The New York herald., 1871-02-12

During the latter part or last month another OF
those rightful disasters which backen the pages OF
the history OF steam navigation between this port
and the commercial marts of Britain came very near
being adaed TO the list Of cases in which the Presi-
dent the Pacific ana the City OF Boston form so con-
| spicuous anu 80 terrible part.
In this case sunocatlon was the death which
threatened the povdgeui's, and which would accord
ing TO the statement OF several but for the timely
action OF the captain in getting his ship before the
| wind ana returning to port nave claimed them all
as victims, leaving the vessel to drift abou. ike
| huge charne house upon the bosom or the ocean
| with
| THREE HUNDRED BLoATED, PuTRID CoRPsEs UPON
HER DECKS.
Tuesday, the 10Th day or last month, the steam
| ship England, Of the National line cleared from
| Queenstown for this port with general cargo,
among which was a large number OF barrels of
bleaching powder and about 300 seerage anu cabin
| passengers. at the time OF sailing there was
heavy wind blowing and considerable sea on;
but as the barometer did not indicate anything
like very severe weather. ana the ship being
stanch weatherly craft, the captain did not hesl-
tate the least about leaving port, evidently thinking
that In the course OF few hours the weather well
| as the sea would moderate, when everything would
90 OF as merry as marriage bell. AS as the
ship got we out to sea pretty much all OF the pas
| sengcrs retired to their rooms berths
and began TO make themselves as com
| Portable as the circumstances would ad-
NIT OF, supposng, as did the commander
OF the vessel that after they should he short time
| out locomotien on deck and in the saloons would
not be attended with SO much difficulty nor would
their stomacls continue to make such frantic efforts
to compel them to disgorge any and every thing
they had eaten for the last six eight hours. But
all these bright and happy anticIpations were
doomed to be most rudely disappointed, for instead
or the weather becoming moderate 1t increased In
violence every hour, and before they had been twen-
ty-four hours at sea there was
PERFgor HURRICANE BLOWING.
with the running almost mountain hign. Nor
did the wind blow any length OF time from any one
direction, but shifted to all points OF the compass
and seemed determined to destroy everything within
It's reach. The gallant old ship however, was too
much for IL, ana in vain did the furious blast and
Tie sn more furious Uilows pound against her
stubborn sides. Meanwhile the passengers renamed
snu2ly ensconced their berths and well
they might lor none but the most expert
seamen could hope to move about with any degree
OF safety Whatever. But now, after having been
nve days out IN tins storm, during which the snip
had sustained no other damage tnan the abundance
10 her hold oi small qua.tty OF water, new dan
ger--and one which spread terror and CONSERVATION
among The crew a. weil as the passengers-burst
upon them. The engineers, the nremen, and In fact
with violent TT OF coughing, which was followed
10y extreme
DIFFICULTY OF RESPIRATION.
The whole air ABOUT them seemed to be impreg-
mated with most offensive fumes, such had never
before greeted their oliactories and which continued
rapidly 10 grow In density unfll they all began 10
glance about In a suspicious manner Tor the stair
way or any other means Of exit 10 the main spar
deck above, SO as tc be sure OF getting out to the
fresh air should matters become still more serious.
They had not long TO wait, however, tog soon the
wihs, which was as fierce as ever, shifted "dead
l which N hp
saen wHssyorkig, when, with u rush all hands
made break ior'tne deck; ana il those who first
gained II soked palid and exhausted those who were
less fortunate ana did not, owing to the crowd get
| up until some seconds later looked ghastly indeed
their eyes almost protruding from their sockets,
their mouths wide open and with death imprinted
news soon spread among The passengers who by
this time BEGAN 10 smell the fumes In the man
saloon and the staterooms, and in less time tnan it
takes TO write
CONFUSION WORSE COMPOUNDED
rcigned supreme 'Io the deck ~ .'ro the deck ~
was now The cry, and men, women and children
were soon huidled together on the forward part OF
the spar deck, many of them almost naralyzed with
fear, which seemed TO AFFECT them worse II any
thing than the sniocating fumes which came rush
ing NJ, The hatchways The captain with COM
mendable coolness, went among the terror
stricken passengers and did everything in his power
to quiet them. and was very rewarded; for tie
wind now being head on blew the fumes aft, so
that those who were near the bow did not
suer any great extent, and their fears were pro-
portonately dispeled and they gave over their
work to remove, II possible, the cause Of ali this
great alarm. The matches were opened, when, upon
making thorough examnaton-whlch was, how
ever, attended with no little danger the fumes
rushed out TO such an extent that It was only with
the utmost difficulty the men could work at ali-it
1t was found that the barrels OF bleaching powder
had shifted about and owing to the Violent melton
coming mixed with the water which was Constantly
being shipped, although in small quantities. caused
THE srIFLING FUMES.
In vain did the gallant sailors try to remove these
barrels ana throw them overheard. To 60 down to
them was certain DEATH and so the only alternative
left was TO try to remove them by means of graphing
irons but this too proved failure for although the
men were very frequently relieved, they found
1t impossible to stand over the hatchway long
/ no,hing Of drawing it TO the deck. And now
another trouble presented itself. The fires were
to 60 below and feed them. What was TO be done2
| II they could not succeed in getting the men down
| they must depend upon sail alone TO get them to
| port. Many Of the seamen were SO much exhausted
from inhaling the foul air that tneY could not even
| any OF the passengers who would lend hand five
shilllngs day. This was accepted by some ten or
| twelve.
| 1t was now determined TO get the fremen below II
such thing were possible. and accordingly the
grating over the fire room was removed and a man
< ROPE UNDER HIS ARMS
| held by two men on deck. He remained q few
minutes when he was overpowered by the fumes
and had to be hauled up again. This operation
repeated time and again, but always with the same
result, and the captain very soon saw that If he
wanted to save the Ives Of himself and those on
board with him he must get The vessel before the
wind and return TO Queenstown. Just before he
made up. his mind 70 do this however,
the wind seemed to increase, II possible,
vessel began shipping vast quantities Of water and
very there rom two to three feet Of water
in the hold and between decks 80 that the passen-
gers baggage all anoat. Everything Of brass,
iron, or copper about the ship was fast turning
sort Of white or pearl color, and the men who mad
to handle shovels, bars, or anything that this sedl-
ment, as It were, mad accumulated upon. soon had
their hands SO badly eaten that they cracked open
and rendered them poweress 10 longer work.
Matters were now becoming so very serious that
no time was to be lost and without ther delay the
captain began getting
HIS SHIP BEFORE THE WIND,
which was ere long accomplished. The passengers
were enabled to return TO the saloon again, as the
wind was now aft, and Of course blew the fumes
ahead OF the ship BY dint OF gsod management,