Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-04-04


fell over, and their cries for help, as they
struggled in vain for life were most heart
rending. Many, however, had taken refuge
in tho rigging and on the boom, and were
still living, but with the prospect OF al
most certain death before them, for they
knew not where they were, and were in
momentary expectation of the ship sink
ing further and engulfiug them all. Even
as they were striving TO maintain them
selves in the rigging with the sea washing
them continually, their situation was most
trying, and every few minutes some of
them would be numbed by the cold and,
exhausted, loose their hold and perish.
STATEMENT OF THE CAPTAIN.
The following is the statement Of tho
contain: We sailed from Liverpool, March
%. During the first part of the passage had
{. -.r 10 weather and easterly winds. On
Il path, 25th and 2 tn experienced heavy
sauthwest and westerly gales, which
brought the ship down to 11S miles day.
On the 31st Of March the engineers report
showed but about 127 tons of coal on board.
We wero then 400 miles east of Sandy
a high westerly swell and falling barome-
ter, the ship steaming only eight knots per
hour. Considered the risk too great to
push OF, as we might find ourselves, in the
event of a gale, shut out from any port OF
supply, and so decided to bear up to Hall
fax. At p. M, on The 31st, Sambro island
was distant 10 miles, the ships speed vary
ing from 8 to IL knots per hour; wind
south, with rain, which veered to west
ward at s p. M, with clear weather.
At midnight, judged the ship TO have
made 122 miles, which would place her %
miles south of Sombro, and then left the
deck and went into the chart-room, leaving
orders about the lookout and TO let me
know If they saw anything and call me at
| 3 a. M, intending then to put the ships
head to the southwark and await daylight.
My first intimaton of the catastrophe was
the striking of the ship on Marr's island
and remaining there fast. The sea imme-
diately swept away all the port boats; the
officers went to their stations and COM
menced 10 clear away the weather boats.
Rockets were fired by the second officer.
Before the boats could be cleared, only 10
minutes having elapsed, the ship keeled
heavily to port, rendering the starboard
boats useless.
Seeing that no help could be got from the
boats, got the passengers into the rigging
and outside the rails, and encouraged them
to go forward, where the ship was highest
and less exposed to the water. The third
officer, Mr.. Brady, Quartermaster Owen
and Speakman, by this time having es
tablished communication with the outlying
rocks by means of a line, got four othel
lines to thS/ rocks, along which about 20'
people passed. Between tie rocks and thu
shore was passage about 100 yards wide
A rope was successfully passed across this
by which means about so got to the land
though many were drowned in the attempt
AT a. M, the first boat appeared from
the land, but she was too small to be of an.
assistance. Through the exertions of MI
Brady, the third officer, the islanders wer'
aroused, and by a. m. three larger boat
came TO our assistance. By their efforts al
that remained on the side of the ship an,
on the rock were landed in safety, an
cared for by apoor fisherman named Clan
cy and his daughter. During the da.
the survivors, 10 the number of AIS
were drafted off to the various houses seal
tered about, the resident magistrate, Ed
mund Ryan, rendering valuable assistance
The chief officer having got up the mizze
rigging, the sea cut off his retreat. II
stood for six hours by woman who ha
been placed in the rigging. The sea ws
too high 10 attempt his rescue. AT
m. Rev. Mr.. Ancient succeeded in gettin
, him line and getting him off. Many
r the passengers in the saloon and steerae
died in the rigging from cold, among II
1 number the purser of the ship.
q Before the boats went out l placed Nv
s ladies in the life-boat, but, finding the boz
h useless, earn led them TO the main riggin
where left them, aud went aft TO encou
n age others to go forward on the side of Il
u ship. At this juncture the boilers explo'
d ed, and the boat rolled over to leeward, Il
. i . at this time being on her beam end
:. Finding myself useless there, 1 went
, 90 tue ladies forward, but found the
"rue, and have seen nothing of them sine
Many passengers at this time, could not
n stimulated TO any effort to save themselvt
l. but lay in the rigging and died from frig
ID and exposure. Remained on the side, e
Or couraging, helping and directing, until
y, bout Is were landed. when, finding Il
n hands and legs were becoming useless
le left the ship, two other boats being close
nj which embarked the remainder.
H. On reaching the shore 1 dispatched n
10 Brady Off to Halifax, across the country,
We telegraph the news of the disaster and
n obtain assistance. Mr.. Morrow, the {
X rard line agent, promptly responded a
y, sent two steamers with provision TO &C
er vey the survivors TO Halifax, where th
he will be well cared for, and forwarded
New York.
lr. The latest reports of the loss of life
er' that of all on board i13 were saved, and
IN bout 500 were lost. Among the latter W
se' $50 women and children.
ne The lost steamer Atlantic was bull
ne Belfast, Ireland in 1871. She was APO
ew In length, 40 beam, and % depth of he
,c- and registered 1928 tons she was constru
gu ed of iron had four masts mad six wat
oal tight bulkheads. She was fitted with el
'ut en- boilers and four cylinders, on the CO
hu pound principle, under which the aver
III daily consumption of coal is only 40 tor
The