The New York herald., 1871-11-14
THE WaECKED WNiLEM.
Full Details Of the Great Disaster In
the Arctic Ocean.
~--~~-~~>s~>~~--Ss~>~~
Intense Suffering of the
ships Crews.
Thirty-three Ships Crushed
by Icebrrgs.
Less $2,6O0,OOO and $4,000
Barrels of Oil.
List Of Men, Women and Chill
dren Saved.
~~~~~~~~~>-~~~~e~~~~~~
PROBABLE LOSS OF LIFE
from the san Francisco Alta. Nov. q,

Wnaiiay vessels was wrecked IN the Polar Sea
and abandoned by the masters, officers and crews
She had on board twenty OF the lost vessels
the Others havlhg remained in Honolulu. We give
very full particulars OF the disaster taken from the
Ha,caiia' Gazette OF the 9th instant given to that
paper by some OF the masters OF vessels. The fol-
lowing additional particulars have been obtained
from Captains Kelly and Owen:-
SCENE OF THE WRECK.
The scene of the wreck, as taken from the chart
used by the feet, Is situated as follows The most
northcrly whaler, the Roman, stood 70 degrees so
minutes north and $50 degrees 80 minutes west the
most southerly stood 10 degrees So minutes north
and 100 degrees west. The fleet Stood In in north
easterly line, slightly curved and anchored be-
tween Point Belcher north and Point Marsh south
They were liz some cases nve abreast but usually
not more than three. They stood at anchor In
strait, having TO the west the open Polar Sea and
81 the east the shore. Between the feet aud the
shore was narrow shoa running the length OF the
strait, aud between this shoa and the shore was
stream OF navigablc water,
the nee consisting Of forty ships, arrived six miles
south OF Icy Cape on The eth OF August This cape
degrees west longitude. The wind was blowing
from the northeast. bringing down large quantities
rated and the current was northeast The ships Got
underway aud worked to blossom Shoals situated
20 degrees 20 nlDuteS north and l6i degrees weSr,
where they found pa sage IRON half to three
lourths Of mile IN width. from the shore TO the
they advanced 1t became wider and the fleet kept
ascending.
THE FIRST DIFFICULTY
was encountered on the 1lth OF August, when the
wind shifted TO the west, setting the ic. on shore
anu criv.ns win great iorce against ,!:e Ships so
chors OF some ships, compelling them u SHIFT their
cables and tc push Tor shore The incidents oi note
from tins date until the ist OF september, when the
Roman was crushed, are given in the report from
the Hdoaiian Gdzrit, and until the nect was aban-
doned. The height OF tire icebergs by which the
1cet was surrounded on the west side and by Which
the ships pressed 10 shore the other given
as ranging from thirty to fifty feet New ice
formed round the ships. making IL difficult to reach
shore. When the vessels were abandoned these
cebergs were within seventy yards OF them, and
threatened the entire neet with destruction
at any moment The most northern Ship
W yards from ' The beach, The wrecSed ships had on
board about go persons, Including Tour families,
which stood between Icy Bay aud Blossom snoal,
about seventy miles south. Their sunerngs were
very great but they were borne with all the enou-
rance ana perseverance Tor which our fishermen are
noted. When those ships were reached strong
northwest gale sprung up WHICH drove me s,s shirs
Honolulu. Inc bark Chance, OF sydney. mad not
arrived waen the Moses layor left she had , On
other vessels. She was in sight Tor two days, but
before reaching Behring Strait she disappeared
She was slow sailer, but the. are OF opinion that
she should have arrived IN Honolulu before they
lett, II all went well with her.
THE NATIvEs-THEY PREDICT THE DISASTER.
Nearly abreast OF the nect, and not iar distant
ground recesses occupied by natives, Esqutmaux,
ana there are several little villages along The line
occupied by The ileet In the interior the natives
are quite numerous The masters OF the vessels re-
port that They Will experience great distress tns
Geet 70 oban T trinsets ana other articles rney
had but little stowcd away Tor the winter supply.
