New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-11-24

10 n
rpe suit from an overlaien tNugh. Happily, n shs
case Of The Eastern City ths dire catastrophe Did lo'
occur The prOvden.sl arrival o! .roop-ship on the
scene OF the calamity lGa, when destruction VS. inn-
neDt has spared gs me necessity OF recording caan
~ which would. hl. for this chance occlrTsrce have
been precisely similar 70 the miserable story 81 the
Hamburg ship which was destroyed bit the o'Ef dsy
she and al her passengers, and we.i-nieh a. hef
crew.
The Eastern City was ship Of 1853 TIES. hound
from Liverpool ~ Melbourne. She EFF the Mersey on
the 10Th of Jny last hay N on b0ard lce pis.enger
y men, officers and crer, and more thaa l,op ms
Of general cargo. AL ven' WEI III The Eastern City
had oassed the EQUATOR Dut a the 81 o: August IL
vas discovered that IRE had broken out IN the fore
hold This was about IN the afternoon, ar me sea
was running high TO- Toe day before here Ia Del
The captnIn Capt. Jchns.onel, whcse c'nfuc;
throughout The transaction appears 10 have been
above all praise, a. once ordered al Inc pa,-
seneers and crew on deck. Al obeyed me or
Peter NJ Lear bv rame-who was supposed 20 have
been snfIocaed in lie berth. His absence, however.
vas Dot noticed al the momen., and the iorela'eh
was closed. Through two holes one n each ME oil
the hatch. the ships company proceeied 20 pour
down tons Of water. IL wa ri no avah; the ere
could not be ex.ngushed 30 the next a';emP, wac 10
try 10 smothe. il. The hatch was covered over Win
every WOODEN matter on which the people could lay
their bands but this served Only 70 check, not t.
remedy the evil. III me night through tbe men on
board KEEP; at their work, while the women and chii'
drep-:here were 80 Of the,nwe.e gathered together
on .be noon with such small comforts az could be
provijef fpr them IN brTning ship, with death
presently at hand. The Doa;s We're ready, and The
captain dii his best 10 persuade his luckess pas7en-
gen that al all events, there was rsic-e tor them;
but lie knew very well thai the boats yond never I'VE
IN the sea then on and hey could have lived there
was not room in them for half his company and pas
sengers. Tney were 60 miles away from and aud
oct Of the usual track Of ships, -ohai the cas- seemed
evil indeed Toward morning It became clear that the
fire yas cainr on the Eastern cty-ii working -
way into the after-holi. Smoke appeared IN tie
first and second cabins. IL was sad work; AMI, a.
though 20 mock their misery the morning broke beau
tifui and bright although the sea was stili high.
The sim was put before the wind and al IN board
still worked hard, though hope had aeserted the
ship. S.in despair vii CO as well as hope az tar as
working is concerned. 81 ssca tine happy l. il ior
those who can wors and drive away the oYerpo YER
ing sense Of present evil by physical exertion useless
ss il may be- About noon the io.eyari came down oy
the run. This was Oh the 24tu. How he ioremast
should fall and rip mp The deck, and LET IN tie air 20
fan the flame which ye. had no. burst forth, a.
eoon would If fed witt outer cir There was but one
cbance left ana that chance seemed a remote one
ndee,l-whlcn was, that sail nigh. 81 leaT, AM a
ship bear down - their assistance.
About o'cl)ck in the afternoon ne captain and q
few Of the passengers had gone into the after SO ool
10 pc. little food. Before goirg down they had
scanned the horizon ereediy enough, no DOUBT but
they could make nothing OF i. Iae ha-:y meal OF
which they We're IsItakrs wa. Psoefey 10 Cs tae,1
deck. a sail a sail" They al rushed ny, but AZ
first nothing could they see dark cloud on the
horizon. Presently they caught sight Of something
white. Was il & safl Was i q gull Was II
life Wss Il death !. grew larger, more
distinct: there could at length be no doubt
they were saved. d" She was coming down
upon us-close by the edge II the suns
ravs on the sea; how we al cheered and wept,
and p-ayed and Ian ghed. and clsspei each others
hands and chesred again; how great rough fellows
Rugged each other and wept Ike chidren how men
" who bad probably never prayed before muttered
sincere thaDksgivings and how those who bad pre-.
served the greatest Indifference when death seemed
so near were now completely overcome" We will
no. attempt 10 weaken the force ~ TINS description 10y
ary comment o. our OWE. Within half an hour from
the time the ship was first sighted she bore down
mon them. and cheering as only British SOL
diers and sailors car cheer, the ships company
and troops on board the Merchautman passed
under the stern 81 the burning ship. A. she
passed, Captain Johnstone hailed them through
his trumpet. " We are on fire. VIII you stand by
us r. Back came voice from the good snip Mer-
chatham lay ayl' In brief space tie boats
wer. got out from either ship, and hrs. the women
and children transported board the troop ship.
then the rest. Two hundred and twenty-seven per
sons were thus rescued from death without single
accident 10 aIy individual. Every living soul On
board the Eastern City saved with the exception
of that unfortunate men who had been suiocated by
the smoke ct the outset of the calamity. AT about
s. NJ, when tie troop ship stood away. the Eastern
City was in briCh. blaze allow and aloft, and soon
the uas,s went and the burning hail was LETT 70 her
fate. The last her captain and Passengers aud crew
saw Of her black cloud IN the distance Heating
il tic morning air.