New-York tribune., 1880-04-09
LOSS OF 4 BRITISH STEAMSHIP.
THE SYRIA, WITH A CARGO or COTTON AND oT

| THE SYRIA, WITH A CARGO OF COTTON AND OIL
CAKE, ABANDONED AT sEA-vEssEL AND MA
CIITNERY COMPLETELY DISABLED.
The steamship ticllert arrived from Hamburg yes
terday, having on board Captain Join j.: Johnson
and thirty-Scvcn other persons, comprising the
crew of the British steamship Syla, Whlcn was
abandoned Mt sea on April IN disabled and sink
ing condition. The officers of the wrecked vessel
appeared before the British Consul yesterday alter
Loom and made report Of the oss of their vessc
and afterward were sent with the crew to the sail,
orS HON, in Chcrry-St. until arrangements cOulu
be made to send them home.
The SvrIa sailed from y wv Orleans on M1rch Is,
with cargo of 5007 bales of cotton aud 100 tons
of oil cake, for Liverpool Cool weather prevailed
until March 81, when hard northwest gail set III
with high running sea, which broke over the YES
sci ut intervals with great force and Threatened To
swamp Lcr The gale continued with increasing
force. and the following day the hu'whrNs ana
ganGways were brox Ken away i'll several pl ccS. ire
gale moderated on til" 27th, but was renewed with
greater severity on the day from the opposite
direction. creating a terrible crOSs-sea. AnOU
sundOwn the ship suddenly became unmanage,
able and upon examination 1t was iolnd
that the ruddcr and ruddcr-pOst were gone. While
shortening sail the forcsail blown III ribbons.
The engines were kept running at slow speed durlng
the night to hold the vessels head TO the sea. The
gale continued TO increase the next day. the seas
breathing over the yesSc ana fweepnE every rnE
der of spars and ,raftS was made, and
on the morning of the 30th derrick was
rCQed and "a drag, attached to two hawsers, was
thrown over the stern, hut al efforts to steer the
vessel proved unsuccessful. Very little hcadway
was made. and on Aprl l thc Norwegian bark
Knsine was sighted and signals Of distress made
The captain of the Kristiue said he could offer no
assistance, hut would take Off the crew. This
proposition was declined by Captain johnson and
his Ofli1eTS.
Bad weather continued, and on the morn
ing OF April The main disthargc-lhpc
leading from the engine through the SIDE Oh
the vessel was carried away. This disah.cd the en-
gIneS and large quantities of water flowed INTO the
vessel each tine So rolled over. On Sunday NOM
ing last the Gelert came i'll sight aud running along
side the disabled steamer took her i'll tow. 1t was
found that wOnld he dangerous to continue the
efforts to save her, as she WAS urcontI0liaDle ana
both hawscrs had parted. Eleven of the crew OF
the SYRIA, with their baggage. went on board the
Gplicrt and all declined to return at the request oi
Captain Johnson, or to take the place ot others on
the Cellcrt who might volunteer to 90 to the SYRIA
CAPTAIN johnson then asked Captain Kuhlawoin.
of the Geer to send some Of his crew to the SYRIA.
but his request was decInei alter an examination
of the SYRIA by two of the officers
of the GeIiert. who reported the vessel
unsafe and III sinking condition. The remaining
members of the crew OF the Syria then were trans
feIred to the Gellert with the exception 81 Captain
johnson. Mates Roy aud Connor, Chicf Engineer
Glaso and Carpenter H0cquard, who refused 10 leave
Their vessel until every effort had been made to
save her. Finding that they could get no yodlu-
eeIs 10 remain with them, the Syria was then abal-
dOned.
The cargo Of the Syria was partly insured in this
city. She was an iron steamer, of 2OU9 tons dis
placement, built at Southampton in 1853, and
owned by James Lacey. OF Sunderland