Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-04-07

once.
The Delas passengers, in number 800, land
ed at the Cuuard wharf late this afternoon.
Thoy were mostly men from 90 to 25 years o
age.
Many were In a pitable condition, without
shoes, feet swollen and bruised, clothes torn
aud drsnched, seine with bits of carpet, netting
and banketr around them, all sick from expos
ure.
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
The following Is the captains statement: We
sailed from Liverpool March 2Oth During the
hrsI part OF the passage we had favorable wealth.
er and easterly winds. On the oath, 25th and
10Th experienced heavy southwest and wester-
iy gales, which brought the ship down to lis
miles day. On the 31st of March the engineers
report showed that about 1877 tons of coal were
on poard. We were then AGO miles east OF
sandy Hook, with tho wind southwest, and
high westerly swell and falling barometer, and
lne snip steamng on eight knots per hour; con-
sdered The risk too great TO push on, as we
might lind ourselves in the event of gale shut
OUT from any port of supply, and so decided to
pear up for Halifax. At p. NJ, on the 3lst
INST, Sanbro Island was distant ITO miles, the
per hour, wind south, with rain, which veered
to westward at s P. NJ, with clear weather.
AT midnight judged the ship to have made
~ miles, which would place her 4S miles south
OF Sambro, and then left the deck and went
INTO the chart room, leaving orders about the
lookout and to let mo know if they saw any
thing and to eall me at 3 A. NJ, intending the
to put the ships head to southwark and await
daylight. My first intimaton of the ca, astrophe
was the striking of the ship OH Mars Island
anu remaining there fast. The sea immediately
swept away all the port boats.
The officers went TO their stations and COM
mehci III clearing away the weather boats. Rock
ets were Tired by the second officer. Before the
boats could be cleared, only ten minutes hav-
Ing elapsed, tho ship keeled heavily to port, ren
uerns tho starboard boats useless. Seeing no
help could be got from the boats, got tho pas
sengers into the rigging and outside rails, and
encouraged them TO go forward where tho ship
was liglltest and less exposed to water.
The third officer, Mr.. Brady, and Quarter
maleis owens and Speakman by this time hav-
ing established communications with the out
lying rock,about 10 yards distant, by means of
a line, got four other lines to the rock along
which about 200 people passed. Between the
rock and the shore was passage one hundred
yards in width. A rope was successfully passed
across This by which means about 90 got to
land, though many were drowned in the at
tempt.
AT A. NJ. the first boat appeared from the
island, but she was too small to be of any as
sisianee. Through the exertions of Mr.. Brady
the Is lahdcrs were aroused, and by A. NJ
Three larger boats came to our assistance. BY
their efforts all that remained on the side Oft
ship and on the rock were landed In safety, and
cared Tor by poor fishermen NAMED Clancy
and his daughter During the day survivors to
the number of 429 were drafted on to various
houses scattered about, the resident magistrate,
Edmund Ryan, rendering valuable assistance
The Chief officer having got up the mizzen rig
ging, the sea cut off his retreat. He stood for
six hours by woman who had been placed in
IN x.yaot tnr1I I,;nl,
Lis rescue.
At Z. NJ, clergyman, Rev. Mr.. Ancient,
succeeded in getting him line and getting
him ON. Many OF the passengers-saloon and
steerage--dled in the rigging from cold. Among
the number was the pnrser of the ship. plac-
ed two ladies ia life-boat, but fnding the
boat useless, carried them to the main rigging
and left them. and went aft to encourage others
TO go forward OIL the side of the ship. At this
juncturo the boilers exploded, and the boat
rolled over TO leeward, the ship at this time be-
ing on her beam ends. Finding myself useless
there, went 10 take the ladies' forward, but
found them gone nor did see them afterwards.
Many passengers at this time could not be slim.
ulated to any attempt to save themselves, but
lay in the rigging, aud died from fright and ex-
posufe.
remained on the side encouraging, helping
and directing until about fifteen were landed,
when, finding that my hands and legs were be.
Sobiiii5 uSeless, lell llle sup, Two Oluer DOltS
being close TO, and embarked the remainder
On reaching shore | despatched Mr.. Brady,
third officer oil to Halifax, across the country,
to telegraph the news Of the disaster and 10 OBJ
tain assistance.
Mr.. Morrow, the Cunard line agent, promptly
responded, and sent two steamers with provis-
ions to convey the survivors TO Halifax, where
they will be cared for and forwarded TO New
York tic first opportunity, IN charge of first and
fourth officers, the third officer and four men
being left at The island u care for the dead as
they came ashore. Captain Hendon, diver, has
received Provisional authority as to tho salvage
o the cargo and materials. Tho second officer
was lost with No. so lite boat.
STATEMENT OF CHIEF OFFICER FIFTH.
JW. Firth, Chief Officer of the Atlantic, in
reply 10 4 reporters inquiry, made statement
in substance as follows: -
My watch ended ut II o'clock on Monday
night; thu second anl fourth officers took charge
and went to my berth; was aroused by the
shock OF the vessel striking; the second officer
came down to my room and said the ship was
ashore and he was afraid she was gone put
OH a few articles of clothing, got an axe and
went on deck to clear the boats the shin had
carcencd over before l reached tic deck 4; [
clealed th5 siarbOard boats; Just then heavy
sea swept the boats away; | was holding fast
TO the mzzenmasL rigging and now climbed
higher for safety the night was so lark and
the spray blew 50 thirily that we could not sec
well whA was going on around us.
saw men on the rocks, but did not know
how they got there. All who wero alive on
board wer in the rigging when daylight came.
counted 81 persons in the mialen mast rigging
with me, ,inpn ling one woman. When these saw
that there weic lines between the ship and shore,
many of them attempted to 90 forward to the
lines and in doing were washed overheard
aud crowned. Many reached shore by the aid
of the lines and iishennenIs boats rescued many
moro.
At last all has either been washed off or res
cucd except myself, the woman and boy. The
sea had become 50 rough that boats could not
venture near us. Soon the boy was washed of,
but ho swan calamity and rerched one of the
bouts in. safety. got IA firm hold Of the woman
and secured her in tho rigging. l could see the
people on shore and in boats AMI could hail
then, but they were unable to help us.
AT two O'Clock in the afternoon, after we
had been in the rigging ten hours, Rev. Mr..
Ancient, Church OF England clergyman, whose
noble conduct can never forget VIII lie | live,
got a crew of four men tG row him out 10 the
wreck. lie got into the main rigging and pro-
cured Il line, then advanced as far as liu could
towards me and threw it TO ne. | caught il,
made it fast aronnd my body, and then jumped
clear. sea swept me oil the wreck, but Mr.
Ancient held fast TO the line, pulled me back
aud got me safely into the boat. was then
so exhausted and benuinbed that l was hardly
able to do anything for myself, AMI but for the
clergyman's gallant conduct l must have por
ished soon.
The woman after bearing up with ramarka-
bic strength, under her great trials, had died
two hours before Mr.. Ancient had arrived
Her half nude body was still fresh in the rig
giug, her eyes protluding and her mouth foam
Ing, a terribly ghastly spectacle, rendered more
CHASTITY by contrast with tho numerous jewels
which sparkled OH her hands. We had to leave
her body there, and it is probably there yet.-