The Warwickshire Herald. — 1886-03-18 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

LOSS OF A CUNARD STEAMER. NARRATIVE OF THE CAPTAIN.  The Cunard steamer Oregon,from Liverpool to New Yoe k, has sunk near Fire Island after being in collision with another vessel. The name of the schooner with which the Oregon was in collision is unknown. She sank, and it is believed that all on board have perished. At the time of the disaster, which occurred early on Sunday, the captain of the o.enion was below, the chief officer being in command of the vessel. Two holes were stove in tla Oregon, and she immediately began to sink. The hole made in the p rt side was large enough to admit of a team being driven through. The diactpline on board was admirable, and all panic wiwi thus prevented. The captain was the last to leave the vessel. A portion of the paaseoet rs were trahaterred to a pilot teat, end sul sequently al we, e put on board the North-Gerniati Lloye eteamer Fulda. There wt re 186 Wet cabin, 66 at cond cabin, and 382 steerage pe—engers, besides the crew numbering 207. ne n. Non oh the passengers or crew received any injuries. Al he lugg. gels lost, and out of 600 mail bags only 75 have been saved.  Captain Cottier, of the Oregon, gives the following account of the loss of his vessel : "The weather Wes clear at half-past 4 o'clock on Su; day morning, with a fresh breeze from the Week when a sailing vseset suddenly loomed up. When first noticed she showed no light, and when too close to clear her she chewed a white light, but I cannot say on whot part of her. The Oregon was running under full steam. The vessel struck us amidships, and stove a big hole on the port side. All the we, er. tight comp:true nts were closed at the time. The Orevon went down about a quarter to 1 o'clock, having floated or about eight hours after being struck, and she now I es in 22 lath, ms of water, moth hall.west from Watch Hill, L .ng Island. The tops of her three masts are visib above the wale', :itid tie vessel is nuright. She went down head first. We worked from the moment of the collision as if we expected her to sink ; but did not la- lieve she was going to sink. We took extrome precautions. The pumps were of no We. We worked them to their full capacity, but they had no chance against the brushing marts of water. The usua, watch was on deck at the time of the accidont. No time was lost in awakening the passengers. Only a few of them had heard or felt tl.e shock, as all were in bed at the time. Soon after the accidert a steamer passed us—a boat of the National Line, I think—but she went on. The vessel that ran into us must have hunk initnediatsly, as wnen we I. eked she eas not in sight. She must have gone down wi•h all on board. When I found our vessel was sinking I first sent up re, kw s as geals of distre 5: then the heats were low- red ; but before rig'', o'clock the pilot. boat No. 11 hove in sight, and two hours late, the ache nei Fannie A. lietheni, of Belfast, Maine, Caftain Nahones, hove to. The pass ngers and crew of the Or gon were transferre to t e pilot boat and ie homer in our own bats; 41,0 pei Sons were placed on beard the pilot, aid the iemainder, about 500 in number, on board the schootier. All were trdis'erred by 11 o'clock. The steoniship Fulda hove in sight about noon. She was within a half er a third of is mile trom the 0, eget' when the latter sank. There were no scenes on bard the Orevn. I never i xpected to see such an aff.ior go off so ea ily. Everyth.tig went d. wn Wu. the steamer. The c w.B valued at about £lOO 000. Vs's, carlied about 575 mail bags, of which 75 were Based."  The passenger's stories somewhat no dify the captain's statement. Hiunth-ss the proceedings were orderly for a shipwreck, inasmuch as s few tassengem even slept an hour after the collision ; but the firit in m tits of uncerminty ale desciibed as frighi tul. The decks were instantly throngod by the undressed oeople, who feared to return fie their clothes. Very few arteed even their handbags. All huddled together for warmth, the temperature being near the freezing point. Fears lest the steamer should founder we-la the first • ton. Then next, terror came from the infmerise clouds of steam, caused by the ilia ding • f the furnaces. The passengers and sailors had beet up to this tune under control,and the women the coolest of all ; but the stok.ra and firemim, when driven from furnaces, rushed for the boats, regardle e of anybody else. The cfficers fought them with axie and belas ing pins; bur. some escspeil itto the boats, whic't they half filled. The number of boats was totally inadequate to meet the exigeneir of such a disaster. However, the worst thing reported is that a lad) broke her little fin .er. It is true that the Rev. C. E. Waller jumped overbosfri ; that, however, was not on Sunday, but on the previ• us Tuesday; his relatives proteat against the theory that it was a ease of suicide. All the mon y older lists have been het, only cfl reaisrered letters were saved, and only nine saclr, of letters.  The cause of the dii-aster is a mystery. A pasaeneer, whose state room was near the st ot where the steamer was struck, asserts that he saw a rd light, which supports the impression that the Oiegon had miscalculate,, h• r di.lance Against the suggestion that Captain Cottier might have beached the Oregou should be set the dlticulty if foreseeing the time sh•• would take in sinkinek which appeal sto have resulted from the smashing of the bulkhi ad am dsliips, between the two largest and heaviest coinuartments. 9 lie Or. gold now lies at 40deg. 30nun. north latitude. and 72ileg. 44iriiii. longiti,de, a position which is dangertine for V.PPP a stpamitighithar„