THE AGAMEMNON IN THE ATLANTIC.
The Agamemnon returned to Queenstown on Monday from her cruise in the Atlantic. The account of her trip fully confirms that brought by the Niagara. The violence of a gale that blew for nine days on the voyage from Plymouth to the rendezvous more than once placed the overladen ship in peril of destruction. " The vessels having met in mid-ocean, after the cessation of the violent weather, the splice was made on the 26th of June, at 2.30 Greenwich time, and 12.20 ship 'a time, but when they had paid out about three miles the cable broke on board the Niagara, in consequence of its having got foul of the scrapers. They steamed back again and made a second splice on the same evening, about 7.30 Greenwich time, and 5.20 ship's time. The Aga- memnon then ran about 291 miles, and had paid out about 371 miles of the cable, when the continuity or electric current ceased—it is supposed in con- sequence of the cable having broken under water. The vessels accordingly returned and made the third and last splice on the evening of the 28th. The Agamemnon steamed east, and had run about 118 miles and paid out 146 miles 800 fathoms of the cable, when the coil on deck was exhausted. The speed of the vessel was then slackened, in order to allow of the cable being shifted with safety to the lower deck, where the other coil was, but while this was going on the cable snapped, without any perceptible reason, about six fathoms outside the stern of the ship. At this time the dynamo- meter indicated a strain of only 2200 pounds, while the cable is contracted to be able to bear a strain of 6g44 pounds and on several occasions previously
it had borne a strain of 4400 pounds with any accident occurring. The examination of the broken end that was made on board did not show that any flaw or weakness existed where the breakage occurred, and the only probable cause that can as yet be assigned for the accident is a sudden jerk which might have taken place, and which might have snapped the cable before the dynamometer had time to indicate the additional strain. The arrangement between the ships being, that if an accident should occur, un- less each vessel had run over 100 miles they should return immediately to the rendezvous to splice again, and the Agamemnon having run only 118 miles, the captain judged that the Niagara could not have run much over the 100 miles either, and he therefore returned to the rendezvous in the hope of meeting her there. A thick fog came on, which prevented them from seeing anything, and the Agamemnon and Iher tender havingwaited, recording to appointment, for eight days, they steamed for Queenstown.
i As there is still quite sufficient cable on board the two vessels, they will proceed to sea for the purpose of recommencing operations as soon as the Agamemnon has coaled, which will be in a few days."
The Times has published an admirable account of the perils of the Agamemnon, by a writer who saw the famous hurricane in the Black .Sea on the 14th November 1854. He testifies that tempest which caught the Agamemnon was far more severe than that in the Black Sea. Some extracts from this story will gratify those of our readers who have not seen the longer version. The two "wire" ships started from Ply- mouth on the 10th June, in the most unfavourable trim for bad weather. Every contingency but that had been provided for. The British man- of-war had on board 2840 tons dead-weight ; of which 236 were on the upper deck. This coil of wire greatly increased her perils. All went well, however, until the 13th, when a storm set in that endured for nine days. The Valorous and Gorgon soon parted company ; but the Niagara for a long time kept in sight. On the night of the 13th, "it was everyone for themselves."
The Agamemnon " strained and laboured under her heisiy burden as if she were breaking up, and the massive beams under her upper deck coil cracked and snapped with a noise resembling that of small artillery, almost drowning the hideous roar of the wind as it moaned and howled through the rigging, jerking and straining the little storm-sails as though it meant to tear them from the yards. Those in the improvised cabins on the main deck had little sleep that night, for the upper deck planks above them were working themselves free, as sailors say, and, beyond a doubt, they were in- finitely more.free than easy, for they groaned under the pressure of the coil with a dreadful uproar, and availed themselves of the opportunity to let in a little light, with a good deal of water, at every roll. The sea., too, kept *Wile with dull heavy violence against the vessel's bows, forcing its way through hawse-holes and ill-closed ports with a heavy slush, and thence, hissing and winding aft, it roused the occupants of the cabins aforesaid to a knowledge that their floors were under water, and that the flotsam and jet- sam noises they heard beneath, were only caused by their outfit for the Teeege taking a cruiee of its own in some five or six inches of dirty bilge, Such. was Sunday night, and such was a fair average of all the nights throughout the week, varying only from bad to worse. Daybreak on Mon- day ushered in as fierce a gale as ever swept over lin/Atlantic."
