New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-31
TERRIFIC WEATHER AT SEA.
HOwLING GALES AND GIANT WAVES REPORTED
BY INCOMING TENMslIIPs-I.ONG DRIFT
m

BY INCOMING STEAMs IIPs-LONG DRIFT
OF A Nrw-JER-EY PILOTBoAT
The fleet Of ships that came to port yesterday
like flock Of sea-birls driven in by storms all
had moving tales to tell Of wicked weather and
terrific waves, and il q field day in the yarn
spinning way for men that go down 10 the sea in
Ships
The British steamship Pomcranan arrived here
yesterday afternoon from Glasgow. after a mast
stormy trip, during which terrific gaIs from the
west and southwest with snow and hail battered
her constantly that she was unable to proceed
ar full speed during the greater part of the voy-
age. Five hundred miles from shore she was
boarded by q pilot re was Martin Conner, Of
New-Jeisry pilo' boat NO. 6, the Edward f.
barrett, winch had been driven 10 sea by gale
When Mr. Conner came ashore yesterday he said
that he bad often gone ont that distance in de-
cent weather and because he wanted to go, bur
that be had never gore 50 far against his will
and sideways and stern first, as he went this time.
in weather which seemed as if the whole earth
were turned upside down, He told this story
downtown yesterday % the marine reporters who
make Tie port unsafe for seamen who have yarns
10 spin:
we ran out through the Narrows on December
lG. and for three days we logged along com
fortably heading east and north. There were
three pilots on board. Charles Hughes. Thomas j.
Roeco ard myself Oar boat'lceper was Nicholas
Wall. and there five other men in the crew.
Well, we had good winter weather and il. looked
liil. short spoil ~ -'9. We dropped Tom Rocco
two days ont H. had won the toss for first
ship. AMI hc got the Runic. lie was the lucky
ma. IN more WAYS than only winning the toss, for
we got 10 chanc" 10 board ships after that.
On De- nb"r - the weather changed. and In"
siy began 10 look dirty in the northwest W"
were then in longitude Gi and latitude Il, well
east of the George, Shoals. We made thing'
snug and reeled SAIL for the wind was rising and
with it the soa. II got colder, too. and soor
,crt began to fall When night camc snow
ard scet Wcr" driving oycr ~ before big gale
that became worse and wprs, through tie night.
on the next day. p.cember 20. it was 50 bad
that tool; IN all sail. except >tormtrysaiiS
and We hove tho boat TO- Anl we stayed hove
T. for eight days II you hat been aboard and
could write mp the winter ocean as il was for
those cich: days il would max" the greatest ru"
story of a storm az sea that vas ever written. We
couldn't ool the top Of The waves they rolled
50 high all around us. All we could $40 for the
erratcr Fart OF the cicht days was the sky
overhead and a wall of water all around And
all the while it blew enough to blow the teeth
out Ol your Utti With NOu NNhA WI "N'N'
But our dandy boat rode it head on like
duck We didn't carry away thing, and
though We shipped some of the big green At
nntic billowS now and then didn't get
many on board The gallo held its direction and
we driftcd due east over 200 miles during those
,.'ght days. Christmas Day found us drifting, and
we celebrated il with plum duff and ali things
fl ting, even though were hove TO. on Dccein-
bcr * the weather oeyn TO moderate, AM
there came a shift 10 the eastward Al 0 o'clock
that evening we si-nallcd the Pomcranian. and
| took her In Charlie Hughes came here to-day
ON the Rhynand. all the pilots are now ashore.
The schooner is in charge of the boatkeeper, and
! guess she'll come in IN a few days. I've been
pilot for sixteen years, and while I've seen
worn blows during short-iyed hurricane.
never went through such weather that lasted
80 ong'
The raward f. Barrett is nine years Old and
she i. one Of the crack" beats of the New
Jersey pilot fleet. She is ninety feet over all,
twcnty-oue feet beam and draws eleven feet of
water.
The German tan; steamship Elise Marie got
here yesterday hat fact may be discovered
by any one who takes the trouble to 80 10 the
Battery and look AT her lying at anchor in the
inner Bay Bat how she managed 70 do II BE-
comes "A wonderful problem TO any man who reads
icr ,eport. For II ever the winds did blow they
certainly did il over that part OF the ocean
which the Elise Marie crossed Her safe arrival
is pcrhaps to be asclihcd TO the fact that size
had Lothire but water on board for her cargo
lcinr IN water ballast. She also took on
dccklo1d Of water several times during the trip
hYg Ii, ,hargcd it again. There never were such
yipl, that varied so Captain llinsche re-
norts -. long as he can remember. The Elise
Marie passed the Elbc L2htship on December
10 and for five days pounded her way through
variable, weather until December II. But on
that dry winds began u blow from all points OF
the compass And by the 18th this unsclmanllie
state Of affairs had put the captain on his mel
rio and he decided to keep watch with COM
mass and chrunomcter, ard write down tie
v.,thers safulne>s. He pcgan at the right
nm, for That day il came on 20 blOw WhOe
onl, AZ noon II was piping tmoh-h the rig
oiur AT . furious ra'c ana coming a. uur sCutii a.
1hr compass could bear. BY midnight il was
higher and kicking up wicked sca, ana
tt. II saddle Is shifted 10 the rOH6il-sOu Invest.
When the dawn Of December Q lii the sea
There WAS a fierce commotion above and h~
low and the ship only Just staggering
Continued on Seventh Page.