The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-05
fr.nnIsrille Couner.JouruaI.l

al the resfnion Of pastor and people Sunda
morning, Rev. j. l.. Burrows, who wa
one az those wrecked on the Inflated An
choria. occupied his pulpit for the first tim
since bis departure some months ago. tn
congregation was large, and bis address lis
,sned 10 with deep interest. The title 0
the sermon was +" Praising God for Adycr
s,,ies,v and, after discussing the interposi
ton of Providence In affairs OF men, th
speaker said:
on the 18th of June, with some TWO hun
dred other passengers, embarked on th
steamer Aucboria for Glasgow. The An
choria Is an iron vessel 800 feet long, ant
with a carrying capacity OF over 1900 tons
She was deeply loaded, requiring som
twenty-four feet OF water. The weaihe
was pleasant and the sea calm. On the Sc
cond day out. at half-past O'Clock, we wer
sos miles east OF Sandy Hook. We were &C
companied by another steamer Of the sam
line bound for Liverpool, and the steam
whistles were sounding at short interval
during the whole night 10 indicate the rela
tive positions OF the two steamers. Durini
the morning q dense white fog enyelope'
the ship, through which the eve could no
penetrate ifs length. Again we heard II
quick succession the signals OF the steam
horns. SUpposing our COMMUNICATIONS
OF the night was still in the vicinity, ant
convinced by the signal that both crew
were on the alert, we had
NO THOUGHT OF DANGER.
The passengers at balf-past o'clocl
were sitting at the lunch.table in the cabin
Suddenly there was slight shock. At frs
II seemed 10 alarm no one in the cabin.
supposed IL 10 be soroe block or spar faIer
upon the deck. Bin in moment il was
said that we had been struck by another
ship. The steamer Queen, on her way
from Liverpool 10 New York, had run into
our ship. out of the white curtain OF fog
the huge iron monster had gIided, had
seemingly just slightly touched our ship,
and instantly sheefed of again. was on
deck I'm time TO see her slowly receding from
the collision and disappear behind the fleecy
fog curtain. Her prov bad been broken
in by The shock, and saw the sea rushing
into her hold through the yawning breach.
But In moment she had vanished. The
passengers did not at once realize the dam
ger to our ship, but the officers and crew
did.
A collision between two such vessels at
sea does not often fail 10 send one or the
other, sometimes both, 10 the bottom. That
slight touch. which had not thrown q man
or woman from their feet, had plunged half
wav through the hull OF the Anchoria.
crashing the IRON casing, timbers, and fast
enings for fifteen feet below the water-lipe,
and opening a breach through which the
waves rushed into the very heart OF the ship.
The undiSciplined crew, most OF whom.
shipped on the day before starting from the
sailors boar ding-houses of New York, were
strangers to one another, without drill or
llakI
evidently were convinced that
THE STEAMER MUST SINK
immediately, and some OF them rushed TO
the bar, seized the liquors on the shelves.
and tried TO stupefy themselves into drunk
enness that they might be drowned in un-
consciousness. A few, aided by the pas
sepgers, and with such brief directions as
The hurried officers could give, worked at
looseniDg the boats and dropping them into
the sea. They were as tightly fastened in
their position by dried cords and cemented
10y dried paint rs though it was not expect
ed that they could ever be needed. Before
one OF them could be lowered into the sea
three boats from the better-discipllned
Queen were alongside the Anchoria.
and the passengers were called to embark
in them at once. Some OF the cOwardly
them, but were promptly ordered out by
the captain with a pistol pointed at their
heads.
Then commenced The lowering OF the
women and children into the boats, which
were lying some twenty or twenty-five feet
below the deck. No ladders or sings were
in readiness, and the only means OF descent
were single ropes, which the women, as
well as the men, must grasp and let them
selves down hand under hand. Children
clingiDg 10 tho necks of men, sometimes to
their mothers, fastened To them in some in
comprehensive way, were lowered to the
boats. Each boat as filled was rowed to
the Queen, some hundred yards distant,
and drawn up to her deck. The passen.
gers generally were
CALM AND POSSESSED.
There was no clamor, or wailing. or
shrieks. The gentlemen were active and
prompt in any service they could render.
and particularly so in helping the ladies and
children.
Within an hour the passengers were all
safely, without any serious personal injury,
transferred to the Queen, she being consid-
cred the safer vessel, though her prow-sec.
lion broken In was full OF water. The OFF,
GERS thought it scarcely possible that the
Ancbora could reach port. All of our
baggage had to be left on board the dis
abIed steamer, and we were glad enough to
leave IL as q cheap price TO be paid for our
rescue. After some five or six hours delay
the bows OF the vessel were
TURNED TO NEW YORK,
the Queen being required TO keep within
bailing distance OF the Anchoria to render
aid in case OF need. We could move but
slowly, and two anxious nights and days
were passed In the return. We owed our
safety, under the good providence Of God,
first. to the wise and scientific method OF
constructing these monster iron steamers in
separate water-tght sections. The interior
OF the vessels Is built in compartments, each
being divided by strong bulk-heads from
the others, so that il one or two sections are
stove In and filed with water the others
will still buoy the vessel up. Our ship was
struck In the second compartment from the
bow. A few feet further aft and it would
have crushed into the steam machinery, and
then probably an explosion or fire, per-
haps both, would have sunk the ship with
out time for escape.
Another reason For our deliverance was
the ealmness OF the sea. All the while du-
the passage and return the ocean was
smooth as milI-pond. Had there been a
storm or rough sea 1t would have been
impossible to transfer the passengers with.
out loss Of life, II at all; and The ship being
cut bali through and held together only by |
the fastenings Of the other half, rising upon |
the crest OF rough wsves must have parted |
and left helpless wreck to sink into the
depths.
Some have asked me what was the char.
acter Of my