DREADFUL COLLISION AT SEA. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOUR LIVES LOST. (From the Liverpool Albion, July 2nd.)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 378, 28 November 1849, Page 2

DREADFUL COLLISION AT SEA. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOUR LIVES LOST. (From the Liverpool Albion, July 2nd.)

The Royal Mail steam- ship Europa amveu ai uivernool on Sunday morning from Boston and Halifax and has brought intelligence of a calamity, in tne production of which,— without the chance of any controlling power of prevention on the part ot her officer! and crew, she was unfortunately a participator ; a calamity which, when its sudden and fatal resnltsare contemplated —no less than 134 humnn beings having, within the compaas of two or throe minutes, been over whelmed by the waters of the Ulantic Ocean —we are painfully compe'led to regard as one of the most apaUine marinfi casualties ever placed upou recor.l. Hu:re wot a gallant ship, loaded with emigrants, boldly careering with a favourable breeze towards the shores of the NB«N B « World. Sho was in the midst of a d.Tise fog, it is true, but with plenty of sea-roem, thoie who guided her law no cau«e to apprehend danger. Coming from the opposi c point towards the shores winch they had left wai a powerful steamer, rapidly pushing through the billows, her officers equa ly conscious of security. Neither could see the other, because of the cloud of mist in which they were enveloped—till in a moment they mutually loomed into view, and the next instant there was a crash ; the bows of the steamer had divided the timbers of the ship, killing many of the passengers in the dreadful contact ; the vessel hee ed over and sank, and, of all who had p-opled her decks, but little more th-m a fourth escaped into the steiraer or were rescued from the waves, the latter only by the most prompt and persevering energy on the part of those who were in the but .lightly injured steamer. The accident occurred on Wednesday, the 27th ult., at halfpait three o'clock, p.m , in lat. 54. 49. lon. 29. 30 , about 700 miles to the westward of Cape Clear. The Btcam-ship Eurcpa Captain Lott, a prudent and skilful commander, was pursuing her homeward voyage at the rate of eleven and a half knots per hour. The Charles BarthtU Captain Bartlett. an American ship, 400 1 tons burthen, loaded chiefly with lead and chalk, with 102 ■teerage passengers on board, and one in the cabin, and a crew of fourteen men, was proceeding at the rate of five knots an hour, close hauled on a wind, in the opposite direction, her destination being New York. Ine density of the fog prevented those on board either of the vessels fiom seeing many yards in any direction. The look-out in the steamer suddenly saw the ship through the mist, bu! the word was scarcely uttered by the wa'ch before the Europa struck the ship amidships, and cut an awful chaim in her side. The ship, as we hsve before indicated, heeled over, and Immediately began to settle down in the water, and in a few minutes totally disappeared. The scene during those few minutes wai apalling m the extreme. A crowd of suffering wretchei maimed and broken by the collision lay dead or dying at the spot wh^re the bows of the Europa had entered. Some of the individuals viha crowded the decks appeared panic-stricken, others ran shrieking too and fro in de. •pair, while some rushed forward and eagerly seized upon the opportunities which were presented for giving them a chance of safety. The most strenuous exertions were made on the instant by all on board the Europa for rescuing from the imminent peril which pressed upon them as many individuals as possible. Hand buoyi and ropes were thrown over, boats were lowered, and every man was busied in those few fearful miautei in rescuine the sufferers from the wavei. Yet, with all the exertions that could be used, o-ily forty-three individu aW were saved out of 177, «ho had recently been alive on boa d the u .fortunate ship. Amongst those preserved were the Captrin of the Charles Barllett, the second mate, and seven seamen. Of forty women who were on board only one was rescued. The second mate states that, an it was not his watch, he and all of his allotment of hands were below. He felt the shock, rushed on deck, saw the ihip sinking, seized a hand-buoy or a rope which had been thrown from the steamer, and wai soon in Sifety on her deck. It U remsikable that every man of his watch, who were bebw at the time of the collision, were saved, while of the crew on deck, all, with the exception of two perished. He declares that, from the time when he felt the ihock to the entire disappearance of the ship, not more than three minutts elapsed, after which no,, a yes-

tige of the vessel was visible, save a w chips floating on the waters. Then where had just before been bending to the breeze, and pursuing her way " like a thing of life," with scores of hopeful beings, of merry hearts, some playing at games of pastime, some listening to the cheerin? tones of a fife, which were plainly heard on board the steamer just before the collision, all was now a blank of troubled water, and over her and over them, save a few that hud been rescued, the blue ocean was flowing as it will continue to flow on throughout all time: As the vessel disappeared some of the boats of the Europa, which had been acively engaged in picking up auch of the struggling unfortunates as could be reached, narrowly escaped b ing sucked into the vortex which her downward course created. The next instant, as we have stated, nothing remained visible of the hu*e bulk hut a few of the fragments which had been displaced by the shock. After what we have written it is unnecessary to state that not the slightest shade of blame rests upon, or ha» been attempted to be impu'ed to those in charge of the Europa. The painful calamity could not have been prevented by any human prudence or foresight, and aU that human energy, promptitude and courage could perform afterwards in the speedy rescue of those who had been so suddenly imperilled was effected The most fervent sympathy for the survivors was also manifested by all on board the steamer, a sympathy which was, without loss of time, actively exhibited. Immediately after the accident, a Committee was formed, with Mr. Bates at their head, for the purpose of giving a tangible form to the benevolence of the gentlemen and ladies on board. Subscriptions to the amount of £352 55., were colled ed on the instant. The Europa considering the violence of the concussion received very trifling damage to her bull. The only perceptible injury she sustained is the loss of a few feet of the cutwater above the water-line and a small portion of the woodwork below the figurehead ; the bowsprit, with the gear attached, except the martingaU is undisturbed, and the vessel made not a drop of water.