The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-07-22

BosroS, July THE Courier of this
morning publishes the following statement
from John A. Richards, mate of the ship
Alice Monroe:
The Alice Monroe experienced almost
constant southerly gales and was forced to
take much more northerly than she other.
wise would. On the morning Of the 9th,
about 8 o'clock, saw the irigate Niagara,
lying to in lat 50 deg. 8 min., long. 80 deg.
3 min and was shortly boarded by boat
from her, containing Mr. Cyrus W. Field,
of New York, and Lieutenant Of the Nj.
agara. 1t was then foggy, but the weather
was very calm.
MIR. Field and Lieutenant desired Captain
Cummings To take certain letters and pa
pers relating to the telegraph expedition to
the United States. and wrote one or two
letters on board the Alice Monroe, during
the hour or two they remained on board of
her. They also communicated to Captain
Cummings and Mr.. Richards, n statement
Of their doings the past fortnight. They
stated that both vessels, the Niagara and
Agamemnon. experienced the most violent
sontherly gales from the day they left Ply
mouth, and were driven as far north as lat.
Is, much higher than the rendezvous, thus
delaying their operations several days. The
Niagara behaved in oil respects like thor
ough sca-going vessel, and was none the
worse for the storms. The Agamemnon, on
the contrary, suffered severely. At one
time the commander Of the Agamemnon in.
formed the first officer that he had no hopes
Of saving his vessel two hours longer, so
great was her straining. But the storm
subsidized at last, apd the Agamemnon rode
out the gale. A most unfortunate accident
occurred on board, caused by the breaking
loose of the case which held the cable in its
position, and the gun deck. The cable got
adriit, and was pitched about the deck, un-
doub,edy much 10 its damage. Two hun
drcd tons Of coal also got adrlft on the same
deck, aud caused infinite trouble. Two sea.
men were injured by these accidents, one
having an arm and the other leg broken.
The two vessels and their tenders finally
arrived on the ground and on the 10th
connection was expected. the weather being
sufficiently calm. The paying on, had
scarcely commenced before the wire snap
ped After q few hours detention another
splice was made, and the steamers started
the Agamcmnon and her consort tor Ire
land. aud the Niagara and her companion
Tor the American coast. Signals were kept
up between the two fleets constantly. mes
sage being transmitted every Is minutes,
and all was going on well I'LL about 80 miles
had been paid out, when the electrician on
the Niagara discovered that the current was
broken. This was about l2i, o'clock A.
NJ. The Niagara was Immediately put
about, and had already reached the mid
ocean rendezvous, where at 5 o'clock she
was first seen by the Alice Munroc.
Ii was believed on board the Niagara
that the cause of the first break was kink
on the Agamemuon. caused by its disar-
raugcment during the gale but OF this
there is no certainty.
Nothing was said to Mr. Richards about
the working Of the new breaks Probably
there had been no occasion to use them.
The Alice Munroe parted from the Ma,
CARA shortly after noon OF the 2Ith. and lost
sight of her about 1 O'Clock. The Aga
memnon had not then come IN sight. The
Niagara had hoped that her cousort would
arrive in season To make another trial that
day, bu, as the weather was icygy, though
calm. il is hardly probable tia, anything
was done on the 2,ih.
Two days subsequently, the weather was
quite calm and favorable, but alter that there
was another succession Of heavy southerly
gales, and tie weather on the Ranks, As ex
perienced by the Alice Munroc, was exceed
insly rough
1t is true as reported. thai Minister For
syth has been instructed 20 withdraw the le-