The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-09
The sinking of the Ambassador by the
G. II. Manson.


The telegraph has already noted briefly the
collision between the ship G. f. Manson of
Bath and the steamer Ambassador off the
ViDgorla coast, by which the latter was sunk
and number of the passengers drowned. The
following account of the disaster from Capt. G.
r. Humphrey Of the Manson is from a Bonn.
bay paper:
The ship George +. Manson took her depart
ure from Bombay harbour on the 23rd inst (p.
10 bound to Diamond Island All went well
with her up to between aud O'Clock a. N. of
the 25th, oelng then by reckoning in Lat. 10 O5
N, Lon. 70 u E., when two lights were seen
bearing about two points off our port or wealth.
er-bow. Judged one or one-half to two miles
distant; weather at the time quite clear, wind
light, east by ship heading SOUTH southeast by
the wind, making about miles per hour. We
soon saw that the lights were shown from
screw steamer bound nerthward The closest
attention was gwen to the movements of the
steamer All appeared to be we'll until she got
quite near the ship when she changed her
course to go ahead, or across the ships bows.
As soon as it was seen that the steamer was
crossing the ships bows, our wheel was put
bard down. The vessels being then nearer to
each other, the ship had hardly time to feel
the effect OF the change of the position of her
rudder, before she was in collision with the
steamer, striking her on her starboard quarter
or about 30 feet from her extreme afterpart
crushing 10. causing the steamer to sink in
some 10 or 10 minutes The ship had her jib-
boom broker, her cut-water displaced; badly
cut and broken bows; badly crushed broken
and chafed. AS soon as the two vessels sepa-
rated, the ships quarter boats were put out
and sent to the rescue of the steamers people.
Soon otter our boats left the ship boat of the
steamers came alongside of the slip, having
nine of her people on board As soon as the
people could be got out of these DO ats, they
were again sent away to search for others of
sails aid proceeded to the place where the
steamer sank so near as we could judge, keep
ing the closest lookout, in the hope to see and
rescue more of tie people. None could be seen
by US on board nor by my people in the boats.
AS three hours had now elapsed since the
steamer sunk, we felt quite certain further
search would be useless. With aching hearts,
we took our boats on board the ship and stood
on our course for Bombay, when our attention
was given to the condition of the ship to secure
her safety, she making water quite freely. By
trimming some of the ballast from the forward
to the afterpart of the ship, thereby raising he
ship forward, taking more of the shattered and
broken part out of the water, and covering it
with tarpaulin, we reduced her leak consider
ably-so much that We could easily keep her
free with our pumps. By the mercy of G cd
harbour on the evening of the 18th inst after
an absence of five days, three of which have
been days of sorrow and sadness TO all on
board. Herewith is list of the names of the
people who sailed in the steamer Ambassador
from Calcutta as given me by Capt. William
son, master of the said steamer.
The list shows that of the 43 persons on
board 20 were saved, 81 drowned and the fate
of 2 is doubtful.