New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-17
Marine AFFAIRS.


,pp,v, Of THE SHIP CHALLENGER pIsAsLee.
The shin ChsIleSser reached this port on wedneslsg
meinipg, in a disabsi state Capt Wnsor makS ~
following report: On tie Isl day OF February, htA .
strong Wind r,n f. S. E., AL thick, rainy westhsEa
with head sea 90. At neon, lat Be- S. long. 60 u
ship under deubereesed topsa, With starboard tscks
aboard, heading n. E. by F., about p m. the v's1
began to moderate, the ships canvas slappss w
hard; hauled up the msinssl snug; took ia speaker
and main topmss. stsyeai, aud stopped them; thsjD
had been hauled down previously as the stayssa w.
go slack it did good the stay being new add having
had no opportunity Of setting 1t up properly.
About 2:3O p. 10. noticed bank rising up -
westward i. continued calu unit, p. m, and tAsa
light breeze sprung up form the w. N. w. BsuisA
round tie yards squsre and stood on her oourc X 8.
E. noticed this bank again and found it rising fasl:
then lowered down upper topsas and hauled tsuk tAs
braces both Sides This brought the ship under clss-
reefed topsails At $3.50 p. m. the wind came viii
terrific violence, taking tie water up Ike 9 whxi-
wind in all directions. Il struck the ship with such
force that il made everything crack fore aud AT RAo
the ship few minutes bat finding the wind norcss-
ed let the opsa sheets hy fore aod ar la less saes
ten minutes there not single stitch OF Canvas ~
be seen aboard the ,hip, portions flying ~ far ~ ~
ye could reach. .
The wipd Increased to such an extent that the
cross jack and mizzsr -topsail yards broke Oh -
the sings, being bare OF canvas tns umss
during this time she pitched into the heavy
head eSstery sea, runniog herself under iorward 40
tearing ans Tipping everything about , se s. Ss":
washing avn y every movable article thought w in
possible to keep the ship above water much Longer,
the Wind increasing continually. Held consonsueo
with the FIRST officer who thought the ship vas ~
arl nl.a tlv ba
ship was going down fast Tried tue pumps and feua1
SEINE water, but the pumps became choked with cso
and were useless.
In this state of affairs, believing the sbp would rua
under and thus go down head foremost, got ready y
cut away the masts utfed her up slowly to the visa
and as she cane up she was hove 50 Tar down o. NJ
beam ends that it WAS impossible for her 10 rigesy
the chip being SO completely nllea WIN rsse. -
everything down IN the lee scuppers' Cut away -
fore and main topmsst baekstsys.
When the msintopmast vent II took the head OF 10
manmsst of close to the eyes OF the rigging Evdy-
thing went on the mzzen, except the loser msst. Is
was then about clock D. m, still blowing perfeos
tornado, aud the making complete wash over 10
ship fore and aft she lay in the trough OF Tho 49,
ul nanage cable. Went TO work to clear away ~
wreck, which was hanging under the lee bow. % We
keen the spars aud iron work on them from mAkAGA
hole in tho chip, as they were then thumpiaS ~
making fearful work on the ships side.
II came on dark which rendered il impossible TO -
the wreck clear from the ships eide, as 30 mach
Gear of the top hung over tine foremost head ssA
iorey ard that could not get clear OF without OUT
ting away the foremost, and letting everything g
clear and this wo did, rather than run the RISK q
having hole made through the ship by the spars and
ironwork o. them hanging alougside all night, thanp-
ing and gOugiIg the ship 40 horlid manner we sue
ceeded in &c ting the wreck clear from under the leo
bow; put sufficient gang at the Pamps, got sorS
water out of the port pump through the nights"
starboard pump being still choked with coal, 50 thAs
il became useless. -
We tried to get the main topmsst wreck clear OF tho
ship, but could not as portions lodged N tas man
rigs ing and the main yard could not get clesr
until daylight came, when we succeeded In getting ~
wreck dear Of the chip the main yard being tho oey
stick left except main and mizzen mast. Al 6a. n
the wind moderated, watched q chance, and sounded
the port pump found between three and four ices o.
wafer IN the ship.
We then went to work pumping, and occasionally
the pumps got choked with cos 90 that the boxes haA
fir ally succeeded 10 about two hours and half In got
ting most Of the water cut Of her.
After this we turned to and secured evorythseg
about decks that was adrft. At III q. m, set The
spabker with one reef in it, aud mizzeu stsysay, -
keep the ship to tho wind. On tho morning OF The
%, be mt maiDsa and set it, got tho ship 80 thse
she would steer; then rugged jury mast forward gse
foretpmast staysa set and bent topgalant saafsr
a foresail, and set IL.
On 9Th Feb sent up piece OF cross jsck yard fer
a mizzen topmast. On the 9Th, got up crossjeok
yard ard bent sail upon 1t, and set II doubIe.reoeA.
that being ali the sail that could DO MADE On tho sse
under present circumstances.
We then made westward a. fast as possible, deter
mined to reach NewYork again, but had little hopss
Of doing so, as the pumps were 10 such bad ooaduse
the starboard pump being checked With coal ss1
totally useess and the other occasionally gettnG
,hoked and liable to become useless at any m0meo4.
while the ship was making water fast and Liable g
sink at any time. The Challenger however, arrives
safely, having experienced very heavy weather, 81
was towed 10 the city on Wednesday morning BY ths
steamtug VIM. II. Webb, Capt. Hazard.
THE c. yAsDERBLT.
The steamer c. Vanderbilt, o. We learn from Tie
Mu-LO1don Chronicle, lies in tuch position TT
there ia bat little hope of getting her Of The saghs
ard boilers have been taken out Of her. but the bed
plate, and other heavy ircn work yet remsoing %
board losd her down smidships, and their weight eos
sttu'es tie chief obstacles in the way Of removing As
wreck from its present position. It was supposed thst
the tide would be unusually high on Wednesday, 81
about one thousand empty cs,ks have been secured
about the steamer in hopes TO oss her ct that TIM.
Her bottom has been smost entirely ohafsd away, -
her mb.rs 10 strained and wrsnohed TO quito forbid
the hope Of ever repairing her again. The copper anl
iron in her is worth about 100000 II the sttempt -
move the wreck Is successful the remains Of the G..
Vanderbilt will be tewsd into New. London, hauled ~
on Marine Railway, and broken up. II IL should e.
and the boat be Left much longer In her present pei
ton, che wil break up where she is.
icy Telegraph
EEw.LosDos, "Wednesday, Feb. l6, 1859.
The steamer &. Vanderbilt, wrecked on Fisbsrs
Island in the early part Of January, was Aostsd 81
to-day, and towed into this port this aernoos By tAe
steamer Plymouth Rock and the steamAuk Saaellte.
FOR EUROPE.
The British Royal Mail Steamship Asia, Cspt Lset.
ssiled yesterday fer Liverpool, with the Eaops0A