Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-08-11
AN UNLUCKY CRAFT.
a Brief Outline OF the Jnforturafe Career
OF the siennlship AbDotsford.


Brief Outline OF the Unfortunate Career
OF the steamship AbDotsford.
Inc steamer Abbotsford, which has
proved herself one Of the most unluckv
crafts IN existence, arrived in New York
on the 18th Of March last after won
derful passage of 1O8 days from Ant
Werp to New York. The trip. for it's
misadventures, was one of the most
notable on record. The following is
the story OF her commander, De La
motte' at that time to Herald report
Ell:
We left Antwerp on the oath of No
vemter, 1874, for New York. with 400
passengers on board, and all proceeded
well TIL we arrive in the Straits of Do
yer, where we stopped for five or six
minutes to land our North Sea pilot.
While so stopping and while our
pilot was stepping into a boat, the
steamer Indus, belonging to the PENN
sula and Oriental Steamship Company,
ran into us, carrying away our stem to
three feet above the water line. The
Indus was bound down channel, like
ourselves, and the collision occurred
through the Indus trying to shave us
too closely. The case is now pending
in the English admiralty courts. The
following day I steamed into the Vic
toria docks, London, where we trans
ferred our passengersto another steamer,
and the Abbotsferd was repaired,
necessitating delay of one month.
On the 22d OF December we again
sailed for our destination with forty
nine passengers, and ali went well until
we arrived in 80 deg. west longitude,
and about So deg north latitude, being
about $50 miles across the Atlantic,
when we encountered very heavy gale,
and one day we lost our propeller,
which had broken off, leaving no YES
tige behind. What caused it to snap
Oft like this is mystery to me. It had
been IN use for eighteen months pre-
vlously, and had never shown any signs
OF weakness. Having lost our screw,
we were converted into sailing ship,
and, for reasons OF prudence, I deter
mined to put back to Queenstown, and
headed the ship for that place. At this
time terrible gales prevailed, and no
less than ten steamers had recently
foundered in the Bay of Biscay.
We arrived on the Irish coast on the
18th of January, and while off the Fast
nets, heading for Queenstown, during
the prevalence of very heavy gale,
sighted our sister steamer, the Pennsyl-
vania, and signalled her to stand by,
which she responded to. The gale was
blowing dead on the shore from the
southwest. The Pennsylvania then at
tempted to take the Abbotsford in tow,
and, while endeayoring to do so, struck
her on the port bow, staving in about
forty feet Of the ships side, above water
| line, and the sea washed in and out with
the rolling of the steamer. Several
| boats were smashed on the Pennsyl-
vania. Our next effort was to beat off
| the land, which we succeeded in doing,
the Pennsylvania standing by us in
case OF further accident. The follow
ing day at Z A. n, the wind having gone
down, the Pennay lvania towed the Alb
botsford from Seven Heads, and towed
her till P. NJ, when the tug-boats
Achievement and Lord Raglan fell in
| with them, off the Old Head of Kins-
dale, where the hawser with which the
Abbotsford was being towed parted.
The Abbotsford was then taken in tow
by both tugs, towing her safely into
! Queenstown, where we arrived at half
past P. NJ, on the 9th of February.
| The Pennsylvania then proceeded on
her voyage to Philadelphia. After
making temporary repairs to our ship
we were towed to Liverpool and there
placed on the dry-dock and fitted with
a new propeller.
Shortly after the vessel arrived there
small pax broke out among the steer
| age passengers, and a number of them
were removed to the infrmary at Liver
pool. 5
The repairs being completed, the
vessel at last set sail for this port on
the Oath of February, and after re-
naming here some time went round to
Philadelphia and commenced running
IN the American line. g
Her captain, De Lamott, has since
been removed. He was an experienced
officer, being formerly engaged by the
Inman line.
The Abbottsford was built at Dun
dee, Scotland, in March, 1873, by Will
Hanson & Co., of Liverpool. The fol-
lowing are her principal dimensions:
Length, .345 feet; breadth, 81 feet;
depth OF hold, 26 feet. Her net ton.
mage was LOTT, and her gross 2,54O
tons. She is brig rugged, has six bulk
heads; her engines are not of great
power, but are of excellent construc-
ton.
Population Of the World.
German statisticians have recently
brought out some interesting figures as
to the population of the world. These