The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-02
Now York TtmcSi

land the twcnty-one survivors OF the ITO
persons on the vessel on November Sth,
arrived nj this port Friday. The ship does
no, bear any evidences Of having been in
any serious collision. Captain c. &. Sis
son, OF the Thomas Da:.a. SAYS that the
persons i'm charge Of the French vessel were
responsible for her loss. The Rocaley was
an old vessel of about 100 tons. She was
chartered at the fishing colony OF ~. Pierre.
in the Gulf Of Newfoundland. 10 carry home
10 France number Of fisli-salters who had
been paid OF for their seasons work and
were anxious 90 return home 90 their fami-
lies. The brig left 81. Pierre early in Oc-
tober with no persons on board. About
eight OF these belonged TO the crew OF the
brig, while the Others were the returning
fish-SalterS. Among the latter were few
bosses. who lived in The cabin. The others
were slowed in Very close quarters between
decks.
Captain SiSSon states that his vessel cane
from LIVERPOOL i'm ballast. She had favor
able weather. and on the morning Of Ocio-
her 20th. ri $50 o'clock. in latitude 40,
longitude 10. she was proceeding on the
port tack and cloSe-hauled 10 the wind at
the rate OF about six miles an hour. The
wind blew from southwest bv south. Cap
tain SisSOn was below. and the second
officer was IN charge OF the deck. the
latter noticed 4 green light about two points
on he St1TbOard bow. He took the glasses
and examined the light closely. II evil
IDENTITY belonged 10 n small vessel sailing
free, with the wind at least two points on
her starboard beam. A. the ship was sail
ING close f. the wind she was entitled to
the right Of way. so the second officer did
not attempt 10 change her course. He eX-
ahmed his own sidC-iights and found that
they were burning brightly. The ship,
which measures 1,4j0 tons, was very light
and her side-ljghtS were ut leas' twenty
icct above the water. 20 that they could be
observed At a great distance. The green
light OF the stranger grew slowly brighter,
hut II was quite apparent that II she did
not alter her course she could pass the ship
safely. The morning was very clear and
the water was smooth.
just nj the moment when the second
officer isncled that all danger was over the
stranger suddenly swung round and head
ed toward the ship. The lookout left his
position on the tOpgallant f0recastle, after
warning the second officer that the brig
had changed her course, and called ont the
members Of the port watch, who were
asleep i'm their berlhs. The captain was
also called. As the ship was close to the
wind, IL was impossible To avoid the brig.
Ina moment there was heavy crash. The
brig had put her helm suddenly to port and.
swinging found, she struck Inc stafDOud
how Of the ship. The former was then
sailing az the rate OF about eight miles an
hour. Although the ship suffered but little
the brig smashed in her own bows and in
stantly filed. The shouts of her seamen
-, f'agTa sln
out OF sight. 4 few haIf-naked forms We're
seen struggling in the water. but all YES
tigcs OF the wreck within two minutes had
disappeared except two yards, which lay
across the bows of the Thomas Dana. In
the collision these had been forced from
the foremost of the brig. They lay as II
they had been carefully placed across the
ships bows.
The entire crew Of the Dana were now
on deck. LiIe-lines. buoys, and pieces o1
wood were thrown over the side OF The
shin for the men in the water TO cling TO.
Captain Sisson directed his men in
their efforts 10 save life. There was no
boat in the davitS, and the work OF launch
ing one would have occupied much time.
The men. however, went 20 work with q
will. Several of them fastened lines under
their arms, and. Springing overheard,
nshed out tde survivors and aided
them in getting on board. Twenty
one half-drOwned men were found
clinging to life-lines and buoys, and
were taken on deck. Many OF them
had scarcely any clothing on their
backs. They had evidently sprung from
their berths and plunged into the water as
the brig went down. None OF them could
speak English. ard no one on board the
ell French Iunfnin SISSOn
was AT first i'm hopes that he had saved
every one Of the briggs crew, for twenty
one is an unusually large number OF per-
sons for q sailing-yessel to carry. The sur
viyors. however, looked anXiously over
the sides and expressed so much anxiety
that the captain was soon convinced that
there were Others who had not been saved.
IT was now fast becoming light, but not q
fragment Of the brig could be seen in any
direction. Not even one of her buckets
had been left behind when she went to the
bottom.
The ship, which had backed her yards
immediately after the collision. remained
hove-to. Captain Sisson ordered sharp
lookout to be kept for fragments OF wreck
age, but none were observed The cap
tain and mate of the brig were evidently
missing, but among the survivors was
man who appeared to have some authority.
lie probably was boss among the fish,
salters. Captain Sisson produced paper
and pencil when he found that he could
not make the man understand him IN any
other way. By signs he induced the sur
yiyor 10 write the name OF the brig and the
number Of persons on board. When the
captain saw the figures 40 he was greatly
alarmed. -,
lit completely unneryed me-" he SAID
Yesterday. "and have not yet recovered
from il. although | feel certain that am
i'm no way responsible for the disaster"
Clothing was found for the half-naked
Frenchmen. who were treated with al,
Kindness. The Thomas Dana lay to unti
IL o'clock in the morning. As no wreck.
age could be seen, Captain sisson decided
that II would be useless 10 remain
there any lon.er. The Dana's bows
had scarcely been injured. The cop
per was torn very slightly, and q
portion OF a spar, painted white, was found
sticking in the planking Of her forward
bows. This was probably part OF tl'
iibboom of the brig. which broke of wher
il penetrated the other vessel. The Dams
was headed toward the Azore islands, anC
she hove 10 of Fayal on November Sth. III
the mean time il had been found difficult tc
provide quarters for the twenty-one survi'
yors. when OF Fayal Captain Slssor
hoisfed signals, which brought seyera
boats alongside. The survivors were sem
ashore with letter 10 the French Consul
As there are regular communications be
tween Fayal and France, the survivor
have probably sgain sailed for their homes
Captain sisson and his men assert tina
every prccaution was taken to avoid TN