Evening journal., 1893-02-13

Special Correspondence Evening Journal.
New CASTLE, Feb. 13.-Pilots and
captains reported yesterday that the ice
in the lower bay is fast disappearing
and there is very little obstruction below
Reedy Island A number Of sailing yes
sells have therefore been ordered to sea
to-day, while others are coming up from
the Breakwater with every tide. A
number of vessels are so hopelessly over
due that they have been given up as
lost. Among those woll-known in
Philadelphia is the schooner d. S. viii.
liams Jr. She left Baltimore December
% last, bound to Providence with coal.
She was commanded by Captain Hazel
ton and had a crew of ten men. Another
missing vessel is the schooner II X
Richards, which left Joggins' Mines
January 1 last, bound for Annapolis.
For the first time for weeks past the
lower Delaware river and bay is clear Of
dangerous ice. and navigation from Port
Richmond TO Cape Henlopen is clear for
all classes Of vessels. The British bark
Alexander Keith. which put into Ber-
muda Islands IN distress, came up the
river yesterday in tow Of the tug Mars,
and arrived at New Castle to be sheathed.
She will proceed to-day to her destina-
ton.
The Reading railroad steamships Berks,
Reading, Hercules, Rattlesnake and the
barges Keystone, Henry Clay and Re
lance, which have been repairing at
New Castle, left yesterday for sea under
convoy Of the tugs Alert, Active and e.
V. McCaulley The four masted schooner
Rob Roy, icebound at New Castle for
five weeks, cleared for Cienfuegos.
The steamer Hercules. bound to New
buryport, put back for slight repairs, and
in doing so ran against pier @, in the
harbor here smashing hole four feet
wide in her prov, above the water line.
She left here for Philadelphia for repairs.
The damaged tug Reliance left the har-
Dor last night in tow of the tug Rescue
The brig M. G. HRskeiell, from Philadel-
phia for Tunas.de. Zaza, with coal, was
towed back to New Castle yesterday by
two tugs, leaking, and FIVE feet Of water
in her hold. She was beached for repairs
below Truss's wharf.
The Keith'slTerrinc Passage.
The British bark Alexander Keith,
Captain Pearce, which came into the
harbor here yesterday in tow Of the tug
Mars had a terrific passage, evidences OF
which will long be borne by the crew.
The vessel sailed from Demerara Novem-
Der 80 and had good weather, being
within thirty miles off the Delaware
Capes Christmas day That night a
heavy northwest gale was encountered
and the vessel got so badly iced up that
she became cumbersome and unman age.
able. All hands were badly frost
bitten.
The decks were continually flooded,
and the vessel soon began to leak badly.
The crew manned the pumps, but were
washed from them and badly injured. II
was decided to run before the gale for
safety The wind, however increased in
violence until December 90, when IL had
assumed all the conditions of hurricane.
Tremendous seas swept the vessel fore
and aft, preventing men from getting at
pumps and consequently the vessel was
gradually sinking.
On December 30 she reached Bermuds
with crew more dead than alive Repairs
were effected and she proceeded in tow
of tug Mars for this port. Captain
Pearce says the voyage was the hardest
he ever made.