Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-17
Tnr uURRIcANE AT SEA.

. rbspter of ocean Disasters-The Bark
commerce DismantIed in the storm
ID lowed into Tybee Roads-NarroW
t--c,De ,,f the Crcw-A British steam
shin DfsabIed-The Norwegian Bark
Elisa Reports an Abandoned American
schooner Adrift in Mid-Ocean-
The American bark Commerce, which
was towed into Tybee Friday evening 10y
the British steamship Cyprus IN DIS
mantled condition. Is still anchored IN the
inner roads. Her master, Capt. Chase
arrived up in the city Saturday morning,
and placed his vessel IN the care Of Mr..
George ?. Walker, as local conslgnee.
Prom him a MORNING News reporter
cleaned the account Of the experience oil the
crew and vessel in the storm. The bark Ieit
New York on Monday, September ., Win
AN assorted cargo, bound for era CFuZ'
I'd 70 Monday last she experienced fer!
rleasant weather. with only little ram.
The CAPTAIN relates that Just before
tho yale burst over his vessel tnat
the air was charged with electucliy
and the ship presented beautiful
sighf. As all her masts. spars and rigging
were illumined with phOsphOrescent lght.
In the forward part OF the deck there APP
reared "A ball Of fire as large as DusneI
basket. and on the lower spar OF the mlz-
zen mast was another luminous pail
The barometer in the meantime was ial--
ing. and during the height Of the storm
fell to between = and > inches. The
vessel being in latitude 1924 and
longitude 1920 encountered the gale com
inc from the eastward. At 3 O'Clock IN the
afternoon the crew commenced 10 take
i'm sail. and BY night the vessel was run
ming under gO0sewing tOpsall, malntop-
sail and miZZen staysall, the Wlnd dow
ing AT a frightful rate. At O'Clock
the following morning the ship was
an her beam ends. At $3.50 the
maintOpgallantmast with all attached
to il was carried away, with the goose
wing tOpsail and miZZen staysall. At I
O'Clock the foremost went over the ran
and broke the steering gear. Twenty
minutes later the mainmast went over,
taking with il the head Of the mizZen-
mast. The mainmast in falling struck
the pump. breaking 1T in pieces. during
all this time the crew had thrown over
board all that remained OF the
deckload whitehead not been carried over
and battened up the holds and cleared
away the wreck. During this time the
vessel was leaking rapidly. 50 that the
crew had TO turn their attention 10 rigging
A single pump. Fortunately gear enough
was left to rig one, and after nVe
hours they sounded and found still seven
feet Of water in the hold. About ten
hours more work was ordered TO keep her
aflOat. and even after the sea had sub
sided the water gained access in the
stern Of the ship. which had been stove
in bv the humping OF the spars and
wreckage which had lodged after 1t went
overheard. The cabins were full OF water.
the cabin windows and skylights being
stove in. During this time the crew were
at the pumps thirty-three hours. sails
and spars were rugged up with what was
left. but the ship made no Roadway. haV-
ing drifted from 4 O'Clock Monday morn
ing until O'Clock Thursday morning,
when the British steamship cyprus was
sighted about 2OO miles east OF Iybee.
They were taken in tow by the Cyprus
and brought into Tybee, arriving at the
bar at 8 O'Clock Friday afternoon.
The Captain states that during the
height Of the gale the first mate was
washed overheard but the return wave
washed him back on deck again, where
he caught i'm the fOrebrace and lodged.
Three Of the crew were injured besides
the Captain, who had his hand badly
bruised and cut.
The Cyprus also reported having spoken
a British steamship bound for New Or
leans under sail. with her shaft broken.
The name of the ship, date or position
was not given, but her intention was TO
sail to New Orleans, her port OF destlna-
ton. under sail, and she appeared to be
making good Roadway and needed no
assistance.
The Norwegian bark Elisa from Ant
werp at Tybee, reports having encoun-
tered heavy gale on Monday morning
coming from south southeast which lasted
till Wednesday forenoon, in which she
lost one upper and two lower topsails and
one fore staysail and two hawsers. She
also passed an abandoned American
schooner about 200 miles east of Tybee
on Wednesday, between ) and O'Clock
at night, too dark TO make out her name.
She appeared to be loaded and did not
seem to be damaged to any extent except
jibbOom gone, or in sinking condition.
Her rigging and masts were all right.
Her fore and mainsail were down with
middle sail half up. but there was no one
on board as the Elisa passed close by her.
The Captain reported no reason for the
abandonment.