THE LOSS OF THE S.S. TASSO.— FEARFUL SUFFERINGS OF THE CREW.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3972, 16 May 1870, Page 4

THE LOSS OF THE S.S. TASSO.— FEARFUL SUFFERINGS OF THE CREW.

We append some further important particulars respecting tho loss of the steamer Tasso, which sailed from Sunderland on the morning of the 4th. instant for Hamburg. On her passage she encountered a succession^ of gales from S.E., accompanied with terrific seas. After contending with the elements for three days, she sprang a leak, which the engines for some time were able to keep down. The pressure, however, grew worse, and at length forced the small coals into the pipes, choking up the pumps. Encouraged by the Captain and Mr. Moore, the , chief engineer, the other engineers waded through the water to the pipes, and, disconnecting and clearing them, again got the engines to work, the water, however, still gaining on the ship. As the last resource, the engineers determined to open jfche valves and let the water run into the ballast tanks, with a view of clearing the engine-room and stoke-hole of water. This relief was only temporal y, as the water gained rapidly on the ship. After remaining till up to the breast in water the men foundjthe fires were put out, and the engineers and firemen were obliged to leave the engine-room and stoke-hole for the deck. The crew had by this time become quite exhausted, and faint hopes were then entertained of saving their lives in boats. Captain Cummings, however, rallied his crew, and his boat was launched, but it was bioken to pieces like matchwood, by the destructive waves. The lifeboat was launched, when part of her tackling gave way. She was also stove and had several planks broken. George Seymour, seaman, in launching the boat, received a severe blow on the head, and was knocked overboard. The captain and one of the crew, however, succeeded m rescuing him, more dead than alive. Bedclothing was obtained, and the leak in the boat stopped. Several of the crew got into her, and put off from the ship. A third boat was launched, and the remainder of the surviving crew got into it. All the efforts of the captain could not induce the other five men to abandon the sinking iship, as they preferred remaining in her to risking their lives in such a sea in a small boat. Shortly after the last boat shoved off the steamer went down. The poor man Seymour was supposed to be dead before the vessel foundeied. After remaining in the boats for about an hour) during which they frequently passed portions of the wreck, and also the dead body of the mate, in a sitting posture on a piece of the wreck, to which he was actually frozen, the fifteen Bur'vivors were picked up by the smack Elbe of Bremerhaven, and landed at Griinsby on Friday afternoon. They have since arrived in Sunderland. — Shields Gcr.ette.