AMERICA. WRECK OF AN AMERICAN STEAMER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 542, 13 January 1858, Page 4

AMERICA. WRECK OF AN AMERICAN STEAMER.

FEARFUL LOSS OF LIFE,

The papers by the Arago, arrived at Southampton on 2nd October, brought intelligence of the loss of the steamship Central America, with the Pacific mails. She had §1,600,000 on freight, besides a large quantity of gold in the hands of passengers- The loss of life was immense, estimated by the first accounts as exceeding 500; but later, advices received by the Euvopa, would go to reduce the number by more than one-fifth. The Central America was the same vessel as that which was formerly named the George Law; she to the United States Mail Company, and was employed in the conveyance of Californian passengers and treasure from Chagres to New York, calling at Havana. She had a tremendous'gale to .encounter, in which she foundered on the 12th September, and it is supposed that only 100 out of over 500 passengers were' saved. A statement furnished by one of the passengers landed at Savannah gives the cause of the disaster. It appears that the ship sprung a leak, which extinguished the fire, and left her at -the mercy of the waves. . We subjoin the particulars of this terrible affair:— .

(Prom the 'New York Herald/'.of Sept. 19.) Oh Tuesday, the Bth instant, the Central America^ ift company with the JSmpire' City, left'''Havana' for New Yov!<; and, up to the evening of that day, they wore in sight of each other j but towards night the Central America out-distauced be*- companion! .On the foJlow-

ing evening a heavy sea set in from the northwest, and continued without abatement, until Saturday, theT^th instant, when it increased to a perfect hurricane. This was disastrously experienced by the Empire City; the Columbian, bound from this port to Charleston; mid the Southerner, bound hence to Savaunah. Ihe effects of the s,torm on these ships we have alreadj'published. * t • , ■ It is supposed that when the ill-fated Central America met the full force of the gale, she was about fifty miles a-head of theLhipire City, and about 150 miles west of the island of New Providence, between that island and the American coast. It is supposed that the Central America must have broken her machinery, and drifted up the Gulf, stream. Her regular distanced from the coast is about seventy-five miles, w'heu running on her usual course. t There is' little doubt that the hurricane had a circular motion, or was, in fact, what is commonly called a whirlwind. From the direction it took it is probable that the Central America was caught in the very centre of the whirl, j The. outer edge of the whirlwind doubtless. struck her ou Wednesday the 9th, tUet, time, when the Empire City first experienced it,"and" from that time until Saturday the 12th, she must have gallantly battled with it until the j centre of the gale reached her and she could no j longer hold out. • ; The Central America was rot insured, and the loss to the company cannot fall short of $250,000. . ■■ >: . The amount of specie on freight is put down at $1,600,000. But we know that the passengers on these steamers, particularly at this season,-bring large amounts in gold on their persons and in their baggage. : Not for many, years has a gale of equal severity desolated our coasts as this one by which the Central America was. destroyed. Every ship on the line of its travel suffered severely, and the whole extent of the damage done is not and never will be known. The ocean for miles round was strewn with: fragments of wrecks; and there is no doubt now that the portions of wheel-houses, door-panels and furniture seen by the ships Falcon and Commerce, belonged in part to the lost Central America.; The Empire City, in her efforts to get into shelter afe Norfolk, was compelled to burn her •wheel-honses, tables, chairs, and every available article of wood work to keep her fires going.s The Columbia, a steamship which left New York on "Wednesday, the 9th, for Charleston, reached that port with the greatest difficulty on Sunday. For eighteen hours the tempest beat upon her, and every moment of that time she was in imminent danger either of capsizing or foundering1, every timber quivering under the terrific influence of the gale. - The Europa, which arrived in the Mersey on Saturday brings us further and fuller accounts. The ' New York Times ' of the 22nd gives us the result of' the best calculations that can be -made under the circumstances:—Rescued, 182; known to Lave been on board, and supposed to have been lost, 230. The 'Times,' liowever," adds :—" It is a peculiarity of this case that no- official list of those who were on boatd can be had until the arrival of the next steamer from California—a peculiarity that causes great anxiety to many who, if the names of the passengers were known, might have no individual occasion for sorrow. . ' ■ .

The Ministers of Guatemala, San Salvador, and Costa Rica, had addressed a note to General Cass, informing him that Walker was fitting out anew expedition against Nicaragua, the men of which were to go from the South, and the armament from New York. The expedi-

tion was to gather and be put together at the harbour of Bocas del Toro, a short distance south of San Jnan del Norte, and then to land at that port. The Ministers requested that a vessel of war might be sent to the former harbour, and that the one lying at San Juan del Norte be ordered to prevent the landing. They also desired that the Filibusters may be sent back to the United States as transgressors of the laws and disturbers of the peace of friendly nations. ■

All hopes of the safety of the commander and missing passengers of the Central America had been abandoned. '

A correspondent of the "Edgefield Advertiser " gives an account of a very bloody fight which had occurred at Honeygall, a small settlement in Georgia. A band of thieves having for some time committed depredations on the property of farmers, it was determined by the " Regulators " (Lynch-lawers) to rid the country of them. Accordingly they were ordered to be off, with a promise that if they went quietly they should be paid their travelling expenses and receive compensation for what little property they left; behind. Among these persons .' thus notified there was a man named Moses Hornsby and his family—wife, one, grown son (Mike), and three small children. Moses thought of the matter; and' Concluded not to go; but still led the ''Regulators" to believe that he would go willingly. Failing to fulfil his agreement by the specified time, 14 mounted " Regulators," only two of whom were unarmed, appeared one morning at Hornsby's door, and a Dr. Foreman advanced to parley! ,At this moment a shot was fired from the house, through a sort of rude and inartistic porthole, at Foreman, missing his kneea few inches and striking hi« horse dead beneath him. Another shot in quick succession discharged a full load of buckshot into the left breast of Rumpt, a " Regulator," who on being shot wheeled his horse round and crying out to his comrades to scatter; galloped off a short distance and fell dead. The firing continued rapidly and with terrible fatality from the house, for some neconds, perhaps miuutes. The party scattered as quickly a*

horses were also shot down and killed. In the midst of thi3 (firing young Radclitty satisfied tliat his wound was fatal, determined to have some little revenge, and, crawling to a stump; rested his gun upon it and fired through the porthole, emptying the contents of one barrel in the face and breast of old Hornsby, killing him. Casting his eye to another part of the fortress he perceived a human figure, at which he fired the contents of the other barrel. This shot, it .seems, took effect .in the left side of Hornsby's wife and in the legs and hips of her infant, which she held in her arms. She was: killed instant]}'; the child may "possibly recover. About the time these two shots were fired Mike Hornsby appeared in the piazza and fired one barrel and drew up to discharge the second,.when a ''Regulator " named Morgan,; and who at this moment stood alone; upon the] fields defending the wounded, seized the gun .of; a fallen comrade, and cautioned Mike if he, fired, the second barrel (he Morgan) would certainly return the fire. Mike heeded not the warning, but fired and turned to run, probably, when Morgan, true to his word, blazed away, and dropped Mike with a mortal wound. <