The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-20
THE WRECK OF THE FLORA TEMPLE,
FRIGHTFUL LOSS OF LIFE.
NEARLY THOUSAND HUMAN BEINGS CAST AWAY
MUTINY AMONG THE COOLIES.

! Nthhtf ihuuSANu HUMAN BEINGS CAST AWAY.
MUTlNY AMONG THE COOLIES
The loss of the Baltimore shin Flora TemnIe has
already been announced She was as fine a speci-
men OF merchant ship entered the China
seas. She sailed from Macao for Havana on Satur-
day morning, the Sth of October, 1859. having on
board crew of fifty, all told, and eight hundred
and nifty coolies. On the following Friday, the
l4th OF October at 80 P. NJ, she struck upon
| OF the numerous reefs not marked upon the charts
which render the navigation of the China Sea so
! uncertain and dangerous.
! We CLEAN the following account of the disaster
from a letter written by A. P. Childs, passen-
ger on board:
"When it was discovered that the vessel was in
the neighborhoOd of breakers, a man was sent for
ward to see, and had barely reached the forecastle
! when we heard the cry of "hard up" from the
lookout. The helm was instantly put hard up, and
the spanker lowered No sooner was this done
than hard down. was heard from the officer, who
by this time had come aft again to the aeangway
In fact, the ship within very short distance
OF the breakers, which could be distinctly seen
and heard from the after part of the poop where
we were standing and which extended in a curved
line from about four points on our starboard bow
10 ABOUT three points on port bow; they were
close aboard; it seemed impossible long shin like
the Flora Temple should escape them, and although
the yards were braced round and the shin hove
back she struck, first slightly and then very soon
afterwards, several times, with tremendous crash
the breakers running very high alongside
"Such was the position, from which it was found
impossible to eXtricate her. Pieces of the timbers
and panking foated up on the port side, and after
some more very heavy thumps she at last remained
almost immovabe. Having list aport the water
had rapidly increased from two and half feet till
IL had reached the betwcen-decks where the coolies
where. There was no longer a shadow of ground
tor hope that the vessel could be preserved. While
this was going On-inCeed almost immediate after
the ship first struck-a fear that the coolies would
n mn 1p1a pnll hnor
sessed itself of the minds of the crew. and to such
height did this rise, that the captain having at the
time, however, no intention of abandoning the
ship had the two quarter-boats lowered and placed
an officer and five men in each, with orders to re-
main near the ship, so that refuge might be at
eI eand' II by any chance thev should become need
at was impossible for us to make anv attempt TO
save these coolies More humane men than Capt
johnson and his brother, Mr.. j. 7. Johnson do not
exist; but the crew terrified on that dsas-
trous night, that it was only by exertions almost
beyond belief, on the part of the CAPTAIN his
brother and a few Others that the safety of the
crew, even was secured. They would have hurried
from the ship without provisions and would infal-
holy have perished What could be done with
such crew in the way of providing for the reno
val and feeding $50 cOolies?-aud moreover what
confidence could be placed in the forbearance of the
latter that they would not rush upon the remain
ing boats swamp them, and thus destroy the only
chance by which any of could hope to be saved?-
But we had the most serious reasons for dstrusting
the coolies at this crisis As have said we left
Macao on Saturday, October s. On the following
Monday all seemed settled to their places, and the
coolies appeared comfortable and settled to their
places, DC. l can affirm that no intermediate pas
sengers, not English soldiers in an English
transport, receive better treatment on board ship
than did these coolies on board the Flora Temple
Everything relating to them was perfectly well or
dered and cean their food was plentiful and good
thelT Injuries even were plentiful; they were OBJ
Jects OF the first consideration board the neces-
order nil III
by men chosen from among themselves. | had an
interest in the sub ject, and took care to inform
myself of all that went on
"The Monday after we left Macao all seemed
quiet and cheerful; an outbreak was the last thing
In the world we anticipated. On the next morning
(Tuesday), three days after we had left Macao the
watch on deck being scattered about the ship and
the guard at the port gate of the barricade-
had been erected between the coolies and the crew
who slept att-beng away from his post the coolies
who had collected on deck in large numbers sud
denly fell upon the guard at the starboard gate,
struck hlm on the head with an iron behaving pin,
drew out his sword, cut him with it frighttuIv and
despatched him with the carpenters hatchet; they
then made rush to the cabins for the arms While
this was going on aft, the coolies forward were
calling out "Fire," "Fire,' to induce the watch
forward to go below.
"FOrtunately the captain had come on the poop
Just in time to see the rush aft. He immediately
ran INTO his stateroom, seized his revolver and
But not Before one Of the crew rad been hacked f6
pieces and killed, and several others wounded.
The coolies were armed with the cooks axes, chain
hooks, iron Delaying pins, iron bolts, knives, hand
spikes, marlingspikes, and everything they could
lay their hands upon. Some of the more advCn-
turous had penetrated to the staterooms and but
for the sudden panic produced by the shots, it is
impossible to see what could have saved us-all
must have been lost.
"The boats more than sufficient to save
the crew, forty-nine in number. We were over
three hundred miles from the nearest land. 1t
was possible to raft such number of men so
great distance, much less feed them, even had
we been justified in trusting lives to their for
bearance; and Captain johnson thought, and we
all felt, that the only chance of saving one fthese
unfortunate coolies, our falling in with ship
which might, perhaps be induced to 90 to their
assistance. For fourteen long days and nights our
hope deferred, although we crossed the most
frequented part of the China Sea. Not sail of
any kind did we until we reached Touran Bay.
and then Admiral Page Immediately complied
with Captain JohnsOn's request, and humanely
despatched steamer of to the reef As |
have before said scarcely relic Of the ship
maned and in all probability shewcnt to pieces on
the Saturday night. and all on board perished |
cannot close this narrative without bearing nv
humble testimony to the conduct of Capt. johnson
and his gallant brother. ! shall always feel that
all Of us who remain our lives to their intre-
pidity and forethOught. These brave men were
to us the instruments of the benign Providence of
Almighty God.
ga. P. CHmDs, F. R. c. s., Eng"
RAILROAD COLLISION IN A ATUNNEL.-The New Ha-
ven Railroad is used for portion of its route from
New York by the Harlem Company, and on
Wednesday morning trains of both roads were
proceeding to their destination, following the
other, when, from some not explained, the
Harlem train. which was ahead, stopped in passing
through the Yorkville Tunnel, while the rear train
kept moving. collision the result, and the
New \ ork Post thus describes the scene:
The collision sudden as it was unexpected.
An immediate panic followed. Male passengers
darted wildly for the doors and windows The