New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-28
RAVAGES OF THE TEMPEST.
AN OCEAN STEAMSHIP CAST AWAY.

AN OCEAN STEAMSHIP CAST AWAY.
THE GREAT WESTERN FROM MEssINA RUNS AGROUND
NEAR AMTYvILLE, T.. l., IN THE FOG AND
sTORM-BREAKING UP OF THE HULL-EFFORTs TO
SAVE THE CARGO-No LIVES LOsT-LOss on
VESSEL AND FREIGHT.
During the violent storm on Saturday even
ing the steamship Great Western, bound to this port
from the Mediterranean and laden with lemons
sumach. rags, and birthstone, struck on the sand
bar off Amityvie, L. l., and has since become total
wreck At the time OF the disaster the vessel was under
the control OF the three mates Messr Fox Barnes and
Dean. Capt wyndham lying i'll in his state-room. No
passengers board. The first warning OF danger
was a glimpse Of Fire Island light during momentary
lifting Of the foy, which very dense, and which
caused the officers in charge to lose their reckoning
few minutes afterward the ship aground Although
the shock violent immediate damage was done TO
the vessel, and injured. The hull was so
deeply imbedled in the sand az to be i'm
movable, and the soon made complete
breach over the steamer, filing her with water.
When day broke, the men on the vessel found
that they only few yards from the shore. Very
little injury had bees done to the rigging of the Great
Western but it was thought that the water in her hold
had caused her to bge Most OF the crew went ashore
leaving few to watch the ship.
The Coast wrecking Company of this city received a
notification of disaster by telegraph, and informed
the agent Of the Great Western line, W. ID. Morgan
Under his direction the Wrecking Company sent inc
Relief commanded by Capt W. Merritt,
to the scene OF the wreck, while Capt John Young went
to Amiyyle by rail Up to yesterday morning hopes OF
saving the entertained by many but report
was received about that the hull would to
pieces and mt o'clock in the afternoon the Coast
wrecking Company received dispatch from Capt Young
announcing that the vessel total wreck having
parted amdships. At last accounts the wreckers were
still at work endeayoring to save the cargo.
The Great Western was built at Sunderland In 1872,
for account OF Messrs. Whitwell Co. OF Bristol ana
was of 54l registered tons. The following were her
principal proportions Length, over ALL 276 feet ;
breadth beam, SO feet inches and depth OF hold, %
feet inches; her draft II feet and she had three
decks and six bulkhcads. Her machinery was OF the
compound class. She brg-rigged and OF medium
model. She was cassed as A /. The steamship was es
tlmated to be worth 100000. She last sailed on the
Goth February from Mesna where she took her cargo
touching at Palermo and Gibraltar her way to New
York
The cargo OF the vessel consisted Of 1O,s2O boxes OF
oranges s43 boxes Of lemons, l2OO bags OF sumac 100
bales of rags and 400 tons Of birthstone 1t was con-
signed to Phelps Brothers Company at No lO3 Front
st. and all belonged to them, with the exception OF o
small part fruit which they had ordered for other
pcrsons The invoiced value OF the cargo was about
$50 OOO for which amount 1t fully insured. The
birthstone was insured in Liverpool insurance com
pany and the remainder Of the cargo in the Orient Mu-
tual Insurance Company OF this city Phelps Brothers
Company estimated the market value including freight,
duties and profits, at about $4,000 The insurance on
the vessel itself held in this country and the
amount is not known.