The Hawaiian gazette., 1872-10-16
The Wreck Of the BienViIIe-CaPI
Maury's Report OfIhe Disaster.

HAVANA, August 30th.-Following are extracts
from Captain Maury's report Of the loss of the
steamer Benville, while on the way from New
York to Aspinwall
Lett New York August 10th for Aspinwall.
When in latitude % deg. y min, longitude "a
deg. Is min, at 3:45 on the morning Of the 18th,
fire was discovered among the cargo. Steam and
water were at once turned on, but the steam
pumps after few revolutions broke down. The
Captain then ordered the matches battened down,
hoping TO smother the flames; at the same time
fre-extInguishers were used between decks and
steam kept on the fire. 1t gained, however, rap;
idly, and at o'clock the Captain fearing an ex-
plosion from powder, which was slowed in the
hold, ordered six boats launched, and the Tassen-
gers and crew began to embark. At 7:30 Capt
Maury was forced to leave the ship, he being the
last one on board. One of the boats was cap
sized after leaving the ship, and from seven to
ten of the inmates, including two women, were
drowned After sunrise fresh breeze sprung
up, the capslzed boat was righted and bailed out
and it reached Cat Island in safety The other
boats except one, reached Eleuthera Island, dis
tance of $50 miles from the scene of the disas-
ter The missing boat has not yet been heard
from, but it is supposed that it has been picked
Up by some passing vessel. A boat was seen
adult near Eleuthera Island, with life-preservers
in it. One of the boats in trying TO land at Ele-
uthera Island, capsized, aud niue persons were
H., .lu
children. At l:20 p. NJ. the powder on the
Bienyille exploded, and the vessel Immediately
sunk When the fire was first discovered, it was
supposed to be in the fore hold, where large
amount of powder was stored, but it proved to
be between decks, and among the cargo. The
passengers and crew lost all their baggage, and
saved nothing except the clothes they had on.
Captain Maury reports that the people of Mas
sau treated the shipwrecked passengers kindly,
and ministered to their wants Vice Consul
Saunders cared for the seamen. Anna Brain,
one Of the rescued, became insane and was left
at Eleuthera, because she could not be found
when the party left for Nassau. The steamer
Annie and schooner Dandy were dispatched by
the American consul TO search Tor the missing
boat. Out of l27 persons on board the Benville,
thirty-four are unaceounted for, including nine
lost at Eleuthera, besides six persons. recovered
and buried at James Point The schooner vii.
liam McGee took thirty-four survivors on the oath
to Baltimore. Subscriptions were started at
Nassau in aid of the sufferers.
NUMBER OF VIcrms.-New York, Sept I'd
A complete list of the passengers on the Bien-
vile, shows there were sixty-two, which, with the
crew, would make about ninety two persons on
board OF this number there are thirty-six who
took one of the boats, which is still to be heard
from. Seven were drowned when one of the
boats capsized on leaving the vessel. It's hoped
that the thirty-six in the boat have been saved,
as there has been but little wind and slight sea,
and the boat is adrift in one of the great bigh-
ways of commerce, where it is likely it will be
picked up.
1t has been ascertained that there were num-
Der of cartridges among the cargo of the Bienylle
which doubtless caused the explosion.