The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-10-18
Disustcr ~ the 6rcnt Eastern.

Mr.. Howard Paul, passenger on board
the steamship Persia, which passed the
Great Eastern, furnishes the iollwing
particulars Of the view obtained of the
disabled monster a. she rolled wildly upon
the ocean. u the great ship has gone
down with al on board, Captain Judhins,
Of the Persia, has a fearful responsibility
20 answer for:
The steamship rersis, which len
Z Liyerpoo on Saturday, Sept. "a, met the
Great Eastern on Monday. Sept, l6, At
I II o'clock a. NJ, two hundred and twelve
miles from Queenstown. On approach
inr her the passengers of the Persia OBJ
served that she was rolling very much
but had no idea Of her condition. which a
nearer view afforded. ltwas found that
she had lost both her paddle wheels, the
whole Of her boats, with the exception Of
| two on her port side, were stove in or
/ disabled, md the rudder head being car
Iucd AWAY, she was steering for home with
the ruddcr chains. Large ropcs were
stretched from bulwOrk to bulwark for
the passengers TO cling to, and the rolling
was 90 fcgriul that any nome MT the great
ship revealed the whole Of her decks At
most distressing angle, and the next the
bilgo was plainly visible,
On discovering the plight Of the vessel
Capt. Judkins hois,ed a slgnal--"Do you
require nidl" which was only replied TO
by large board being displayed on the
paddle toX; but the characters thereon
being 80 small the writing could not be
deciphcred. Tho Great Eastern still
kept on her course, working with her
screw, and for twenty minucts the Persia
followed her in order to get an answer 10
her signal The passengers Of the Great
Eastern were scattered over her docks
(thCre were reported 10 bo about four
hundred on board Of hero all Of whom
seemed struining forward TO catch view
OF the Persia. The ladies' waved thci,
hOndkerchiCis, the men their hats, ans
Notwithstanding the extraordinary roll o.
the vessel, the utmost enthusiasm seemed
to be munilcsted by her passengers.
Up 10 this timo no answer had beer
, given TO the signal Of the Persia and ui
she dipped hcr ensign and turned her hea,
away, another board written on was Gle
waited from the paddle box Of the Grca
Eastern with no better result. Even with
! the aid ol the glasses Of the Ohicers the
characters could not be distinguished
During this time the Great Eastern haS
not slockencd her pace, and when the
Persia got some distance from her she
hoistcd the signal "Come within hail;'
| but as Capt. Judklns Justly said, he ha,
followed Ter for half an hour, asked heI
II she required aid, and received no reply
IN tho usual manner, he could lose nt
further time in putting back. II was
matter OF wonder on board the Persia win
this signal had not been given before a
! ample time was afforded. Amer the Pcrsii
left Liverpool on Saturday she met will
rough weather along tho channel; IN,
wind was blowing hard from the westwar,
and Il is supposed that tho Great EASTER
must have experienced a tremendous gal,
TO have met with the disasters that ha,
oyertaken her.
The history Of this largo vessel haI
been one Of continuous calamity, and thil
3 last mischanoo will shake public faith II
her 20 ayusteXtent. IL is fortunate ther,
. were no cavalry troops in her, ne ia,
r rolling was terrific the horsos innst hay,
been literally dashed th pieces Many o
the scugoing passengers on board OF On,
Persia gave II as their deliberate opinioi
that they never in the greateststorm saw
7 any vessel roll 20 wildly as the Greu
! Eastern did. by the next steumer irou
, England we hope q be able 10 report th
safe arrival Of the passengers, many Q
, whom were Americans. The officer I
J charge Of tho vessel was Capt. Walker
b formerly Of the Adriatic. She left Liver
= pool on Wednesday, Sept. / /, and whe
! met BY the Persia had been, therefore
five days out