New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-10
IOSS Or TaE STEAMER CONNAUGHT,
ALL THE PASSENGERS AND CREW SAVED.
STATEMENT BIZ ONE OF THE PASSENGERS
NOBLE CONDUCT OF THE REscUINe CAPTAIN
CoVardice Of Some of the COnnaushI's Crew,

low the fires until O'Clock on Sunday morning, "ueh
IL commenced to gain rapidly, and finally sxtinguished
the fires.
AT Q, o'clock, discovered smoke from the aft smoke
hole Notwithstanding the utmost EXERT ms 10 pie
vent IT, the fire gained rapidly and very soon drove
the cabin passengers on deck. AS the water and hre
both gained 90 fast the boats we're 90. ready to cave
the passengers.
There was heavy sea running, and the iirat boat
that YVES lower was stove. Six other boats were
the launched successfully and AL of them flsd with
pas.eneers About II O'Clock, the brig Minnie
Schiller sew our signals Of distress and bore dowa to
us. At7p.m.. commenced the task Of enbarki'g
the passer gers on board the brig that vessel having
attached bawser 10 the steamer. At this time the
s,arboard tide of the steamer was very hot. By $3.50
p. m all he passengers were placed safely on board
of the brig
The mails of the Connaueht were all saved.
Cant Leitch was the last persOn to leave the wreck
The weather was pleasant after leaving st. John,
from Wednesday at {? m. until Saturday, when it
blew very heavy gale from the southwest
The last seen Of the steamer was az a. N. on Mon
day, when she was one of flame.
TIE Connaqeht had 80 cabir and Az Storage pas
seppers, and crew of III. All were saved.
The passengers saved nothing except the clothes in
which they stood.
Gait. Leitch, and Mr.. Cox, cabin passenger
landed AZ Scuate in boat belonging to the bng and
reached this city this morning.
L, is supposed thai the fire had been amoldering for
long time, from the RAPID progress the flames made
alter il vas discovered.
Clpt Le,ch is urable TO account for the leak which
feI u vessel so rapidly, against all the efforts Of the
pumps, etc,
BosToS Tuesday, October 9, pm.
The brig Minnie Schiller arrived at enc O'Clock. She
is abou, 300 tuns burden and the standing room on her
was completely crowded by the rescued passengers OF
the CoDnaU2ht
Mr IL Wbitell Of New.York a passenger in the
Conraught furnisbes the folio wing statement 10 the
loss OF that iile steamship:
Passing tie circumstances of the voyage from Gal
way, which port We left 5 P. Of the 18th ult,
uotil about p M of Saturday. the Gh inst, he says:
While heading we twa-dly the wind bio "ing north
erly gale the chip began roll 20 the larboard with
singular motion, going far down. and keeping that way
loD2 time which caused some alarm. Meantime, the
captain was heard giving orders about steering, man.
nil Q the pumps &c. Eiremen under the lea of the
paddle-box were observed whispering, and there
other manifestations that something was not right
Considerable water was observed through the grairgs
The engine soon after stopped for a while. After
strenuous exeIoDs by Capt Letcb and crew, the ship
rightsd and the wheels commenced turning when the
| passengers became more composed. The sea was
rough the wind blowing what sailors call an ordinary
full gale Most Of tie passengers turned in, but passed
a restless mig &.
Sunday al a. M. the ship began TO roll again, with
thar shaggy motion eimisr to the evening previous
The captain aud crew could neither tack wear the
ship Soon after the engine stopped and steam could
not be raised in the boilers. The chip rolled fgdtCuly
to thelsrboard and the pumps were Manned aud gangs
of men commeD ced baing with buckets. At 0oclock
it was reported that the water was not gaining, but
on the contrary that the pumps and boilers gain
ing on the Leak and tie wind would sen she would
reach Boston that night but these hopes were coon
changed 10 extreme terror when the word WAS passed
around in low terms "The ship is on frel + accom-
panied by the smell Of burning wood. The fire
| appeared between the decks. Gangs were imme-
| diately formed, with pumps and buckets, to
exlinguish the flames taking the water from the sea
and passing it in buckets. AS the fire gained the bail
began to sacken work. all eyes staring around the
horizon in hopes 70 means of safety. Several
false reports of vessel in light made, bat at last
we discovered coil TO tie northward, and after
another to the westward both very low down; but it
became plain at ] O'Clock that both were nearing US,
and the vessel steering north had three mass aud the
only two. We found out that the latter
passing while the other still neared, without
showing any sign that she noticed u.s. which kept us
in extreme anxiety and doub;, until she bore directly
for Us, evidently showing that she observed the steam
er's lags Of distress which bad been hOisted since
midday. We then commenced to steer away and
launch boats which very difficult job, the ship
lying almost her side in a trough of the sea.
BY this time the fire bad cut of all cOmmuni-
cation with the saloons The first quarter boat low
cred was struck by the and lost which caused
hesitation about launching the others Bu. the worst
ofour fears was that supposng the boats should the
which then showed eigns Of moderating and that
conld safely launch and ill them with passengers,
there chance Of remaining but snort
time on board, the fire making auch progress The
| flames momentarily expected TO burst on and
sweep the decks, the fsegangs having given up all
hopes of extnguifhng them but continuing to apply
wet blankets &c. The eide Of The snip was then so not
that when she rolled it would hiss and make steam
Of the The gaIan, little Yankee brig sailed
alongside and hove to, seeing our deporabe ei,uaton
ld showing every sign ofanXiety for u.s. but we began
to think it would be impossible stow all our num-
bers On board che looked small. We have since as.
oeTianed that she was only l9S TINS burden.
Captain Leifch made All haste to got us
into the boats, which was extremely difficult, being
lowered one by with ropes. Captain Letter stood
by all the time, commencing with the women and
Children but with all the exeytioDs that could be m!le
when TIE went down only about 200 bad bean vt
on beard the brig. CAPTAIN Wilson Of the brig sai
" This is horrible affair to see the Going down.
and 80 mony people yet board the wreck ae.iling
down and burning mp. win do ali in my power to
ave them" SeysTa Of The bOat's crew on reaching