Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-10-07

The steamship Great Eastern arrived at
Queenstown on the l7gh ult. She experienced
a terrible gale when two days out, about two
hundred and eighty miles west OF Oapa
Clear.
All went we'll with her until four o'clock
on Thursday, when the captain found to his
surprise that the ship would not answer the
helm. Thepin upon which the rudder turned
had broken off three feet above the point
where it entered the stern of the ship. 1t
was wrought iron ten inches in diameter,
and the iron appeared thoroughly good,
breaking at that particular point where it
appeared the strongest. On Thursday night
the gale was from the south west, but on
Friday morning it had turned round to the
north. west, and the ship was drifting, an
unmapagsble log in the trough of the sea.
She did not ship much water on deck.
The forestry sail was run up, but the wind
Immediately split it into ribbons. The fore
topsail was then run up, but it was blown
away, and fIom that moment commenced q
chaos of breakages, which lasted without
iDtermission for three days Every thing
breakable was destroyed. Two rolls of sheet
lead weighing some hundred weight each,
were in the engine-room rolling about with
fearful force.
These were scarcely secured, when a tre-
mendous grinding was heard under the
paddle. boxes, which had become twisted,
and the floats were grinding against the side
of the ship. The paddles were stopped, and
thenceforward the scene is described as fear
ful in the extreme. The ship rolled so vio-
lently that the boats were washed away.
The cabin, besides undergoing the dangers
arising from the crashes and collisions which
were constantly going Oh, had shipped,
probably through the port holes, great deal
of water, and the stores were floating about.
3 fho ~ fba irbf p IN,
cideDts may be gathered from the fact that
the chain cables polished themselves bright,
With the friction on deck.
The luggage Of the passengers in the lower
after cargo space was lying in two feet oi
water, and before the deliverance of the ship
was effected, the luggage was literally re.
/ duced to rags. twenty-five fractures Of
| limbs occurred from the conclusions caused
| by the tremendous lurching of the vessel
Cuts and bruises we're innumerable. The
baker received injuries of very terrible
character ia vital parts, and one of the mos
striking incidents of the disaster was this
poor, brave man, crawling in his agony tC
extinguisb some portion .of. the .bAking geaH
which at that moment had caught fire. :,
1t was of course found necessary to rig w
some kind of steering gear. a spar was
thrown overheard with the anchor attached
which dragging in the water behind the shiI
| uST ucdu " lu6 Wluu uuL bu'
swinging of the rudder made it useless, anC
plan was then suggested to the captain by
the passengers, to which the escape OF TIN
vessel is probably attributable. 1t was t.
pass two or three turns of chain cable arounC
the broken rudder pin, and secure it will
wedges and small chains, and a connection
being effected with the usual chains attached
to the rudder, and temporary wheel rigget
up below the deck, shift was made ono
more to proceed, but the screw of the vessel
upon which the locomotion now depended
soon stopped, it being foued by the ruddeV
by which the rudder was prevented iron
veering more than was necessary to steer th
ship.
All of Friday was occupied with these ar
rangements. The ship had drifted up tn
west coast of Ireland, out of the ordinar.
track, on Saturday night.
Sunday, at two O'Clock, the Great Easter
got under way, the rudder was found to act
and the vessel proceeded nine knots an hou
with the screw alone.
Tuesday morning she reached the head {
Kinsale, where she stopped four hours to al
range her tackle.
AT four o'clock she arrived off Cork, and
small steamer came off to assist her, and tn
hsrbor was soon reached.
Our informant states that it is almost in
possible to exaggerate the anxious stat
which prevailed while the fate of the shi
was doubtful There were several clergy
men on board and religious services wer
frequent. A meeting was neld in The saloo
on Tuesday, and resolutions of piOus an
copgratulatory character were passed.