Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-22
BEACHED IN A THICK FOG
THIS WRECIIING OF THE TOXIC
DESCRIBED RY A SAILOR.

All the Officers Oh Deck and the Water
rs smooth rs Glass When She struck
Considerable of the Cargo Saved-A
TyphoOn Tears the Vessel to Pieces.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 21.-Some of the
crew of the Pacific mail steamship City
OF Toxic have arrived here on the Arabic
from China, and give the first full account
of the wreck of the Toxic near Yokohama
Their story of the disaster is as follows;
About O'clock on the evening OF June
% the light off Cape King, on the Japa-
nese coast, was sighted. A thick fog then
settled down, and hardly a ripple ruffled
the surface Of the water. The TOXIC
after sighting the light, made up the
narrows for Yokohama. 1t was impos-
sible to discern the landmarks along the
shore, and there are no fog-horn stations
TO guide mariners.
ALL Al THEIR POSTS.
Com. Maury was on the bridge peerinR
into the fog and darkness. The first,
third and fourth officers were also on
deck. Under these circumstances the
Toxic was making her way up the chan
mel for Yokohama. The ship kept on her
course steadily until midnight, and was
supposed TO be IN the channel. Suddenly
The man on lookout and the Commodore
on the bridge felt the vessel sliding easily
and nOiselessly on a shelving rock. In an
instant the Prov had plowed into the
bluffs ana the trees on the banks stretched
their limbs over tie rail Of the Toxic. The
fog was still thick, but the sea was as
still as Il mill pond.
NO PANIC on BOARD.
The vessel rested quietly on her bed Of
rocks. No one on board was frightened
or aroused by any violent shock. The en-
Pnes were at once reversed, and all the
strength of the machinery was eXerted
to back her Off but the Toxic held fast.
The tide went out, morning came, and the
ship was still on the rocks. As the tide
Went down the whole weight Of the vessel,
which was estimated al 5000 tons, rested
on the keel. Under this burden her sides
began to sag. 1t was decided to at once
JettisOn part Of her cargo TO relieve the
frame of the vessel. a large quantity Of
-four WAS thrown over board, and the sea
was white for miles.
THE PASSENGERS TAKEN OFF.
on the afternoon o: Wednesday, Juhe
-, launch came OF from \ OkOhama and
took the passengers aboard, among them
Minister Hubbard. They were taken OF
safely. Ii was found that the rock had
punctured the forward compartment, and
it was decided to build a cOherdam
around the damage, water being let into
1t to the after part Of the steamer to keep
her steady. This, however, proved IN
successful. Hope of getting the Toxic oil
waning, Commodore Maury set to work
to save as much Of her cargo as possible.
The cargoes for YOkohamaland Shanghai
were saved. The Hong Kong merchan-
disc WAS lost.
DESTROYED BY A TYPHoON.
July ,, about 4 O'Clock in the afternoon,
Che barometer suddenly fell, and the Com
modOre ordered the crew of the ship
ashore. Hardly had the ships company
got on land when a terrible typhoon came
up. The violent wind shook the masts
OF the vessel, and as they heaved back
and forth they ratified the plates of the
snip, loosening the bolts, and shattering
the frame work Of the hull. Finally
succession Of terrible seas dashed over
her and washed the Toxic out Of sight.
The officers and crew then proceeded to
Yokohama.