The New York herald., 1873-07-09
No Sun or Stars Seen for Eleven
Days and Nights.
AN 0LD-FASMONED BAY OF FUNDY FOG
"A Providentia1 Escape from a
Holocaust.

whom the following particulars Of the shipwreck
are gleaned-
The City Of Washington sailed from Liverpool on
the vessel struck on the west side OF Port Lebear
on the western coast,
NEITHER SUN NOR STARS HAD BEEN SEEN,
30 that 1t was impossible to obtain observations
during the entire passage in order to ascertain the
position Of the ship. When the steamer struck,
about two p NJ, on Saturday, the fog was SO thick
and SO dense that no object could be seen three
yards ahead. Everybody on board supposed that
the vessel was proceeding on her way to New York,
and the only intimstion to the contrary was the
heavy grating sound as the vessel was driven over
the rough bottom Of the shoals, where she lies.
The steamer was going at the rate of about nine
Knots when she struck. There was no excite
ment on board at the time. Everybody was per-
1ecty calm, and Captain Phillips, the onicers and
crew Immediately set about lowering the boats
and getting the passengers on shore, Of whom
there were 2s cabin and 4s1 steerage.
Meantime guns were fred from the stranded
ship. and In answer to them men came alongside
In small boat from whom the first intimation
was obtained as to the locality where the vessel
had been driven to- Fortunately
THE SEA WAS CALM
and the distance from the main land only about q
quarter OF mile. All the boats were speedily
the time OF the disaster every living soul on board
was safely landed at Port Lebear, where the in
haottants busied themselves in assisting to provide
temporary accommodations for the passengers
and crew. All the passengers luggage and effects,
ship stores, &C., were also saved and landed.
The ship is lying on an even keel as II riding at
anchor. There are about fifteen feet of water st
high tide on the shoal.
The engine room is full Of water, which ebbs and
noWs through 1t, and it Is supposed that hole
was stove IN the bottom beneath the engine room.
The second deck s pretty clear Of water but below
that the snip is full The fog did not lift till yester-
day morning, when, for the first time, 1t was seen
that the vessel narrowly
ESCAPED TOTAL AND IMMEDIATE DESTRUCTION
With the probable loss Of every one on board.
The distance between the port bows Of the ship
and Little Gull Rock was only about two hundred
yards. How she escaped in the dense fog is mar.
vellous, and all on board, passengers ana crew.
are deeply thankful. In the direction the ship was
steering along the dangerous western coast of this
province her escape from destruction on the reefs
and sunken rocks, 80 plentifully sprinkled along
tho coast, was simply providential There is no
theory offered to account for the ships deviation,
though 1t is fact 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 in
side Of Little Gull Rock, or what is properly known
Is Gull Rock Bar This is distant from Lockport.
the nearest port twenty miles, and from Halifax
about eighty miles, in latitude 4s 80 N, longitude,
"a oew.
The cauin passengers have been comfortably ae-
commodated In houses at Port Lebear, while for
the steerage passengers and crew tents and avn
ings MADE from the ships sails have been erected
on the shore, where they have been comfortably
attended to since landing
4 The agents of the company here. Messrs. J. and
r. B. Section, nave 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 win probably return with her living
freight tomorrow afternoon. The passengers will
expeditions routes possible, instructions to that
erect having been sent from Mr.. Inman to the
agents here.
II is not correctly known whether the ship will
prove total loss or not 1t is thought that all the
cargo viii be got out, but in a damaged state.
Divers and wreckers. with their gear leave mere
Immediately for the wreck. feeling OF intense
relief pervades this community that no lives have
been lost, and that second Atlantic calamity has
been averted.
Additional Details of the Disaster.
HALIFAX, N. S., July 8, 1873.
Very little further has been received from the
wreck Of the City Of Washington. The passengers
are supplied with cooked provisions from the ship.
It Is expected that she will be got of II the
weather continues favorable. There is great
anxiety among the passengers for the arrival Of the
NJ A. starr, which sailed from this port this morn
ing for the wreck. The officers Of the ship report
thatno observations had been taken for eight days
when the ship first struck there was only a few
feet Of water over the bar the tide peine
low but the water came IN through the
hole which had been knocked in the
feet of water in the hold. 1t win be impossible te
ascertain the extent OF the steamers injuries unit
her cargo has been taken out but it is hoped thai
the hole may be plugged up and the vessel noated
and repaired. She has full general cargo. par,
OF which is very valuable