Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-02-09
Wazkftte,
MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8.
ro--;h,. Erner;enoe of an Ocean Steamer

yerrible Exuerienoe of an Ocean Steamer.
The Seryia, one OF the largest ships OF the
cunard line. arrived at New York THUS
day from Liverpool. A passenger VINO mas
crossed the stormy Atlantic more than
hundred times gives the following account
of the voyage:
ave left Queenstown at seventeen n''H
utea mast two D. m. on the 25th flt.. ~nd
when about eight hundred and hfty miles
west of that port, on Tuesday night, Janu"r;
d about eight o'clock, we struck nor n
wsst yale that seemed to increase IN violence
"a 1he DAYS grew on. The increase IN IL"
force of the wind was not steady. IL ca :'t
in gusts or squalls, each more vlo!ent Wan
its nredei essor. The sea ran high ana hee't
and the spray was so thick we couio 10
Gee one end of the vessel from the otlcF.
EVERYTHING was made as snug as possioie ~
the outbreak of the storm, but the contihii'
ous efforts of the elements to destroy were
in many instances successful On Wedhes-
dav afternoon one lifeboat was Wrench"'
from her stanchions and blown far away L"
leeward, and several Of the other BOATS "eFe
so shattered as to be made wrecks. Every
thing movable was also swept from the decks,
while the loose dunnage below frightene':
the most hardened of the Voyagers. oh
Thursday the gale still further increased III
mower. and the head sea made the craft
culver as she pioughed her nose through
the gigantic waves, seemingly SO deep that
the iron bridge, large part of her rail, her
yentilators and the huge forward lifeboats
were carried away. The female passengers,
frightened before became thoroughly
alarmed now, and the scenes III the caolns
and saloons baffled description.
ssFriday last added to our-disast9's, $40
passenger continued as ne drew heavy
breath of relief. "The wind continued to
blow stronger, if possible, than ever, and
about ten O'Clock at night we seemed to
feel the ship jump. Then she sank down,
down, down. Next we heard thunder
Ing. crash, the SCATTERING of glass and the
downpouring of water Many at once gave
I'D ali hope, but the old sailors amopg US
felt her shake off the incumbus and then
plunge forward again. The skylight bad
been forced in by a heavy sea, and tons upon
tons of water had been shipped. flooding
the saloons and cabins six inches deep. Al
ter allaying the fears Of the most timld q
few of us went on deck and were astonlshed
at the wreck that met our view, In addl-
ton to the damages l have mentioned the
STAYS of the after smokestack were carried
away, and the heavy chimney, weighing
thirty tons, threatened to topple over and
destroy us every moment. Saturday morn
ing witnessed no abatement in the fierce
ness of the winds and added confusion to
the sea- Hope, that beamed brightly with
the dawn, was quickly made as gloomy as
the sky, and when at four O'Clock in the
afternoon a portion of the steerage gear
broke and the Servia fell off under the an-
cry sea blank despair took its place Then
the ability Of Captain Mckay displayed
itself and his crew responded nobly TO his
efforts, and within an hour the serious in
Jury was repaired, the vessel resumed her
course and he wind died away gradually
as we neared the haven to which we were
hound