Morning journal and courier., 1883-01-09
THE OLD WORLD.
Great Britain.

The Loss of the Brussels-ExcelIent Con-
 duct by the Onicers-Value of the Lost
 Vessel.
 LONDON, Jan. 9.-The fog in which the
 City of Brussels was run down and sunk at the estuary of the Mersey by the Kirby Hall
 had prevailed for several days. While the
 City of Brussels was lying to under steam
 near the lightship, careful lookout was kept, the captain and the second and fourth
 officers being on the bridge and the pilot also looking out. Bells were kept ringing and fog horns were frequently sounded. Extra
 lookout men were posted in every part of
 the vessel. Suddenly the low gurgling sound
 of a vessel approaching was heard, and a
 large steamer only few yards distant and
 moving quickly through the water, loomed
 out in the fog. Almost instantly, and before
 any steps could be taken to avert it, tre
 mendous collision was seen to be inevitable.
 The bow of the Kirby Hall struck the star
 board bow of the City of Brussels with ter rible force, cutting her down to the water's
 edge and almost half through. The Kirby
 Hall was on her maiden voyage. The mo- ment the collision was seen to be inevitable everything possible was done on board the City of Brussels to protect the lives of the passengers and crew. Those on board bear testimony to the presence of mind and coolness of the captain and officers. The passengers were marshalled into their ap- pointed places, so that there was no hurry or confusion. Life buoys were served out, the boats were swung and every preparation was made for emergency This proved to be more critical and immediate than was antici- pated. The passengers had been put into the boats and some of the crew told off to Al ! k1,1- ~,E the men continuing on board until the safety of the rest had been assured. The vessel got visibly lower in the water, and those of the crew who had not escaped in the boats climbed into the rigging to await results. In about twenty minutes after the impact the vessel gave tremendous lurch, hinging off those in the rigging and plunging into the depths with fearful swirl. The scene was
 heartrending in the extreme. The people in the boats were enYeloped in darkness, and those in the water were without help. The
 Kirby Hall. which, immediately after the
 collision, had rebounded through the vio
 lence of the impact, and was soon obscured
 in the fog, was unable to lower her boats or
 to render any assistance. The boats of the
 City of Brussels picked up all who could be
 recovered. The fog lifting, all the people
 were taken on board the Kirby Hall, and
 when they were mustered on board of her it
 was found that two of the passengers of the
 
 were steerage passengers and were Italians.
 There were also eight of the crew lost in-
 cluding Second Officer Young and Carpenter
 Woods. The Kirby Hall, after searching for
 several hours, proceeded to Liverpool, where
 she arrived at 10 o'clock last night and land
 ed the survivors at the landing stage One
 of the crew of the City of Brussels states that some of the Brussels boats returned to the steamer before she sank and pulled about
 close to her so to give those on board an
 opportunity of saving themselves The men
 dared not go actually alongside the sinking
 vessel for fear their boats would be sucked
 down with her. Thus a number, of those
 who jumped into the water were rescued,
 among them being the captain, who was
 floating on a spar. While the boats were being rowed about the vessel she suddenly plunged down, bow first in IA fathoms of water, leaving only her topmasts visible The boats were rowed for time about the spot where the City of Brussels had gone down, to make sure there were no other sail ors or passengers in need of help, and after time the boats pulled to the Kirby Hall, which stayed by until the fog lifted at about | o'clock in the afternoon. Young and Woods | were taken on board the Kirby Hall appar- ently lifeless. All efforts to restore anima- ton were fruitless. When the first or second | boat reached the Kirby Hall, from the sink | ing steamer, the purser shouted out, as they | pulled up alongside, to send some boats at |
  that this was impossible, as he had only four or five seamen on board and that all he could do was to stand by. The bow of the Kirby Hall was stove in. The bodies of Second | Officer Young and Carpenter Woods have been recovered. A boy by the name of Ham, ilton was rescued from the cross-trees The passengers lost everything, some escaping only half dressed, glad even to save their lives. There were eighteen cabin and thirty eight steerage passengers on board. The names of the drowned seamen and two steer age passengers are not known. The ships cargo was an ordinary one of cotton, hops, ] bacon, cheese, meat, butter, flour, sealskins and tobaccS, valued at $35O, ,O00.
 The City of Brussels was one of the best known of the Inman fleet, and before the en- try into the service of the larger vessels-the City of Berlin and the City of Rome-was, perhaps, the most popular with the travelling remarkably quick passages for 8 vessel of her class She was built on the Clyde, by Todd & M'Gregor, in 1869, had gross tonnage of 4, 774 tons, was built of iron and had all the latest improvements in machinery and &C., She was 390 feet long, and had 8 beam of 40 feet, three inches. Like all vessels of the Inman fleet, she was ship rig ged. The, ship was valued at $500, ,000 She was fully insured it is understood. Second Officer Young is described as fine looking, powerful man about twenty-six years old. widower Both were considered able off, sers. The last vessellost by the Inman line 2 was the City of Waterloo, which went ashore near Halifax three years ago.
 BOSTON, Jan. 8.-The cargo of the lost Herman steamer City of Brussels was insured . n Boston for $100, GOO, the Washington. 7 Shoe and Leather, Boyleston and India off, v