The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-28
THE HURON DISASTER.
The Last Seen of the Vessel Before the
Disaster.

The Last Seen of the Vessel Before the
Disaster.
NEW YORK, Nov. 27.-Thecaptain of the
brig Mississippi, which arrived at Baltimore
Monday, reports that on Friday evening, just
before dusk, he met and passed the steamer
Huron 16 miles SSE. of Cape Henry, heading
south under full sail with the exception of the
mizzen-gaff top-sail, with steam on and appar-
emily using it, The Mississippi passed to the
leeward of the Huron, SO close that Captain
Merchant says he could have thrown his cap on
board of her He describes the officer of the
deck, and gives details of the steamers appear
ance. AT the time OF passing, the wind was
ESE with velocity of Is miles per hour. The
Huron was close hauled, heading two points
west of the line of the coast, that u.s. in the ex-
act direction of and not 30 miles from where
she struck. She was pitching heavily and GO
a quarter m lies off False Cape in eight fatboms
of water. There was nobody in the chains
heaving lead, and Merchant who is an expe-
rienced shipmaster and intimately acquainted
with the coast, was astonlshed to see the Huron
running in the direction she was. He says she
could have sailed back to Cape Henry with the
wind abaft her beam any time during the
night. He was probably the last person who
saw the vessel before she struck.
Master George Mentz. reported lost on the
Huron, was transferred in September to the
Monongahela and is now at Gibraltar.
The following reported lost are in the Brook
lyn naval hospital sick:
James jenkins of Newfoundland
James w. Smith, colored.
Thomas Witham of Gloucester, Mass,
Geo. M Sheppard.
James Burns of Ireland.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-The observer at the
wreck of the Huron reports at 40 o. m. that
the sea is falling and that efforts will be made
this afternoon to recover the bodies from the
wreck. 1t is supposed the dead bodies of IL
men are dashed to the main rigging and or G
to the mizZen. The steamer Baker remains
anchored off the wreck. No bodies have been
recovered since the last report.
The observer at Kitty Hawk reports at 3.4O
p. m. the body of black man was washed
ashore.
Master Conway. ensign Young and cadet en-
gineer Warburton of the wrecked steamer HUI
ron arrived here today and Immediately went
to the Navy Department in response to instruc-
tions. Cadet engineer Warburton had a con-
versation with the engineer-in-chief at the
Navy Department. and made statement to
him relative to the engines of the Huron.
Warburton paid excellent tribute to the condi-
tons of the engines. He says that at least one
hour after she struck the engines and all their
dependencies were in good working order. AZ
ter she bilged and got further over the fires
were hauled from one set of boilers and con-
tinued to work with the remaining Set to
work pumping out the ship and working the
engine. The working of the engines for so
long time after the ship struck is regarded as
excellent evidence of the efficiency of the ma
chinery and strength of the ship.
The signal service observer at Kitty Hawk
reports as follows:
The dead body of Capt. j. j. Guthrie, pay
master of the life saving station district No. 6,
and two colored men have been washed ashore
miles north of this station. The bodies have
been buried. Thirteen dead bodies have been
washed ashore near No. 5 station-one named
Lieut.. Simmons, one corporal marine name
unknown, nine sailors and soldiers and two
colored men.
Fort MONROE, Nov. 81 in regard to the
sailing of the Huron Friday last in the face of
storm, it is stated that Friday morning Ad-
miral Trenchard signalled to Captain Ryan,
enquiring if bis draughtsman had arrived, and
being answered in the affirmative replied, 'tYou
can 60 to sea when you choose