A STORY FROM THE SEA.

Waka Maori, Volume 10, Issue 15, 28 July 1874, Page 185

A STORY FROM THE SEA.

Abandonment and Recovery of the French Steamship Amerique. There is in the English papers an account of the extraordinary abandonment at sea of the steamer "Amerique," a vessel belonging to a French Steamship Company. Her crew and passengers were rescued by three vessels. The ship, however, did

not sink. There was really little the matter with her. She was found at sea; towed into Plymouth harbour; released on salvage bwnds amounting to £125,000, and sent on to Havre, where she arrived safely. The following is an abridgment of the account given in the English papers:— " The Amerique was abandoned in a terrific gale on Tuesday, the 14th of April, 1874. Her crew and passengers were taken by three ships—the Michigan, an English vessel (bound from Naples to Callao) ■ the Aladdin, a Norwegian, commanded by Captian Erickson; and the Eliza Queirolo, hailing from Italy. The transfer of the crew and passengers was effected without loss of life, except in the case of the second oflicer, M. G-aray, who was drowned by the upsetting of a boat. On the day following her abandonment a barque named the Auburn (of and from Sunderland, with coals for Alexandria), and a steamship, the Spray, Capt. Clark (of "West Hartlepool, from Newport, with coals for Gibraltar), both sighted the Amerique ploughing solemnly along under canvas, with the signal of distress flying at half-mast. A boat's crew from the Auburn boarded the drifting ship, and there found every evidence of the precipitate departure of the panic-stricken passengers and crew. Dinner was on the table ; some of the passengers had been served, while others had not. In the galley savory soup was still in the coppers, and some prepared dishes stood ready for service. In the state-rooms everything was in the wildest confusion. Costly dresses lay on the floors, books and private papers were lying around; boxes, trunks, valises, and pocket-books were left lyiug open by their owners. " A party of seamen, with the carpenter, the engineers, and the mate of the " Spray," then went on board the "Amerique" to report. They found that she was built in five compartments. (Ships are frequently built in this way ; so that, if one compartment should be stove in, the water can only get into that one, and not into the others, and the ship will therefore still float.) The people who went on board from the "Spray" conjectured that during the gale she must have shipped some very heavy seas over her engine-room skylight, or admitted immense volumes of water through three dead-lights that were found knocked in by the action of the waves in striking against her sides. That conclusion was strengthened by the fact that they found the engine-room stokehole and coal-bunker compartment flooded with 8% feet of water, which water has not since increased. Every aperture in the deck was found closed, but this battening down was believed to have been adopted, so far as the engine-room was concerned, after a considerable quantity of water had found its way into that compartment. It was clear that by the flooding of her engine-room she had lost the means of working her main pumps, and the other pumps appeared to have been by some as yet undiscovered cause wholly choked up. "While this had been going on amidships, a leak had apparently sprung in her aftermost compartment, from six to eight feet of water being discovered there at the

period when first boarded by her salvors. This leak, however, did not make any dangerous progress from the Tuesday up to the Saturday evening, and the other compartments are believed to be sound. Her spars, rigging, sails, and steering apparatus were intact. " Capt. Clark, of the " Spray," then made arrangements for towing the " Amerique" into port. The captain cf the barque "Auburn" left two of his seamen on board of the " Amerique to assist,, and then proceeded on his voyage. The whole of the " Amerique's" boats had been carried away with the crew, with the exception of a small gig that happened to be left hanging to the davits. Part of the crew of the " Spray" was sent on board the " Amerique." A warp was bent to one of her cables, the other end was taken on board the " Spray," and on Wednesday, the 15th, she commenced to tow the derelict, heading her course for Brest. At 4 a.m., Thursday, very fortunately, another steamer hove in sight. She proved to be the "F. T. Barry," of London (from Pomaron, with iron for G-arston). Captain Clark made arrangements for using this new and welcome aid, and both the steamers kept towing towards Brest till four that afternoon. " The wind, however, becoming foul, it was resolved to tow for Plymouth, at which place they arrived on Saturday morning. "The "Amerique" and cargo are estimated to be worth £300,000 sterling. 'The salvors receive £125,000 sterling from the company owning her."