The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-04-19
The Epidemic on Board the steam.
err susquehanna--Courtesy or the
British at Jamaica.

1t has been stated by telegraph, that the U. 4,
steam Frigate Susquehanna, Capt. Joseph r..
Sands, arrived at New York Thursday afternoon.
with the yellow fever prevailing on board AZ an
epidemic. letter In the New York Herald. writ.
ten by some one on board the chip, says;
The Susquehsnna had been ordered from the
Meeiterranean SIX months ago to Greytown, Gen.
| trai America, in consequence Of Walkers move
msnt in that quarter. She arrived too late To tab
part In the expedition that led to his cantura
bnt her orders obliged her to remain in that bar
Dora place subject to Influences of deadly char.
acter In the way Of miasma, produced by Iagoops
OF fresh water, many OF them stagnant. This. with
the brackish water of the anchorage enfeebIed the
health OF the officers and crew to such an extent
| as to prepare them for any epidemic 1t first
showed itself by causing fits of vomiting Alas
| this was the forerunner of yellow fever which
made its appearance about the 10th of March
| three of the crew having died suddenly within a
| day OF each other, and one from black yomit The
ship was then taken ontside TO sea- In homes that
| change OF climate would prove beneficial. and IL
seemed to have that effect for few dsys we ONLY
losing one man, though cases of fever still occur
red.
After cruising few days the shi, anchored ont
side Of the harbor, some three miles from Grey
| town. waiting for the arrival of the Jamestown
| that had been ordered some time before to this
| place.
| As the fever broke out on the 3oth ult with re-
newed violence, it was deemed best to get under
way and the night of the 1st it ragged violently
| and some four officers and upwards of forty men
| were on the sick list. A consultation was then
held by the Captain, Surgeon and officers of the
| deck and il was decided to run for Pensacola be-
ing the nearest hospital in the United Staes where
the sick corld be landed and the ship broken out
| The vessel was then headed TO tho nortE-fever
still on the iPcrease-and to make il worse. it was
found on the Sd that the Goals rur ming short
| and there would not be sufficient to carry us to
| Pensacola The medicines also were short, besides
| the want OF proper noMishment for the sick
| These circumstances induced the Captain to make
for Port Royal, Jamaica-then within four hun
| dred miles. The speed was increased to nine and
ten knots, for now it had become question of life
| aud death with every on board.
The 4th of April poor Lieutenant Henry W.
queen, oil the marine corps, died after an Illness Of
| hve days, which Terminated in the black vomit--
| His remains were committed to the deep, amidst
the tears and regrets of his 5hipmates. Far better
would it have been had he died in the battle upon
the plains of California, where he on several occa-
sions distinguished himself before the enemy du-
| ring the Mexican war.
The night of the 5th saw us at anchor in the
/ harbor OF Port Royal, where her British Majestys
ship OF the liue Indus was bearing the flag of Vice
| Admiral Sir Houston Stewart, who immediately
| communicated with u.s. aud when he heard of our
| distressed condition-having nearly seventy down
with the tever-he gave orders at once that the
naval hospital on shore should be put in order for
the reception of our sick. These orders were most
faithfully carried out by the surgeons, who work
| ed ell night, that by s O'Clock in the morning
six officers and fifty seven men were transported
| to the hospital, where everything WAS provided
| for their comfort that would tend to their re-
covery.
The boats of the English squadron from lhe
Indus, Imaum and Devastation, nobIy assisted in
this duty; they even came provided with cots for
sick men. Surely such conduct deserves some
suitable acknowledgment from Congress Vice
Admiral Stewart, by this one act Of humanity, has
| won for hmsef reputation that will contribute
| more to his fame than all the battles he has ever
been engaged ID, covering long and brilliant
career.
Commodore Kellett also comes in for his share
of our thanks and gratitbue. All hail to these no.
| bic hearted Englishmen, who generously risked
their lives in saving the crew of this vessel for
they did not hesitate to place themselves in contact
| with the sick when occasion demanded it.
| The 9th and 9TH were employed in coaIiDg ship,
| and some twenty more sent to the hospital. The
| sth We got under way from Kingston and anchored
abreast of the naval hospital at Port Royal sent
| ten men and Lieut.. Howell there Heard also that
| four of our men had died-they very sick
when they left the ship. Mr.. Howell had a slight
attack, and as the ship was infected he was advised
| to leave her. At this place we received on board
| from the Indus Assistant Surgeon Fredk. H. Rose
OF the royal navy as an additional medical officer,
having volunteered to serve in our ship which had
| become pest house. MIR. Rose came by permis
sion of Vice Admiral Stewart; certainly most
| praiseworthy act, and one that should not be for
| gotten by the American people, Surgeon Pink
Dey, in consequence of his attention to the sick
was seized with fever; but his place has been well
htled by DIR. Maccoun, who has had much expert
ence in this disease. Out OF ten ward room officers
six taken sick; of sight gneers only two on
| duty-the third engineer being John Harrs,a fire.
