The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-30
RIO JASxreo. April 4. 1873.

Rio JANETno, April 4. 1873.
rho steamship Gassendi, Captain MITCHELL will
sail tomorrow morning, with cargo OF coffee,
direct TO New York, and take advantage OF the
opportunity to send you much OF an account OF
the total loss of the French steamer Gamble as has
reached me. 1t may be stated as folows:-
The Gamble is one OF the semimonthly Line OF
steamers OF the Compagne Messagerles Maritimes.
This company has three fine large steamers--the
Sindh, the Amazone ana the Gironde, making
monthly trips between the River Plate and Bor-
deaux, and stopping at this place each way The
directors have also three others steamers, inter-
mediate, OF less burden and more ordinary passen-
ger accommodation oil which the Gamble was one
She was vessel OF about two thousand tons
burden. ana originally side-wheel steamer but
had been altered into screw propeller.
THE FATAL VOYAGE.
she left this port bound for Bordeaux on the
Gath uit with quite full passenger list and "a
cargo, consisting OF coffee, hides and tallow. She
was due at Bahia on the goth, and at midnight OF
that day, or, more properly. at two O'Clock on the
morning OF the 9th, she suddenly went on the
reef known as the jana Rocks, or the small town
Of Abrantes seven miles to the north Of the village
ofItapoan and about eighteen miles beyond and to
the north OF Bahia. As she was bound to Bahia,
which port she had not YET entered, the only way
TO account Tor her being where she was lost, as well
for the loss OF course is the hypothesis that
the wind had been prevailing for many days strong
and steadily from the south and southwest, and
may have 0ccasioned slight increase OF the coast
current, Of which sufficient notice was not taken,
and as the night was thick and stormy 1t was i'm
possible to see any distance ahead.
SUDDEN ALARM, BUT SAVED.
As the passengers were all asleep In their rooms,
occasoned naturally the greatest confusion and
alarm. The prompt decision and cool conduct OF
the officers, however, served in a great measure to
allay the excitement; the vessels launches were
lowered and manned. and by six O'Clock in the
morning the passengers had all been safely landed
at the town OF Abrantes. One Of the passengers,
Antonio Carlos do Carno, started of on foot, and
at the River Johannes obtained mule upon which
he rode to Bahia, arriving at the latter place at
two O'Clock on the afternoon of the same day, and
Immediately informing the agent Of the line OF the
disaster to the Gamble. In order to render such
relief as might yet be required as well as to
tain the possibility OF saving any portion OF the
cargo, the agent OF the line obtained q small
steamer, the Rio Vermelho, of Bahia, and
taking on board the inspector OF the
customs. and as many customs officials as proper
attention to the cargo weuld require, started Tor
the scene OF the shipwreck. Arriving after dark,
they communicated by signals with some OF the
In early morning went alongside the shipwrecked
steamer, and found her fast upon the rocks above
which the water readily passed.
Finding passengers and crew all safe, and no
remaining on BOARD but The only things Il way
possible to save were some clothing and part OF
the cloth and linen furnishings Of the saloon and
staterOoms and these were handed over to the
pslayda-sa0T, the customs officer who has
charge Of all material anoat. on the 2sth the
steamer Jacare proceeded to the scene Of
forty Of the bahia police, under the command Of
Of the Post ONCE Department Of Bahia, also took
passage on board the Jacare, with authority to
he Gamble and which had BEEN landed but as #
was too rough to take them the day before on the
Rio vermelho, they were left until the arrival OF
the Jacare This afternoon the steamer Lusitania
came into port and reports the Gamble still hard
and fast on the rocks not yet gone to pieces, and
under guard Of the police and Customs officers.
SUDDEN AND FEARFUL DISASTER.
For more than two weeks IL has rained almost
and fears have BEEN entertained that some Of the
many hillsides around Rio Janeri0 would shed their
ssuperncu%bsnt weight to the greater Or less
the wet season OF Rio. These apprehenslons were
landslide, which threw down massive stone
wall upon one Of the buildings in the Navy Yard
ana tasy o the 70 anS
wounding nearly fifty Others. number Of whom
cannot possibly recover.
The old convent OF San Bento stands on bold
spur OF Land, the summit Of which Ii over fifty feet
above tide water, and which projects out into the
narrow water passage between the main land and
the island Of CObras. Around the base OF this hill
and extending around two sides Of 1t, is the Navy
Yard occupying narrow strip OF land, and
crowded between the water and the hill. as though
1t would have been sacrilege to tear down the con.
vent, and level the hill, and devote the space TO
some material benefit. Under the brow OF this
hill, and around 1t, are arranged the two story
stone yellow washed building, the work shops and
. store, rooms OF the Navy Yard. by che side of
the convent, and some little distance from It, was
massive stone wall the earth beneath this wall
became saturated by the long continued rain, and
unable TO support the wall, it gave way, ana tum
bled the WALL or large section OF It, on to one OF
the buildings below, crushing 1t literally TO the
earth. never saw stone and iron and timber more
completely rent and shattered and broken. over
ONE HUNDRED PERSONS
we're In the building at the time, but section Of
about twenty feet at one end, which was saved
afforded shelter to those who were in that immcdi
ate vicinity and to few who discovered the CON-
ing danger in time TO permit them to step aside
and let the wall crush by them. Hundreds OF hands
were Immediately set to work to remove the heap
OF stone and mortar and earth which covered the
crushed building. The rain coming down In tor
rents at the time rendered the work most dificut
and without doubt, added to the number OF deaths
~ 1t was q long time before those who were more
deeply buried could be recovered. Not until
twenty-four hours had passed. and when the whole
mass nad been removed, were they able to ascer-
tain II all the dead and wounded had been recoy.
cred. SO far understand twenty deaths were oc.
<cnsi0ued, and nearly II not quite fifty were more
nor less wounded.