The New York herald., 1869-04-11
DISASTER AT SEA.
Burning Of the Steamer Thames or the
North Carolina Coast.
A Boat Containing Five Persons
Supposed to be Lost.
Statement of Ore OF the
Lass-enCers.


brief tcIeerashic despatch in the HERALD Of yes
terday, dated at Norfolk, Va, announced that the
propeller Thames OF the Back Star line, COM
manded by Captain Pennington, was burned on the
morning OF the 9Th ultimo, when about fifteen miles
Off Cape Iiatcras; also that boat containing Ave
persons Of the was missing and that they were
believed to have perished and that two other boats,
having on board The remainder OF the crew, the
officers and four passengers. had landed in safety.
H. ID. Waen, Jr., second lieutenant, Third Untel
States artillery son OF General II. ID. WalIlng COM
manling at Governors lslana, was passenger on
board the Thames at the time OF the disaster beng
on his way to rejoin the command at Tortugas. Yes
terday afternoon nc arrived IN New York from Nor
folk having been compelled to return TO this city to
re-embark. and furnishes tue following
NARRATIVE OF THE CATASTROPHE.
The Thames left tls port on Sunday last, bound
for Galveston Texas, having on board fonr passen-
gers and crew OF tweDty-one persons We expe-
renced toerably fair weather untIl the evening of
Monday when sharp breeze set In, but with no
serious violence. About haif-past one O'Clock on
Tuesday morning the alarm Of "lre" was given
ana smoke and flames were found proceed
ing from between deck, just aft OF the
engine. The fire spread with such frlghtful
rapidly that all hands were soon driven from the
cabins. At the time the fire was discovered the
Hatteras light bore directly west about twenty miles
distant, and Captain Pennington at once gave
orders to put the ship about with view
OF running In for the shore. Efforts were
then made TO extingush the IRE, and the buIkheads
were knocked In with that object bnt the entire
hold was found to be In hames and 1t was evident
that the ship would be destroyed. She carried hay
as cargo between decks and this furnished abundant
tunatev tie wind was off shore, and in order to
keep the flames aft as much possible Captain PEN
nington took the preeauton to save three boats
from the davits aft and remove them forward, and
headed the snip for Shore but being driven from the
pilot house by the flames vessel became unmall-
ageabe. Orders were given at this uncture to launch
the poats, and two of the feboats nOated suc.
cesslully A tnrd boat, metallic lifeboat, at the
starbGald quarter, was found TO he part ally melted
by the heat of the names, and therefore useless.
The two Ilfeboats were manned-one under com
maud o. thc second mate, containing nine persons,
the other, commanded by the captain, took on board
ten persons, incnding lady passenger, Mrs. A.
male passengers. Athird boat, called 'Whitehall"
boat was a 80 launched, and five men embarked In
Charles Mason, waters; one seaman and coal.
passer whose names do not know. At this time it
was quite dark, the snip was In the trough OF the
sea- which was rolling rather heavily and strong
WIND was Blowing Off shore. The vessel was now
about fifteen miles from land, the lighthouse bearing
about west southwest. We hal no fresh water or
provisions the boats and very little clothing, as
the fire burned so fprousy that we were led
10 leave the steamer as quickly as possible, without
making any attempt to save our personal effects and
valuables. AS soon as the condition OF affairs on
board was ascerIained Captain Pennington took his
post at the wheel and gave his orders from hat posi-
ton, ne being also the last man 10 leave the ship.
In fact his nair was burned as he was coming down
boats were headed for the light on shore, that
being the only guile to- steer by, as we
con not see n tne land o we parted e from rn nG e
broken out, and she was then almost mass OF
fienes the iire having burst ND tnrongn the hatch
ways and the smokes.ack had already iallen. In
about half all hour from the time we left her the
small boat, having the five men on hoard. passed
M & and has Was Inc Inst we saw Of IN e We ve
heard nothing from her since. The propeller, after
burning for about four hours, sunk in sixteen
neary to the waters edge. The boat was IN landed
on liatcras Banks, about seven miles north Of tho
lighthouse, after nearly eight hours hard rowing.
The exact location 1 understand was Chcamico.
mico Beach, twelve miles north Of Ifatteras Ines.
considerable dificuty in getting ashore on account
Of the heavy surf. The captains boat landed about
halt an hour afterwards az the same place.
who live IN that locality, and who are mostly fisher
men, They demanded compensation for every COM
fort afforded and to reaiixe the money wherewith
TO pay them we were obliged TO sell them boat,
which they purchased IRON VS. ut S12 SO each--ther
own prlce-aitnough they were worth very much
and they boarded US on corn meal, salt pork and
water charging us s24 for the accommodations fur
nished to party. Their bees were Of course.
anything but dOwny, clean or comiortaDle, wear
ing apparel being the major part OF the bed clothing.
Next 81 morning , we eaI t tem S SS @ .hs ior ,s
By way OF Pamllco ana Albemarle Sounds to Eliza
beth City N. Z. We were nearly thrty-six hours ON
board the oyster boat having on our way run
aground on the Roanoke marshes. Wine fast We
hailed schooner for relief asking them to send us
Q boat 10 heip us on by llsntering our
U.S. although we told them we had beea
wrecked: On Thd.sday morning some fishermen
put or froma t!le hamlet IN the vicinity to Que
aid and got us OF the marsh. Tnoy also gave us
breakfast and we started on for ELIZABETH. The
FISHERY. We arrived at Elizabeth on Thursday night
at ten O'Clock and were very well treated there.
comfort and declining payment unon learning our
destitute condition. Un Friday morning We left for
Norfolk oa board the stcarer Elizabeth CITY, going
this steamer wns exceedingly kind and courteous
towards US and dd all IN his power TO relieve our
necessities. About three O'Clock yesterday (FrldayJ
afternoon we reached Norfolk, and there we parted
company, portion OF the passengers and crew COM
ing on 10 Sew lork and the remainder awaiting
some means opportunity oil doing likewise.
While We were tic guests OF the fisherman on 'thc
shoals '-bc fisherman VINO treated us so badiy-we
sent man down TO the lighthouse 10 inquire II they
had seen anytbing oil tiie sinai boat or her crew
bat no in4Ormation regarding them could be
obtained ali tie messenger was told they had 1ot
landed there or IN that nemhborBood. Afterwards
we % schooner some distance OF shore, with
man alolt, apparently on the lookout" We also
observed u larger number OF men on her deck than
II IL probable she woud carry as crew. and
thought that perhaps they we're the missing boats
crew ald that they mad suggested tile sending of the
men aiUt to look out for us, not Knowing OF our
safety; 1t might nave been that the people at the
lighthouse had slgnailed TO the schooner that
sci had been burned the nght before, and that they
had in consequence instituted search ior SURVIVORS.
The officers saved were the following named por-
sons:-First mate Ward Eidred; second mate II. q.
Graham; chief engineer, Isaac Fuhr; irst assistant
engineer, John lardner; second assistant engineer,
Thomas Davis; steward II. w. WiiIOri; stcwardoss,
Miss u. Taylor: second cook a. kuowcls. Captain
Pennington Tears that the parry IN the tn d boat
lost, AS IL was quite small, not calculated to stand
the heavy surf through which II had TO pass to rcacn
the beacn, and They we're heading for the most dan.
gerous part. Nothing Ia known OF the origin OF the
ire Before arriving at Norfolk the passengers suU-
scribed to the following letter.
STEAMER ELIZABETH CRY, April o. 1869.
CArTAIS PENNIN8TON:--
DEAR We the undersigned passengers OF the steam
eh frOu Ngy orr