" On the 15th, the Agamemnon took to violent pitching, plunging steadily into the trough of the sea as if she meant to break her back Saidlay the Atlantic ruble in a heap. This change in her motion
strained and taxed every inch of timber near the coils to the very ut- most. It was curious to see how they worked and bent as the Agamemnon went at everything she met head first. One time she pitched so heavily as to break one of the main beams of the lower deck, which had to be shored with screwjacks forthwith." On the 19th, the weather looked better, but appearances proved deceitful. " At about half-past ten o'clock three or four gigantic waves were seen approaching the ship, coming heavily and slowly on through the mist nearer and nearer, rolling on like hills of green water, -with a crown of foam that seemed to double their height. The Agamemnon rose heavily to the first, and then went down quickly into the deep trough of the sea, felling over as she did so, so as almost to capsize completely on the port side. There was a fearful crashing as she lay over this way, for everything broke adrift, whether secured or not, and the uproar and confusion were terrific for a minute ; then back she came again' on the starboard beam in the same manner, only quicker, and still deeper than before. Again there was the same noise and crashing, and the officers in the ward room, who knew the danger of the ship, struggled to their feet and opened the door leading to the main deck. Here, for an instant, the scene almost defies description. Amid loud shouts and efforts to save them- selves, a confused mass of sailors, boys, and marines, with deck buckets, ropes, ladders, and everything that could get loose, and which had fallen back again to the port side, were being hurled again in a mass across the ship to starboard. Dimly, and only for an instant, could this be seen, with groups of men clinging to the beams with all their might, with a mass of water, which had forced its way in through ports and decks, surging about ; and then, with a tremendous crash, as the ship fell still deeper over, the coals stowed on the main deck broke loose, and, smashing every- thing before them, went over among the rest to leeward. The coal dust hid everything on the main deck in an instant, but the crashing could still be heard going on in all directions, as the lumps and sacks of coal, with stan- chions, ladders, and mess tins went leaping about the decks,pouring down
i the hatchways, and crashing through the glass skylights into the engine room below. Still it was not done, and, surging again over another tremendous wave, the Agamemnon dropped down still more to port, and the coals on the starboard side of the lower deck gave way also, and carried everything before them." One marine was buried under them. " Another marine on the lower deck endeavoured to save himself by catching hold of what seemed a ledge in the planks, but, unfortunately, it was only caused by the beanie straining apart, and, of course, as the Agamemnon righted they closed again, and crushed his fingers flat The condition of the masts too at this time was a source of nnich anxiety both to Captain Preedy and Mr. Moriarty, the master.' The heavy rolling had strained and slackened the wire shrouds to such an extent that they had become perfectly useless as supports. The lower masts bent visibly at every roll, and once or twice it seemed as if they must go by the board. Unfortunately nothing 'whatever could be done to relieve this strain by sending down any of the upper spars, since it was only her masts which prevented the ship rolling still more and quicker, and so every one knew that if once they were carried away it might soon be all over with the ship, as then the deck coil could not help going after them. So there was nothing for it but to watch in anxious silence the way they bent and strained, and trust in Providence for the result Of all on board none had ever seen a fiercer or more dangerous sea than raged throughout that night and 'the following morning, tossing the Agamemnon from side to side like a mere plaything among the waters. The weather was thick and dark. Sleeping was impossible that night on board the Agamemnon. Even those in cots were thrown out, from their striking against the vessel's side as she pitched. The berths of wood fixed athwartships in the cabins on the main deck, had worked to pieces, chairs and tables were broken, chests of drawers capsized, and a little surf was running over the floors of the cabins themselves, pouring miniature seas into portmanteaus, and breaking over carpet bags of clean linen. Fast as it flowed off by the scuppers it came in faster by the hawseholes and ports, while the beams and knees strained with a doleful noise, as if it was impossible they could hold together much longer ; and on the whole it was as miserable and even anxious a night as ever was passed on board any line-of-battle-ship in her Majesty's service. Captain Preedy never left the poop all night, though it was hard work to remain there, even holding on to the poop-rail with both hands." The next day matters were worse. "Three or four hours more and the vessel bad borne all which she could bear with safety ; the masts were rapidly getting worse, the deck coil worked more and more with each tremendous plunge, and, even if both these held, it was evident that the ship itself would soon strain to pieces if the weather continued so. The sea, forcing its way through ports and hawseholes, had accumulated on the lower deck to such an extent that it flooded the stokehole, so that the men could scarcely remain at their posts. Everything went smashing and rolling about. One plunge put all the electrical instruments hors de combat at a blow, and staved some barrels of strong solution of sulphate of copper, which went cruising about, turning all it touched tb a light pea green. By and by she began to ship seas. Water Caine down the ventilators near the funnel into the engine-room. Then a tremendous sea struck her for- ward, drenching those on deck, and leaving them up to their knees in water, and the least versed on board could see that things were fast going to the bad unless a change took place either in the weather or the condition of the
ship A little after 10 o'clock on Monday, the 21st, the aspect of affairs was so alarming that Captain Prcedy resolved at all risks to try wear- ing the ship round on the other tack. It was hard enough to make the words of command audible, bet to execute them seemed almost impossible. The ship's head went round enough to leave her broadside on to the seas, and then for a time it seemed as if nothing could be done. All the rolls which she had over given on the previous day seemed mere trifles compared with her performances then. Of more than 200 men on deck at least 150 were thrown down and falling over from side to side in heaps, while others, holding on to ropes, swung to and fro with every heave. It really seemed as if the last hour of the stout ship had come, and to this minute it seems almost miraculous that her masts held on. Each time she fell over her main chains went deep under water. The lower decks were flooded, and those above could hear by the fearful crashing, audible amid the hoarse roar of the storm, that the coals had got loose again below, and had broken into the engine-room,. and were carrying all before them. During these rolls the main deck coil shifted over to such a degree as quite to envelope four men, who, sitting on the top, were trying to wedge it down with beams. One of them was so much jammed by the mass which came over him that-liewas seriously contused, and had to be removed to the sick-bay, making up the sick-list to forty-five, of which ten were from-injuries caused by the rolling of the ship, and very, many of the rest from continual fatigue and exposure during the gale. Once round-on the starboard tack, and it was seen in an instant that, the ship was-. in no degree relieved by the change. Another heavy sea struck her forward, sweeping clean over the forepart of the vessel, and carrying away the woodwork and platforms which had been placed there round the machinery for under-running. This and 'a few more plunges were quite sufficient to settle the matter, and at hat, reluctantly, Captain Preedy succumbed to the storm he could neither conquer, nor content ,against." He therefore ran before the sea. The next day the tempest abated, and the ship beat up for the rendezvous.
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