The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-26
Terrible Disaster at Sen.

LONDON, March "a report has Just been
received here that the British naval train
ing-slip Eurydice, with four hundred men
On board, has capsiZed on the south coast
OF Isle Of Wight.
It is supposed that the capsizing and sink
ing Of the Eurydice was due TO the sudden
ness withWhich the squall overlook the ship,
and the fact that its entire force was met by
the fHll' spread OF her canvas. AS the
Eurydicc was very close in shore the dan
gerous gust prsbably gave no warning so
that sail might have been shortened and the
ships helm altered so as to Improve her
position added to which, it is possible that
the disposition Of her guns, stores, or other
dead-weight may have given leverage 10 the
force OF the WIND by le>sening her ordinary
stability. Dunnose, of which the ship was
lost, is lonely head-iand, and is well known
to visitors to the Isle Of Wight. 1t is stu
atcd short distance south Of Sparkle
Block Gang Chine.
The Eurydice was commissioned at Ports
mouth in February, 1877, and went on 4
practice cruise to the West Indies, whence
she had been for some days expected at
Portsmouth. She had a smart crew, whose
number is variousy stated at from two to
three hundred. AT O'Clock in the after
noon, when off Dunnose, and proceeding
under full s,il, Squat struck the vessel.
She caDsized and sunk Immediately.
The schooner Emma. which was passing
the Eurydlce at the time OF the disaster,
rescued five persons, including Lieutenant
Francis Fl. Tabor After they had been an
hour in the water three Of these died. So
the only survivors Of the disaster are Benja-
min Cuddeford, an able seaman, and Sidney
Fletcher, tirst-class boy. The following is
Cuddeford's statement: The ship capsized
in a squat and snow-storm about 4 o clock
in the afternoon, when five miles from
Dunnose. There were over 800 persons on
board, all OF whom, except myself and
Fletcher, were, / believe, lost. I was one
Of the last in tho ship. Captain Hare was
near me when she went down after capsiz-
ing, and she carried with her Il large num-
Der Of men who were clinging to her or
were drawn down in the vortex. A man
near me said vessel was close when a
squall came on, and therefore we will be
sure to be picked up. was more than an
hour in the water, being Il first-rate swim
mer, and very many Of my comrades cried
to me for help. | tried 10 assist two OF
three, bat at last there were four clinging
to ME, and was obliged to kick them off.
we passed the lizard country OF Cornwall
and most southern point Of Great Britain
Yesterday, and expected TO anchor at Spit.
head about 5 O'Clock in the afternoon.
The Admiral commanding at Portsmouth
has Just sent steamers TO search in the vi
cinity of the accident, but no further report
has been received.
LONDON, March 25-3 r. Mil is now
believed the Eurydce had about three hun.
dred and twenty officers and seamen. OF
which two hundred and seventy were young
men in training, besides about twenty Of
ficers and men taken on board at Bermuda
as inyalds. .
LATER. .-t
LONDON, March ga telegram from
C0wes says that there is no doubt that thu
Eurydice was carrying too much sail, as sht
had her lower and upper studding sails set
a Portsmouth telegram says it is fearet
that with the men embarked at Bermuda
and others probably from a dnIiral Keys
squadron (NoIth Americana and the Yves
India squadron, she 1.-THE Eurydice1 hat
| aboard nearly four hundre men.