New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-24
SEAS WERE MOUNTAIN HIGH
1o~c srRrGGLE OF THE BENLARIG WITH
WIND AND WAVE.

rossrn ABOUT FOR DAYS on THE RAGING DEEP
AND BLOWN FAR OFF THE coAsT-HER
SAILS TORN AWAY AND HER RIGGING
AND DECKS COVERED WITH ICE
HER SAFE ARRIVAL.
The British ship Benlarig whose misadvent-
ures on the wintry seas were partially told yes
terday morning arrived here last night after
long and tempestuous voyage. Coming from
Caleta BI.ena. Chill. and slipping around the
Horn in the summer of the Southern seas. the
intense cold of the raging storms she encountered
off the coast of New-Jersey February was
especially hard upon her officers and crew. News
of the Benarig was ncst received when the pilot
boat f. l.. Jordan came in and reported having
put pilot on board on February about siNty
miles southeast of Sanity Hook Nothing was
then heard of the ship until Thursday wheh
the steame~ Rossmore arrived in baltimore
bringing to that port the pilot. Beebe who had
been taken from III, Benlaiig in a d'sapc1 'o"-
dition 13O miles off the coast
The story of the Benlarg's battle Win 'ne
storm as told by the log oI 'ap'"ih H'N' nv
commander IS follows
STRUCK BY THE STORM
IN the night of February the ship of
Barnegat when a terrific storm swept down on
the Benlarig with full force bringing intense cold
weather and driving snow. The coast was soon
shut out from view. and at times it was impos-
sible TO see the foremast from the wheel because
Of the snow and flying spray. The sailors were
soon benurbed by the cold and all idea Of the
ships progress and he. position was lost
The Benlarig battled FOR many hours under
shortened canvas. md vas allowed to scud be
fore the hurricane. The seas piled up to enor-
nous heights and the decks were loaded with lce'
caused by the freezing water as it swept contlnu-
ousIv over them such sails were set were
blown from the bot-ropes, and all efforts to set
moro sail were Intellectual On the second day
great wave boarded the vessel on the por, side
and washed aft staving in boa; and smashing
the bulwarks All OF the fragments OF the sails
blown away were torn to ribbons by the violence
of the gale and the vessel became unmanageabie
After running before the gale for hours, an at
tempt was made to get some sail on the mlzzen-
mast and the ship hove 10. but sudden
souall carried away the canvas and the snip was
thrown into the trough Of the sea. where she
rolled and pitched, while the seas swept the deck
with huge volumes of water. Every enort 10
manage the vessel was useless. because all the
rigging was SO coated with ice that IL couid not De
TALE OF THE LOG.
=, The official entries in the captains log for Feb
ana reaQ as AO44ONS, di'u' N''SNo'' -
corded in terse sentences. the story of great
struggle against the elements can be read be-
tween the lines
sh-A, 1890. sounded twenty-five feet, black sand
Thought our location of Fire Island no light IN
sebt: sci foresail and upper topsan 10 keep off a
lee shore The wind was strong gale from nh. the
south. AT p the wind shifted 70 west osqW snIi,
the foresail; secured the upper t9pssi y the oun' N
lines all hands Is ed to regular sipT sson BLIZZARD and
freezing hard; ship covered with ice an the gear
sth--At "a fore and main lower topsaiis blown
and and & s o @ eaS ore n main away y
the braces, and the yards we're thrown a cockDil
ibsy ana Ussnn eqd secured .S Sy ahng the yards
the stahchlons Of the bulwsrks cutting up runniiS
blowing with hurricane force he seas mountainous
ship laboTng Dor he1yy asCS5 o5ne o9e MAN brok
leg and seven men were fFosibi,ten and unable to
work.
On the 10th it was still blowing furious gale.
The main trysaii was carried away and the ship
labored heavily. The captain was unable to keep
the ship up TO the wind, and the upper topsa!l
and the remnants of the lower topsail. with all
gear attached, were cut away In the afternoon
the gale moderated. and all hands available were
put TO work clearing away the wreckage. 1t was
found that all the capstan-bars had been carried
away the shovels used TO clear the ice from the
decks were smashed and parts OF the bulwarks
wrenched away.
FOUR HUNDRED MILES OFF THE COAST.
The next day the weather moderated more, and
the sun appeared long enough TO allow the cap
tain TO take an observation. He found that his
ship had been blown about 400 miles off the coast
The spare sails now bent on, and the ship
headed for the coast again She had moderate
weather until February 49, when the captains log
continues as follows
18th. The wind came out from the west and in
creased in force. heavy washed over the
decks. smashing the starboard lfeDoat at I a. M;
another hurricane prevailed, splitting the fore upper
with water; away lower foretopsail TO ease the
ship Nine a. m. mzzen lower topsan blown away.
heavily Noon. latitude 81 10 north, longitude Il :l5
west; heavy gale yeering to vest at 5 p m, a At
horing heavily and shipp!ng large quantities OF
18th Strong gale: violent squalls from west north
west. high ship lurching heavily and con-
tinuous wash Of water on deck
The weather continued 10 vary from strong
gales to moderate breezes till Sunday. February
H. when the wind again increased 10 strong
gale with violent squalls which prevailed until
the 18th. On February 10 the log reads
In latitude 3s1s north. longitude 70:5s west. spoke
the steamer RossmOre. the master OF which supplied
short The plot Mr.. Beebe. who was suffering IRON
the effects OF the severe weather. was transferred
to the Kossm1re.
Off Fire Island yesterday the Benlarig took on
BOARD Denis Rordap, of the pilotDoat David l.
Leahey, No. 8, and since that time has been
Slowly towing into port Captain Beale says nc
mas been blown off shore three times since Feo-
fcary 3. and at one time as !ar as latitude 31:"p
me tug Leonard Richards was the foftunai 70
tug which picked up the Benlarg off Fire Island
yesterday and towed her n
Inc injured sailors are doing well.