The New York herald., 1874-04-19
A DERELICT.

Stranding Of tho Ship Puritan or Sandy
Hook-1er Abandonment by the Cap
tain and Crcw--A Salvage Crew Board
Her c,na Bra.sg .3or 10 Brooklyn.
The snip Puritan, Captain Doane, which sailed
from Manila on December "a last, and owned ps
Messrs. Elijah williams h Co., OF Boston. on FRI
day last struck on the "Outer Midde,n q sand bar
about two ana half miles south-southeast from
the East Beacon at Sandy Hook, and. as was pub
lished in the HERALD OF yesterday, was
abandoned by her Captain and crew,
their opinion being that the vessel
must inevitably become total wreck within few
hours after getting on the bar. AS this presents
somewhat OF an analogous case to that OF the
Europe in SO far the question is concerned as TO
whether the ship became "dereict" 30 soon as she
was abandoned by the Captain and crew, ana
whether the prize crew. or salvors, are entitled to
percentage OF the value Of the ship and cargo as
salvage after they had taken possession OF her,
representative OF the HERALD was detailed to
obtain the facts relating to the cause
OF the disaster, which affords, in another
particular, parallel to the affair OF the abandon.
ment OF the steamship Europe, inasmuch as the
Captain, the morning alter the ship had been de-
serted by him ana after she had been taken pos.
session OF by salvage crew, attempted to board
her and regain his ownership. This, however, was
not until the ship rad been got or the bar lowed
into the Horseshoe" and anchored or the Long
Branch dock, as viii be seen by the following
ACCOUNT
BOARDED BY TEE PILOT.
1t appears that the Puritan, after somewhat
stormy voyage. " the course Of which she sprung
both her foremast and mainmast, and which had
both to be supported by spars and lashings, ar
rived of Absccun at seven P. NJ on the 10th inst,
when she took on board a Sandy Hook pilot,
named Isaac Campbell, from pilot boat
No. 6, Mary Anne Catherine. All went well
until the Lightship was sighted ana passed,
when the usual course, north northwest, was laid,
which should bring the ship to the entrance Of
Gedney's Channel. The wind, which was blowing
at this time strong gale, was east by north,
while the sea was it is said, extremely rough ana
heavy. 1t was raining hard also, and the weather
was very thick, making II impossible TO see any
land marks. The course, therefore, had to be
stoerec entirely by the compass and buoys
WHY snB WENT ASHORE.
To this fact and to the similarity between the
buoys which are placed TO mark the bank Ia at
tributed the stranding OF the ship. The spot
where the Puritan went ashore Is bat short dis
tance from that where the steamship Scotland be-
longing to the National steam Navigation Com
pany, was lost eight years ago. The lookout on
board the Puritan was cautioned by the pilot 10
keep sharp eve for the bucys, and, sighting one,
passed the Word. me TWO ou0yS, IL appears, are
both painted the same--bacS and white STRIPES
the only distinction being that they are slightly
different in form, and one bears SPINDLE which
the other mas not The pilot, imagining that the
one sighted was that which he should pass on the
starboard hand, thought he was all safe, when
in reality he mad been drlfted by the strong tide
and the lecway made by the ship ont OF his recx-
oning, and instead " being in the channel was
close ipon the bank which nc would, mad he
known 1t, have given wide berth. In o few mo-
ments alter the sighting OF the buoy the snip
hpa yf}v tho
bank as she was struck by each succeeding
wave. She had at the time her three
lower topsgils Set, her upper topsais Stacked
down to the caps and her oresat sci, together
with her Jib and foretopmast staysai. The ship
after striking and humping about for few min
minutes had four ieet OF In her and shortly
afierward the shoe'' OF her keel was torn orr ana
Coated up alongside.
ALL HANDS DESERT THE SHIP.
The steanltng Cyclops, Captain Charles Hazard,
which was beating ABOUT the "Hook''' la search or
her, but was unable owing to the heavy sea run
ming, 10 get alongside. The Captain and plot OF
the Puritan, at TWO O'Clock, believing tnat she
must break up shortly, determined to
abandon her, and seeing their chance OF
rescue by means OF the Cyclops, decided to
avai themselves OF It, not Knowing when they
might OBTAIN such another. Accordingly they pre-
pared to abandon the vessel The Captain gathered
together the ships papers and chrOnometers, and
ordered the boats to be lowered away All nands
brought MP their effects from below, which were
placed IN the boats, and start was made Tor the
tug winch was reached In safety and a start made
for New York.
BOARDED BY THE SALVAGE CREWS.
About half an hour later the steamtugs Jacob c.
NeaGo, Captain r. A. Cooley, and Jacob Myers,