They gave The men very useful assistance In remov,
ing their provisions and supplies from tue wrecked
dect. Captain Kelly says the chiefs wife made for
him sleeping bag Of fox SKINS also moccasons and
assistance In their power, but they had not quite
disappeared from the scene OF the wreck until the
obligfng natives had bOarded the ships anu com
menCed plundcring them. They were seen passing
bone over the sides OF the vessels into tleir canoes,
and carrying Off everything portable.
Wnen the neet first arrived In the strait the ma
uves told the masters that they would iare oadlyi
that the wind, which was sure TO come, would drive
uce taken OF this friendly warning, OF course,
but the production OF the natives was carried out
the letter The masters who arrived here yesterday
are Of opinion that the entire nect mas become totai
wreck.
LIST OF EssELs-THxIR VALUE AND INSURANCE
The Concordia, George Howland and Thomas DICK.
enson were owned oy George and Mathew iowland,
rior ship and when sne sailed was valued at
$S0,o0o. The others were worth $4,000 each. No
vessels in the fleet.
The Gay Head. Navy ana Oliver Croker were
were valued at $4,000 each. They were insured for
$4,000 each when they sailed, and 1t Is considered
that the amount increased on reports from Inc
masters OF the amount OF the catch.
The ships Massachusetts, Eugene, Fannie and
Elizabeth swift were owned py swiit AIien, ea, M o.
$4,000 each and were insured, but the amount OF
The insurance Is not known.
The Contest was owned Dy swift Perry, OF New
sured.
The J. u. Thompson was owned by Williams b
Barnes Of New London; value $50 900 and insured.
but the amount Is not given.
The Champion WAS owned by Grafton Collins Of
Edgartown; value $40, 600 and insured.
Tne Emily Morgan, John Wells an6 Awasnonks
were owned by W. J. 4 Z. Wing, Of New bedford.
wp oa n.
5ured. >...- r.. - So :,
The Henry Taber was owned by Gordon 4 Co., Of
surcd.
The Florida was owned by Sherwood 4 Co., OF san
Francisco. The value and insurance we were una
Tie REINDEER was owned by Edward W. Rowland,
OF New ie,liord. She was valued for s550OU and
was insured for large amount.
The Monticello was owned by Williams Havens 4
Co., ol new London. she was valued at $i5 600 and
The Carotta was owned 10y Hutchinson Konl 4
The Paea was owncu by G. A. Williams, OF Homo.
lulu and is supposed TO have been insured.
The Julia was owned by Jones, Brewer ana
otners, OF honolulu, and insured. She Is said
TO- have been valued at $4,000.
p. The ships kohola aud Comet were owned BY
briggs Ol Honolulu. They were valued at $40, 600
eacn. The kohoa was Insured, but tho Comet was
The Minerva was splendid ship; owned py
Thomas Knowles Co., OF New Bedford. She was
The VIM Rotch was owned BY Bernard Cogan of
New HedIord, and was insured for $4,000, little
moro tean hall her value.
The Mary was owned by william II. Monroe O.
EdRartown. She was insured when she started on
the voyage, but the policy since expired ana /
In doubtful that It was renewed.
The Roman was owned by william Watkins, OF
rev Bedford, and insured; amount and precise
Vsiuo Of The ship not known.
Brig Eict0na, owned BY Red1cld, Wright a
Brown. OF San Francsc0 insured for $40, 900.
PROBABLE LOSS OF LIFE.
Tne bark Oriolc, Hays master, owned by f. G.
Jones, OF New Bedford, was stove IN by Ice In th'
month Of June, and was abandoned a. Plover Bay
where she went 10 repair. Oh the I'D OF Angus
Captain Hays left Ployer Bay IN schooner Of foriJ
tons 70 intercept the trader Ali Jackson from thi
pori 10 Norton Sound since which time he has no
been heard from. Captain Barker, OF the wrecked
bark japan. was with him: he has not been heard
from either, and nothing has been heard OF the
schooner As the Ali Jackson arrived IN san Fran.
cisco some time ago. IL supposed that the schooner
was lost or that she ran ashore ~ some unfre-
quentcd point. Those acquainted win the anore
uAerc lt u probable the schooner struck think the