Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-11


BosToS Oct. e.-The steamship Connaught, from .
Galway via St. Johns sprung a leak Saturday and /
took fire Sunday morning. about l40 miles from
Boston light 1t is reported that all her passengers
and crew were saved by the brig Minnie Schetfer, !
and brought to Sitnate. steam tug has gone there
to tow the brig up to this city.
Capt Leitch reports that on the 9th, at O'Clock |
in the evening" $50 miles east OF Boston, she sprung
a leak in the engine ROOM They succeededin keep
ing the va.er below the fires until O'Clock Sunday
morniug when it gained rapidly, extingushing the
fires At $50 they discovered smoke issuing from
the aft stack hole, and Notwithstanding the utmost
eXertions the fire gained and drove the cabin
passengers on the decks The water and fire Doth
gaining, boats were got ready. There was heaVy
sea and the first boat lowered stove six others
were launched successfully and filled with passen
gers. About II O'Clock, brig Minnie Schener saw
our signal and bore down. About in the evening
commenced embarking passengers the orig having
a hawser to the steamers larboard SIDE. IL was
now very hot. At $3.50 got all passengers aDoaru 'he
brig The mails were all saved Capt Leltch was
the last to leave the wreck Weather pleasant aVer
! leaving st. Johns on Wednesday at T. ~, UNI
Saturday when it blew very heavy from the oouth-
west The last seen of the Connaught she was a
mass of flames She had fifty cabin passengers All
Storage and 1874 crew, all saved.
The passengers saved nothing except the clo 1
! in which thew stood Captain Letch and Mr. Cox
nossengers landed at Situate this morning. and ar
rived at Boston at IL o clock. It's supposed the
fire had been smouldering for long time from the
ranid progress the flames sde after being discover
| ed The captain is unable to account for the leak
hcb Allied the vessel rapidly against all efforts of
The Connaught is valued at e12O.OOO and is fully
insured in England, She was built OF iron, and
launched at Newcastle on Tyne in April last OF over
1000 tons burthen, and had fire and water ught
compartments.
The brig Minnie Scheffer arrived at one O'Clock
She is about 200 tons burthen, and the standing
room on her was completely covered by the rescued
n
New York passenger on the Connsught, furnishes
the following statement as to the loss OF that me
steamship:
: Passing the circumstances of the voyage from
Galway which port we left at 5, z. ~, the 18th ult
until about g. p NJ, of Saturday, the 9th lnst ne
saws while heading westwardly, the wind blowing
nOrthery gale the ship began to roll to the larOoar'
4 with singular motion going far down and keeping
that way long time, which caused some alarm
Meantime the captain was heard giving orders aDou
i steering manning the pumps, &c, hremen under Ill
lee of the paddle boxes were observed whispering
I and there were other manifestations that something
J. was not right. Considerable water was observes
| through the gratings The engines soon after stop
ned for while. After strenuous exertions by CAP
tain LeItch and the crew, tie ship rigIted and til
| wheels commenced turning when the passenger
became more composed. The sea was rough; tn
Z wind blowing what sailors call en- ordinary fu
: gale Most of the passengers turned IN, but passe
a restless night.
S5rndau 5, A. M-The ship began to roll agai
At with that shaggy motion similar to the evening pr
1T yious The captain and crew would neither tao
O. nor wear the ship. Soon after the engines stoPpe
n and steam could not be again raised in the boiler
The ship rolled frightfuly to the larbOard, and I'll
n, pumps were manned and gangs OF men commence
ic with buckets.
of At 10 o'clock it was reported that the wster VIZ
IS not gaining but the contrary that the men al
pumps were gaining on the leak, and II the VII
would stiffen, we would reach Boston that nigh
but these hopes were soon changed TO extreme te
ror when the word was passed around IN low tone
that the ship is on fire, accompanied by the sm'
to OF burning wood. The fire appeared between L
ut decks Gangs were Immediately formed WI
-, pumps and buckets to eXtingush the flames, takI
the water from the and passing 1t IN the buckle
hI As the boilers began to slacken work. all ey
Oh staring around the horizon IN hopes to see sol
ed means OF safety Several false reports of vessel
sight were made, but at last we discovered sail
| the no-thward and soon after another to the we
Ill. ward. both very low down, but 1t became PLAIN
OF one O'Clock that the vessel steering north had thr
CIR masts and the one west only two.
cir We soon found out that the latter was passlI
m while the other still neared without showing a
on sign that she noticed u.s. which kept in extre
an' anxiety and doubt until she bore directly for
te evidently showing she observed the steamers flag
-hG distress which had been hoisted. We then co
.nu meneed TO clear away and launch thu beats, VIII
ISL was a very difficult job. The ship lying almost
10 her side in the trough of the sea BY this time,
es, fire had cut off all communication with tie saloo
~ The first quarter DOat lowered was sTuck Oy
Oh counter and lost which caused hesitation in laun
pa ing the other; but the worst of our fears was
us surprising the boats should ride the which Il
hs showed signs of moderang, and that we could 50
ce, " launch and fill them with passengers
ule There was no chance of remaining but sh
but time on board the fire making such Roadway
lcn the flames were momentarily expected to burst
'ou and sweep the decks. The fire gangs had gwen
ms all hopes of extngushing them, but continued
o. apply wet blankets, etc, the sides Of the ship
,la,C CHI laH mil has
ole MAKE steam of the sea water. The gallant II
no Yankee brig sailed alongside and hove TO- seeing
thS deplorable situation, and showing every sign
anu anxiety for US, but we began TO think It would
us impossible to stow all our numbers on board.
esS- looked so small We have since ascertalned that
orc was only 1913 tons burtEen.
10 Capt Leitch made all haste to get us into the
loh which was extremely difficult, being lowered one
one with ropes, commencing with the women
S'- children Capt. Leitch stood by all the time.
OF with all the exertions that could be made when
NAT sun went down. only about 200 had been got
ron board the brig Capt Wilson, of the brig, sand
ans is a horrible affair to the sun going down,
was SO many people on board the wreck which was
'ry' ding down AID burning up; and will do all in
mower to save them. Several OF the b.
the crews on reaching the brig refused to
put turn, when Captain Wilson said will go
Vi most alongside and take hawser from
mas board. and then you will be in little or no dan
not must get every one from the wreck. This he
srF which had the effect of giving confidence, and
rty great exertion all were got board the brig BY
are p " Co. Itch and his first officers renainin
the | - I'll aIn,oe+ surrounded nv flames and n
tLe every soul was saved. Capt Wilson then
II 10 alongside to beg him to come away The fla
fOr were shooting up the masts throwing strs
!, no and melancholy light over the sea- Capt. lie
not i 81 Ir, 90 saved the trunks and even
Dy money of the cabin passengers being left below
1or' ring the confusion and alarm which called them
MS deck in the morning, after which communica
s to NJ WLjrnfo ,naaLs in the bighest terms az dc
oll the passengers of the energy and kindness of
IS II John Wilson, of the brig Minnie Schafer. He
%st' from Malaga for Boston, with a cargo of fruit.
Ina Una The Connaught had 100000 in gold on board
ign | Government money, taken at st. Johns. which
10 lost with the ship.
lGer Three hundred of the passengers went to
DE DE York tonight by the Fall River route. The