Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-06-19
Glittering Peaks a Hundred Feet
Above the Water.
Cool Reading for the Summer
Season.
BIZ Tolegrah 70 be N. y. Herald.l

By Telegram to the N. Y. Herald.l
ST. JOINS, N. f. June IA, 1880.
Your correspondent has just
returned from on board the British
wal frigate Flamingo, where several
hours were spent in ascertaining the
authentic facts bearing on her coils
ion with an iceberg off the New
Foundland coast. The damage done
the ship is not so grave as was at first
anticipated.
BUILT FOR A RAM.
The Flamingo was originally built
and intended for a ram, and her bows
are possessed Of enormous resisting
power. When the steamer struck
the iceberg, her jibboOm and bow
spirit operated as tenders, and BY the
time these spars were driven In on
deck the Roadway of the vessel was
almost arrested. Notwithstanding
this there are at least ten feet of the
stem cut away, starting from the wa
ter line and terminating where the
bow curves away to the forefoOt and
main keel. The steamer makes very
little water, aud il is concluded that
that the hull is not much strained or
otherwise damaged, albeit the terrible
conclusion made every fibre of the
little frigate tremble. Condor, the
successful contractor in the case of
the Arizona, is engaged in making
molds Of the steamers bows, prepar-
atOry to the construction Of a submar-
inc Golfer dam, by which agency the
repairs are to be effected. The dock
ing facilities in st. Johns are unequal
to a ship Of the size Of the Flamingo,
aud the time occupied in preparing
her for sea will be considerably ex-
tended.
THE FISHERY PROTECTION SERVICE.
The Flamingo being one Of the fish
cry protection service, and being ac-
tually on her mission to the west
coast Of Newfoundland when the col
lision occurred, it will be necessary to
replace her by another vessel, or per-
nit the service at the most important
part Of the year to be deprived of the
customary controlling influence in
enforcing the regulations. Accord
ingly Commander Kennedy, Of the
Druid, the principal ship on this sta
ton, has telegraphed to the admiralty
and asked instructions as to future
proceeding under the novel cireum-
stances that have arisen.
RUNNING SLOW.
After an interview with the captain
and officers of the Flamingo the fol-
lowing facts were elected by your
correspondent The Flamingo weigh
cd anchor in the harbor of st. Johns
on Saturday morning, at five o'clock,
destined for the west coast, where she
would cruise up and down during the
summer months in the interest Of the
interpretation service. The weather
in the early morning was densely foggy
and lowering, aud, as a consequence.
the speed OF tho steamer was kept
much below the normal rate. All went
we'll for an hour and a half. Cape
Spear had been rounded, and the
steamers course was set at south
southwest, thus giving the land a safe
berth and keeping out Of the track Of
small fishing boats and trading schoon-
ers.
ON THE LOOKOUT.
The nresence of iceberqs on The
coast was known to the captain and
the officers of the Flamingo, and Q
very sharp and careful outlook wal
kept up. Two men men were posted
on the jibboom end at the time, anC
it was one of these hal first deserted
the huge mountain Of ice ahead, an(
sounded the word Of warning.
THE CRASH.
The officer in command immediately
telegraphed to the engine room to have
the engines reversed at full speed
In a moment the propeller was a
work pulling the war ship back out o
the grasp Of what nearly proved
fatal foe. The two men at the look
out on the jibboOm end had barrel.
time to scamper in over the boom AM
bowsprit, when crash went these two
spars, driven in on the deck with ter
rife force, smashing and unlocking al
the fastenings and couplings on deck
UNDER THE ICE MOUNTAIN.
When the steamer forged off from
the huge berg, the ice lowered l0I
feet above her mastheads, with terri
BE m~enancing projections threatening
I'm their fall to sink the little war YES
eel daen down in the Atlantic. AT