The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-27
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS.
correspondence OF the London Chronicle, Sept IL.

SPEED OF THE MAMMOTH SHIP.
Several experiments made by passengers board
to ascertain the speed were going by heavng blocks
OF wood and noting the time IN seconds when they reach
ed the stern. mean OF number Of these struck
and show ed result of Knot in 81, about equal to
ten and half knots hour AT this time the paddles
making six revolutions and the screw thirty, the
being capable Of fourteen, and the latter OF forty
eight subsequent statement from official source
was during portion Of Der voyage the ship steamed
the Of nineteen miles hour This is doubtless
great speed but not so great she will ultimately
compsh Her draught being very light, her screw was
half out Of water and consequently had only half the
motive power which Will eventually possess Under the
most unfayorable circumstances the rate she made on
her Weymouth trip might be taken as her minimum, and
when properly regbed she will accomplish much more
EXPLOSION.
About half past five, when the dinner concluded
Of confusion and danger occurred which contrasted
in fearful with the satisfactory circum
which had hitherto marked the movements Of the
great ship There small groups Of ladies and gentle
men collected in different parts Of the ship who, with the
perfect unaDmiy were cOngratuating each other
upon the OF the SHIP when suddenly loud report
Of the salute OF heavy gun from some manof-war
awakened attention The fore part OF the deck
ceaed in clouds OF steam and showers Of debris Of all
kinds and huge spners of wood and broken glass told
that some accident had occurred. Immediately fol-
lowing the report the second funnel the fore
deck rushed up into the air 10 height varying,
according different statements, of from ten to fifty feet
The huge tunnel OF iron, feet diameter sepa
rated portions, falling forwards with heavy
crash, across the roof or the ladies' saloon,
and the other resting partly upon the saloon and partly
upon the bulwarks. 1t Is easy describe the
Of confusion which followed and the excitement caused
by reports that boiler had exploded, and that others
might be expected 10 follow at any moment. The first
thought of several on board rush down to the
loon cabin to endeavcr to assist any ladies
persons who might be unfortunately in the seaming vol
Captain Harrison, who nj the time of the acct
engaged in examining the pinnacle conpasses of the
ship forward seeing the cloud OF steam and as
staircases TO the saloon blown away, hegaany
made fast rope anti let himself down into the cabin,
asking TO follow him. Every cabin was searched
and child only found, it was the captains own daugh
ter who passed safely on deck. By most prov
dental nterposon the ladies had not the previous
day retired the saloon from the dining ROOM but the
weather having cleared up had with one exception gone
direct TO the deck
PRovIDENTIAL ESCAPES.
One lady, Mrs Parry went into the saloon and after
play wing for short the piano, ascending the
staircase and had just reached the top stair, when she
thrown forward and the staircase and deck cabin
blown into thousands Of spliners Most happily,
the lady received only Sigh, conclusion from the fall
Mr. Francis Fuller standing close by the spot where
the funnel fell he escaped with the slightest possible
confusion, the huge mass OF iron falling upon Of the
ropes Of the standing rigging, which not only broke
its fall but guided it down 10 the buwark in which it
made deep ndentaton. The only injury which any of
the passengers sustained in the Of Mr. Rawlin
son. the assistant Of Mr.. Gray of Liverpool, who sup
piled the compasses 70 the great ship Mr. Rawnson
in the lower deck saloon when the accident occurred and
owing TO Of the doors portion of the cabin partition
falling oblquey him he saved from being crushed
beneath the Of fragments which heaped above
him. He removed from his perous position in few
after the Of the accident by Of
the passengers who fastened down the lower cabin
assistance could be rendered TO any unfortunate
persons who might be in the cabins which cluster
the saloon thick the cells Of the honeycomb. The only
person found Mr.. williamson; he was considerably
bruised and confused but provdentialy bones were
broken serious injury sustained
CASUALTIES AND LIVES LOST
Unfortunately, the unhappy who at work
in the stokeholes and tending the furnaces suffered
severely. One poor fellow, il is supposed by per-
sons, was either severely burned scalded and threw
himself overheard out Of a port hole, for was
swimming for few seconds before the paddles,
and must have been instantly crushed and torn 10
death the huge wheel Another account Of the mode
which the his death was hat
he standing with two other throwing cinders
into the from the coalhole when the force of the
conclusion such 10 throw him the ships side
His two companions we're saved by the merest hair
breadth escape, one OF the men cngng to the other
both falling IN the fanpway short distance from the
ships side His hands supposed to have been scad
injured and his epdeavors seize py hold on by
apar Of the sponsai other object proved vain
and he fell The stoker, we are told. known by the
Of Teddy He OF Scott Russell's Oldest
hands. The chip going twelve knots at the least at
the time, and here heavy swell the water and
all attempts 10 the by lowering the boats were
fruitlcss a number Of life buoys and matches we're
thrown over but none Of them could have reached the
drowning Believing that Of the boilers had ex
podcd, fears were entertained that the whole BODY of
stokers and engineers attending the paddle engines were
killed One passenger went down the air shaft commnni
eating with the other boilers and seeing by the light of
the furnaces number Of moving about he INQUIRED
if they all right and the response up from these
lowest depths Of the chip were, GAN right present but
don't know how long, They told 10 keep quiet
and where they that they would be of no ser
vice on deck, and all would be well in a few mnutes
The gallant fellows remained by their fiery furnaces with
rosontc good will IN the Of the frcmen tending tho
other set Of boilers very different scene taking place
Ropes were thrown down, and by one wounded
bcctlnE, and staggering men were brought up by their
gallant mosssmaes who had gone down to assist them
heir oiaeK oetrHed faces forming CHASTITY contrast
with the scaled portions and hanging pieces Of the limbs
and bodies OF the poor sufferers The were taken aft
10 the hospital wrapped IN blankets and cabins where
mattresses and covering provided for them Twelve
IN all were hosed up from the secthing sokehoes
One OF tho men died few hours after the second nj
nine O'Clock on Saturday morning Nine men av an sa
furlHW u u cent? AFFlA
expected 70 follow n few hours the fate their IN
joltuHat" colleagues.
tohFuecN CONSEQUENT DPON THE ACCIDENT
- u, AgA $! ~ ~. .qgrt 90 thGre sprsad, via,