The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-08

BY mail from Europe we have the following re-
port of the awful occurrence Of the running down
aud sinking ofthe British emigrant ship Northneet,
bound to Hobart Town. Australia, by steamer and
of the sad and awful sacrifice of life which re-
suited FROM the collision The names OF the per.
sons who were saved are also given:-
THE EMIGRANT SHIP NORTHFLEEr RUN DOWN AND
From the London Telegraph, Jan. a.
One OF the most calamitous catastrophes ever
witnessed at sea occurred or Dungeness, IN the
Channel, at n late hour on Wednesday night. An
emigrant ship, bound from London for Hobart
Town, was run down by large screw steamer
| the name and nationality of which are as yet I'M
| known-and out OF over four hundred persons who
were on board 327 persisted.
THE UNFORTUNATE VESSEL AND HER DOOMED PAS
sENGERs.
The NOrthneet, to which this fearful accident
has happened, was fine full-rigged ship Of 1896
! tons register, owned by Messrs. John Patton Jr,
Co., No. 3White Lion court, in the CITY, She had
| on board 800 tons of iron rails, which were de-
ard 4 Co., contractors in the construction Of the
Tasmanlan Main Line Railway; but-more
important far than the cargo Of metal
343 souls, all Of whom, with two exceptions, were
emigrants The men among them had been en-
gagged as navvies or laborers for the undertaking
already mentioned. They had entered into an en-.
| gagement to work for the firm named for two and
q half years from the date OF commencing labor,
their wages to be five shillings per day, and their
| passage money to be in the first instance paid by
the employers, but afterwards refunded by the
|
! binary passengers on bOard-one Mr.. S. F. Brand,
! who was proceeding to Tasmania to join the con-
tractors stan, and tne other Mr. Gross. There
| toned q large crew in the vessel. which brought
the total number OF souls Carried by the Northneet
| up to Az.
| THE CAPTAIN.
The captain, who had formerly been in command
Of the ship has, fortunately for himself been
| as a witness in the Tichborne trial; and his place
was taken for this voyage by a captain OF the
1 AL pn r1n tn hoxrn lad Will
| vigor and selfsacrilce in the terrible crcum-
stances of Wednesday night, and who went down
| with his ship. His wife-a young lady-was on
| board with him, but was.eventualy saved
AT SEA AND IN SHELTER OF THE NESS.
The ship, trelghted as we have described, left the
West India Docks on the 14th INST, and in COnse-
quence OF head winds had to beat about the Chan
mel. on Wednesday night she reached Dungeness,
and, as contrary winds still prevailed she was
brought TO anchor under the shelter OF the Ness.
brilliant light being, in accordance with custom,
exhibited at the masthead. The night was very
dark and the sea rough After nine O'Clock all the
passengers were below, and at ten the usual watch
took duty on deck, under the charge Of the second
mate.
"A STEAMER IS RIGHT INTO u.s." AND MOST AWFUL
CONSEQUENCES.
About halfpast ten O'Clock Captain Knowles and
Mr.. George track, the London Trinity pilot who
was ON board, were alarmed by cry from the
officer ofthe watch "a steamer Is right into u.s."
The captain at this moment was in his cabin, where
his vile had retired to rest, and the pilot was In
| his berth. Both OF them rushed on deck, but be-
| fore they get there the steamer had run into the
| vessel, striking her amidships, on the starboard
| side. and cutting her below her water mark. The
carpenter was Immediately ordered to make
| soundings, and he was heard by one OF the crew
TO say to the captain, "She Is nearly hall fui OF
The pumps were started with the greatest
promptitude and the crew, all OF whom had by this
| time come on deck, worked hard at them Tor some
| minutes; but when 1T was found that the water
was rapidly gaining a panic seemed to seize both
crew and passengers, and the captain and his o.
fcers all OF whom maintained their self possession,
gers in check crowd Of men and women had
rushed up from their berths, many Of them only
| hall clothed.
had for the most part retired to their berhs before
| the collision. NUMBER who had just finished
| game at cards, were undressing and about to lie
| down when the terrible moment came. The noise
OF the collision is likened by one OF them TO peal
OF thunder and such was the violence OF the shock
that those who were standing were knocked down.
| 1t appears that the steamer rebounded and came
second time IN collision with the Northneet Water
began to pour in and In very short time the passen
gers quarters were swampod. THE women were
| Slower to rush on deck than the men, and many
threateningly around them. When the first Of the
passengers came up the steamer was so near that,
as one OF them tells u.s. It would have been possible
| her as twO-funnelled schooner rugged steamer,
but add no more details, the night having been
so dark. He tells also that no one on board her
was heard to speak, although loud and eager shouts
! from the NOrthneet must have made her crew well
aware Of the terrible danger that existed
| She "backed" for two or three minutes, anu
then steaming rapidly away was soon cut Of sight,
AWFUL SCENES ON BoARD-MANNING THE BOATS.
| For hall an hour the scene on deck was OF a most
| appalling character. The women shrieked, Me
men cursed and swore and fought their way to-
| wards the boats while the CAPTAIN and the first
mate roared out commands to the men to keep
back and allow the women to get to the side or the
vessel, but apparently without success. During all
| this dreadful scene rockets were fired and blue
lights burned. The gun was loaded but the screw OF
the ramrod became detached from the handle, and
| the piece could not be discharged. The signals OF
| distress were by several vessels, but they APP
pear to have been regarded as signals for pilot ;
ships and steamers that had they known what was
| the matter, coald have rendered the most invalu-
able assistance, and have saved, perhaps, great
Meanwhile, the scene on deck was such as bafics
description. The captain, finding that the men
| were determined to leave the vessel went below,
armed himself with a revolver. and, ascending
the poop, declared his intention OF shooting
| the first man who tried to leave the YES
boat that was launched was lowered by q
number of the passengers. IL was let down
i'm "A rough fashion by means OF cutting the ropes.
| There being no ladder at hand. the only way OF
getting into 1t was by eaplng or dropping some
twelve or fifteen feet AS there was terrible rush
towards the boat, the scene was one of distressing
confusion, and a man and a boy, In endeavoring to
save themselves, fell into the water ana were
drowned. The captain and officers appear to have
done all they could to force the men who first got
| into the boat to leave In order tnat the women
| first-was unavailing. About thirty persons having
got into IT, the boat put of, rope by which 1t was
|
crew was in 1t. Another hleboat was launched.
| SHOOTING OF REFRACTORs.
| man named Thomas Biddles, lately living at
| No. 20 salisbury row Walworth. got into the boat.
and ordered to leave 1t. He refused to do So,
| and Captain Knowles threatened torshoot him un.
! less he obeyed. The man, however. would not
move. ana the captain accordingly fired. The bull
let just passed over his head he lay In the bot
! tom OF the boat. Firing again. the captain was
| more accurate In his aim and shot the man just
above the left knee the bullet Embedding itself In
| the fieshy part OF the calf
| A SOLEMN CHARGE AND SAD FAREWELL.
Then Captain Knowles brought his vile TO the
boat placed her In It, and said TO the boatswain,
| man named John Esther, who had already got in,
Here Is charge for yeu, bosen; take of her
| and the rest, and God bless your Wringing his
wife's hand, he bade her goodby, saying, IL shall
never see you again."
Heartrending scenes we're to be witnessed on
| all sides. One Of the passengers, man
| named John sturgeon, OF Peckhaili seeing the
| captains wife in one OF the boats, threw his
own wife Lucy in, and when he saw her safe
tossed her baby, only six months old, to her, the
i