The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1882-07-05
LOST ON THE BAR.
Founderingof the British Steamship
Escambia outside of San Fran
cisco Heads.

The Daily Bulletin of June goth.
says:-One Of the most singular,
and at the same time one of the
most unfortunate marine disasters
which ever happened in the vicinity
of San Francisco Bay occurred last
evening on the Bar five miles out
side the Heads and southwest Of
Seal Rock, which consisted of the
capsizing and laundering of the
British iron steamship Escambia,
outward bound, with a full cargo Of
wheat on board. So far as known,
only four persons survive to tell the
story of the disaster, namely, the
Captain, Chief Engineer, the steward
and cook, who swan ashore on the
ocean beach below the Cliff House,
after losing their boat and number
Of their shipmates. !F
The Escambia sailed out of port
yesterday afternoon in charge of
pilot Rogers, bound, according to
her clearance papers, to st. Vincent,
Cape Verde Islands. This destina.
ton, it is understood, was only a
blind. The last vessel which cleared
from this port for st. Vincent turned
up at French port. When she left
the wharf she appeared to be some
what top-heavy, listing to port. On
her upper deck was slowed in bags
about eighty tons of coal, which
made stack as high as the bridge.
The pilot expressed his doubts about
the seawortbiness of the ship to Cap
tain Purvis while on his Yay out,
and she gave evidence of being very
crank when she passed out of the
smooth water of the bay into the
rougher water of the Gate. When
clear of the Heads, Captain Purvis
dismissed the pilot. Captain Rogers,
taking his course and making for the
bar. The lookout at Point Lobos
marine reporters station noticed the
Escambia going ont, and also noticed
the extraordinary list in the vessel,
which increased materially as she
approached the bar. Sometimes she
rolled so badly that it seemed as if
she would go on her beam ends.
When she reached the bar the look
out noticed that she fell into the
trough of the sea, rolled over and
disappeared, The intelligence was
promptly telephoned to the Mer-
chants Exchange. This was about
1880 p. M. At that time several
coasting vessels were cruising in Il, e
vicinity, but whether they were able
to render any assistance the Point
Labos lookout could not make out.
Nor could he see any boats leave
the ill-fated steamer, although it
since turns out that two or more
boats did leave with the officers and
crew on board. One of them, a
life-boat, containing seven men,
drifted out; to sea, being unfort-
unately without oars, When last
seen it is said she was half full of
water. Another, containing nine
men, including those reported above
as saved, made for shore, but cap
sized before reaching it, the four
who finally landed being compelled
to swim for it. Tug boats which
were sent out to the scene of the
disaster returned withouts success,
not yestage Of the wreck being
seen by them. .. .....,-.
Later Capt. Purvis made supple.
mentary. statement substantially as
follows; After leaving the dock all
went well until we reached the bar,
where we dropped the pilot. The
bar was very rough and a heavy sea
was breaking. Shortly after the pilot
left the journals became very hot,
and at 1880 PM. the vessel was stop
ped in order to allow them to cool.
The ship Immediately fell off into
the trough Of the sea, and could not
be kept up, She was struck by a
heavy sea, which filed her decks
with several hundred tons Of water,
which careened the ship over badly.
The third mate sung out that the
bunker hatch had been washed off on