The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-04
THE GREAT CASTAWAY
How the Steamship Amerique Was
ToWed Into Plymouth Harbor.
STORY OF THE SALVORS.
Scenes on Deck and in
the Cabins.
Love Letters, Poetry, Religion, Pop
Corn and Pack Of Cards.
THE DEAD CANARY.
I Nast WILL" Some New York Hcralds
and Mysterious. Nectar.
The Paris Agents, Account Of q
Total Loss.
THE CAPTAINS REPORT.
Love Letters, Poetry. Religion, Pop
Corn and Pack Of Cards.
THE DEAD CANARY
I Mast WILL" Some New York Herald
and Mysterious. Nectar.
The Paris Agents Account Of q
Total Loss.
THE CAPTAINS REPORT

rxnEs OAF 4A1N - fSCiF OEt !,
PLYMOUTH, Eng. April 20, 1874.
On the evening Of the 18th inst. two strange
steam golfers hove In sight, making for the Sound
and having In tow Q large derelict steamship,
known from her build and her fore and aft red
tunnels, 70 be OF the vessels OF the Compagnie
TTansatlantique At frst the rumor got abroad
that IL was the Europe, as 1t had been positively
stated that the Amerique had foundered. By aid
Of powerful glass .Ameriquen was seen, painted
IN white letters, on the bow ana al conjecture as
TO her name was tnenceforth ended. The only DIFF
nculty was in trying to understand how q steamer
with her rigging, SO taut and trim as tnat OF the
Anerique and with her hull complete and whole
and BY no means sitting deep In the water could
be this same unhappy vessel, whose mishaps had
already been chronicled so graphically In the daily
press.
BOARDED BY HERALD SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
A HERALD correspondent took an early oppor-
tuntty OF boarding the deretct to obtain the
salv0rs account OF the rescue and to see the con-
dition OF American liners saloon alter the pas.
sengers have had precipttately to Zee for their
HIVES
WHAT HE WAS TOLD BY THE sALvoRs.
From those IN charge the following story OF the
salvage was obtained The Amerique was aban-
doned IN terrific gale on Tuesday the l4th inst
her crew and passengers were taken by three
ships-the Michigan, an English vessel, bound from
Naples to Callao; the Aladdin, Norwegian, and
commanded by Captain Erickson, and another
vessel haillng from Italy, The transfer OF the crew
and passengers was Effected without loss Of life,
except IN the case OF the second oficer, NJ Garay.
Who was drowned by the upsettng OF boat. The
rescued, except those In the English ship, which
has not yet come into port, were landed at Havre
and probably had not the remotest anticipation Of
ever seeing the Amerique again.
SIGHTED AND RELIEVED.
On the day following her abandonment q bark
named the Auburn, Of and rom Sunderland, with
Goals for Alexandra, and q steamship, the Spray,
Captain Clark, OF West Hartlepool, from Newport,
with Goals for Gibraltar, both sighted the Amer
ique ploughing soIemnly along under canvas, with
the signal OF distress dying at half mast.
SCENES ON BOARD
boats crew from the Auburn boarded the
drifting ship and there found every evidence OF
the precipitate departure Of the panlc-stricken
passengers and crew. Dinner was on the table !;
some Of the passengers had been served, while
others had not In the galley savory soup was
still in the coppers and some prepared dishes
stood ready for service. IN the staterooms every
thing was in the widest confusion. Costly dresses
lay on the floors, books and private papers were
lying around, boxes, trunks, valises and pocket
books were left lying open by their owners. VINO
had In some cases apparently been assisted in
the process Of emptying them.
PRIVATE MEMORANDA.
From the private journal Of her commander,
found among the debris on board it appears that
the ship had had Q peculiarly favorable voyage as
far as the 18th.
There the journal stops.
NAUTICAL SURVEY.
A party OF seamen, with the carpenters, the en-
gineers and the mate OF the Spray went on board
she Amerque to report. They found that she
was bnilt IN I've compartments and con-
jectured that during the gale she must
have shipped some very heavy seas over
her engine room skylight or admitted
immense volumes OF water through three dead
lights that were found Knocked In by the action OF
the waves in striking against her Sides That con-
cluson was strengthened by the fact that they
found the engine room stoke hole and coal bunker
compartment hooded with eight and half feet OF
water which water has not since Increased.
Every aperture in the deck was found closed, but
this battening down was believed to have been
adopted, so far as the engine room was concerned,
after q considerable quantity Of water had found
Its way into that compartment 1t was clear that
by the noodlng OF her engines she had lost the
pumps appeared to have been by some as yet un-
discovered cause wholly choked up.
While this had been going on amidships leak
had apparently sprung in her aItermost compart-
ment from six to eight feet OF water being dis
covered there at the period when first boarded by
her salvors.
This leak, however, did not make any dangerous
progress from the Tuesday up to the Saturday
evening and the other compartments are be.
lieved to be sound.
Her spars, rigging, sails and steering apparatus
were intact The question, OF course. had arisen
IN the mind Of Captain Roussah whether, with loss
OF his steam power and with pumps disabled, he
was not running very serious risks In further de.
tanning his passengers from the shelter proffered
by the Italian captain and the two other ships
In resolving to transfer his passengers-however
foolish the step may have been in the eyes OF nau
taca men-it s right that 1t should be accredited
20 It's proper motive, VIZ, q humane desire Tor
the SAFETY o. his passengers.
TAKING POSSESSION.
Captain Clark arranged with the captain of the
barque that what help he required would be read
lily granted him; and william Brown, the boat.
SWAIN ana Edward Cole, an able seaman Of the
oarque Auburn, were lett on board the Amerique
while the bark proceeded on her voyage.
Tne wnole OF the Amerique's boats had been
swung on her upper deck from their checks, and
carried away with the crew, with the exception
Of small gig that happened to be left hanging to
she davits. Part OF the crew Of the spray was
sent on board the Amerique to utilize some OF her
large warps, and one OF these being bent to one
OF her cables, the other end was
taken on board the Spray. and at .
r. N. on Wednesday, the 10th, she commenced
TO row THE DERELrCr,
heading her course for Brest
Al eight r. NJ, the weather looking threatening
Captain Clark had his consort's foretopsai FORE
SAIL jib and forestaysai set, helm lashed and re-
called the men TO the Spray until daylight.
At four A. M. Thursday. Mr.. Cooper. the arst