New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-10
NetpNork daily @iba,te
EUROPE.
FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT, AND DEATH OF
CAPT. HARRISON.
FYsm The London Times, 'as-

Aro,hsr most trap1c incident has been added the
hong LIST Of catastrolhss which reem ~ have drgyed
tie eonrte Of this Inflated vessel from the very h
day Of her existence The victims in this csse how
ever ~ not poor fokere. The lot OF death IN this
inssnce La, fallen among Others GU no lees than CsPt
Harrison himseltihe very type Of an English sailor,
Of oil that frank and manly, OF all that was SKILL
ful and ave. IL IL quite imporsible 10 describe the
gloom which hia calamity has spread throughout the
lown oi Southampton. Grief and copsternaton seemsd,
indeed To SIT on every coupleDante business on osur
day was fora while quite suspended, ana the sorrow
was more general than perhaps ever witnessed
before for ally merely private individual, no matter
" hat his character or station. Though but q few
veeks nparsiisely speaking, ct Southampton, yet
Capt Harrison was Ms well and widely known ~ if he
Lao dweit III the town for A short period sui
feed to make all .cqusined th his open heart and
k,nsly nature, aid lbote who knew HIM best liked
h m nCst, and we always those who could say most
bic praise. Nor will the feel g Of heartfelt sorrow
for hs Lore be confined TO the TO which it has
thtd 70 deep gloom. Liyerpool-trom which port he
IT. dec Ter 60 many yea's, aud canned his reputation rs
Of the Ab est bavia In the mere he marine
will JameLt his untmely death with equal grief, for
there probably, better than at any othe place III Ea
gland wys be generous disposition known, and hlBn
nbiihts appreciated His loss 10 the perplexsd share
holders Of The Great Eastern is rreparabe, for no man
cted with the company in any way ever euJyed
large portion Of their confidence, aud none ever
deserved it haf we'll The circumstances which LED
tLs lat aud most painful catastrophe Connected win
TIN vessel are shortly rs followe:
From the time that the th'p had been fairly moored
at her Winter quarters, Capt. Harrison with hi. vile
AID fam ~ han cccupied small y'lla, ca led Hytae
house. Oh the opposite side 0f the Soen. 20 Soatnamp
ton and slmos, isc,ng Netley Abbey. Every morning
st about 81 O'Clock his gig IN charge OF biz coxs gan
cssd for bim at Hytbe pier, aud Themes he went by
wafer either TO the Great Eastern or Southampton as
the tusine.s Of the ship repaired. As usual the gis
ed from the hp 10 call at Hythe at about O'clock
last Sa ulday morning. Capt. Lay, the chef purser,
with HIS ron, engaging youth OF 10 LEFT IN the boat
to break fast with Capt Harrison before coming up TO
town, Ogden, az usual was Vi charge OF the boat With
hls crew Of five picked men.
tbs the ci,e in the Solent in all large inland
sheets of wafer that the wind II bad weather comes
10 strong and besvy gusts, sweeping up the Chlnnei AT
times With the orce of a hurricane, though With inter
walls Of almost perfect calm between. The weather on
Sunday morning war dull and threatening though
there was but little wind when the gig left the ship,
net the most remote idea Was entertained INA. tae
beat would not be than equal 10 any squal che
might encouDer else Vt the large cutters capable
of arriving 40 nen with would have been sent
instead. The Captains gig Is a fine, though rather
boat 80 feet long, by rather less shan feet broad
o couIfe very swift and light though like all boais of
her cass rather wet and almost TOO fine for rough
ueaiber or veIy bad railing. When the WIND iavoed
.be ear led large Ing SAIL whch was often get IN
s gle reef in it, though IN lea sing the Great tsern
on SATURDAY morning last II was Close rcefed for the
sky Locke bad though yet the sea wa, toleraoly
calm Orden the Cap,an'r eoxsw sin, who was al
ways in charge Of her. one Vi the most experienc-
ed bosimeI The great ship, and, though young
III,
managing any boat in any weaIber hls cooiuees
Jnickness anu courage hAd more Than once been 80
conspcuousy display ed thai the Captain "a Tue most
implicit confidence h's capabilities az ooatman.
