New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-09
THE LAST SHIPWRECK.
loss OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON ON
THE NOVA SCOTIA COAST.


THE NOVA SCOTIA COAST.
PURsER MAINS sTATTMENT-SEITHER Sun NOR
STARS sEFN FOR TWELVE DAYs-How TIE SHIP
WENT AsHoRE-THE PASSENGERS AND CREw
sAFELY I1ANDED-NARRow ESCAPE FROM AN
OTHER ATLANTIC DISASTER.
HALIFAX, July s.-The tug boat DAISY of Liver
pool, N. s., arrived here this morning with Henry
Main, the purser of the Inman steamship City OF
Washington, from whom the following particulars
Of the shipwreck are obtained
The City Nashn gtOn sailed from Liverpool on the
7gth of June aud from leaving that port until the NeSe
struck the side Of Port lie Bear on the west
coast neither stars had been seen SO 'ha
% impossible TO OBTAIN observations during the en-
tire passage in order 70 ascertain the position OF the
ship When the steamer struck about p m on Sd'u''
day the fog dense that no object coud DC seen
three yards Everybody on board supposed tnat
she vessel was proceeding her way 70 New-nOrK ana
fhe only tnt,uation 20 the contrary the heavy,
grating the vessel driven over the rough
bottom OF the shoals, where she lies The steamer
was going the rate Of about nine knots Wheb sue
struck There was no excitement board at the time
Every body perfectly calm and Capt Phillips, the
officers and crew immediately set about lowering the
boats and getting the IS cabin and 4sl steer
age passengers on shore. Meantime guns were
fred from the stranded SHIP and In answer
to them alongside in small boat
aud gave the trst ntmston that was obtained as to
Fortunately the calm, and the distance from
the main land only about quarter OF mile, All the
boats speedily launched and Manned and In three
hours from the time OF the disaster every living soul on
board safely landed at Port lie Bear where the in
habants busted themselves in assisting TO provide tenn
pOrary accommodations for the passengers and crew.
All the passengers luggage and effects and all the ship
stores were also saved and landed The snip is lying
ON even keel if riding at anchor. There is about
10 feet of water at high tide the shoal
the engine-rOOm fail of water, which GIBBS and nOws
through It, and is supposed that hole was stove IN
the bottom beneath the eng1neroo. The second deck
is pretty clear Of water but below that the ship full
The fog did lift till yesterday morning, when for the
first time that the vessel narrowly escaped
total and immediate destruction with the probable loss
of every one board The idstanee between the port
bows OF the ship and Little Gull Rock was only about
200 yards How she escaped in the dense fog is marvel
ous and all on board passengers and crew. deeply
thankful.
In the direction the ship was steering along the
dangerous western coast of this Province, her es-
cape from destruction on the reefs and the sunken
rocks was simply provdential. There is no theory
offered TO account for the ships deviation except
that no observations had been taken from the time
Of leaving Liverpool TO the moment OF the disaster
The place where the steamer is stranded is inside
Little Gull Rock, or what is properly known as Gull
Rock Bar. This is distant from LockpOrt, the near
est port 90 miles, and from Halifax about so miles,
in latitude AZ so north longitude 64o GO west The
cabin passengers have been comfortably accOmmo-
dated in houses at Port LIE Bear while for the steer
age passengers and crew, tents and awnings made
from the ships sails have been erected on the shore
where they have been comfortably attended to since
landing
The agents of the company here, j. and X b.
Section have chartered the steamer NJ. A. Starr to
bring the passengers and crew to Halifax. The
Starr sailed for the wreck at daylight this morning,
and will probably return with her living freight to-
MORROW afternoon. The passengers will be for
warded to their destination by the most expeditions
routes possible instructions TO that effect having
been sent from Mr.. Inman to the agents here.
1t is not certainly known whether the ship will
prove a totalloss not. 1t is thought that all the
cargo will be got out, but in a damaged state.
Divers and wreckers with their gear, leave here i'm
mediately for the wreck. feeling Of intense relief
pervaded this community that no lives have been
lost and that second Atlantic calamity has been
ayerted.
LATER.-The passengers are supplied with cooked
provisions from the ship. 1t is expected that she
will be got Oft if the weather continues favorable.
When the ship first struck there were only few
feet Of water the bar, the tide being low, but
the water came IN through the hole which had been
knocked in the ships bottom, and there is now over
10 feet of water in the hold. 1t will be impossible
TO ascertain the extent of the steamers injuries I'M
tai her cargo has been taken ont but it is hoped that
the hole may be plugged up and the vessel tioated
and repaired. She has full general cargo, part of
which is very valuable. Several ships have
been wrecked at different times within
distance of three or four miles either
side of where the City of Washington now lies. The
most notable Of these were the transport Emuous,
from which several lives were lost the steamer
Pactous from this city, bound to St. John, n. B.;
and the Philadelphia ship Hezekah Williams
There are two lighthouses, distant about two miles,
one to the east and the other to the west of lie Bear
Bar; but these are of course no protection in the
daytime or in foggy weather and fOg-hOrns, bells
or steam whistles have not been placed there to
warn approaching vessels Of danger In the present
instance il is said that although the shore was so
near that one might almost have tossed biscuit
ON IT, still the fog was dense that the land could
not be seem Capt. Sheridan, submarine diver of this
city has charge of the recovery of the goods from
the ship
VIEWS OF SEA CAPTAINS.