The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-08-03
The Storm that Ovsxteek ths Tele.
graph Flaet.

The London Times gives graphic account 3
the storm which overlook the telegraph asst dur
Ing the last expedition, and the danger In which
the Agamemnon Was placed:
siecpipg was Impossible that night on board the
Agamemnou. Even those In cots were throw 4
out from their striking against the vessels side q
sne riscned. The berths Of wood, fixed athwart
ships 10 tne cabins on the main deck, had worked
70 pieces chairs and tables were broken chests d
drawers capsized, and . little surf was running
over the floors Of the cabins themselves, pouring
miniature seas into portmanteus, and breaking
over carpet bags OF clean linen. Fast ~ it flowed
of BY the scuppers ii came In faster BY the hawse
holes and ports; while the beams and knees
strained with dolefui noise, it Was impossible
they could hold together much longer-and, en- the
whole, It was as miserableand even auxiousa night
a. ever was passed on board any line Of battle ship
In Her Majesty's service. By and by, she began
to ship seas. Water came down the ventilators
near the funnel into the engine ROOM Then !
tremendous sea struck her forward, drenchins
those on deck, and leaving them up to their knees
In water-aud the least versed on board could see
that things were fast going TO the bad unless a
change took place either Ia the weather or the con
dtion Of the ship. OF the first there seemed little
chance.
For the relief of the ship three courses we're open
to Captain Preedy-one TO wear round and try her
on the starboard tack, he had been compelled "a
do the day before; another, to fairly run for it be
Tore the wind; and the third and last, to epdeavo,
to tighten the vessel by getting some of the cable
overheard Ofcourse the latter would not have beer
thought of till the first had been tried and failed
10 fact not till 1t was evident nothing else would
save the ship.
Against wearing round there was the danger Of
her again falling off into the trough of the sea
losing her masts, shifting the npper deck COIL and
80 finding her way to the bottom In ten minutes
while to attempt running before the storm with
such sea on was to risk her stern being stove in
and hundred tuns Of water added TO her burden
with each wave that came up after rwards, till the
poor Agamemnon went under them all forever.
little after 10 O'Clock Monday, the 2lst, the as
resolved at all risk to try wearing the ship round
On the other tack.
1t was hard enough to make the words Of com
mand audible, but TO execute them seemed almos,
impossible. The ships head went round enough
to leave her broadsde to the seas; and then for
time, il seemed as If nothing could be done. Ali
the rolls which she had ever given on the previous
day seemed mere trifies compared with her per
foi nance then. OF more than 200 men on deck al
least $50 were thrown down, and falling over from
side to side in heaps, while Others holding on to
ropes, swung to and fro with every heave. It real
seemed if the last hour of the stout ship had
come, and to this minute it seems almost miracu
lous that her masts held on. Each time she fell
over, her main chainsl went deep under water
The lower decks we're flooded and those above
could hear by The fearful crashing, andibe arrived
the hoarse roar of the storm, that the Goals had
got loose again below, and had broken into the en-
gine room and we're carrying all beforejthem. Du
ring these rolls the main deck coil shifted over
such degree as quite to envelope four men, who
sitting on the top, were trying to wedge il dow q
with beams One of them was so much jammed
by the mass which came over him that he was Sc
riousiy confused, and had to be removed to the
sick cay, making up the sick list to 45 of which 10
| were from injuries caused by the rolling of the
| ship. aud very many of the rest from continual
fatigue and exposure during the gale. Once
round on the starboard tack, and it seen in an
instant that the ship in no degree relieved By
the change. Another heavy sea struck her for
ward, sweeping clean over the fore part of the
vessel, and carrying away the woodwork and plat
forms which had been placed there around the ma
| ctinery for undermining. This and few more
plunges were quite sufficient to settle the matter
and at last, reluctantly Captain Preeey succumbed
to the storm he could neither conquer nor con
tend against Full steam was got on, and with
foresail and foretopsail to lift her head the Aga
memuon ran before the storm, rolling and tum
bling over the huge waves at tremendous pace
1t was well for all that the wind gave this much
way on her, or her stern would infallibiy hays
been stove in. As it was, a wave partly struck
her on the starboard quarter, smashing the quar-
ter galley and ward-room windows of that side
and sending such sea into the ward room itsell
asliteraly almost to wash too officers off sofa on
which they were resting on that side of the ship
This was kind ofparting blow, for the glass began
to rise, and the storm was evidently beginning to
moderate.