TOTAL LOSS OF THE MONUMENTAL CITY STEAMER. THIRTY-THREE LIVES LOST.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 753, 2 July 1853, Page 2

TOTAL LOSS OF THE MONUMENTAL CITY STEAMER. THIRTY-THREE LIVES LOST.

(From the “ Empire,” May SO.) It is our painful duty to narrate the total destruction of the above noble American steam packet, Captain W. 11. Adams, commander, together with the loss of thirty three of the lives of the passengers and crew, occasioned by her running on a rock in Malagoutta bay, at about a quarter to 4 o’clock, a. m. on Sunday May 15th, on her passage from Melbourne to Sydney, This vessel started from Melbourne on Friday, 13th instant, and having a fair wind all on board were lighthearted at the prospect of Laving a speedy passage to Sydney. She was progressing at the rate of about 12 knots an Lour, up to the time of her arrival at the fatal spot which will be long remembered by the friends of those who are now no more, as well as those who for* tunately escaped with their lives. it appears that on the Saturday night previous to the wreck, a gentleman who had been master of a vessel, and who, well acquainted with the coast, had cautioned those in command that she was hugging the land too closely. This advice, however, was unheeded, and at the above time the passengers were awoke by the vessel running on the rocks. A scene of consternation immediately ensued, by the passengers and others running about the deck. Tba saa was then calm, and all might have been saved, but the captain ordered the engineer to “ back her” with the intention of getting her off. This proved ineffectual; the sails were furled to allay the incessant thumping on the rocks, the commander telling all that he hoped to get her off at day-break, it being then quite dark. At six o’clock the scene entirely changed, a violent gale springing up from the south-east. The pumps had been tried in the meantime, and no water appeared to be made. The heavy heaving of the vessel now increased, and water began to gain rapidly on the pumps. In a very short time it had extinguished the engine fires—made its way into the steerage apartments, and appearances began to threaten very serious results. At this juncture the foremast was cut away, which considerably eased the rolling of the vessel, until she seemed in a very short time to settle sideways on the rocks, her forepart being considerably higher than her stern. The female passengers and children that had been taken on the poop to the captain’s office, now went to the cook’s galley. At about 8 o’clock the first boat was lowered, and was as speedily dashed to pieces by the breakers ; the second met a similar fate, and the third was drifted away. The only chance of escape from destructioa aow left was by

tie life-boat; this was drawn from the stern of the vessel to the bows, on which the majority o{ the passengers were clinging ; into it jumped Charles Plummer, a seaman, and in this manner, with a rope attached, it was allowed to drift to the rocks, but not before the connecting line had broken before the eyes of the anxious crowd who now stood on the bows ; and then, all.chance of escape'appearing to be cut off, as a last effort another line was attached to a spar, which, after considerable delay, floated to within reach of th<» brave. fellow who bad landed himself on the rocks. To this rope was attached another, & finally the hawser, which he hauled in and fastened to a rock, the ’ other end of it being secured to the bowsprit of the vessel, and all those who had courage enough. to venture, had to disencumber themselves of superfluous clothing, and pass themselves in a sling along the hawser to the rocks, where they were drawn out of the surf by Charles Plummer, whose heroic conduct saved fifty-four souls from a watery grave. So strong and fearful, however, was the sea raging at the time, that many a poor fellow was washed off the hawser and perished in the sea. One, more daaing than the rest, being a good swimmer, trusted to bis own - powers, but his fate showed how vain it was to combat with the remorseless billows. Ihe sea had by this time made fearful havock with the vessel; the under part of the stern had been washed away, the engine work, boilers, &c. having passed through the bottom. Now came the last scene of all. The billows were running mountains high, and breaking with tremendous force over her stern. By one of these her quarter-deck was separated from the forepart; presently another sea split asunder the forecastle, and nothing now remained of the Monumental City save the floating limber with which the sea was covered. At the time she separated, about a dozen persons were standing on her bows, the doctor sitting on the bowsprit, waiting an opportunity to descend the hawser with a lady ; not one of them, however, escaped—all perished in the foaming surge. The fifty-four who were fortunately saved had now to wade through a strong current from the rocks to a small where fires were lighted, and there they remained until'luesday at mid-day, when the life-boat, with 19 of the passengers and crew, made for the main land, not, however, without considerable danger, for sometimes before landing the boat was filled with water to her gunwales by the heavy surf. The next morning an attempt was made to get the remainder over from the island, but it was found to be impossible to get the boat through the surf: therefore, drenched with wet, and with only a pound of flour each for provisions, the nineteen started for Twofold Bay, where they arrived in a most destitute and miserable condition on the evening of Friday, 20th instant, after encountering many hardships, such as being forced to subsist partly on shell fish, aud to sleep on the wet ground in wet clothing. A portion of them, however, were met not far from the Bay by Mr. Allen, to whom notice had been given by a portion of the party who had arrived at Twofold Bay a short time before.— This gentleman, with great kindness, brought them provisions, and led them on to his own house, where he lodged them for the night in the most kind and hospitable manner, which act, we Lave no doubt, will cause his name and family to be remembered long by those who were the recipients’of his generosity. Ihe rest of the party who remained on the island constructed a raft, by which they all got safe to the mainland, ami reached Twofold Bay on Sunday 22nd instant.

