New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-06-23
COLLISION AT SEA.
,,,,,1,rp STATES STEAMER SUNK
twenty LIVES LOST.

n tse cosst survey and proceeded on her w ,arc To
n rfolk. thence to Key Wett, thence to Ce oar Keys
,lsrc. 20 Baize. thence 10 Chaodeeur, oenee me.
ward 10 Pensacola thence TO Norfolf and while on
her way from the srsr port to New York, Off the Al
accom- ligh.-house, on Tnursda', morning about 8
O'Clock, came in collision with fore-sndaft sch ,on-
en- receiving isuies theref ION which caused her to
sink within .nty minu.e..
espaiSh from Cape Island announcing the disaster
appeared ~. The tribune yesterday. Smce then the
surviving sesmen who were board the vessel have
srrec in this city, and yesterday reported themselves
Oz Soard the Moth Csrohoa at the Navy-fard,
brooklyn.
Having had an interview with esveral Ofthe sea- |
IA n we are enabled to give particulars in reference to
ire loss OF ife aud the struggles Of some who-when
wi hin fec feet Of the boats which were sent out TO
pick tben up sent down, owing tie roughness of
the sea.
THE COLLISION.
Shortly after 3 o clock on Thlrslay morning when
The Wafer las on her way to New-York, having git
as far as The AesecoD lighthouse the lookout sighted
avesse right ahead, coming toward the steamer. Tue
yesse seen proved to be fore-spd aft schooner of
abcut 500 tuss burden; her was not discovered
Sc,,cely ten minutes had elapsed from the tins the
schoontr was hrst sighted and when she struck the
s,eauer Mr. Seawel, the deck officer, seeing the
arproach of the schoo ler, and believing collision
inevitable u1le,s both vessels altered their course, at
ono. ordered the man at the wheel port bis belmi
Thu order was unmtdaiey obeyed I'd some three or
four minutes before tue collision the steamer hal
shearei of from the conrse of the schooner. lie or
deied the schooner to port her helm also.
Instead however OF porting her helm, she appeared
10 have put hard sarboaro. 1t was too ae to SHIFT
round. The schooner being before the wiud with
northeast half gale blowing AID the sea running very
hicb IA. struck the Walker the port sice just about
two feet forward Of the paddle box, aud cuttog the
scoLd cutter in two. She hung on 10 the stea ner for
several piuuos then her bow rolled right mp on top
Of her; che then Sid Off and the two vessels bragg
soe Icy tide for ab.ut three minutes more. During
this TINE no voice aus ed from the schooner nor
was any one seen on board. While the vessel, were
dragging togttber ,he fourth cutter wac smashed SO
completely as 10 be rendered utterly useless Toe
schooner then dropped astern aud ia mnu alter
wsid she was ont If sgh'. Whether she went down
or not none IF then the deck of the
could say. They all 100 busly engaged 10 obey
irg orders and in trying 10 save their own vessel
The wALKIR AFTER TUE COLLISION.
The gale continued 10 blow with unaba'ed vgor,
and the sea Fan high, rencering exceedingly perious
TO put out either Of the two remaining cutters which
were on board the steamer Vessels last seen had
been cllse-reeied. No time lost however, and
the Jumps were sounded Immediately. IL was aecer
tanned that the vessel making water very fast.
Soue Of the men were sept Uto the cosl-bunker,
where they uud the water rushing in. They tried TO
stop the leak with beds and blankets bat found inn
possible as the hole was 30 large that they no sooner
put bed into than was carried through. In this
way, one bid after anoth lost in the effort
Finding their ell deavors all in vain 10 that direction,
and the vessel fast sinking they ordered TO clear
the boats aud have them ready for lowering AT the
same moment order given 70 ran the vessel for
shoal water This order was promptly obeyed and
she was heading finely for the shore, when, owing to
the influx If water in the boiler-rOOm the fires were
drowned and the engine stopped To prevent explo-
sion, the engineer at once ordered the steam TO tie
blown IT, which was done forthwith An order was
alto given to cut away the maomast for the purpose
of making raft but before it could be disentangled
from the rigging, it went down with the vessel.
LEAVING THE STEAMER.
The order to 10 ~er away the rt and third cutters,
was next given and obeyed. Mr.. Srawells wife
was then placed in the first boat, which was
dropped astern in tow, while the crew was endeavor-
ing TO sail the vessel. Finding this IMPOSSIBLE the
boats were ordered tn he manned. In four minutes
after this order given the steamer went down by
tbe bead the Captain staDdiog aft on the poop deck
till she was twothirds hid in the water. He then
jumped overheard and was picked up by the third
cutter When the ST. amer went down Mr. Seaweu
was stapdirg on the poop-deck, AID went down with
b,r. He Vas subsequently picked up by "ne OF the
boats Owing TO the continued roUgbness of the SEA,
t was impossible 10 crowd the boats SO long as there
was any hope Of saving vessel, every mao on
board the 81, amer worked with will. Every order
was obeyed with alacrity and prompttnde. The men
were cool and self possessed. AS the steamer went
down the and shreks of the perishing echoed
terribly through the boi,terous elements.
IN THE BOATS.
After the steamer went down the boats pulled {, the
Reward Of the wreck among the drift and picked mp
a. many az they could of those who were yet floating
about. Finding il too dangerous TO 60 Gloss to the
wreck and SEEING a sa 10 the distance, it thought
beet 10 pull ont ath rart the bow of the approaching
vessel As soon as she came within hailing distance,
she hove 10. She proved 10 be the schooner h. q
Potter, Capt. Hudson, bound TO Philadelphia. All
who were in the boats, with the exception of SUI
6cieut number Of men 10 work them we're taken on
board The schooner. The boats then proceeded on
SEARCH FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CREW.
Both bosts pulled away for the wreck aud succeeded
in saving about dozen who were drifting about
s1me elinging TO chairs TO chicken coops, some
20 planks and some to ladders. Finding il impossible
% pull te boats to The windward to the wreck they
pslled back to the schooner and got the captain to
beat 20 the windward and at about 10 o'clock they
fen in with Mr.. Seawe in greatly exhausted state
and four others Of the crew clnging to the boopdeck
l., A -, atoI from, gb.