Smyrna times., 1857-09-23
Sad Disaster Gt Sea.
Loss of the Central America.

One OF the most appalling shlpwrecks that
has ever occsrred on our coast, was that of the
Central America, on the 18th inst, 200 miles
off Cape Hatteras, having on board passengers
and crew numbering 562 souls. The storm
was one of the worst ever experienced on the
coast. The ship sprung leak, and the rush of
water IN the hold put out the fires, and she then
drIfted at the mercy of the waves and the
storm. Signals of distress were raised, and
after much difficulty the brig Marine, succeeded
in rcscuing 100, bark Ellen A, and bark Sax
ony 5 total, out of 562. l49 were saved.
One of the passengers describes the last mo-
ments as the steamer went down, as presenting
one of the most awful and heart-rending scenes
that ever was witnessed. Some of the passen-
gers were in group. together upon the deck,
while others were holding on to life-preservers,
chains, boards, &C., waiting the arrival of the
fatal moment. After the vessel had made
second plunge. and just she was about to go
down, there came flash of lightning which,
TOR moment, gave full view of the entire
deck of the steamer. She went down stern
first. Upon the wheelhouse stood Captain
IIerndon, with his hat in one hand and the
other upon the iron rail, and with nothing to
cling by he went down with his steamer.
AT the time the steamer was discovered TO
he sinking by the stern, great rush was made
for the bow, but before many could get half
way across the deck, she went down. carrying
all down with her. A great deal of indgna-
ton is felt against the Chief Engineer, George
E. Ashby many stated that If he had stuck to
his post aud kept the fires going. the vessel
could have lived at least twenty-t0ur hours
longer, and in that time all might have been
saved. So intense was the feeling manifested
against him at Norfolk, that the passengers
were several times about to pitch him over
board.
The passengers all speak in the hig hest terms
. of Captain HerDdOn, aud state that he was tO
the last moment, encouraging the passengers
! and crew. The last sren OF him was when the
steamer went down He was standing on the
wheel-hOuse, IN the act of firing thIrd rocket.
The steamer was valued ut |$310.000. and
was not insured. The company. The New York
Post says, does not insure any ofIts ships. The
5 freight lists and o'her papers of The ship were
all on board, and duplicates cannot be obtained
, from San Francisco under five or SIX weeks
|
IN New York, in San Francisco, or in London.
The Atlantic Insurance Company usually takes
large risks of this nature
$ The loss of the Central America, with $2,-
100000 OF gold, has added TO the depression in
Wall street, and made negotiations tor money
more difficult. The loss to the Underwriters
= will be less than the general anticipation, and
D will not, we are bile te say after thorough in.
| quiry. exceed $500, ,000-the remainder bcIng
covered by foreign offices, and re-insurances IN
other cities.
Oliver P. Manlue, passenger gives the fol-
u lowing Information:
The storm commenced Immediately after the
steamer left Havana, and continued with great
violence increasing until Friday. On Friday
afternoon all hands were called up to ball.
y The vessel continued to ship water, and all
b hands worked with buckets, barrels, &C., all
# Friday night, and till about 2 o'clock on Satur'
day, when the brig Marine hove in sight. AL
the ladies' and children were put on board the
{ Marine, about o'clock p. NJ, and the Chief
/; Engineer left with them. In launching the
: boats, two OF the five of them were stove, AND
r the other three were despatched with the
women and children about an hour before sun
set.
e The Marine was laying nearly a mile off
Z and by the time three boats reached her, IT be-
came evident that the ship must go down be
fore they could get back.
All hands then seized pieces ofspars, chairs
I and life preservers, while others rushed below
e to secure their treasure. The confusion now
: became very great, though all acted with
: GOODNESS, each endeavOring to make the las
effort for his own safety Now the vessel ga v,
three lurches; some of the passengers jumping
o off at each lurch. Those who jumped off q
A ha 6pofa md apaond lurp phala fo
some distance; but the great mass remained
= on deck until the vessel went down, minute
or two afterwards.
had provided myself with life preserver
and a piece of a spar, aud determined 10 e
down with the vessel, with the great mass o
the passengers, all of them stood about, ra
clng themselves up and securing those articles
most available to buoy themselves up. Th'
vessel finally went down stern foremost.
was sta nding near the smoke stack at the time
). aud we were all dragged under the wafer viii
the sinking ship. The general suppostion u
= that we were all drawn under the surface a
d least twenty feet, and when we rose we were
= nearly stiffcd. The rapidity with which wal
drawn down tore the spar from my hands ant
the life preserver from my body, and when
~ reached the surface my clothing we're almos
70 all stripped off ofme. |, however, met frien'
Oi whu had two life preservers, who gave me one
g. and we also seized on pieces ct the wreck
which helped to sustain us. About four hun
dred sf the passengers were struggling about
most of them having lost their life preservers
I'd and others sezing on pieces of the wrecl
AZ which came up to US. The Captain had Gu
40 away the upper works of the vessel so tha
when the hull sunk they would float off; bu
u they were dragged down and came up in frag
9. ments. Many persons were killed, stunned ant
Is drowned, by being struck with pieces OF tn
n. wreck; whilst the pieces were to others thei
- ultimate means of safety. An occasional fias
:" of Fighting showed to each other a sea Of strng
Cling forms. Each strove TO encourage hi
ls friends with hopes which he scarcely felt him
AZ self At first we were all together in a mass
but soon the waves separated us, and at eacl
successive flash of lightning, we discovers
u that we were being scattered over a wide area
1t und 5000 found ourselyee apparently alone ol
,r the boundIess ocean.
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