Australian Emigration. —ln the London Docks there are at present no fewer than seventy vessels bound for different parts of Australia of which the greater part will have left for their destination before the expiration of another month. Of this number about' one-half are ships of from 500 to 1,000 tons burden, the remainder being smaller vessels. Nearly one-half of the ships loading are foreign bottoms, chiefly Dutch, and all very fine ships. So great is the demand for ships, that the smallest vessels are laid down. There is one now loading of 150 tons only. In St. Katherine Docks there are 26 vessels for Australia. 20 of these being for ports in the gold regions. There are also three fine ships loading for New Zealand.— Morning Chronicle, March 3. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company’s ship Indus, captain John Soy, sailed from Southhampton on the 4th inst. taking out mails for the Medi-. terraneau, India, China, and Australia. The Indus takes out S Very heavy mail, comprising 160 boxes of letters, a portion of which consists of the mails landed from the Australian at Portsmouth. Among the passengers by ■ the Indus is Mr. Barber, resident managing director of the Eastern Archipelago Company at Lebuan, in charge of a party of miners and mechanics for working the coal mines at that place, The total number of passengers is 68, of whom 15 are for Australia. A full cargo and 500 boxes specie to the value of £95,744, principally in silver, are shipped by this steamer. — Home News, March 8, 1853. In the course of the past week (the first week in March) the arrival has been announced of the Alert the Roxburgh Castle, and the Chowringhee. The import of gold by these vessels amounts in value to rather more than £1,000,000. But all this gold does not remain in England. A part of it is sent to Franco and Germany. Of late many bills have appeared in the market drawn from the wine districts of Spain, which, it is understood, are on account of very considerable shipments of low wines to Australia. They are at short dates, and may be considered as present payments, while the returns for the cargoes must be necessarily delayed for many months. This is one of the circumstances that Las made it advantageous for the moment to remit gold to the Continent, and made it be conjectured that a further rise will take place in the r»te of interest.— Home News, March 8. A Hamburg Line.— The Hamburg papers announce a new line of packet-ships to ply between that port and Australia, under the auspices of Messrs. Ross, Vidal, and Co .— Illustrated London News, February 19. Another Steamer for Australia. —The new steamship Golden Age is advertised to leave here for Australia on or abuot the Ist of April next. She is owned by J. Howard and Son, and was built for them by William H. Brown, and was launched about the Ist of November, undertbe name of the San Francisco, at which time it was contemplated to run her between San Francisco, and Panama. Her engine is now being placed in her at the Morgan Works, and we are informed it is the largest ever put in a vessel. This, in additition to her being one of the sharpest steamers eyer-built, will epable her to make a very short pas sage. She is the largest vessel as yet put ou this trade—New York Herald, Feb. 25. Coal for Australia. — A vessel is now loading at the wharf of Messrs. Mills and Co., Port Richmond, with coal, destined for Australia. This is the first shipment of the great staple product of Pensylvania, for that far off region, that we have heard of.— New York Express , February 2. Freight to Australia Ins been taken on 4000 barrels, flour at >8’3.50, and measurement goods 60 cents by full vessels,— New York Express.