The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-05
CAUGHT IN THE CYCLONE.
PERILoUs VOYAGE OF THE STEAMER FRANCE
FROM LoNDoN-THE FIRST OFFICERS STORY

PERILous VOYAGE OF THE STEAMER FRANCE
FROM LoNDoN--THE FIRST OFFICERS STORY
OF THE STORM.
The cyclone which developed itself of our coast
on the morning Of the goth of October. as predicted
in the HERALD of the 26th is fast nearing the other
side of the ocean, and the steamships that arrived
yesterday had accounts of It's terrific violence.
Vessels coming up the coast from southern ATTITUDES
experienced the force of the storm with greater or
less force. The lower edge Of the storm passed IN
the neshborhood Of Cape Hatteras. The ofhcers
of the France say they experienced less heavy gales
than those of the ALBANIA or Bristol whose courses
were nearer Sable Island where the two branches
OF the cyclone met Notwithstanding this. an old
seaman. the chief officer of the France, says he
never saw such storm.
Tho National line steamer Franco came up abreast
Of her pier yesterday sending her passengers OIL III
steamboat to the docks and anchored in the stream
the Jersey shore. To obtain further particulars
of her stormy voyage HERALD reporter went on
board yesterday afternoon. The chief officer said
the vessel left London the afternoon of October
l6 and anchored off the More. On the morning of the
nth the voyagers had fair weather. with strong
breezes and cloudy, lowering weather. On the next
four days there were fresh gales and head winds
This Is unlike the experience OF other steamships IN
this storm. and is believed to show that the dis
turbance is fast travelling toward Europe.
MEETING STORM.
On the 22d the logbook OF the France shows that
there was fresh breeze and overcast sky, while
the 23d and oath there was moderate gale, witha
head The high wind then died away. and on the
25th and Goth thore were brisk breezes. On the
27th and 23th the full force of tho storm
felt. there being strong gales and heavy seas
During the whole OF the 29th the wind ranged from
strong gale to violent storm. Inc Ghisf oineer
hurricane. The vessel had been sailing under
heavy press Of canvass but as the breeze fresened
the topsails, jib and fore sails housed. BY
eight O'Clock in the morning they had heavy gales
hard squalls and high seas, and an hour later
began experience tho force OF the gale. and the
broke over the decks fore and aft. The gale in
creased In force, and the sea became CROSS and
highly dangerous. The ship labored and pitched
heavily and heavy masses Of water were thrown
ad ns
squalls of rain. The ship aboring and straining
itself very much in the cross sea- Late in the even-
ing the heavy sea broke on board and carried away
the boat checks and railing the saloon deck.
Captain Robinson and the chief officer denied that
tho heavy seas carried of her deck houses The
storm was violent. these gentlemen say. but the
France is o good boat and showed her best
points.
The water breaking over the decks got into the
steerage to the a great Of the
greatest forco during the morning Of that day;
heavy broke the ship aud stove in the star
the morning the gale moderated and the became
less troubled and four hours later the wind had de-
the storm had passed the France. The officers do
not believe that they reached the heart OF the cy
clone. They Sufm1So that the storm from the Gulf
region met them, as thoy had passed the Banks
the day before. and were some distance to
the south OF sable Island. They are rather Of the
struck the Franco and passed to the vessels whose
| experiences detailed in yesterdays HERALD.
tude AZ deg. min. aud longitude Ss dog. so min.
and her stood well off the Banks. The chiof
officer. though he maintains that he only in the
southern portion. says he never anything like
it in his life. The rolled mountains high, unlike
wat lax in cont M Saea
| The City Of Alexandra. Of the Alexandra line.
from Vera Cruz, while standing off the coast Of
| Georgia and North and South Carolina, Saturday
also experienced heavy weather They report strong
northeast gales with rain which accompanied them
while passing from latitude 81 to 80 deg. north.
QUIET PASSAGE OF THE P. cALAND.
| The steamship p. Caland. OF the Rotterdam line
came up to her dock at the foot of Chambers
street. Jersey City. late yesterday afternoon. Cap
tain Deddes said he had not experienced heavy or
| strong winds till the vessel passed the Banks "a
northwesterly winds, with the barometer rising
from 80 inches to 80 g. characterized the weather
on the 26sh During the soth the weather became
| rough. The +. Caand should have reached port on
The brig Victoria. Captain Spencer. consigned to
| H. Trowbridge. arrived yesterday afternoon from
| Antigua During her entire passage she met shc-
cession OF northwestery gales. On October ~.
when in latitude IL deg. AZ min. and longitude II
deg. l6 min. a hurricane arose from the southwest,
| and then changed around to the west northwest,
sci in the meantime shipped large quantities Of
water and lost her mainsail. topsal and fore top
| sail at the commencement OF the gale.
The schooner William Douglas, Captain Hughes,
| came up her dock from Port Antonio. jamaica.
She tells the story Of continuation of fearful
westerly and northwestery gales. with heavy cross
| seas. On the 25th OF October the schooner was
struck by the storm that iu the vicinity of tho
Gull region the oath Of October The gale lasted
with great intensity for three days. The vessel
shipped large quantities OF water and finally
compelled to heave to in the storm.
The brig Joseph Clark. Captain whitney, from Fer
nandina, Fla had stormy voyage of sixteen days.
The mainmast went by the board aud her small sails
ao,st vrofnp cknVn IN v,1 hos ofta~
house started. The Captain was forced to throw
80 900 feet OF lumber from her decks to tighten her.