The New York herald., 1879-11-09

steamship schooner rigged had been frequently
oyerhauled and repaired and considered to be in
excellent condition When she was built 1t was the
intention OF Commodore Vanderbilt, already inti-
mated to put her in the CARRYING trade on the Pacific
coast to connect with the railroad at the Isthmus
or Panama by running up to San Francisco.
While going west through the Straits of Magellan.
and standing oil the coast, she the rocks and
knocked a hole in her bottom. The crew however,
turned to and repaired her by putting soft patches
on her. They gave up the idea of taking her around
to San Francisco and brought her back to New York.
1t was said at the time that Mr.. Vanderbilt felt
all his ships at available points when war
would be declared. and the Champion was
not forgotten among his other vessels While
coming up the OF Brazil she put into Rio and
was thoroughly repaired She arrived in New York
previous to the declaration Of war. and after
ward chartered by the War Depari ment as trans
port ship to Port Royal aud James River She was
subsequently, purchased by the New York aud
Jnsas'1 James ". ~ ouinssrd Co. Six ' or seven en
years ago the Champion camo into collision
with the Old Dominion steamship Isaac Bell. just
outside of Sandy Hook. Both vessels were cons.d-
erably damaged, and the Champion. which sustained
the least injury, towed the Isaac Bell into port 1t
for the collision. each company paying for the re-
pairs to its own ship. Captain Lockwood was
then in command OF the Champion. but it
seems the company did not hold him
responsible for tho accident. The last voyage was
the two hundred and sixty-sixth the Champion had
made in the service of tho New York and Charleston
Steamship Company. The steamer rated ~.
She had three decks and two masts. She
built and enlarged in 1870 and thoroughly over
hauled in 1874 and deck put her. She
began running on this line in 1867. The remaining
steamships of the New York and Charleston Com
pany's line are the City of Atlanta MORO CASTLE
Gulf Stream and George W. Clyde.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SHIP LADY oCrAvIA.
Tho ship Lady Octavia is an old English built
craft said to be of the first that was built ex-
clusively Of iron. In British Loyds she is reported
to be built Of heavier iron plates than the now
requires. This fact is significant, in view of the
terrible blow she struck the doomed steamship. 1t
with the resisless force of iron-clad war ram
crushing the egg shell sides of wooden ship that
she went crashing into the Champion. The Lady
Octavia built in 1885, in Warrington the
east of England. She registered l. 172 tons,
measurements; 300 feet long. SO feet
breadth OF beam and 22 feet depth Of hold.
She last surveyed in London, and rates
high in Aoyds She was among the first OF the
iron ships built in the North OF England On the
1st of September she sailed tor Rio Janeiro, with
ballast cargo clearing for the Breakwater for orders.
She anchored Off Lewes, inside the Breakwater
November g. and remained there until tine evening
OF the 9Th. when she won't to and had been out
frightful accident occurred. She is owned in
Greenock by G. Adams Il Co. The New York agents
OF the Lady Octavia, No. II Broadway, stated that
they had yet received dispatches from the
captain of the vessel in regard to the accident The
ship had come in ballast from Rio Janeiro, and they
expecting her at this port. They did not think
her damaged to any great extent. Mr. Baxter,
of the agents. goes to Philadelphia to-day to look
after the vessel.