The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-15
.PERILS OF THE SEA.
The China's Terrible Vo
From Liverpool.
OFFICERS WASHED OVERHEARD.
A Timely Warning by the
Herald Weather Service.
BRAVE BATTLE WITH A STORM.


Tho steamship China OF the Cunard line, arrived At
her dock In Jersey City ut halipsst yesterday a
ternoon, after experiencing heavy weather dur
ing the voyage ana losing Two OF her officers,
swept overheard and drowned on tho morning OF
the 9th inst
The China left Liverpool bound for this port the ID
inst with u mixed cargo and sixty-avs passengers
all told, eighteen OF whom were cabin passengers.
Nothing OF moment took place till the vessel was
q few days out 10 sea, when the wind began
TO freshen and blew heavy gale.
Tho wind steadily increased In velocity until IL cumi
nailed in q storm, the terrors of which only be
iully realized at sea- So tar as human precautions
could prevail everything was provided to meet tho
dangerous emergency.
yoREwARNED Ut THE HERALD
Tho vessel was entirely seaworthy, o11cers
and crew were vgilant and experienced, and
TO add 10 oil and to mako security douby
certain the HERALD had forewarnsd European
outbound ships against tho storm that brewing,
and which, predicted. would traverse tho At
lantc about the Sd inst, at the very time the China
began to experience heavy weather The HERALD
Weather Bureau despatch published In the Lon.
don Times, The 1st inst, and road az iolows:-
Storm centre traversing Atlantic toward British
and Norwegian coasts; will probably arrive 80. with
heavy southwest winds, ram and snow, followed by
cold; outbound ships will encounter stormy her
with snow and rain squalls week north of lal.
tude As
When the attention OF the officers Of the China was
called to this prediction they declared that that
exactly the character Of the weather they
during their voyage and they state that they apprco
ated the warning oil the more because the Official
London Meteorological ONCE the Same day that the
HERALDs despatch appeared in the London Times had
rlan al MI attn suhe
ForeoasI-Thsro is NO sign OF any great change be-
You'd reshen,ng of the northeast wind In the south
and southeast possibly accompanied by some snow
FUaIoUs sroRM
As has been stated the China started ON her trip
under favorable conditions The weather al rst did
nosthrssten that the voyage would be prolonged by
rough gales and head winds; but this sense OF
security dispelled about the 4th inst, whom tho
experienced eyes OF the discovered strong
indications Of rough weather. From tho 4th to the
9th the China had to contend against Succession OF
bad squalls; but nothing so exceptionally severe as
TO anxiety alarm for her safety Tho
fow nrst days OF the voyage were attended with
moderately strong breeze and cloudy weather, tho
wind blowing from the southwest veering to tho
northwest 10 southeast by the southwark tho 7h,
and changing 6orthcast to west tho following day
About this time the weather hszy and very cold
the wind constantly resheuing and gradually veerng
10 wes,-northwest but stun continuing cloudy
THE PASSENGERS ALARMED
Toward midnight on the Ssh tho gale seemed to have
that lis fury would be abated as the morning
| Some OF the more tmid passengers as matter OF
course EXPRESSED great alarm lest the vessel might
| sustain serious injury and DO wrecked IN the
storm. Tho captain and other officers in
command quieted their fears by assuring
them that there for apprch enson.
The running mou ntans high tossing the ship
| like toy from the crest Of one mighty wave TO
| naturally kept the tmid voyagers In a state
of auxious suspense during the nsht but rcassured
the passengers sought to forget their icars by SEEK
ing relief from their orebodings Ia sleep. The sup
was kept In her course but progress was oifcul. and
| clements and the waves Captain gill, though able to
quiet the fears OF the passengers could not allay HIS
| own apprehensons and anxiety.
WASHED OVERHEARD
During the progress Of the from the Sd 10 tho
10th he kept unvarying watch at his post without
once taking of his clothes rspos. or rest OF
any kind This condition OF AFFAIRS continued until
little aitcr Ave O'Clock on the morning OF the 81
In latitude As deg. II min and longitude A. deg. 50
min when the first and second officers were convers-
| rug on the bridge and anxiousy commenting on tho
severity and continuance VI the storm. The second
officer, Owen Harris, had assembled port ladder to
relieve the first officer Edwin BaIson, the third
officer George Richardson, was stationed tho
| deck waiting TO DO relieved by the fourth officer
Lleweyn Owen, who was down stairs, wnen tho YES
ana Ssors sho had time 20 r,gha
wave struck nor with terrible forco diako-
nny, sweeping over hor decks. striking. with
tremendous forco the weather end OF tho
| bridge, carrying away the springs from their fas.
toniDgs, and sweeping away the Two hapsss officers
They were never seen again TIE shock that the
sci sustained from the winch struck her with
such Jury and broke over her docks was 30 severe
that the widest disinay took possession OF all on
board. For the moment It feared that
tho steamer bad sustained serious injuries, but these
misgivings were soon forgotten when II became known
| that the FIRST and second officers had been washed
| overheard. II impossible to launch hfeDost
SO hercely ragged the Storm and the poor officers had
TO be abandoned TO their late amid the universal sor
row OF their companions and all on board.
| INJURIES SUSTAINED
As soon as tho vessel got again rights OK.
ANIMATION followed, whom was discovered that two
| OF the small boats on the starboard side had been
thrown OF their davits, but had not been washed
found, had also received considerable damage,
the waves running so high at the tune sno was
struck that they washed cloar tho smoke.
stack ana partially put out the fires. AIdona chains
had 10 be attached 10 the tunnel to keep position
during the remainder Of the voyage 0ut TO all appear
| ances no other damage was sustained.
| Tho storm abated bout i've o'clock tho morning
of inc 9th ana the remainder OF tho voyage pissed
OIL without any further adventure or mishap
| THE iLL-pATrD oYrfCERs.
The -fatsd officers were skilled and experienced
sailors. who had been long time IN the service OF
| Cunard company, and mad graduated from tho ranks
| Tue first ofnccr, Edwin Bason, n man who was
his sirlc. attention 10 duty. lie was aoou. forty
years Of age, married; ana was born in
reside a, Edge Hill, Liverpool lie had been Ten
years IN the service OF the company in various capac
lies, but always as seafaring man. THIS was his
third voyage the China, and IL Is said
made arrangements to retire on ms return to Liver.
pool. his wlfs having frequently urged him TO so.
AS they wcro In comfortable circumstance. But he
fales ordained otherwise, First Onccr Baisor
| died at his post like a nero
Second Oihoer owen Harris was born In Wales and
leaves wIic ana two children He had been i've years
10 the service oil the Cunard Company aud thirty
| five years Of age. lie transferred to the China
one year ago IRON the Russia, where he had served
In The capacity OF junior officer Tor four years lie
| oil singular devotion to his duties and il
spoken OF by his brother oflcers IN terms OF the
| highest praise.
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
Captain Gill was found on board tho China ycstcr.
day and dcscribed the SAD disaster substantially as
above related lie SAID that for days during voyage
the weather had been very severe. The officers aud