Posted inLocal Histories Maritime & Naval History Shipwrecks & Nautical Disasters

Wrecking

The coal from the wrecked schooners Florida, and Laura A. Watson in being landed at the village and Old Harbor, under the careful supervision of Mr. Stephen J. Smith, Underwriters’ Agent, who is on hand at all times, attending to business with his usual dilligence and promptness. The men are at work at almost all hours of the day, and sometimes late into the night. The tides have served so early during the past week, that they were obliged to start by three or four o’clock in the morning. There has been no accident beyond the staving of a few boats, although the weather has been very boistrous, and the sea rough.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History Shipwrecks & Nautical Disasters

Loss of a Steamship on the Pacific with Eighty Lives

The wreck of the steamship Gothenburg.

A letter dated Sidney, New South Wales, March 13, published in the San Francisco Alta of a late date, gives the following account or a terrible shipwreck, and loss of human life in the Pacific Ocean:

A terrible shipwreck has occurred in Torres Straits, attended with fearful loss of life. The Gothenburg, Cap’ain Pearce, sailed from Port Darwin on February 16, having on board eighty-five passengers and a crew of thirty-six. Fine weather was experienced until February 24, when it came on thick and hazy, blowing strong from the northwest, attended with violent squalls, with thunder and lightning. At 7 p. m., during a violent squall, the steamer struck suddenly on the rocks, which proved to be Flinders’ reef. She went steam on, and bored up with such force that when stationary there was only two feet under the forefoot, and five fathoms astern. Captain Pearce ordered all empty casks to be brought aft and filled with water, to bring the ship by the stern, and when this was done the engines were put stern full speed, but without the desired result of backing her off the reef. The tide was at full flood at 11 p. m., and again the engines were worked astern, but with no better result.