The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-23
THE POwHATAN IN A CYCLONE.
HER EXPERIENCES DURING THE RECENT
VOYAGE TO PORT EoYAL-HoyE TO ron
FORTY HOURS IN THE GULF sTREaM-A MAN
Observation-Disclosures OF ENGINEERS AND
FIREMEN.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF ENGINEERS AND
FIREMEN.
PoRr ROYAL, s. c., April Is. 1871.
Greatly TO every ones satisfaction, the soop-of-
war Powhalan, Captain r. Scott Fillebrowne entered
this harbor yesterday. Her long passage from New
York convinced tho officers OF the squadron here that
sho must have tho cyclone which
swept along tho southern tho 18th and lSth
inst and which It's existence known even
here where only tho edge OF the hurricane passed
Reports from various vessels which had crawIed
into Charleston Savannah showed that
tho storm was OF almost unparalleled
severity and naval oicers naturally good deal
concerned Tor tho safety OF the Powhatan when she
did not arrive about the time she was duo. As .ee
grapned the HERALD last night she encountered the
storm in It's very centre II tina, sho expc-
ricnced all lis force, and was badly shaken up.
add interesting details OF her experience, which
was OF character that few ships pass trough and
hive. What weaker vessels may have suffered during
this storm perhaps few Goat 10 tell the tale.
oY rHg
The Powhatan SAILED from New York at eleven A. n.
Wednesday, April IL, hauling down tho lag OF Vice
Admiral Rowan when ut the Narrows. Tho weather,
until Friday morning. very nnc, the ship standing
down the coast under all sai. with smooth seas. and
everything promising u pleasant trip to Port Royal
on Friday morning sho encountered q gallo
of Cape Hatteras aud before II until
eleven O'Clock. whom tho ship hove 10
with head tho southwark and eastward so
to keep away from the land the shoals OF tho
coast, beng Al the time at point about thirty miles
northeast OF Cape Lookou. Tho ship was put under
tore storm staysaii and rce,cd rysas The wind con-
tinued to increase until ak T. NJ. when IL became
hurricane. blowing nway the reefod main trysai tho
fore havn. bccn taken in TO keep the ship up tho
wind. The storm m,zzen was kept on her. and the
engines were making IRON six eight revolutions per
minute.
AMID rnE sronn
The barometer al tins time was 20. 40 and steadily
falling and the wlad cas-. by norih having hauled
IRON tho east-southeast. Tho mad by this time
become very heavy, breaking ncessantly on the
shy s and nyns as o,n nsa as the tops
snb invisible IRON AFT The spray PERFECTLY
binding, and swept across the deck like drifting shot,
I" expose their faces moment 10 the fierce blasts
The seas were confused and irregular, tho ship pitch
taie--and rolling deeply the old cralt however be-
haved admirably and showed herself remarkable
boat; but tho STRAIN upon her must have i'm
mense, the towering bulicted all sidex
Al times they would appear TO como IN from every
quarter OF tho compass striking tho bow, tho
aud on both sides ut tho same time. Tho this
time was vast seetnina mass OF waters, like tho
whirlpool Of Niagara but on grander scale. Tho
OF the waters and the bowling OF the wind through
the rigging were perfectly irightui. and tne
most experienced officers on board. who had
passed through typhoons in tho East Indies
ana cyclones our coast, confessed
they had never encountered such terrific storm
before Tor force ana durat,on The wind held at ths
iofcc-ll-tl2 beng the maximum III the notation
and " presently untii about thrco A. H. when IL
began TO lu. and Ie 70 force nc J, o. 70 by tour
lowest point marked. The wind was still hauling to
tho northward aud again Increased and blew with
the same violence as before Tho sea became moro
wild and confused than ever.
The gig and whaieboat astcrn were carried away
and othor boats wero damaged BY being struck by the
Much OF the light work about the paddle boxes
was torn away the decks OF The guards torn up, and
the bukheads between decks wero Knocked down by
tho working Of the snip. and the water came In from
was batte0ned down with great care.
