Central Ame,;,.
for New-York on Sept 8. The weather was d aaIs
full and the sea calm on the passage from Asu;no%s'
On the afternoon of the day Of sailing from Ha..a
afresh westerly breeze sprung up. On the falo.;na
morning the wind blew very strong the oale
ing to increase in violence as the day advances ~
night there was no abatement in the fury Of ths AT
and it commenced raining in torrents. On Ts" sIe'
day it blew hurricane the sea running yerv hs
On Friday the storm ragged fearfuiv. A. ts 4!
o'clock in the morning of this day it was first ~.
among the passengers that the steamer had sn.S
a leak and was making water fast. lns sprung
was Immediately formed and they went to wot h b:u
ing out the water from the engine roome FL. V s.I
having already been extinguished We o.;ns, uIe
the water so much that we were able to get m st.'
again, but we held it but few minutes and . S.sam
stopped forever: Battling continued, bowsvs sueu
was kept up in all parts of the ship until she sn.
ly went down. 0'' n"ai
During Friday night the water grained pr,an,uu
but all on board being in pretty good spirits thev
the morning came, they possibly might sne.I ""su
vessel and thus be saved The fatal Saturday c.ms
at last but brought nothing but increased inv
the gale. Still we worked on and at abont9 1911
in the afternoon the storm lulled little and tta
clouds broke away. Hope was renewed and % NJ
now worked like giants. At4P M. we spied 81. I'll
and fired guns and placed flag at balf.msst 7,
was seen, and the brig Marine of Boston bora Sora
upon u.s. We then considered our safety certain Sha
came near us and we spoke to her and told or con.
ditioE. She laid by mile distant, and We in ths
only three boats boats saved, placed all the momen
and ehs!are" and they soere safely puton board he
brig. As evening was fast approaching we dscoy.
cred another sail which responded to our can .nd
came near us. Captain Herndon told our condition
and asked them to lay by and send boat as had
none left. She promised to do So but that was the
last we saw OF her except at distance which grew
greater and greater every moment
At o'clock we saw no possibility of keen;no
afloat much longer although we an felt that # we
could do so until morning all would be saved. Tn a
short time heavy for the first time broke over
the upper deck Of the vessel and then all hope "a.
ded away. Llte-preservers were now supplied to
all, and We sent up two rockets, when tremendous
sea swept over as, and the steamer in moment
went down. ! think some four hundred or four
hundred and fifty souls were launched upon the
ocean, at the mercy of the waves. The storm at
this time had entirely subsidized We all kept
together, and went as the waves took u.s.
There was nothing or very little, said except that
each one cheered his fellow-comrade on. Courage
was thus kept up for two or three hours and think
for this space Of time none bad drowned but three
who could not swim because exhausted. After this
gradually one by one passed away to eternity. The
hope that boats would be sent to from the two
sells we had spoken soon fed from us, and our trust
was alone in Providence" and what better trust
could you or I ask for?"
/ saw my comrades sink fast, and at o'clock that
night was nearly alone upon the ocean, some two
hundred miles from land. heard, however shouts
from all that could do So that not far from me-
but / could not see them. Within an hour from
this time saw a vessel which judged to be about
one mile from me. Taking fresh courage I struck
out for the vessel, and reached it when nearly ez
hausted, and they drew me on board of it by ropes
1t proved to be Norwegian bark from Belize, Hon.
duras bound for Falmouth, England I found on
board of her some three Of my comrades and at9
o'clock next morning we had 40 noble fellows on
board, and these are all know Of having been
saved"
The chief engineer Of the boat it is stated desert
ed her an hour before she went down, for which,
is very strongly censured. But all the facts We
~ N.- Vost, Tmn
states that. this steamer was "condemned ship
totally unseaworthy IS the George Law, and that
under new name she was imposed upon the pub
lie as a sound vessel. What an awful disregard
human lifei
The commander of the Central America was Capt.
W. L. Herndon, q native of Virginia, and well and
favorably known by his exploration Of the Amazon
in 1851-'52. He was lost.
The loss of so much specie, it was thought Sou'u
operate seriously against the stability Of numoef"
commercial houses in New York.
w Brgadier-General Hitchcock, who was ACT
ing Inspector General of the American army "
Mexico and who was present at the meeting Oh On
GERS in which the proposition to bride San'a A%'
was discussed. has written long and very ss'e'
letter in reply to the recent letter OF 'en' f"V.
He says the position which Gen. Pillow accepsu
the hands of the President, to confer with .nu Wv,
rule Mr.. Trist, was "degrading" one 'n'Sl r.r
as it required him to act as spy upon os' ~. ~;
and his brother officers. He gives it as ns op".
thae no man of honor would have nheo ''' -,
place. He also declares that Gen. PHO" e'As
every fully at first in favor of brbing san'' Ind
only stipulating, as a condition, that '0s ,..;sa
States should have such treaty as was u'' "S,
He characterizes the letter of Gen. Pill0" ~ M
creditable, filed as it is with artuly's.eo w.
truths, which are often species OF most .o the
falsehoods;" and he concludes by express. ep.
hope that tennessee has worthier sons n mu
titled to the honor " of Senator than oen'
s- MI L.. Aahov;llo Neacs contains io"e