The New York herald., 1870-11-04
THE CYCLONE In THE PACIFIC.
The Corvette 0ssipee In the Hurricane Ship
Badly Damaged -Rescuing Of Survivors Of
Steamer Continental-Shsrk Surround
ing Rafts-The 0ssipee to be Laid
Up-The Guerriere Court Of In
quiry Closed-Arrival Of tho
Nipsc--Naval Items

The recent terrific hurricanes and cyclones have
been rather the United States men .of-war
both In the Atlantic and Pacific oceanA The cor
vette Shenandoah was very rougly used In the Sep
tenber gales, losing topmasts Jbhoom. spars sails
aud boats while on her voyage 20 Europe. The tug
Maynower. 300 TONS while on her way south In the
Iehuantepec Exploring expedition, encountered
the late severe gale or hurricane on tho
Florida coast, and was tremendously battered
and shaken up, and narrowly escaped going 70 the
bottom, after losing sails and being hooded BY soar
She was completely disabled and was towed into
Key West for repairs by the Talap0osa. And now
we hear Of the corvette Ossipee. Commander Jsnn
II. Russeii, flagship OF the North Pacific squadron,
encounterng terrific hurricane ON the Mexican
Pacific coast and coming out OF It by the closest
run. The ossipee lying IN the open port OF
Mazatlan September u, when heavy swell! setting
IN, accompanied by rapid fall Of the barometer,
indicating an approaching gale. determined Com
mander Russell to put TO sea TO gain an ofing in
order to ride out the storm, as Mazatan Is merely
an open roadstead, with bad holding ground, and a
dangerous place 10 be caught In. All ten O'Clock in
the morning all boats were signalled to return
to the ship, and soon Thereafter the osspee
stood ont TO sea 10 make an ofnng.
AT midnight, the gale increasing 70 hurricane, tue
ship move to about seventy miles from port,
under steam and fore and AFT sail. Hatches were all
battened down fore and AFT, hfe lines run, the bat
tening doubly secured and the boats made ~ last as
possible, In which condition she rode out the Storm
II found necessary get out the drags In order
TO keep the ships head up TO the wind and uemen-
dous that came down on the ship curling ana
breaking as II they would sweep over 1t and suo-
merge 1t for ever The ship was repeatedly boarded
by seas and the deck filled with wafer. The cabin
was Hooded and boats were swept away by the tre-
mendens waves that rolled over the craft which was
shrouas parted and fears were entertained
OF losing mast but that accident was escapcd, and
after thiryslx hours Of STORM the violence OF which
never before experienced oy any man on boare,
the barometer began TO rise and the storm mode.
were got aboard ana the ship put on her course for
/ san Francisco. The barometer registered 2s97 st
the height Of the hurricane. Great credit is gwen
\ To the captain, officers and men for the scamanlko
ability ANA energy displayed In carrying the ship
safely through storm OF unparalleled fury aud
On the aoth with fair weather again, the ship
Captain Dan, Commander % Of the steamer Con.
tinental, was discovered Captain DAN reported
% s. aaS na msns q Ss
| gers and crew wero an0at on RATS somewhere In
boats Of the ship, and placed in charge Of two mer-
chant caDtans who had probably safely landed
started cruising for the RATS. soon one man on :
rat was sighted, ana taken on boaIa. lie hAd been
sharks a around him, ana some he i Iot beating
against his slight support trying 10 tip 1t
/
succeed, but the horrible Uncertainty Of the poor
shpwrecked SAILORS position can be readily ina
lous predlcament, ana nnd himself safe on the
decks on the 0ssipee subsequently another
horrible death. The ship crulsed around In
this locality all night, firing guns and burning nigat
survivors OF the wreck. out nono were found. Tho
useessness OF further continuing the search being
where Captain Dan was put ashore, aud sixteen OF
the ale crew OF the Continental taken board
and carried 10 San Francisco On her up,
while the snip was steaming along at the rate OF
I'VE knots, with STRONG winds blowing and wnils
making SAIL, the mant0psail halyards parted ana
the yard FELL precpltatlng the Captain OF the Top
Into the sea- In falling ne twice struck rigging.
was standing on the poop deck at The time, taxing
ms morning observation aud saw the man fall.
Believing he mad been stunned by the fall and per-
haps seriously injured, Mr.. Dyer instantly JUMPED
overheard and SWAN to aud supported him
about the mans body ana had him safely hoIsed
Win himself On board, not very seriously hurt
North Pacific Squa1ron who was on board the Ossi-
pee a. Lhe line wliA aonotiess, bring this naiiant
OF the Navy Department. the Osslpee wi, doubt
less, , De compelled 10 60 into dry dock at Mans
hnl was good deal damaged BY the eirects Of Ibe
,err,1E -. hurricane sne passed through 1t is more
slcn before she begins her repairs oo'''''"-
Inc Court Of Inquiry. consisting OF Rear Admiral
Captain Meianchon b. WoOlsey ana Commandes
David b Harmony, which have Tor some time past
ms
into the causes leading grounding Of the Guer1
rlere on Nantucket, ctssed its inyestigatisn and
proceedings and finding oi the Court Were at oncs&
transmitted to The Secretary Of the Navy for ap
proval. It is OF course not known what recommends
dations the Court has made upon the evidence
before II, and they viii not be promulgated unt1
the return OF the Secretary who is for the momenN
absent from washington. Brevet Majsr Gener7
Cnsfies 4: Graham gave evidence II regard TO tl
Her passage from rortsmouiS y H sue nS o.
ana testneh TO the perfect sobriety Of all on board
ana 20 the fidelity and zeal exhibited By UaptaiH
sSir Stevens X maoc ookng out for the
late Admiral Farragut appeared before the Cour1
70 testify In the Same cause but the Court expressed
Stevens ana tho subordinate officers OF the shin.
garded as merely condrma.ory evidence The secre.
tary OF the Navy will, doubtless promugate the Gnd
Ing OF the Court In very lew days. r. =, - ,
fne Irigate Severn, second rate, fifteen 0uns
1000 tons s soon expected at the Brooklyn Nayy
Yard 70 undergo repairs OF machinery. 1t Is under
and the engine Will have to be removed before =
new Dedplate can be fitted In. The snip win, doubt
require several months TO complete.
The steamer Fr0ic, Commander Henry Will
ard n'S eceva &c 1' new Washington NS
undergo thorough overhsuing before ans
sa Hdmra sG 's sa. staten 70 become % sxnp Of
ne new YORK sne wiz scarcely return before the mid,
Brevet Captain william wallace OF the Marina
corps, has been ordered to the command OF thS
marine guard ON the frigate Guerrero wee FirsE
Lieutenant Edward o. Saitmarsh. t. =
Captain Joseph r. Baker, OF the marines. haS
been ordered from Brooklyn 70 the Boston marine
barracks. par Lieutenant zera L. Tanner has reported
for duty on the receiving ship Vermont 81 th9 i
the sunDoaf Nlpaic three guns. Lieutenant Com.
Guard IL yet due at this port. EE y
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