The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-10-09
THE ACCIDENT TO THE GREAT
EASTERN.

Mr. doWar0 Faul, one OF the passengers on
board OF the Persia, furnishes US with the follow.
ing items concerning the Levisthau:
The steamship Persia, which left Liverpool on
Saturday, September l6, at eleven o'clock A. NJ,
two hundred and twelve miles from Queenstown
On approaching her the passengers OF the Persia
observed that she Was rolling very much, but
had no idea of her condition, which a nearer
view afforded. 1t was found that she had lost
both OF her paddle wheels, the whole Of the
boats with the exception of two) on her port
side were stove in or disabled, and, the rudder
head being carried away she was steering for
home with the rudder CHAINS. Large ropes were
stretched from buwark to bulwark for the passen-
gers to cling to, and the rolling was so fearful
that one moment the great ship revealed the
whole of her decks at a most distressing angle
and the next the bilge was plainly visible. On
discovering the plight of the vessel, Captain
Judkins hOist.d a signal-"Do you require aid?"
which was only replied to by large board being
displayed on the paddle box; but the charac
ters thereon being small the writing could not
be deciphered. The Great Eastern slill kept on
her course, working with her screw, and for 20
minutes the Persia followed her in order to get
an answer to her signal The passengers of the
Great Eastern was scattered over the de- ks there
were reported to be about four hundred on board
Of her), all of whom seemed straning snxiOusly
forward to catch q view OF the Persia. The la
dies waved their handkerchiefs, the men their
hats, and Notwithstanding the extraordinary roll
Of the vessel, the utmost enthusiasm seemed TO
be manifested by her passengers. Up to this
time no answer had been given to the signal of
the Persia, and as she dipped her ensign and
turned her head away another board written on
was elevated from the paddle box Of the Great
Eastern, with no better result. Even with the
aid of the glasses of the officers the characters
could not be distinguished. During this time
the Great Eastern had not slackened her race,
and when the Persia got some distance from her
she hoisted the signal " Come within hail;" but
as Captsin Judkins justly said, he had followed
her for half an hour, asked her If she required
aid, and rec. living no reply in the usual manner.
he could lose no further time by again putting
back. 1t was matter of wonder on board the
Persia why this signal had not been given before,
as ample time was afforded After the Persia
left Liverpool on Saturday she met with rough
weather along the channel; the wind was blow.
ing hard from the westward, and il is supposed
that the Great Eastern must have experienced q
tremendous gale to have met with the disasters
that had overtakeu her.
The history of this large vessel has been ore
of continuous calamity, aud the last mischance
viii shake public faith in her to vast extent
1t is fortunate there we're no cavalry troops in
her, the rolling was 80 terrific the horses must
have been literally dashed to pieces. Many Of
| the ea-going passengers on board Of the Persia
gave it as their deliberate opinion that they new
er in the greatest storm saw any vessel roll so
wildly as the Great Eastern did. By the next
steamer from England We hope to be able to re-.
port the safe arrival of the passengers many of
whom we're Americans. It is q curious circum.
stance that at the London Office of the Great
Eastern the name of the captain was no, known
Eve days before she sailed. gentleman on
board the Persia called there and asked the aues.
ton. The reply was, "they did not know
The officer in charge of the boat was Captain
Walker, formerly of the Adriatc. She left Liv.
erpool on Wednesday, September IL, and when
met by the Persia had been, therefore, Ave days
out