Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-10-25
WRECK or THE CAMBRIA.

Last Wednesday evening word reached
Londonderry, Ireland, that the steamship
Cambria, Captain Carnaghan, of the Anchor
line which left New York Oct. Sth, for Glas-
Cow, had been wrecked off the coast of Done
gal The information was brought to that city
by the only survivor, John Mcfarland, a
steerage passenger. The intelligence was at
first disbelieved, Notwithstanding the vessel
was overdue, but is now confirmed by null
titude of kilograms to the agents, press and
friends of the passengers. The telegraph
lines throughout Ireland have been sadly dis
arranged by the recent storm. The following
despatch summarizing McGarland's narrative
has Just been received from Londonderry -
The voyage from New York was generally
fortunate, notwithstanding unpleasant wealth
er prevailed most of the time until Wednes-
day, the 10th, between 10 and i o'clock The
Cambria was then under sail and steaming
rapidly. Suddenly, when all was apparently
going well, she struck on Mstraline Island, a
small rocky island, ten miles west of Done
gal and thirty west of Londonderry. The
vessel instantly began to fill through large
holes stove in the bottom, and the fires were
soon extingushed. 1t became evident that
the steamer was hopelessly lost and efforts
were therefore directed to save the lives OF the
passengers who were massed upon the deck.
UUdtS were CTONutu Will passengers anu
launched and put off from the sinking steam
er. Mcfarland entered one of these and he
saw no more of the ship or other boats. The
weather was very heavy and he thinks there
is no doubt that all the boats were swamped
and that he is the only survivor. Almost in
stantly upon getting into the boat 1t capsiZed
and he lost all consciousness. On revivlng
he found himself in the sea grasping the gun
wales of the boat which had righted. He sue
ceeded in getting in the boat the second time
and found therein the dead body of a woman
dressed in black silk. Mcfarland was tossed
about many hours when he was picked up by
the Surprise, Capt. Gillespie, who crused
about the scene of the disaster for a long
time in hope Of saving life and property. Me
Garland says that almost at the very time of
the disaster the passengers and crew were
congratulating themselves that the tempestu
GUS voyage was nearly finished, and rejoicing
in the fact that in one short hour they would
land at Neville. There were certainly one
hundred and eighty souls on board, and per-
haps more.
| despatch at midnight says vessels just re-
| turning from the scene of the disaster in the
North Channel report that they discovered
only lot Of broken spars and a few barrels OF
-four which had formed part of her cargo.
Nothing yet has been heard of the three small
boats which put out from the steamer when
she struck. The hope for their safety has not
yet been entirely abandoned but Mcfarland
reports that the wind was little short of hur-
ricane which prevailed at the time and which
it would be miraculous for such a small craft
to weather.
A careful examination of the coast and
waters for miles around the scene of disaster
by river steamers fails TO discover any trace
of the missing boats from the Cambria. The
rocks on which the steamer struck are two
miles from the island. There is a Lighthouse
on the latter but there is no warning placed or
the fatal rock to indicate its hidden danger
The British Admiralty have been repeatedly