Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-12-08
ROUGH
For Those Who AGO Down 70
the Sea in Ships"

The steamer Vile de Marseilles, Of
the French Transatlantic line, reached
her pier at the foot of Christopher
street yesterday about noon, after a
remarkably stormy passage of nineteen
days. She brought 32l passengers
$50 steerage, 10 cabin and % officers
and sailors. The latter were carried
by reQuisition Of the French govern
meDt, with orders to join the frigate
Magicienne. The steamers cargo con-
sisted off million and a half in specie,
and fancy goods for the holidays also
valued at a million and a half. Al
though every foot of storage space in
the vessel was occupied, the freight
was so light that the ship was not
properly ballasted, and most of the
time her screw revolved partly out Of
water, which made her speed very
slow. This was the first trip the
Marseilles ever made direct from
Havre to this port. The distance is
32l5 miles. She formerly sailed from
Franco to Vera Cruz, thence to New
York, and back again to her French
port. The agent OF the company and
Captain Nouvellon were found on
board the ship yesterday by q Herald
reporter and a graphic account of the
voyage was given by the captain.
PROLONGED GALES.
He said that soon after leaving
Havre, on November ID, strong west
erly winds began to blow, followed By
gales from the southwest and north
west, and the coasts of France were
hardly out of sight before the waves
were running fearfully high, and the
long, heavy swells broke against the
sides of the iron ship with tremendous
force. The wind increased every hour;
the rollers broke into foam, but the
waves did not lose any of their power,
and it was not long before a hurricane
seemed inn ending. For fourteen days
this condition OF the elements con.
tinued without cessation, and the
massive iron hulk, 325 feet long.
seemed but a toy in the jaws of the
sea. She rode the storm bravely.
however, and although but twenty
miles were made during one day, the
steamer plowed her way through the
storm until its fury increased to such
a pitch hat she had to "lay to- for
four days, which, Of course, caused
serious delay. Ifher bulky cargo had
not been SO light her screw would have
been under water andher speed great
ly increased. "Thei truth is" said
the captain, I'VE were in the midst Of
the most terrible storm | ever IAN,
As far as the eye could reach the
ocean was covered with foam. II
swept over our decks, at times entirely
submerging the steamer" and the
gallant captain declared he was keep
ing within the bounds of truth when
he said that she was under water most
Of the time for two weeks-from the
day they lost sight Of France until
they reached the banks of Newfound.
land. The ship wa hove to" in
latitude As degrees, 49 degrees and As
degrees for five days altogether.
VALUABLE ANIMALS LOST.
The only loss of life on the yoyaae
was the death of three Norman stall,
lions, two of whom were purchased In
Europe for Mr.. William M. Singerly,
Fthe proprietor of the Philadelphia
Record. They were entered on the
consignment books Of the oompany as
follows Two stations to r. a.
Packer one stallion to Graham X
Haines." They were insured for one
thousand dollars each, and the passen-
gers spoke Of them as very handsome
animals. It is said that they were
killed because the sea stove to pieces
the boxes in which they were housed
and dashed the animals against the
timbers until they died. An emigrant
said to the reporter that if they had
been put in larger stalls, where they
could have adapted themselves to the
motion of the ship and have lain down
when tired, they would have survived,
A COW and calf on board bad plenty
of room. They laid down and lived
through the storm until they were
carved up for food. The agent said
the horses were put in padded box
stalls, and yhep the gea grew so rough
that it continually knocked them
against the sides Of the stalls they
we're swung up in hammocks and SO
supported that they could not get
bruised, yet they died. One of the
passengers thought they were killed
by fatigue and fright. One del Oil
the Dist and the Others on the 9th O
November.
Tue FURY or THE STORM
The vessel, strangely enough, sus
tanned only slight damage. One oil
the sails was torn and the sheathing
around the steampipes which run
along the deck on each side of the
cabins vas torn up aud easEiel away
as effectually as if it'had been struck
bya steam plow. THAT shows you
how terrible was the force Of In,
waves, said an officer. "If the box.
ing around those pipes had not eiver
way, the pipes would probably have
gone overheard, aud in that case the
loss would have been quite serious
for the pipes carried steam to the
steam steering apparatus, which
would have been useless without
power to move it. In The tremendou,
seas at the time the hurricane was
flashing tho ocean into Wild white
foam the ship lay helpless, with hel
head to the wind. The steam steer
ing machinery was Of vital importanc,
in enabling her TO combat the con.
trary waves, and to keep the vesse
head to the Wind One of the steer.
age pas engers said the s66ne was
grand beyond description. Day aud
night for two weeks the vessel seemed
} doomed TO 60 70 the bottom, The
nights were full Of terror, womer
screamed, men swore and fought
while the wind howled like amenag
erie of wild beasts. When a mai
went ont to get provisions for his mes
he barely escaped being swept over
board, and he generally raturnel
drenched to the skin and thankful
that bis clothes were still Clingiug t.
him. On Thursday night, when o.
b Nandu Hnnk IL wns % rnnnh H. IL