, 1861-10-01

HE Accident to the Great Eastern.
Nr. Howard Paul, one Of the passengers on
board Ct The Persia, furnishes us with tie fol-
loving items concerning the Leviathan:
The steamship Per6la, which left Liverpool
Oh Saturday, September II, met the Great
Eastern On Monday, September 1G, ut II
O'Clock 4 NJ, two hundred and twelve miles
from Queenstown. On approaching her the
passerger's Of the Pe1sia observed that she
Has rolling very much, but had no idea Of her
condition, which nearer yieW afforded. It
waa found that she had lost both of her pad
die wheels, the whole Of the boats with the
exception Of two) On her port side Tera stove
il or disabled, aud, the rudder head being
car rcd aWay, she W8s steering for home with
the rudde1 chaine- Large ropes were stretch
ed fiom bulwark to bu1wark for the paseen
gers 10 cling to, and the rolling WAS SO fearful
1Eat one moment the great ship revealed the
whole OF her decks at a most distressing angle,
and the next the tilge was plainly Visible. On
discovering the plight Of the vessel, Captain
aid ~ which was only replied to BY a. large
beard being display ed on the paddle box; but
ihe characters thereon being So smal the
writing could not be deciphe1ed. The Great
Easte1n stll kept On her course, working with
her screw, and tor twenty minutes the Persia
signal. The passengers Of the Great Eastern
were ecatte1ed over the decks There were 1e
ported to be about four hundred On board oi
| her,) all Of whom seemed strainiag anxiously
forward to catch view Of the fersia. The
lacfts waved thelr handkerchief, the men
neir hats, and, notwithstanding the extraor
eica1y :ol Of the vessel, the utmost enthasi
sner had been given to the sigma
| Of the Persia, 2ad as she dipped
her ensign aud turned her head away, another
| board written Oh Was elevated from the paddle
bex of the Great Eastern, with no better ra
GERS the characters esuld not be distinguished
During this time tie Great Eastern had mol
| s!eckeaed her pace, and when the Persia GO!
some distance fem her she hoisted the signal
| "Come within hail /; but as Captain Judkins
! Justly said, be had followed her for half AZ
cel7ing no reply in the usual manner, he
could lose 70 further time BY again put
| 1iry back. It was q matter cf wonder OF
board tie Persia why this signal had not bean
| given before, as ample time Was afforded. At
ter the Persia left Liverpool on Saturday she
met With rough weather along the channel
the wind vas blowing hard from the west
yard, .and 1t is supposed that the Grea
| Esstefn must have experienced tremendous
gale to have met with the disasters that hat
oTertaken her.
The history Of this large vessel has been on
chance will shake public faith in her TO-,
| vxst extent. It is fortunate there were no cav
airy troops in her, as the rolling was so ter
1idc the horses must have been LITERAL,
dashed to pieces. Many Of the seagoing pas
secge1s on board the Persia gave it as thei
deliberate opinion that they never in the great
estftorn saw any vessel roll so wildly as th
Great Eastern did. By the next steamer from
England we hope to be able to report the saf
arrival Of the passengers, many of whom wer
Americans. 1t is curious circumstance tina
at the London Office Of the Great Eastern th
nEme Of the captain Waa not known five day
before she sailed. a gentleman on board {
tie Persia called there and asked the question
The reply was-'' they did not know" Th
| Walker, formerly Of the Adrlatic- She lei
Liverpool on Wednesday,, September II, an
when met BY the Persla had been, therefor.
t five days ont.