THE LOSS OF THE CLYDE SHIP SCOTSTOUN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 1597, 9 December 1876, Page 3

THE LOSS OF THE CLYDE SHIP SCOTSTOUN.

{Scotsman, October 7.) The Pacific mail steamer Ootopaxi, which arrived at Liverpool on Friday week, had on hoard a portion of the crew. of the new Clyde ship Scotstoun, the foundering of which m the South Atlantic off Rio Janeiro, has already been reported by telegraph. The Scotstoun was a vessel of 3700 tons, built by Messrs Cornell nnd Co., Whitecinchi and owned by Messrs Win. and Alfred Brown, Glasgow. She sailed from the Tail of the Bank on her first voyage about the 24th. of June, bound for Rio Janeiro, with a general cargo. The vessel was commanded by Captain Johnstonn, and had on boird a crew of 32 men all. told. All went well till the 16th of August, when the weather became hazy, and the wind freshened so much that anil was taken m. The gale continued to rise, and m suc-o-ssion the 'inner jibstay, the foretack and upper |maintopsail sheets were carried away.. Shortly after 10.30 p.m. the ship gnve a heavy lurch to leeward, and settled heavily into tho trough of the sea. All the- efforts made to righther proved unavailing, and itsoon became apparent that the vessel was gradually going over, and the water being ud to the hatches on the lee side, tho crew had to. cling to the weßther rails. The order was. given to cut away the mizenmast, but , etill the vessel did not recover her position. Tho mainmast having also been cleared away, the vessel got before the wind, the aeas.swept over her deck carrying away the afterboata, the compass bridge, nnd the top of the ventilator, down which and the mainmast opening the water poured m large volumas. What was the lee side had now. become the weather eido, but the position of the vessel wna worse than before, and the situation of the crew more -critical. The waves swept the vessel from bow to stern, carrying everything before them, and the fore-topmast going by the board carried with it the port lifeboat, leaving only »ne at the disposal of the crew. At daybrea can attempt was. made to olear Bway the * rmk, but the vessel was found to be fast sinking, and- the only remaining lifeboat was ordered to be lowered. Just as the boat reached the water a sail was discovered to leeward, and the men hastily crowded into the boat, sonio with hardly anything to cover them. Tho captain wnsthe'last man to leave the ship, and before leaving is was ascertained that there was about ten feet of water, m the hold. One of the crew it was found impossible to • waken, and he had to be left behind. The boat, however, was crowded and deep m the water with the 31 persons on board, the heavy sea that was running threatening every moment to swamp her. Comparatively .• little could ■ be, done to guide the craft, and it; ran wifch.the sea towards the vessel td leeward, which wna.reaohed m safety about noon, the crew- being then, as our informant: tallfl, u», " pretty . well done up." The vessel, which, turned : ouU to be the American ship Independence^ of Bpston, bound for, Valparaiso, having approached the Scotstoun, now: visibly settling down. Tho man who hud been left on board was .seen on deck, and jumping into the water as the boat came near, was. rescued' by his, comrades. .The, boat; now,.pulled 100, yar^s from, the ship wlie.n.Bhe,Buddenly..we'nt down,- stern firsfcj her deck's bursting foie and aft ' as she. : disappeared. The scene of the disaster was m ilat. 28dpi. lOmin. S.longj 41dg. 40min. W., :After:being-ten:dayfl.on board; the American .vessel, the, crew. were: takea off by the Italian barque Primaj Vera,. and: landed at Monte Video. Half of them, including the second mate, John G.owans, ft native of '.Edinburgh, were, transferred on board' the Cotopaxi 'steamer of the Pacific Mail Line, and brought to Liverpool.