The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-02-17
Terrible Disaster at Sea.

souls on board, foundered in the Bay of
Blscay during the late terrible gale which
swept oyer the Eastern Atlantic and proved
80 destructive to Ocean craft The London
was first class passenger vessel. and was
commanded by CAPTAIN Martin an old and
experienced navigator. The unfortunate
vessel left the East India docks, London, on
the morning Of january I'd, and proceed
ed on her journey against head-Winds and
driving sea, yet nothing unusual occurred
until the Sth, when the vessel was far out
from land, and the wind having Increased
to a perfect gale, Captain Martin ordered
the engines. to be stopped setsghis topsails
and so endeaYored to keep the ship moving
slowly ahead at noon on this day, the
wind having somewhat lulled, the engines
were again set in motion and kept steaming
slowly ahead through the -night. AT s PM
on Tuesday, the 9th inst, while the captain
was still endeaVOring to keep the ship in her
couTsesby means of the screw, the a4iclence
Of the gale carried away at one sweep the
jlbbOom, the fOretOpmast, the tOpgallant
mast, and the ROYALS. These large spaFs
were not detached from the ship, but, hang
ing fast to the stays, swung to and fro with
such violence that the crew were wholly
unable to secure them About two hours
later the mainroyalmast was blown out of its
socket, and added to the. general wreck.
Capt. Martin, who had not been in bed
since the previous Sunday night, was not at
all disheartened up to this moment but, as
the gale continued to increase during the
morning, with sea already running noun
tains high, the position of the ship was un-
doubtedly felt to be one of great peril.
Still, as the wind had somewhat veered
round, the engines were kept steaming easy
6head, AMIDST is believed that at this moment
no person on board felt any anxiety for the
ultimate safety Of the ship. About P NJ,
on Tuesday, however, q tremendous sea
struck the ship, and carried the port life
boats clean away from the daYits All that
evening and through the succeeding night
the wind blew very heavy gale, and the
sea ran very high, but the screw was still
kept steaming easy ahead
At 3 A. n Wednesday, the 10th inst
Capt. Martin sent for Mr.. Gfeenhill, the
Chief Engineer, and informed him Of his
intention to put the ship about and run for
Plymouth, and he desired that full speed
should be got up directly This was i'm
mediately done. In half an hour after the
ships course had been altered. she was
again struck by q tremendous sea- which
carried away the starboard life boat, and the
same sea stove in the starboard cutter AT
noon on this day the ships position was lat
4648 N.,lopg 81 w. A.hedyyE cross sea was
running, with the wind now dead astern of
the ship which caused her to roll heavily
and all through the evening Of Wednesday,
and long after midnight theshipcontinued
10 steam Slowly ahead, the Captain and his
officers remaining steadily at their posts,
and the passengers appearing to have full
reliance upon the skill of Captain Martin
to bring them safe to port At 1. so p. ~,
on Wednesday, the ship still rolling deeply
in a heavy cross sea, and the wind blowing
q whole gale from the southwest, a mountain
of water fell heavily over the waist Of the
ship and spent its destructive force upon
the main hatchWay, over the engine room,
completely demOlishing this massive struc-
ure measuring twelve feet byeight feet and
flooding with tons of water this portion of
the ship. Instant endeavOrs to repair the
hatchway were made with a promptitude
and yigor commensurate with the imminent
crisis. Every spare sail that could be got
at, and. even blankets and mattresses from
all parts of the ship, were thrown over the
aperture, but each succeeding sea shipped
by the vessel tore away the 4rail resource OF
the moment, and not more than ten minutes
after the hatchway had been destroyed the
water had risen above the furnaces and up
to the waists of the engineers and fremen
employed in this part of the ship. The
lower decks were also now flooded with the
rush of waters the ship was continually
taking in The ehiefengineer remained at
his post until the water had risen above
his waist when he, went on deck and report
ed that his fires were out, and his engines
rendered useless. Captain Martin, with
calm conviction, remarked that he was not
surprised on the contrary, he had expected
such n result Finding his noble ship al
length little more than log on the water
Captain Martin ordered his maint0psail to be
set in hope of keeping her before the wind
This had scarcely been accom- plished when
the force of the wind tore the sail into
ribbons, with the exception Of one corner
under which the ship lay to throughout the
remainder of the night The donkey engine
was supplied with steam by a boiler upon
deck, and all the deck pumps were kept go
ing throughout the night and the passen
gers Of all classes, now aroused to q sense
of their imminent danger, shared with the
crew their arduous labors. NOtwithstand
ing every effort the water still gained upOT
the pumps, and the gale continuing at it
height, cross seas with tremendous force
we're constantly braking over the vessel
The motion of the ship became low anC
heavy, and she refused to rise TO the actor
Of the waves.
At Al o'clock on Thursday morning sh,
was struck by stern sea, which carried
away four Of her stern ports, and admitted
a flood of water through the breach. From
this time all efforts were useless and a
daybreak, Capt Martin, whose cool intrepid
ity had never for moment fOrsaken him
entered the cuddy where all classes of tht
passengers had now taken refuge, and re
spending to an universal appeal, calmly an
nouneed the cessation Of all human hope
1t is n remarkable fact that this solemn ad
mission was as sOlemniy received resign
cd silence prevailing throughout the assem-
bly, broken only at brief Intervals by th,
wel-timed and appropriate exhortations o
the Rev. Mr. Draper, whose spiritual services
had been incessant during the previous
twenty-four hours At 10 o clock, the shiI
still rolling deeply, an attempt was made Il
launch the starboard pinnace, but SCI
struck her just rs she reached the water anC
she sunk leaving crew Of five men strug
Cling for their lives. IS the ship was lying