Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-05-12
A Tidal Wave.


The Weymouth & Channel Islands
Steam Packet Company's mail steamer
Aquila, which left Weymouth at her
usual hour, twelve o'clock, on Friday
night for Geurnsey and Jersey, on her
passage across the channel encountered
avery curious and dangerous phenome-
non. The weather was calm and clear
and the sea was smooth, when about
one hour out, and with the shambles
light still in sight, the steamer was
struck most violently by successive and
mountainous seas, which sent her on
her beams and swept her decks from
stem to stern. The water Immediately
flooded the saloon, ladies' cabin, fore
cabin and engine-room, entering through
the skylights, the thick glass of which
was smashed into small fragments. The
lamps in each of these places were ex-
tinguShed and smashed, and the floors
to some depth were covered with water.
The passengers were greatly alarmed,
and as soon as possible they received
orders to come on deck and shortly
afterwards they were to be seen scramb-
ling over the debris which strewed the
decks. Every one was pale with fright,
while in the panic and confusion which
prevailed neither sailors nor passengers
could for a moment tell what really
was the matter. One. man was heard
to exclaim that the vessel was fast
making water and would probably soon
go down. On sounding the pumps, how
ever, this was found to be incorrect; and
consequently confidence that no further
danger was at hand seemed to be assured.
AS the decks became clear of water the
actual damage became apparent. The
bulwarks were found to be broken in
several places, one of the paddle-boxes
considerably damaged, the iron rail on
the bridge was considerably twisted, the
pump was broken and rendered useless,
the skylight of the ladies cabin was
completely gone, and the saloon sky
light was smashed to atoms. Two large
cases of plate-glass consigned to Jersey
were smashed to pieces, and one among
several slabs of Bath stone weighing
about half ton each was broken to bits.
Two coops containing fowls were
washed overheard. The stewardess,
who reports being occupied at reading
at the time, was Knocked down across
the cabin and was covered so thickly
with broken glass and other debris that
she was unable to move till it was taken
from off her. The steward was stand
ing in the companion-way when the
force of the water drove away one of its
sides, and he was thrown down stairs,
receiving a cut across the forehead. A,
seaman who was forward when the sea
struck, fortunately clutched one of the
davits and states that otherwise he
would have been washed overheard;
when the second sea struck he thought
he could not hold on no longer, from the
force of the surrounding water. 1t APP
pears that the Aquila was not able to
shake herself clear of the first wave
when the second one came upon her,
and the Captain states that had another
followed he fears she must have foun-
dered. The cabins were baled out with
buckets, while tarpaulins were placed
over the skylights for protection. For
tunately nobody was seriously injured.
Five minutes after the waves had struck
the steamer the sea became perfectly
calm.-LOn0On NeUs.