The New York herald., 1867-12-15
The Loss OF THE moxoyGaHELA.


Letter from Commodore BisscIi-Oncinl Re-
port Of the Disnstcr-The Vessel Bcach~d
by a Terrible Ear arthounke-shock or -.
Uxrrrp SrArrs srrNsufr MoSosGAHrrA
ST. CRoix, Nov Il, 1857
smI have 10 state with deep regret that the United
States steamship Mononza under my command. Is
now lying on the beach front OF the town Of Fredc-
rlckstsd ST. Crolx, where she thrown by the most
fatal earthquake ever known here The shock 90.
cured as three O'Clock p. N. OF the 18th inst
rp. to that moment tho weather serene, and
no iDdcation OF change showed By the barometer,
which stood thirty degrees aftccn minutes The nrs
indication We had OF tho earthquake Was violent
trembling or the ship. resembling the blowing OF Of
stesm This lasted thirty seconds and Immediately
afterwards the wasor observed 70 be rsceding
rapidly from the each In moment the current was
changed and bore ship towards the beach, carrying
out the entire cable and drawing the bolts from the
son. without The slightest eject 10 checking her terrific
speed towards tho beach Another anchor ordered
70 DO let 60. but in. few seconds she vas In TOO
shoai water for this 10 avail When within few
OF the beach ths reux o the water checked her
speed for moment, and light brecze from the land
gave . momentary hope that the jib and foretop-
mast saysa might pay her head OF Shore that In the
reaux Of the she might reach waters sufficiently
anchor These sails were Immediately SET and shs
payed OF as 10 bring her broadside 10 tho beach.
y
twenty-five or thirty fee, high !, carried Us over the
warehouses the nrs street OF the This
reccdlng took her back towards the beach, and LETT
her nearly perpendicular on the edge of coral reef
where she has nov keoied over 70 Ap angle Of htsen
degrees.
soon tho waters Of the bay subsidcd into their
naturally tranquil state leaving No high and dry upon
ths beach. During her progress towards the beach
shc struck heavily two or three times the hrst iurch
carried the rife gup ON the forecaste overheard Had
tho ship been carried ten or fifteen feet further out abe
must inevitably have beon forced on her beam
ends resulting. fcsr In her total destruction and 10
lost; these were In the boats a tho timr
the shock commenced. The boats that
was crushed under the keel killing my coxswain,
most valuable man. During this terrific the off,
and men behaved win cooiness and naIion
examination Of the position aud condition of the snip
enabled 10 report that she sustained rrcpsra.
bic daInaao 20 her hull rhersnpost 10 bent, and some
twenty feet or her fssl partially gons: propeller and
shaft uninursd rhs lower pints OF The ruiasr 10 gone,
but othert sfnrge susis. ned by H.. No damage
done 70 her nun more serious thsn shs oss OF several
theois Vi eobps torn from hsr oss and from
her keel
she nowscs 90 the edge of : coral ref wack forms
4 solid foundation, wnch WAYS may be aid sac
can thus bs launched IN ten fses of water Al ono nundred
feet from ths beach. Gentemsn looking a. The ship
from shore declare that The bottom Of the bay was
visible whore there was bsfors. and 70 now. forty
falnorns OF water.
To sruicsts ire snip nom Der prssan, position /
respeclfully suggest that Mr. j. Hanscom be sent
down with suitable material for wars ready for laying
down, and India rubber samss IN buoy her up ]
think there no insuperabs obstacle to her being put
aHcst, providing gang of ten or Twelve good ship
A. her boilers and engines appear 70 have sustained no
injury. valuable ship may thus be saved 10 the
navy. with oil her stores and equpmeuts
4 r. Bi~sErT, Commodore commanding.
Rear Admiral >. 3 PAIEsa, sommapdins u. a squad,
ron, ~ Thcnas