The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-12-27
Wreck of the Steamer Borussia off the
Azore Islands.

LONDON, December 24-The British steamer
Borussa, Captain Williams, brig. rugged
steamer of 800 tons register, left Liverpool
November 20 with over one hundred passen.
gers, mostly emigrantS for Texas. She ar.
rived safely at Corunna, Spain, three DAYS
later, shipping 70 more passengers, aud pro.
ceeded on her way to New Orleans. This
was the last that was heard of her until yes.
terday, when the British ship Nationwide,
from Bussein, arrived at Queenstown with
nine OF her crew, consisting of the chief engi.
neer, doctor, boatswain and six seamen.
They were picked up on the 9th instant ia an
open boat by the Nationwide. The Borussia
had 1870 passengers, Of which number 105 EN-.
barked at Liverpool and rs at Corunna. The
crew numbered 81 men. After leaving
Corunna on the 9th of November, she expe.
reneed terrific weather, and sprung leak
on the LIST Of December aud the severity of
the weather increasing, she was abandoned
on the "a about 3lO miles southwest of Fayal.
The captain aud the second officer remained
IN the sinking steamer. The crew aud pas.
sengers embarked in eleven boats. The nine
survivors have no hope for tho other boats,
having before they separated seen one boat
capsize, drowning all It's occupants.
The survivors Of the BoTussia started i'm,
mediatey for Liverpool. Ii appears that n
panic occurred among the passengers and
crew. The survivors state that no order to
lnuneh the boats and prepare for the aban.
ment Of the vessel was giyen by the officers:
the crew themselves lowered the boats with.
out waiting for orders. About a dozen pas
sengers got into the boats with part Of the
crew. The remainder Of the passengers went
down in the vessel with the captain, second
mate, three passengers, eleven hremen, three
stewards, the carpenter and two boys One
boat swamped alongside the steamer, and its
occupants, five men, were drowned The
survivors state that at o clock on the night
of the abandonment Of the vessel they saw a
rocket ascend from the steamer, and soon
after her masthead lights were seen to sud.
denly disappear.
A Liverpool despatch says the survivors of
the Borussia report that the captain aud ma.
jority Of the crew remained on board the YES.
sci. Only sixty persons left in the boats.
Cork despatch reports that 1874 persons
were aboard the Borussia. The Captain, on
seeing the danger, and that all efforts TO save
the vessel would be useless, ordered the boats
to be got ready, some RATS prepared and ne
cessaries provided. The vessel was abandon.
ed at night, there being then ten or eleven
feet OF water IN the engine room. -Four or
i've boats were lowered about the same time,
but owing TO the darkness and heavy sea, they
/ soon lost sight OF each other.
One Of the survivors states that 70 passen.
| gers embarked at Liverpool. The vessel
reached Corunna on November sd, all we'll
Amer having shipped some cargo and en-.
barked about eighty Spanish emigrants, the
Borussia proceeded for Havana on the 26th,
the wind being light from the southeast, with
a calm sea. On November 30th the wind
ireshened and increased 10 gale. On the
following day itsnddenly chopped TO the north.
northwest, blowing strong, with heavy cross.
sea, in which the ship labored heavily. AT
noon she sprang aleak amidships. All efforts
At the pumps we're fruitless to keep the shin
free. The water filed the engine room aud
stoke hole, putting out the fires aud stopping
the engines. The crew still continued to
work at the pumps, until next day I'D inst. }
when II was determined to abandon the YES.
sell Her boats were launched aud provision.
ed, aud part ofthe crew, with about dozen
passengers, got into them. Those Of the crew
who remained by the vessel we're the captain,
second mate, three engineers, eleven iiremen,
three stewards, the carpenter and two boys
/ The survivors state that the steamers cover.
ing board, when they showed OF, was not more
than two inches above water. It is supposed
she must have gone down with her living
freight. The fate Of the otherbon is doubt.
ful, as nothing has been heard Of their occu-
pants since. Shortly after leaving the vessel
one ofthe boats sWamped, and the occupants,
hve in number, were drowned.