Year: 1873

TERRIBLE MARINE DISASTER. - A
Halifax dispatch, of April 1st, is as fol-
lows: HThe steamship Attantic of the
White Star line, from Liverpool March
10th, for New York, running short of
coal made for Halifax. When about
twenty miles from port, off Cape Pros
pect, at 2:3O this morning, she ran ashore
on Meager's Head. She had on board
over l,000 men, women and children.
Only $50 succeeded in landing. The re-
mainder, including all the women and
third officer were saved The first officer
was drowned. On the first receipt of the
news of the disaster the Cunard and Gov
ernment steamers started to the assistance
of the Attaatic, but the third officer, who
arrived here at $50 this afternoon, says
the vessel and cargo are total loss.


The third officer, Brady, says the
steamer experienced boisterous weather
until noon on Monday, when the supply
of coal became nearly exhausted. The
captain determined to put into Halifax.
The captain and third officer were on
deck until midnight. The captain then
went to his chart room, leaving orders
to be called if there was any change in the
vessels position. Brady went to bed
about the same time as the captain. The
next thing that he remembers, is that he
was thrown out Of his bunk, and heard
the ship strike several times. He then
rushed on deck and found the captain
and the officers there and the deck full of
passengers. He got an ak and commenced
to clear away the boats. The captain
and other officers were busy doing the
same thing. Brady got a boat out and
put two women in it. A number of men
attempted to get into it and about dozen
succeeded. Just at this moment the
steamer fell over on her beam ends and
sank. Only one boat had been got out,
and that was carried down by the steamer
and all on it were lost. Brady scrambled
into the mizzen rigging, which was above
the water, and seeing that he could do
nothing there, then went forward and
unrove the halyards, being assisted by
the quartermaster's spearman and Owen
Brady then took the halyards and all
three swan to a rock, and then a line
was hauled ashore and number Of pas
sengers were landed by it. A number
got on the rock, but the tide rising, their
position was no better than on the vessel.
Just then some fishermen on shore came
out with boats after those on the rock
and large number from the rigging.
Brady remained at the scene until noon
to-day, when all who were alive on board
had been taken from the wreck, except
the chief officer Firth, who was in the
rigging shouting for help. Brady says
be tried to get crew to go to the rescue
Of Firth, but the sea was so heavy that
nobody would volunteer.


Altogether about $50 persons were
saved, including Captain Williams; also
the fourth officer, with several of the en-
gineers and sailors. Not single woman
or child was saved. Most Of them, as
we'll as hundreds Of men, were drowned
in their berths. The steamer struck
about o'clock this morning. The wealth
er at the time was dark but not thick,
and the sea was rough. Steamers are
going down tonight to render what as
sistance they can. All the people saved
from the wreck, with the exception of
Brady, are still at Prospect, where fisher
men are giving them all the attention
they possibly can.