Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-18
WRECK OF A TROOP SHIP.

on England They had chosen a bad time for
conflict with Great Britain. The war with
Russia had only just ended, leaving England
with an army much larger and better pre-
pared for active work in the field than Is
usual in England. A small fore was ac-
cordingly organized for operations in the
neighborhood Of Canton, with Hong Kong as
ats Immediate base My regiment was one of
those selected for this service, and it sailed
from Portsmouth for Hong Kong early in
April, 1857.
My company was one of those ordered TO
embark in the Transit, a troop ship that had
been purchased, when half finished, by tho
admiralty, during the Crimean war, and that
had already become notorious for her many
nishaps. Built by contract, the worst posi-
bic work and material had been put into her.
She had recently been patched up in one of
our royal dockyards, and new engines had
been given her At the last hour, however,
she had been fitted for sea in great hurry,
and the result was neither satisfactory nor
creditable to cur system Of admiralty admin
istration.
The anchor was up finally, and amid the
waving of handllerclYiefs, and with ,arts
filed with mingled feelings of 10y and sor
row, we started slowly away toward the
Needles As we -neared Hurst Castle, the
weather becoming thick and foyr-y the cap
tain anchored for the night, intending to be-
gin his voyage down the channel at sunrise
next morning.
The noise of heaving at the anchor woke
me at dawn the following morning. had
Just turned over in my marrow berth, enjoy
ing the pleasurable sensation. Of being off
duty, and SO able TO doze away for another
hour, when my soldier servant put his head
-.
Irish brogue that the ship had FIVE feet of
water In the hold.
He did not know how it came about, but
that she was already very deep in the water,
and that had better get up at once, he was
certain. I thought some blue jacket had
been pulling his Leg" go, Smiling in what L
believed TO be myasuperior wisdom at the Sc
riOus manner In which be had taken the joke,
I turned my facefroIn the light, bidding him
fbegone and told him to call me at s.
{ A very few moments only could have
Felapsed when he again aroused me from
pleasant dreams of friends at home This
time he assured me in very excited voice
that'the ship was sinking. While he spoke
the bugles sounded our 'treginental CALI
and then the assembly" In few minutes
j dock in Uniform, with my company.
j We had just got under way, and were
rsteaming slowly in the gray Of misty morn
ling back to Portsmouth. All hands were
ordered TO the pumps; the steam pumps were
already at work.
y The captain, fearing that the ship might
go down Suddenly, Rugged the shore all the
way, 10 be able TO run her aground in
shallow water at any moment, ard to save
those on board if he could not save his ship.
I The sun had just risen as we neared Spit
a,,d ind IN, cloalS
'ourt and so make visible the signals to the adj
sIniral ashore describing our dangerous posi-
ftion. We had a very large quantity of gun
tpowder on board, intended for our fleet in
fChinese waters also many tons of anmuni-
ton for the army.
4 As precaGtion against dangerous eXplo-
sions near the dockyards, from time unme-
mortal the positive rule at Portsmouth has
been that no ship shall enter the harbor until
she has discharged all her powder at Spit
ahead intospecial lighters provided Tor that
purpose. All that we had ON board was al
ready well under water, for the leab-FaS in
fthe magazine. No danger from this harm
3ess mixture Of powder aIio water was there
fore possible; br1t there was the ordor signed
Iby "my loras'' Of TIE atrniralty, and our cap
tain did not dare TO infringe it.
4 He could not anchor for his steam pumps
Eunly worked in connection with the engines
which drove-the screw, soft the ship stopped
kfhe pumps would stop ifiso, and we should
shave sunk IN few minutes
can never forget the abSurdity Of the po-
ssition One of her tnajestys ships, crowded
with soldiers, half full Of water, in a sinking
tcondition sseamips at full speed round in q
icircle at Spttheai, while the naval authori-
tiles were striving to deoipher the signals of
IA % A. Ioet
THE signals were made out by those on shore,
and formal permission was given for US TO
senter the haI'bor.
4 After great deal OF clever1y executed
naval manerYsring, we came alongside dock
ward pier To it we were iashed with chains
and stoat hawsers to Prevent the SHIP from
moving, while the screw turned at full
speed, its movement being, as have said.
s,ecsssars accompaniment Of the steam
Dumps, whose action was necessary to keep
the ship afcess The troops were transferred
to an old hulk which had oaee been a dash
sng two decker"
! The Transit wasducked that evening and
we then verified me suspicion tiist had been
.snoeted on board all tse morning, but in an
sundertoue nanels:, that we had anchored in
too shallow water and when the the went
out, had sat down upon our anchor. The eff
sect of this unferttGaate operation was to
make a large hole in the ships bottom,
Through which ese sea had been pouring in
all night, without any one being bit the
wiser Indeed il was not until chs anchor
was being weighed chat any one suspected
that there was Something wrong.
In few days the damage was repaired,
the injured stores and powder replaced, and
we once more strained out Of harbor, our
friends Wishing as better buck next time.
BETTER buck ~saS not, however, in store for Us,
for ws ~ere no sooner well ont an she chan
mel than We eucoainte tered very heavy weather,
the thip rolling heartily with every weave.
We pow discovered tLGt her rigging was
most dessotlve. 1t had beaa'dane Ia great |
hurry by the dockyard wocknen, and not BY
The crpss- ssSFas usually the case. Our main
mast began % "wsb5len frsm sitieto side
with every Tch in a nlenacisg ASsiliou. the1
shroods- being to loose 70 aiSSn4It Inuctrsur-
port Indeed, IL was considered as1vlSanSe no |
have men told OF with axes. ready to cut
away the shrouds and other rigging in the
event Of the mast going overheard weran
for the nearest port, that of Corunna. where
al hands were soon busify at work setting
~ the rigging
Amongsthe very first things l had learned
by heart, as child, were those most ezQui-
sitely beautiful snd touching lines Of Wolfe
ON the death of Sir John Moore, which be-
KllI