The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-16
BY TELEGRAPH.
ANOTHER MARINE DISASTER
SERIOUS COLLISION sNTHE CEEsA
PEAKE BAY.
THE EFAyORITE STEAMER LOUISIANA SUNK
BY TIE STEAMER FALCON.
The Sunken Steamer Valued ut
0,O0O-NO Insurance.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER.

is statement furnished the Associated
Press in regard to a collision between the
steamers Falcon and Louisiana. in Chesa-
peake bay, last night, by Captain Mayo, of
the Louisiana:
Left Norfolk about T:30 last night !:
touched at Old Point Comfort, took in
passengers, and proceeded up the bay. 1t
was beautiful starlight night, with strong
breeze from the northWard. | retired at II
p. NJ. Everything was quiet until 1:25 A..
NJ, at which hour | was awakened by near
ing my whistle blow once. immedi-
ately arose, ran into the plot-house.
and instantly heard steamer blow
two whistles close aboard. I looked
ont the port window of the pilot
house and saw all the lights of the steamer
steering squarely for us. / gave the order 10
hard-aport the wheel, and was told by the
wheelsman that it was already hard-aport.
Then, in hopes of steering her stern off, l
gave orders to hard.astarboard; but in five
seconds, before this order could be ex-
ecuted, we were struck amidShips,
the colliding steamer going into our
port paddleb box and smashing large
hole in the port side, from which the
Louisiana filed up rapidly. The donkey
engines were put to work at full capacity,
but made no effect upon the ienk. We en-
deavored to work the main engine, hut
found it had been so jamtned that it, was inn
possible to get it off the centre. We were
thus rendered helpless. called the crew 10
quarters, cleared away the boats, and begun
lowering them 10 take off passengers.
at this time the Louisiana bad between
six and seven feet OF water in the hold. We
hailed the colliding steamer, which proved 10
be the Falcon, and requested her to remain
by us. The Falcon Immediately came along.
side, and all the passengers and baggage
were transferred to that steamer. A hawser
was then passed 10 the Falcon in order that
she might tow US to shoa! water.
went down to examine the leak
again, and found the water gaining ra-
pidy, with eight or nine feet in the hold,
and concluded we could not be toWed m ore
than half mile before sinking. We en-
deavored then to save as much as possible OF
the furniture in the main saloon, which we
did by working all hands. Shortly after
wards the haWser parted, and the Louisiana
went down by the head in forty-tWo feet OF
water. At the time of the collision the
Louisiana was sleaming fourteen miles per
hour, and the Falcon nine to ten.
All luc passengers, lnaii, oApiee" ua"t'ei, "o01
baggage, were saved.
Among the passengers there were three
ladies, and Commodore Patterson, Commo.
dore Crosby, Captain j. B. Creighton, Cap
tain William G.. Temple, Captain II. G.
Blake, Captain A. W. Johnson, Lieutenant
w. FL. Emory, United States Navy, and Cap.
tain Macriton, of the United States marine
corps, officers of the court-martlal at
Norfolk inquiripg into the grounding
OF the steamer Brooklyn. All the passen-
gers of the Louisiana, including the ladies',
conducted themselves with the greatest cool
ness and self-possession.
The Louisiana was tavorlte steamer on
the Bay line, of thirteen hundred tons, and
valued at Sl50,000. No insurance. Her
cargo, which was lost, consisted Of two hum
dred bales of cotton, Il large quantity OF to-
bacco, thirty tons Of pig-iron, and otner
freight.
The Falcon, with the passengers of the
Louisiana, returned to Baltimore, arriving
shortly after O'Clock.
No statement Of the collision has been
furnished the Associated Press by any officer
of the Falcon. The passengers in The Loul-
siana corroborate the statement OF Captain
Mayo.
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED IN PORTSMOUTH,.
Especial telegram TO the Dspaich.l
PORTSMOUTH, VA, November l4.-The
steamer Louisiana, which was lost in the Bay
last night, left Portsmouth at i O'Clock T..
M. loaded with cotton and light stuff, and
had sixty passengers on board. The night
was clear with good starlight. a number OF
passengers on board were from Norfolk and
Portsmouth.
The Louisiana was new vessel, and one
of the finest of the Bay line. She was valued
at 100000, on which there was not
dollar of marine insurance. Her officers
were among the most reliable and skiltul
ernployed by the company, and the startling
catastrophe is received here with the great
est astonishment.
Smiths Point, where she was sunk, Is on
the south side of the Potomac, and there IS
dom ,pntar nnnnsjte