/ man, who has acquitted himself handsomely; the
same can be said of the crew, who volunteered to
| discharge any duty they might be called upon to
| do. many acting as firemen and coal passers.
Thus one half Of crew weis taken down,
| nearly one hundred and fifty Fifteen deaths have
thus far occurred. Some forty Of fever still
| on board, of milder form~
| On the 18th of April, buried James Read, sail
makers mate, who died Of fever. The sick are
doing well. Nothing but coming north saved the
| survivors. Had we gone TO Pensacola there is no
telling of the number of deaths that would have
| taken place. Every surgeon. ashore and afoat,
| recommended our going nerth to cold climate,
and the result has proved the wisdom of that ad-
vice, for We have lost but one man since leaving
| kingston-James Read, sailmaker's mate. He,
poor fellow, was taken with relapse. and died Of
| black vomit on the 1lth.
| The Susquehanna has always been in excellent
| order-not even the yellow fever could impair the
| discipline of the ship. The effect of this could
| be seen by the alacrity with which man would
| perform the duty of one stricken down with the
| fever, and in many instances volunteer TO do it.
The following is a list Of the officers now on
| board:
Captan-Joshua R. Sands; lieutenants-I Isaac
| n. Brown. Paul Shirly, C. ii. Wells, S. L. Phelps
L
(on Ieave) Surgeon-N. Pinkney. Passed As
| sistant Surgeon-R. r. Maccoun. Assistant sur
geon-Frederick II. Rose, English royal navy.
Chief Engineer-John P. Whipple. Assistant En-
| gineers-Geo w. Alexander, Ed. Fithan and Edw
| d. Robie. Captains CIerk-Louis Sands. Boat
| swain-T. g. Bell Gunner--James Hutchinson
Carpenter-W NJ. Laighton. Sailnaker-J.G G Gal
| lagher.
! The crew of the Susquehanna we're all landed al
quarantine, and the health commissioners have
| ordered the ship to the lower bay to ride out al
| quarantine.
| The Herald of Saturday says:
| Twenty-one cases of yellow fever from the steam
| irigate Susquehanna were sent to the Marine Hos
pitai, yesterday morning, and Immediately aftel
| the Health Officer sent her to the lower 0uaran
| tine anchorage to ride out her quarantine proba
tion of thirty days. Her officers aud crew. excs %
so many as may be necessary to remain on boarC
| as ship keepers, have been ordered to leave th,
ship aud take quarters on the Quarantine grounds
| where they will remain until all fear has passed
| that they will be attacked with yellow fever
Several of the sick died yesterday, but the main
| ing cases are doing we'll.
| |
| PAID FIRE DBPARTsEsr.-The special committee
in the matter of re organizing the fire department
| of the city of Brooklyn having reported in favor
| of re-organizng 10 on the paid system, petitions
asking the Common Council to adopt that system
are now exhibited at the ferries for signatures b,
the residents Of Brooklyn they pass to and from
| New York The committee who have reported
unanimously In favor oft, show that in Cincin
nat Providence, Utica, and wherever else the pait
system has been adopted, there has been grea
reduction of the number of fires, and consequently
| a reduction In :he rates of insurance.
aIet us see," say the committee, show Brooklyn
will be affected by the adoption of the paid sys
tenn. The whole amount Of property under insu
rance this year, as given by the insurance compa
MES is one hundred and fonr millions of dollars
aud the average rate of premium is about sixty
cents on the one hundred dollars, making six hun
dred and twenty -four Thousand dollars, paid by th
property holders annually for the protection o
their property from loss by fire. II the paid sys
tenn is adopted we are authorized 10 say that
will Immediately be followed by areduction in th'
rates of fifteen per cent, which will amount 4
over 800. .0o0-more than the whole department
will cost to establish and maintain Tor the mrs
year.