Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-28

She Had List TO Starbosrd. and the or
hcers Learned why When the fires
Were out-Passengers Called TO SNvs
the Ship-It was Very Bad Grog-TWo
Brave seamen.
From III Netr York Sun.
The steamer Persian Monarch, OF the
Monarch line, arrived at herslIp in Jersey
CITY Friday morning, after a stormy vow
age OF nineteen days, the last half OF
which was made with her hold haf-tull
OF water. Her passengers and crew say
that they had a most terrible experience
on the voyage. Not one of them had eX-
pected 10 survive the passage.
The Persian Monarch left London on
Sunday, Dec. 6. with TWENTY-FIVE nrst
cabin passengers, one Intermediate, and
forty in the steersge. There was IN iXed
cargo in the hold. Although the YEA her
was very cold. her passage was uneYent-
full until the morning Of the llth. There
was brisk breeze blowing at tAat time,
and the knowing ones among the crew
foretold a heavy gale be ore nightiall.
Their prophecy proved true. At sunset
the who'd was blowing great guns from
the southwest. IL steadily increased in
force until miduight, when it had become
a terrific hurricane, with dangerous
cross-sea on, and the vessel laoored as
though her last moment hai come.
She was then about half way between
the northeasterly point Of Newfoundland
and the sOuthwesterly point OF Ireland.
Under the captains orders the we'll had
been sounded, to see if the ship was maxi
ing any water. every four hours, but, for
some reason. which remains unexplained,
at 8 O'Clock on the morning o. the 18th,
the tine appointed. no sounding was
taken. First Officer Cox at that time was
in charge of the deck. The captain had
gone be Ow.
At s:45 O'Clock the bells rang for break
fast. For an hour or more previous to
that time the vessel had been slowly but
steadily heeling over TO starbOard. The
reason for this was not apparent. The
passengers slowly came into the saloon 10
breakfast. Forced TO remain below deck
the whole night snd morning, and 70 hear
the continual roar of the storm, mingled
with the ereaking OF the ship, they had
been subject 10 the most terrible fears.
At o'clock. wnen Capt. Wilson came
into tae dining saloon, the ship had such
abst . stzrooard that the dishes could
rc1 hs kept % the tables. The passengers
co1- q Eos IN terstand this The Captain
srzs-uted 70 SIT down. but the ship gave
4 fUrc1 and he nearly tell 10 the deck.
sz11srly three sailors, entirely unmind-
n o ssip etiquette. bdrst into the sa-
or. s5o1ting.
--Csptsiu, ne vessel is going TO pieces.
r. E1ld : full O. water"
Tnls vas tie signal for a panic. The
Captain rushed down into the hold. On
~ Geek known as the hollow deck he
fund thai the water was pouring in by
t0ns. Three big. round port holes on the
E-zrbosrd side forward had been stove in
py the force Of the waves,
Or else had been carelessiy
left in insecure. and the ocean was coming
Ii with a velocity that threatened to
speedily send the vessel to the bottom.
Besides that some of her bow plates had
been started. Even while the Captain
was examining it the water rose so rap
Idly that be had TO beat hasty retreat.
Word was sent to the carpenter to hurry
with his tools and close the port holes.
When he came the water had risen so
high that it was impossible, without
swimming, to get at the port holes, and
be refused to risk his life. Second Officer
Bush, nothing daunted, plunged in, ana
Carpenters Mate Skinner follow The
men with difficulty kept themselves in
position 10 do their work,
The settling OF the ship to the starboard
side was now explained. To get her on
an even keel the Captain ordered the yes
sci put about. This was done with diff
Guilty. Orders were then given to start
the steam pumps, but they would not
work. An investigation in the coal
bunkers showed that the water had got
ten in there, and the wet coal damped the
fires. Next the water got into the engine
room and put out the fires entirely. Then
the engines stopped working and the ship
drjfled helplesslY in tie storm, although
little canvas was spread.
All of the crew who could be spared
from the hand pumps were ordered below
TO bail out tt water with buckets. The
passengers were also invited to lend a
hand, and all responded willingly. Bucket
lines were formed and each one worked
his best. For hours they toiled unceas-
ingly. but apparently without avail. lei.
nally Bush and Skinner, after narrowly
escaping death in the rising water, Sc
cured the port holes. Then enough water
was bailed out to insure comparative
safety. The compartment bulkheads had
fortunately held firm.
Three of the crew, feeling certain that
the vessel would soon go down anyhow.
and anxious TO drown fear with drink il
the opportunity offered, found q bottle
floating in the water in one OF the COM
partments which looked like a wine bottle.
Supposing that it contained liquor they
each took long swig. The bottle con.
tanned a solution Of carbohc acid. When
the attention of the crew had been some.
the ship they found that the three sailors
were in a fair way to die, even though
thev had escaped drowning. An emetic
relieved them OF ONE Of the poison, and
two OF them finally recovered. The third.
an English sailor named Steele. died, and
was buried on last Wednesday at sea.
TIE fires in the engine room were out
for nearly thirty hours, and during that
time the ship drifted before the wind. Al
noon on Dec. Is the gale broke, and the
sea began 10 calm.
Mathew Law, passenger, said, last
night, that there was lack OF discipline
among the crew, and that her complement
OF men was short by fifteen, and many OF
those she had were green hands. She car.
rled neither purser nor doctor. The night
before she sailed there was fire in her
hold. The DIRE was extinguished, but nc
examination Of the hold was made after
ward. There we're five horses on board
and three OF them were killed by the
storm. When the vessel arrived In porl
yesterday morning, the passengers, Mr.
law said, were hurried ashore without
breakfast.