Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-09-30
THE CENTRAL AMERICA CATASTROPHE.


paid by the Magistrate advertising.
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THE CENTRAL AMERICA CATASTROPHE.
Several of our northern exchanges contain
full and interesting accounts of the loss OF the
Central -ia:..'t'@. III which many particulars and
incidents a:,. yiNr.! iIot contained in Ar. Ch!ds
brief and h,,rricd iccou,,t of the sad disaster.
Frna the Ei;hmoad Disputed, We take the fol-
lowing narrative pj' Capt. Thomas W. Badger, of
Baltimore, whriI sill be read with thrillidg in
terest-
STATEMENT OF CAPT. BADGER.
This is my third trip, AZ passenger, on the
Central America, and considered her Staunch
and safe as any vessel that floats. We left LA.
vana. on Tuesday. Sth, with fine weather, light
wind from \. y. f.. and smooth sea, until Thurs
day morning, l0tl, inst, when fresh breeze
from the North sprung up, increasing gradually,
until evening, when every thing indicated heavy
gale. The mercury in the barometer going up
slowly. The engine was making her usual rero.
lutions. The gale increasing gradually until
morning, when owing to the heavy sea, the en-.
gine had had to be worked by hand very slowly, and
men were placed at proper places to push the
CELllhS ny W htCp ilOii SeNSii''S oh WV
centre. On Friday, at II n. the ship was free
from water, with head to the wind, laying Very
easy and engine working slowly. The passengers
were perfectly quiet and unaware of any danger.
At II 2. NJ. the ship gave three or four heavy
lurches, when l quietly went out of the cabin
and looking down in the engine room, found the
engine working very badly, looked well down
into the lee bilge and found the water rising,
which reported to Mr.. Ashby, Chief Engineer,
who was On deck, occasionally looking into the
engine room.
then returned to the cabin, when the ladies
inquired if there was any danger, and to quiet
them, told them there was none. rs l honestly
thought at the time. In half an hour returned
to the deck to see it she had bettered her condl.
ton, which was about = O'clock, p. NJ, and found
the engine stopped and the ship paid of into
the trough Of the sea which caused her TO roll TO
leeward. then proceeded to the fire room, and
found the water had increased in the lee bilye,
and asked the engineer why the engine WAS
stopped, saving !:if You don't look GU: lhs ship
will Till with water" lie then gave order; to the
stewards department 10 get b"cktts, arl come
down &c pass coal to the fire. room !rrrrying
them bv saying III you don't work brisk .vo"
will have to dnI Me ship; for il the engine stop.
the pumps uf COURSE must.
then urged him to put glHr to baiiinG ami
not wait any longer, ~ the water had rose high
enough to put out the Ice fires, and Immediately
proceeded to the companion WAY. and PASSED "r'
ders to the gentlemen in the cabin to Iorn Il linr,
and help to bail the ship, which they ut oncc
complied with. At this time the Steward $ gang
commenced passing water from The fire rou.l,
having abandoned the coal; and lhn Passenger
gang passed their buckets from the cabin lhruag!
the saloon; on. or lwo gangs in the mcantinc
We're put to work i'll the strrr:gc. The Captain
had the deck pumps rugged about this time also.
but they proved useless. and could not be- mad:
to work. At this junc,ure, Q report reachc,! i!.,
engineer that Il leak was discovered around the
lee shaft, which was occasionally submcrsel, while
rolling in the sea-. This MAS the principal leak
perfectly tight i'll her bottom.
About ) F. NJ the engineer requested the
Captain to kosp the ship of the wind, SO as t.
work again, bat in setting the head SAIL" they
were blown away, and twas found impossible to
wear the ship. The Captain then commenced
overheard, but soon found to du no good. then
proposed to the Captain to cutaway the tore,l:.st,
which he Immediately had done, and the ship
seemed easier, aud appeared to ride better.
The Chief Engineer then ordered the booths
and other wooden material handy to no torn
away to fire up the Donkey Boilers, (which are
situated on dcck, so as to get the pumps 30 work,
which was without success. At DARK ui :;at
day, Friday, the gale was ut its height. Ih,:
balliaD Were augmented and every man who
could st..l'; worked through the night. The gale
contiu';.I III it i;,r: until about \. u. Satur-
day !norning, = aiIru il commenced to subsidc. At
dayi!ghi i.r war.i "aS found on the increase,
and the gang "c,, .:lr:iie TO keep it down,
and, on examining iir. Headlights around the
lower cabin. !il.'y found TO leak very badly.
We ther applied whips and casks at every hatch
way for hoisl;ng cut water, which, in conjunction
with the gangs, appeared to keep it under. 1t
10 A. n. (Satrdayl the sea had moderated, and
the passengers, exhausted by their laborious du-
ties since tac day before, began to hag, and the
water again to increase
About P. ~, the brig Marine run down un.
der our stern, when our boats were lowered, and
two out Of the five were stove by the heavy sea,
leaving us only three to work witL one of which
was il, bad condition. We, however, succeeded
in putting ON board of the brig all the ladies and
children, which in Il manner revived the spirits
of the gangs, who resumed their abors, but with
out avail, as the water had reached the lower
cabin floor, and Of course has,ehed the sinking
of the ship; as soon, however, as the boats re.
turned from the brig, after landing the ladies and
children, the gang partially abandoned their
work and a rush was made for the boats. Every
one now seemed to look out for themselves and
the only disorder during the trying time, was
now. The Chief Engineer having set the exam
pie in abandoning the ship, every one else was
anxious to get in the boats. The brig being
much lighter than the shig, dritted to lccward
much faster, which soon placed her some dis
tance of. The last load Of some twenty or more
men having gone, and the boats now returning,
all communication with the brig now ceased.
About dark that night, Saturday an American
schooner, supposed to be the Sovereign of New
York, run down End spoke to u.s. but being una
BILE to render us any assistance, promised to lay
by us all night. At this time the water VAS half
way up to the lower cabin aud the gang still .
working, which continued until p. NJ, when
they gave up in despair, feeling twas impossible
10 save the vessel. From that time until s !
o'clock every body was busy providing something
10 keep themselves above water.
Among the restI provided myself with a plank
lbout 6 feet long; and little after the ship /