For The last four yeas he had acted csptans cox
sw aim hsyl entered his service while tue null of tho
Great Eastern still in course Of construction at
Mlwall Like all who O. rived under Captain Harrison,
Ogden became devotedly attached to him, 20 much .,
thar when ut last after all her nishsps, the Great
Esstera as ready to quit the river Ogden, though
Young married man, shipped on board Tor service and
was confirmed in his appointment az captain 8 coz
swain. This brave young fellow, too is o1e OF the
yi,tImp of the late caamtous accident-surviylng u,
however for nauy hours, till he learnt that Captain
Harrison was no more, when he gradually sunk and
died.
the lupssi aid with Capt. Lay ut The helm, the gig
Quilted the Great Eastern at O'Clock on Saturday mora
ing As we bave already stated, the ugsail was close
IL efed but the morning was stl toler+piy noe, ana
u @ wind though high, fair, 10 the gig made q
fine and quick run d. Sn TO LILY the house uere Gap
Law and bs son Landed 10 breakfast with Capt. Haf
rls1n and hs family, and with DIR; Watson, The sar
econ Of The Great Eastern who bad stayed ut the
house from the previous evening. lew mum es
before 10 o'clock Capt. Harrison, with Dr. Watson
and Gait Lay and his son, came down again 70 tue
tier to embark and crcRs the water. Capt harr son
avi, that morning received the customary checks 10
Dow the weekly bills connected with the great SNIP
had of course to get them cashed at southampton pc
tore Going on board with the DOCTOR Inc Whole party
The relore seaed themselves III the gig, which imue
da,ely oo, nndar way aud stood straight across the
Salient Tor the entrance Of the TIDAL dock at Soathamp
TN. Il -.
but during The time that had elapsed since the boat
had flint arrived I'll Ill the the weather haa ehaueea
ssdy for the worse. The sky bad gradually become
oyeicast the waves hite and t1rgid and every
thing seemed threaten squat of no ordinary hoISe
n. 50 and duration. Between and III O'clock, on Tue
uthampton eide of the water II blew almost hurr-
c.ra Mauy pertlemen connected with the docks,
WHO were in them the time, state that during ehis
bour OF 90 toat the equs lasted they hao not se
severe ather for the Last seventeen years con OF
winch WAS being towed ont OF dock by stehu1-su8
Va "a flown back tug and ALL into the harbor aSsn.
The Indus which bad arrived of the docks In the
might wa. quite unable 10 attempt coming To- thing
almost unprecedented At southampton. one Wa go cou
PEELED 10 let 20 her anchor ID the stream about 49,
no rhaus 900 wards from the entrance 10 the udA
docks This Il mas be said WAS bad weather for any
party to venture out ia an open gg Out must DC
rrwt INBRED that the wind wac lar Tor coming over
10 te docks and tba under the lee Of the hills on the
other soe the rough breeze was scarcely felt al ALI
Dr. Watson distinctly states that though the wei ther
" az bad t war far from being at ali dangerous, or
even very bad, when they left tue oppoate snore.
According TO this geu.lemahs laement they $1,000
rnpdIv across the Jlent with the wind fair on the
staI board tack Capt Harrison sat in he stern sheets
al the helm; DIR. Watson and Capt Lay and son were
on The windwaId side. lie crew, WIN oBeen, "a,
mo forward but mostly Of conrse on the wind ward
side 10 counerbaance the inclination OF the sail Oar
ing The run across the boat, though rather wet be-
hayed we'll but il neared the opposite soc ana inc
land Opened cut the equal increased earfuiy IN Vio
leuce While the gig began 10 pitch and move unrteaa'
ily 10 her helm. The toe very high, though Just
beginning 10 Get out of the docks against the wind,
making chopping dangerous sea run high ana
broken and which appeared 70 get worse ca; mo-
meut Through this the boat held her own well lor
time. though her yawinR and pitching heavily IN
rrea.ed 70 heavily indeed, to attract the attention
Of some of the officers and others board the Indns
Still she bore ttoutly up sending the foam from nor
hovs though her va wing increased that her helm
Ill. Il hsrs oil Quti