Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-02-06
Terrific Explosion of War steamer
Many Killed and Wounded.

snNs:
\ dreadful catastrophe has occurred here.
suppose shall never agnin witness such sight.
! was on the way TO mY hotel II. nnc o'clock. and
while stopping II moment to observe tho numerous
steamers IN port, dctonntion, surprising that ot
either thunder or cannon startled me. and cloud
ol smoke nrose from nmung the steamers that
were arlinS Mt anchor. awaiting the emhnrkation
uf the Sd corps d'armcc. As suon tho smoke
dispersrl, II raging lrc was seen streaming from
tho deck of the ma n ii, cnt steamer Geneva, DO.
longing tn Victor Emmanuel, aud chartered to
the Spanish Government for the service of the
war. The AR was filled with shouts aud cries
from those nn board.
Tho sicarnss had Just arrived and bad not en-
titely moorcd, her main anchor only being cut
Ia th, space oi n minute hundreds Of row boats
alongside Ia receive tho passengers
.nl take in thosc who had jumped ovcrboard.-
Shortly they arrived shore, but many were
Nwtnliy iuiuici-so seriously thnt few days al-
ter tl.rv died IN thr h,spi'ul. Sme landed with
out shuts, others without pnnis, having been OBJ
ge.l to tear them IN on account ii the fire; mnny
ul lie poor creatures bal 10 hair lett on their
hca ls. In the spa,e oi H>cor ten minutes not II
tinale person remained ON board tho burning ves'
SCI aud an or!cr was gwen To tho thousands "i
spectators present, we'll IA to the lnhabants OF
tie adjacent hou>e'. To e-cdpc,fJr these was ,nml
uenf danger.
'fhn ire wns rngins intensely and fast making
ia way nit To the bombs aud twelve TINS otgunpow
DIR. After somc los. ol time Spanish nnn-,i-wur
was placed at short distance from tho wreck and
commenced heavy ella, lsc ot cannon bnll to sink
her hut nearly uu hour pa sel lci're the steamer
a,prarcl 10 feel in the least any effect, and ny tho
,a.ser was increasing .ua minute To minute four
rantnnS were pustcd nn ON" end 1T tho Mole, md
another mnn-nf-wur assisted. when hnaily the
Wree. gradually settled down, Tho mnlnmast
hal already been consumed. -u that the fire had
bat short distance Ia reach tho after magazine.
The ,lclonntion WI. caused by the explosion ot
grenld placed ia The sc n.whcre there were yet
rrma'nin. re-. aud ait nf them were hundreds
# l1slcl bombs and over twelve tons of gunpow-
der. Two Spanish steamers were ordered IT, attach
nes AMI tow her nnt II pns>bnor at least free her
pnn amongst the other, over thirty IN NUMBER he
Is many more sailing vessels. After much trou-
Vie the two steamers commenced towing her. but
could only get Ter uu to tho distance Of about hf-
~ yards. "r the iength ot the main anchor chain
! During all the time dreadful explosions of other
| ,reeal icS were taking place. The two steamers
/ that we've propclins found al their Efforts useless
! Ia drag the anchor nnd were obliged to abandon
| her II the middle If the haibo
In half nm hour moro the great danger had near
| !, pissed. Tor amid the tremendous of grnnndoes
| that bad not ceased from the commencement, apo-
! ter sound was heard that ocrasioncd by the stru
! "lc between the wo"l"ments but the fire was soon
! after suhlueI, md the waters covered tho decks
! Ali was over; she had gone down, showing only
| the end Of her bowsprii and forcmast. Besides
rI1ea material OF war; there were 300 mules bclun
! .ius to the government. There is complete loss
| OF everything, not uany Of tho baggage saved.
/ Searches have been made by diving machine, and
! MT aSrstige Of anything was found.
| ! have seen numbers of tho wounded; there are
oees2,oo in the hospital ut Malaga.
! 80
"iIoV. WiiIi.M y. II! SNIru.--f This gentleman
| va u rn IN licrlord county. North C,rona, in
! tae gcar 1872 lie gralnntcd at Ynle College in
! ISL. spent two Years III tho law school Mt New
! ltatrn. aud WINS admitted To the bar in 1889.
| stuac whith tnic he has been exten,irrv engaged
! IN the practice of profession. In loiO he was
erected to the House Of Cpmnons Of North Caro-
! lima in Is II to the State Senate from Iicrtiord
county in laI9 ha WI. elected hy tho General
Assembly, Solicitor Of tile first judicial District,
! consisting ui ten conHiIeH nr four years. At tho
Fl ,se ol hi+ second term as Solicitor ho nom
! mated fr Congress. nnl WIS defeated by only
| thirts eight votes. In lS18 he was re elected to
| the House pf Commons. aud resigning his seat in
! that body was elected to tho Thirty-sixlh Con
! grc-S' Ills private hIe and character such
alorn liIs honorable public career. In politics
! Mr. Smith has nlway, brcn dcciked and unde.
WAITING Wing"
| TErEGRAru To CALlrou>IA--Mr Green in the
| Senate, Yesterday introduced bill granting 10
| James NJ Hughes and John J, Mudi the right
| OF way through the public lands to con-
slruct line Of telegraph t1nm Missouri Arkan-
I
was referred to The Committee on Pablic Lands.
This hill appruprltcS five sections OF land to
I each fifty miles of telegraph constructed, To lie Sc
| lcctel before or ut the tune. though not Ia inter
!crc with lands soil or held ut the time by per-
emptiOus, or necessary Tor government use. On
{ completion of any section. government to DO al-
| lowed to transmit dispatches oi public nature
to be charged to the account cf government. No
money to be axacted IN payment Of such despaches
until the amount thereof shall be equal to dol
lar for each Of land received by the grantees,
which shall then be considered rs payment for the
! same; after which, such dcspathcs be paid for
rs others, unless further selection Of land should
! lie made The bill also provides for the construc-
! ton Of Il telegraph line from tho western border
! OF Iowa to Portland, in q. egon, and also branch
connecting the two main lines.
! OPERATIONS or rnE PA1Exr OrrIcE--The Vice
President, ON Tuesday, laid before the Senate a
communication from The Commissioner OF Patents
made in ohchence to law, showing the operations
Of that Office during the year 1889.
Also letter from the Commissioner of Patents
addressed to the Vice President communicating
the results Of meteorological observations ma!e
under the direction Of that officer and The Smith
sonian Institution
! The Commi s,ioncr xpres sesthc beefthat these
results afe of sufficient Importance to Justify their
! p.biicaon-that it is due to the scientific men
throuG Gh,ut the country who have voluntarily
made. without reward tie data upon which the
results are based that the important information
which they contain should be published
! Professor Henry says in his letter to the Com
missioner Of Patents The results are consider.
ci as furnishing very interesting and valuable
statistics, not only in regard to the service Of me-
tcorology but to that Of agriculture, which will be
of increasing importance III determining the eli
matology of different portions Of the country,
with reference to their special adaptation TO the
| growth OF different kinds of crops" -