, 1866-04-17

We @AANAONSA 'A"HJ wv d AhS
in close proximity to the European at the
time of the disaster, zone excepting the
Caribbean of the same line, sustained any
serious damage. The last named vessel
was moored at the opposite side of the
wharf from the European and received
very serious injury. Her hull externally
appears untouched, but the effect of the
conclusion internally was very severe.
We are assured that some immense iron
Orders nearly twelve inches deep we're
snapped off like a pipe stem, thirteen of
her frames were broken, and knees and
braces Of the heaviest timber were torn
from their places. The strain upon the
ship must have been Of immense force,
and nothing but the superior build and
structure of the vessel saved her from
being knocked to pieces. All her boats,
and in fact everything of a fragile nature,
were rendered useless.
The most awful part of the catastrophe
was the dreadful loss Of life and suffering
attending it. Of the number Of killed
and missing it is impossible to give a
correct estimate, but from present data
the number may safely be put down at
fifty, and is, we fear more likely to prove
ONCI HIS uIJOC tIbl lIIN ~ vi tiC
Al men comprising the crew of The Euro
pean, o have been killed and - are mis-
sing. Two clerks engaged on the wharf
Mir. Swanson, of the w. |. & P. Steam
ship Co, and Mr.. Calvo, Of the Panama
Railroad Company, were both instantly
killed, and of 13 native or Jamaicans
ployed on the wharf, and in the freight
house, none are supposed to have been
saved besides ii is believed a small gang
of native laborers who had gone on board
the unfortunate steamer have met the
fate of the others. 1t will be several
days before a correct estimate can be
made of the loss. Many bodies were no
doubt thrown into the water and picked
up by sharks, whilst others are still bu-
ried beneath the ruins of the freight house
and wharf, or went down with the i'll
fated ship. The scene in AspinwaIl after
the first explosion canno be described
it was borrowing in the extreme. Whilst
the ruins gave an air Of dcsolation to the
place the mangled and lacrrated bodies
or pieces of bodies to be met with in
every direction for Il great distance
around the ruin Of the disaster were
heart rendlng, and the suffering of the
poor mOrtals crushed and bruised, IN
whom life was not extinct, was really
dreadful.
Fears being entertained that a second
explosion would occur, and as the cause
of the disaster was still unknown, and
none of the officers or crew of the ship
were left who could give any explanation
of its cause, it was thought best to have
the burning ship lowed into the stream.
The Royal Mail Steamship Tamar, Cap
tain Moir, which had arrived the evening
previous, Immediately got up steam and
prepared to tow out the burning ship, but
before this could be accomplished ano-
Their explosion took place, though not of
sufficient force TO cause any injury. 1t
was supposed to be the magazine, which
contains a small quantity of powder for
ships use. The TamGr then made fast
to the burning hulk, and towed her out.
The two vessels had barely reached the
opposite side Of the bay when another
explosion more terrific than the first oc-
Cured, but fortunately the ship being far
from the city and in deep water no harm
resulted. The last explosion is suppo-
sed to nave broken up the hull, as in less
than half an hour after it occurred the