The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-28
DISASTER All SEA.
Total Wreck of the Steamship Golden
Rale.


The steamship Ocean Queen, captain
Slocum, from Aspinwall ON the 18th, ar
rived at New York on Saturday. She
brought the steamship Americas passen-
gers from San Francisco who were de-
tanned on the isthmus on account of the
loss of the steamship Golden Rule.
Among the other passengers OH board,
were Captain E. p. Dennis, of the steam
ship Golden Rule DR.. r. w. Warning
ton, surgeon; John M. Rogers, purser and
baggage-mastcr; VIM. GIadding, with
some few of the crew. The rest were
sent on from Aspinwall in the United
States steamer Huntsville, which sailed
18th June.
The steamship Golden Rule, belong
ing to the Central American Transit
Company line of California steamers, via
Nicarauga, left New York May %, with
five hundred and thirty-five passengers
and crew Of one hundred all told, for
San Juan (Greytown). Everything pro-
ceeded favorably until the afternoon of
the 18th, when the weather became very
dark and squally, with torrents of rain,
which continued through the night. On
the morning Of May scat half-past the
ship struck on Roncador reef, in latitude
10 33, longitude 500 A, and in thirty
minutes bilged, About two minutes be-
fore the ship struck, the reef was seen,
the helm put hard a starboad, the en-
CINE stopped and had made a half turn
back when she struck. Every exertiOn
was made to save the ship, but she
came broadside on the reef. AT the same
time the engineer reported the breaking
OF the main steam pipe and the water
gaining very fast. The boats We're i'm
mediately lowered and brought under
the lee side of the ship, the masts were
cut away and the ships company were
preparing to build RATS for the safety OF
the passengers and crew. During the
day there was light breeze from east
ward, with very heavy rain squalls and
a very heavy swell, which broke COM
pletely over the ship. During the after
northwest, and Captain Dennis sent the
first assistant engineer, Mr.. Underhill,
to report on the practicability OF landing
the passengers and stores. On his return
he reported the island to be about twelve
acres in extent, destitute of vegetation,
but with a number of small wells on it.
Before night the crew succeeded in
constructing RATS from the hurricane
deck, tops and sides of the deck-houses,
and embarked the women and children,
and by a. m. had safely landed two
hundred and thirty by means of small
boat. In the meantime the captain dis
patched Mr.. Pendleton, the first officer,
to the nearest land-Old Providence
ninety miles distant, for assistance. AT
daylight on the 3ist, five of the boats
We're loaded from the raft with pas
senSers, sails and provisions, and
sent to the island, six miles distant.
The remaining boat was occupied
in transporting passengers from the
snip to the raft, made fast to the
rocks inside of the reef. Before night
every man, woman and child escaped.
The crew were also safely landed on the
Island. On the night of the 31st the
snip commenced to break up, and from
that time until June 8 all were engaged
III securing provisions, stores, baggage,
mattresses, blankets, &C., necessary to
sustain life on the island. About hall
the baggage and stores was saved-the
latter in very bad condition. At one
P. NJ, June 2, the captain dispatched the
second boat, in chage of the second Off
Ger, Mr.. Reid, with the purser, Mr..
rogers. to Aspinwall, two hundred and
nifty miles distant, for assistance. On
the oth and 9th of June the ship became,
TOTAL wreck, and nothing then re-
manned of her but part of her engine.
On the eth the captain proceeded to the
island, where he found tents erected,
bedding distributed, and everything
working well. Mr.. Sioat, the chief en-
glneer, had put up condenser, which
would make from seventy to eighty gal
Ions of water per day, and which was in
perfect working order, in case the wells
on the island should give out. On the
oth the first officer returned with two
small fi.hng vessels of twenty
eight tons each. Captain Dennis
mad partly succeeded in making
arrangements with the captains of the
schoohefs transport as many of the pas
sehgers as they could carry to Aspinwall
w nneh, ON the morning of the 9Th. Mr.
nelu, tne second officer, came to the res
luz LEV Wlln TWO government gunboats-th
c1i.ul'sVdiie, Commander Devins,and the
otate OF Georgia, Commander Pre- BILE
rom Aspinwall--M Reid having reach
ed that place In less than three hours
the passengersand cIew Were distributed
On poard the TWO steamers, with bedding
a." na plotlslohs Tor the passage, and
a at AsplnWall i'll safety on the 11ths
,.a.I iiie passengers were llnlne-E
oiately landed, and left for Panama at
"A. NJ, and for California at half past4
l nine I. NJ, on the steamer America
Iney were ten days on the island, and,
WIN very few exceptions, every one was
well. The thermometer ranged from 81.
10 81 during the day, and there was no.
rain after the first night.
Captain Dennis says the only way he
can account for the loss of the ship, Is
owing to strong Northwest current
He feels perfectly confident of his posit
ton ON noon of the Goth of May, as III 4
mad good sets of observations on thu
morning, and the course steered wOul
nave given the ship berth of twent,
i've miles from the reef.
The Golden Rule sailed from N. Yor
1n the Goth May, but while proceedin
Town the bay one Ofthe fiues exploded "
'calding one of her engineers so badl
hat it was found necessary to send hi
IN shore; after this she was run into n
| ferry boat, which damaged one of ! N
paddle wheels to some extent. Til
accidents caused considerable detenti
n n =