THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.

Evening Star, Issue 4237, 25 September 1876, Page 4

THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.

The City, crammed with passengers and having on board eleven race-horses, comprising the flower of the Victorian studs, left Sydney at midnight on Saturday, the 9th inst. On Sunday morning a strong southerly gale set in, and as the ship was not far from Jervis Bay, Joe Morrison requested Captain Paddle to return, in order to save the lives of the valuable animals under his charge, but the captain determined to face the gale. Soon after passing Cape St. George the vessel shipped a number of heavy seas, and the gale increased to a hurricane. The wheel was smashed and the binnacle washed away, the ship at the time going round like a top. The crew behaved splendidly, and rigged a temporary steering gear, and, as some of the horses had fallen, the oaptain at last determined to return ; but the weather being hazy and thick, he could not ascertain rightly wlier* ho was, and put the ships head to sea. Then commenced the slaughter amongst the horses. Eros and Mr Evans's Gwendoline filly were about the first to succomb, being washed on to the deck, and killed. Poacher followed, then Burgundy was killed. Nemesis was thrown on deck, and was drowned where she lay ; so was Sovereign, Etoile da Martin having also been killed. The greatest loss of all was Robin Hood, who fell under the other horses, and notwithstanding the efforts of Davis, Morrison, and Harris, and the chief officer, he was also killed. In the meanwhile the terrific seas that swept over the ship had carried away two boats, and smashed another. Then a fearful sea stove in one side of the engine room, and the saloon was flooded with water. Men were kept employed baling out the cabins night and day. On Tuesday morning there were signs of a slight improvement, and the captain ateered a course for Sydney • eads The Sylvia colt was the last of the horse, to die, and then the Chrysolite colt and Redwood were the only two left of the eleven shipped. The former fell down, and it was feared he would die, but Davis and Morrison stuck to him manfully, and just the colt appeared to be at the point ot death, the Heads were sighted, and the ship was soon in smooth water. Another quarter of an hour at sea would have been fatal to the Derby winner. Mr C. B. Fisher is the greatest loser by the storm, and the mai ket value of the horses Jost by him ca'inot be estimated at less than L 15.000, though it would probably have required a very much larger sum to have purchased them before leavi.ig ydney.