Connecticut western news., 1873-02-21
The Great Disaster.

Female Passengers-Heartrending Scenes. ss The Pau Afasl Gazette says iii rela- ton te the disaster in the English Channel, already mentioned by tele- graph
 It appears that ninety-seven persons in all have been saved from the North fleet. The greater number of these came to London, having been conveyed free of charge by the South Eastern and London, Chatham, and Dover Rail way Companies. A preliminary inquiry was made at the Custom-house, by MT. G. Braggett, the Collector of Customs at Dover, acting as receiver of wreck on behalf of the Board of Trade, at which the pilot, George Brack, Mo-. 58 Burdett- road, Limeheuse, gave the following evidence:
 THE COLLISION.
 The Northfeet proceeded from Gravesend on the 17th inst, at 7 A. M. Witness took charge of her as pilot from that time, and the ship was taken in tow by steamer, the Middlesex, of London. The ship proceeded all ri ght till she reached Dungeness at about y P. M. .n the 17th inst. Here the tug was discharged, and the vessel kept beating to windward all the 18th, when the wind having increased to gale, she proceeded to the Downs for shelter. The roadstead, however, was found so full of ships that.the witness thought it prudent to sail to the North Fore land. She continued on her voyage till the morning of the 22nd inst, when she arrived off Folkestone and passed Farleigh Light. She dropped her anchor off Dungeness in the eve ming. Nothing occurred till night, when witness was sitting in the saloon, and heard the anchor watch cry out, "Pilot, pilot, come out I" He immediately rushed on deck, and was just able to see @ steamer backing out, from amid ships. He saw that the riding light was burning properly. He instructed the captain to give orders to set the with the captain as to what should be done next. The latter, instructed that signals of distress should be burned. All the rockets that were on board the ship were sent up in succession. Dur ing the time there was great confusion among the passengers, and signs of great distress among the women when they saw the ship was sinking. The quarter boats were lowered, and the captain, who retained perfect self-pos- session, ordered that the women and children should at once be got into them. There was great rush of male passengers toward the boats, and, as far as witness could see, 8 boat, full of men, was cut away from the ships davits. Two boats put away full of people. The ship was then rapidly settling down, and witness went into the rigging. He saw number of persons struggling in the water. On recovering himself, he was just able to see the mizzentop cross-tree out of tee water, and swan toward it. He clung to it till he was taken eff.
 THE CAPTAINS ACTION.
 The man Thomas Biddiss, says the Dever corresdondent of the London Duly eIe6egrQfoh, who was shot by the captain of the Northfeet, is at the Dover. Hospital; and MT. Grandson, the house surgeon, extracted the bullet from his leg. The missile is of lead, and weighs fifty grains. Fortunately the bone of the leg was not injured, and the man is progressing favorably. He has made rather important state ment, to the following effect: He re- tired to rest about 103 on the evening of the 22d, and he thinks he had been in bed not more than half an hour when the vessel received 8 very severe shock. On getting up he ascertained that the vessel had been run into by @ steamer; and almost immediately after he received this information, the ships carpenter, having examined the injured part of the vessel, gave an order for all hands to geton deck as quickly as pos sible, for the vessel was sinking. Bid diss went up on deck with the rest, where scene of great confusion pre- sented itself. The unfortunate emi- grants were streaming on to the deck, dressed and almost mad with fright. Rockets were fired off, bells were rung, and the usual signals of dis tress were all quickly given. Biddiss thinks he remembers one gun being fired. The pumps were set to work al most immediately, and nearly every one on board the vessel worked with hearty good will for about fifteen minutes. Every effort to gain on the water ceas- ed, however, when at the expiration o1 that time it was discovered that the water had reached the second deck Biddiss very much wanted to save some thing he had in his chest below, and left the pumps to gs down for that pur pose, when he found that the water hac already reached the top of the steps leading down to the deck where hif cabin was situated. The confusion nov increased on deck. Some men were rushing about to find their wives ant children; some were preparing for thu awful catastrophe which they kney must soon nhappen-unless they received l help from the shore, or from passing vessel-by laying hold of spare spars ladders, pails, &c., indeed anythin. that would float while others wer rushing frantically to the boats. Blu amid all was heard the firm voice o Capt. Knowles, who, having seen hi wife into one of the boats, stood at tn wheel, giving directions for the firin
 of signals and devising the best mean for saving as many lives as possible ou
 of the 40O "The women first" h
 cried. "Il blow the mans brains ou
 that dares to get into boat" But thi | LnreaI came tlmOSI LOO IaIe. DluulS
 saw that the boats on either side wer
 filling fast with men, and seeing n
 reason why he should not make an effol
 for his life as well as the rest, he jump
 ed into the boat, at the stern in whic
 the captains wife was sitting under tn
 care of the boatswain, and crouched u
 at the bow. Capt. Knowles saw tn
 movement, and, anxious that every or
 portunity of escape should be given t
 the frightened women, he ordered hi1
 out. Biddiss knew that the vesse
 would sink almost immediately if he go
 on board again, and that this was tn
 last chance of escape so he resolutel
 refused to obey orders. The boatswai
 who had charge of the captains wife
 endeavored to force him out, but it WE
 of no avail Cant. Knowles motione