Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-03-29
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.


The British Training Ship .Idlcs CapsIEss
and Sinks OF the English COaSt-OuIy
two Persons Saved out Of Nearly -Four
Hundred on BOafd-siatemsHt Of 4 Sur.
VIVor.
LONDON, March PA violent gale,
with snow, prevailed to-day, and ex.
tended throughout England. Il was
particularly severe at Liverpool.
LONDON, March 25.-In London and
the provinces yesterday the weather
was fne and bright until about $3.50 in
The afternoon, when an almost uniVer.
sal change enSued. Short aud violent
gusts Of wind, accompanied By snow
and dust storms of q very unusual
character, as brief as sudden, followed
rapidly from nearly opposite points Of
the compass. II is supposed that the
capsizing and sinking Of the British
naval training ship Euridice, of the
isle Of Wright, In the afternoon, was
due TO the suddenness with which the
squall overlook the ship, and the fact
that its entire force fell on full spread
OF her canvass. As the Euridice was
close on shore, Il is probable she had
no warning OF the dangerous gust, as
sail might have been shortened, or the
helm altered 90 as 10 improve her posi-.
ton added 10 which It is possible that
the disposition Of her guns, stores or
other dead weight may have given
leverage to The force of the wind by
lessening her ordinary stability.
Dunnose, of which the chip
was lost, 10 very high and
lofty headland, aud is well.knoWn
to visitors to the Isle Of Wight. tits
situated q short distance south Of
Shanklln Chine, In about midway from
the point to Black Gang Chine. The
Euridice was commissioned at Ports.
mouth in February, 1877, and went on
Q practice cruise TO the West Indies.
She had been for some days expected
at Portsmouth. She had a large crew,
whose number is vAriously stated at
from two hundred to over three hun.
dred. At 4 o'clock In the afternoon
when OF Dunnose, and proceeding
uuder full sail, the fquall struck the
vessel, she capsized aud sank immedi.
ately. The schooner Emma, which
was passing the Euridice at the time of
the disaster, rescued five persons in.
GLIDING Lieut.. Francis Tabor, after
they had been an hour in the water.
Three of these died. The only sur.
vivors Of the disaster are Benz. Cudif.
ford, Able, seaman, and Sidney Flelch.
or, frst.class boy.
The following is CudifIorG's stale.
meni The ship capslzed in a squall
and snow storm, about four o'clock IN
the afternoon, when FIVE miles from
Dunnose. There were over three hun.
drtd persons Oh board, all of whom
except myself aud Fletcher, were, l
believe, lost. was one of the last on
the ship. Capt. Hare Was near me
when she wen down, after capslzing,
and she carried a large number OF men
who were clinging TO her or were
drawn down In the vortex. A man
near me said vessel was near when
the squall came on, and we will be sure
10 be picked up. | was more than an
hour In the water Many of my com.
rades cried TO me for help. tried to
assist two or three, but at last there
were four clinging to me aud was OBJ.
llged TO kick them of. Our ship left
Bermuda three weeks ago. We passed
the Lizard, county of Cornwall, and
most southern point OF Great Britain,
yesterday, and expected to anchor at
Spithead about five o'clock In the after.
noon.
The Admiral commanding at Ports
mouth has sent steamers to search in
the vicinity Of the accident. No further
report has been received. It is now
believed that the Euridice had about
320 officers and seamen, OF which 270
were young men in training; besides
about 20 officers and men taken on
board at Bermuda as inValids.