New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-17
COLLISION ON THE SOUND
APROPELLER RUN DOWN.
SIX ZEN LIVES LOST.
DETAILS BY EYE-wTTNEssRs.
Names Of the Drowned and Rescued.

|
Long Island Sound. She into on Friday night,
or ra;her Saturday morning, about O'Clock, of New
Haven while on her way to New-London, by the
steamer Metropolis OF the Fall River line. The
steamer struck the propeller smdships with such
force as to sink her 80 suddenly that all Of the passen
| gers and crew below decks were lost
She went down in three minutes after the collision,
| cany ing with her l6 persons.
The sad news was brought to this city on Saturday
morning by the Metropolis, and was issued by US in
| an extra, in one hour after her arrival. We append
the reports which appeared in our evening editions Of
that day.
| STATEMENT OF THE CAPTAIN AND PILOT OF
| THE METROPOLIS.
Capt Brown, of the Metropolis, makes the follow
ing statement In behalf Of himself aud Capt. Lewis
the pilot Capt. Brown was in his state-roOm at the
time the disaster occurred, and all that he knew OF
the circumstances prior to the collision, was Whist he
had learned from the pilot. The Metropolis left Fall
River on Friday evening about o'clock with between
| 200 and 800 passengers.
About O'Clock on Saturday morning, when between
Falkland Island and New Haven, the pilot discovered
what be supposed to be schooner about point alds
half on bis stsrboard bow. She had sails set, and
showed no lights forward, and but very littls light aft
circumstances which led him. in the hazy state Of the
weather to believe that it was schooner going be-
| fore the wind
The Metropolis was heading west half sOnth, and
the other vessel east half north. Instead of porting
his helm as he would have done for o steamer, sup
po,ing the other vessel to be schooner before the
wind, and consequently having the night of way, the
pilot Of the Metrspoli, put his helm starboard. On
the other vessel the case different from the great
hight and the lights of the Metropolis there could b
L. tf, barc oh capta NJ =
propeller accordingly put his helm port, and in
sequence of the mistake on the part of Capt Lew, Of
the Metropolis the two vessels ran across each others
bows.
The error became apparent to the pilot Of the
Metropolis in very short time, and he stopped his
engine but was then impossible to avert the catas
rophe. The Metropolis struck the propeller between
her fore ard n1anmaSts and cut her almost in two
The shock was scarcely felt the Metropolis, but the
propeller filed almost Immediately.
Capt. Brown was Immediately a. his post, and Or
dered bis men to lower the boats to save life. As
usual o. such times there was great deal of excite
ment and passengers rushing to and fro gave orders
as fast as the captain. They also threw overheard
life preserver. stools chairs and anything that would
Goat. In short tme-a space brief even when com.
pared with the rapid sinking Of the propeler-the
steamers dngy aoat, and the two great quarter
| less than two minutes, had gone down.
Every one that was aaoat was picked up and taken
to the Metropolis. Three of Ae propeller passengers
saved themselves by clingng to the guards Of the
Metropolis, and Capt. Leonard Smith, of the propel-
| ler was preserved in the same way. Two persons
| swan to the steamers wheel, and clambered up
through the wheel-house to the deck. lady was
seen in tho wster. claspng her babe to her bosom,
but before the boat could reach her the waves closed
| ever them both.
The propeller sank in sixteen fathoms Of water, and
sixteen persons went down with her, Only twelve were
saved, among them Capt. Leonard Smith, engineer,
Geo. Thompson, Kneeand Ward foreman, and three
of the crew. The Metropolis remained in the vicinity
| until daylight, hoping that some person might have
Aoated off on the rubbish butthe only sign Of the dis
sster visble was wide trail of oil and broken wood
| over the spot where it occurred.
STATEMENT OF CAPT. SMITH, OF THE fRs-
| PELLEA.
Our reporter found Capt. Leonard Smith, OF pro
peler j. n Harris on board the steamer Metropolis.
He with grief and excitement from the
effects of this terrible disaster, the shock Of which
increased by the loss OF three of his children, and
unable to give perfectly clear account Of the melsn-
choly occurrence.
lie, however, cheerfuly furnished all the Informs
ton be could. He said that they left Pier No. II
North River at ) O'Clock on Friday afternoon, with
fourteen passengers and crew Of eleven men, iac!ud
ing himself I've think that the Captain must be mis-
taken as to the number-we find % persons in ALL and
cargo Of merchandise of various kinds, consigned to
merchants in New.London.
Nothing unusual occurred until o'clock on Sstsr-
day morning, when between Falkland Island and
New uavsr, at which time the propeller was struck
| ~ nft ha az nv
Metropolis, and sunk in less than three minutes.
Tbs Captain appeared to have only confused idea
ofthe cause Of the collision and declined to express
asy opinion with regard to ii. The propeller bad one
sail set and a stern ligh. out st the time no Wa
struck, and Capt Smith seemed to adopt the opinion
entertained by those on board of the Metropolis thai
the pilot Of the latter from seeing the sail Of the pro-
peler, supposed her TO be sail vessel and attempted
to pass her in dieren. direction from that he would
The had known her real character.
Capt Smith did not know the names Of all the pas
ssnger the list wa, on board the propeller, neither
did he recorect the names of all the crew.
He said that the night was bright and starlight over
head and neither the water nor weather was rough.
| The women and children were all in the cabin asleep
at the time and all lost. The passengers that were IN
| bed at the time who did cave themselves had barely
chance of doing so the vessel went down so soon
after she was struck that we had no chance to get
into the cabin, to make any attempt to rescue the
persons who there. have lost three of my little
children, which will be sad for me 10 carry home
to their mother, who is in New.London. have a..
ready sent dispatch to inform her of the fact
| AFFECTING INCIDENTS.
While Capt. Smith was giving US his statement, a
painfully affecting incident tran.pired. An elderly
gentleman named Gordon, who on the afternoon pre-