Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-07
The Stormy Atlantic.

TERRIBLE GALES AND LOSS OF LIFE DURING TIKI
VOYAGES OF THE SPAIN AND sCYTHIA.
From the New York Herald, 9th
The Atlantic is not yet quiet. Now and then &
vessel reports fine weather the entire passage,
but the majority of the arrivals have long
stories Of head winds, cross seas and squalls
Yesterdays arrivals were, in the main of the
latter type. The steamer Spain, Captain Sum
ner, was particularly unfortunate. She left
Liverpool on February Is, Queenstown OF
the following day, and for a week had moderate
winter weather. Then the scene changed. The
WIND was fresh from almost every quarter, and
IT was difficult for one to stand on deck, the shin
labored so heavily. The wind was OF great
strength on the 26th ult., and the ship was
tumbled about as if a mere harbor tug. rather
than leviathan OF thousands of tons. Squalls
were numerous, sometimes rain, then snow, and
not 1nfTequehtly hail. Friday, the 9th ult.
opened mischievously. As day dawued the
wind was OF such force aS 10 almost lift the vessel
out of water. She rolled and pitched, but true
TO her records, Notwithstanding the severity oi
the gale, behaved admirably. During the fore
noon seas frequently tumbled on deck and tons
of water rolled and Swashed about with no him.
drance. Everything movable was dashed, and
the officers frequently spoke encouraging words
TO the eInigrants, who, shut up below, were i'll
at ease and in some cases badly frightened. The
day closed dismally.
WASHED OVERHEARD, ALSO KILLED.
The 2Sth was much worse, and was attended
with sensational Incidents. The steerage pas
sengers could not or would not eat, and nine out
OF ten were either crying or. praying. 1t may
be years before another such scene is witnessed.
voking the God of storms to quiet the turbulent
waves and bring them to land in safety. Satur-
day, the 5Sth, was ofthe same unruly nature, and
was attended with disaster. A fearful sea de-
molished two of the boats and doubled up d
third as Ii 1t Were OF paper. The boat fell to the
deck. In doing SO it struck the steward of
the messroom, breaking both of his legs and one
arm and smashing his skull. The poor man
died within few minutes. The same wave
washed another sailor Overheard, which made
two vacancies forward. Neither the officers of
the Spain nor any one at the com pany's office
would give the names Of the dead men. To-
ward night OF the same day it was reported
that another sea boarded the ship and knocked
prone six of the crew. all of whom We're more
or less injured, but not seriously. AFTER this
visitation the weather became moderate and
the balance OF the voyage was without particu-
lar incident
THE SCYTHIA'S TRIALS.
The Cunard steamer Scythia also had serious
trouble. She left Liverpool February 21, and
the weather was SO rough and threatening
down the channel that two of the cabin passen-
gers insisted upon being put on shore at
Queenstown, which was done on the 22d ut
There was no end to the bad weather and ad-
verse winds. Constant rain, fresh breezes and
and all passengers were ordered below Head
seas constantly broke over the forward deck on
the oath, then in latitude SO deg. AZ min, long
day was 227 miles. Like unpleasant and an
moving conditions existed on the 25th ult and
294 miles were made: The ship labored heavily
next day, and notwithstanding the raging gale
S26 miles were recorded. The 27th was
the worst of the voyage. 1t opened
with a moderate breeze and confused
sea, but during the afternoon and night
there was a whole gale and tremen-
SLOW progress During the early hours of the
2Sth, with gales from the west-northwest and
north-northwest and squalls of rain, a sea
boarded the ship on the port side and carried
away the after wheelhouse and portion OF the
starboard rail-. SO soon as the nature Of the
who had been greatly frightened. became com,
parativeiy reconciled. That twenty-four hours
there were only 12S miles made. One OF the
crew was slightly injured by being tumbled
about, and one Of the steerage passengers was
tnnceremoniously sent into heap by lurch of
ing the height OF the gale on the 2Sth hot
headed steerage passenger circulated a petition
Tor signature asking the captain to abandon the
ship but wise counsel prevailed and the petit
ton was destroyed.