OVERHEARD
About ten A. II. OF the 18th, the port stay
RED away, and IN putting strap around tho cathead
TO secure tho ioremast Adam birbig, seaman, very
valuable man, was swept OF by sea. and was lost
Nothing could be done to him under the rerlous
and trying circumstances, aud ne was quickly swai-
lowed up Nv the mad waters. The b0atswain who was
fortunately ieli inside tho buiwarks and was saved
Tho loss OF Bcrbtg while In tho discharge Of high
dangerous duty was deeply regretted by all
by Saturday the barometer had risen TO 20 80,
WITH however, no cessation Of tho force Of the wind
until about eight O'Clock IN tho evening" when began
to lu blowing at times, however, as heavily before.
On Sunday morning the storm had lar subsidized
tho ships head was laid to the southwark
remained uut Sunday evening, when nno
weather again appeared with fresh breeze from The
northward and westward
Numerous pieces Of wreck were passed on Sunday,
and at eleven O'Clock brig was seen waterosged and
dsin asted Her name could not DO made and no
board. Her decks were nusn with
the wator. tho sea breaking entirely over her.
passed under sail about twenty five miles north OF
Charleston, making her slow way up 10 her position,
from which she had been away BY the hurricane
She appeared 10 BIO In good condition and needed
assistance
COURSE cYcLoxK
The centre OF tho cyclone passed about ten miles
southeast Of the Powhatan and tho inner edge skred
the coast, and unquestonably did great damage, al
though the storm Was OF course not 80 violent there
as Mt It's centre Such sailing vessels caught
IN tho bieht southwest Of Hatteras must Inevitably
have bcen lost the lee shore the shoals OF tho
coast The Immense quantity OF wrecked matter
through which tho Powhatan passed we're sad proof
OF great disaster TO shipping
THE P0wHATAN's ENGINES
The safety OF the noble old Powhaan Is undoubtedly
entirely due TO the remarkable power and excellent
working oil her engines which performed their whole
duty without halt II really appeared IL they
must give way from tho strains brought upon them by
the tremendous pitching and rolling Of the ship aud
the consequent buging OF the coal bunkers The high
est credit Is due TO the chief engineer and his assist
ants and the entire engineers department for tho
zcaious manner In which they discharged their nrdu-
Gus duties under the most trying circumstances.
The ship was battencd down and hove to for forty
IRE and engine rooms were sunocating. Many Of the
hrenen and coalheavcrs tell scnseless at
. their posts and s.. were taken out. ana u
Sentries posted to keep the from boiling
when seas would tumble down, and, crushing the
boilers would I'LL tho IRE room with uoxious gases,
steam ana clouds Of ashes To their credit be II SAID
the arcmcn and coaheavers behaved with cxtraordi-
nary cooncss ana norve, and enabled tho old ship TO
weather the the wretched discomfort OF all
bands during the storm need not speak.
Captain Fcbrownc. aided by his efficient executive,
Lieutenant Commander Chadwick n hard nj work re.
pairing damages TO his ship which will be ready 20
70 In couple oil days. II necessary. IN about
good conc!tion
rnE DICTATOR
Tho iron-clad Dictator, Captain A. W. Uran, Will
doubtless be ready about tho lst OF May proceed
League Island, and she will bc conveyed island
by tho Powhatan, which will probably not he called
upon 70 tow tho former At all, she will make i've
or SIX knots an hour, with the broad fields of
oysters, barnaclcs and weeds which envelop
her bottom and impede her speed. However.
II necessary, the Powhatan viii take tho
big lron-cIai IN tow, having been supplied with new
steel cable expressly for towing purposes and the two
VIII doubtless mako the League Island In four
TO SIX days. always providing they meet with good
weather which may certainly DO counted upon IN tho
month OF May.