1864-08-15
English Channel
Part 1
At 4:10 P.M. passed Eddystone Light House, it bearing NNE distant one half mile. At about 4:20, the Quarter Master on watch, James Nettleton, reported to the Officer of the Deck a brig about 4 pts off our st’bd bow standing close hauled on st’bd tack in a direction to cross our course. The Channel Pilot in charge of the ship was on the Fore Castle (port side), looking out. The wind was very light and from the Ed. And the brig had little more than steerage way; in the opinion of the Officer of the Deck, by continuing on the course we were running, E by S1/2S, we would pass ahead of the brig and clear her. As we neared the brig, the Officer of the Deck crossed to the st’bd side of the quarter deck and seeing that we would pass very close, if we did not collide, returned to the port side
Part 2, next page
gave the order to put the helm to st’bd, but was informed by the Qr. Master that the Pilot had ordered the helm to port and that it was then hard a port. The ship then feeling the influence of the port helm, it would have been worse than useless to have shifted it, even had the Officer of the Deck taken the responsibility of countermanding the Pilot’s order. We were going about 8 knots and the engine was stopped when it was seen that collision was inevitable. We struck her abreast the fore mast, and she sunk in about two minutes (4:40). Called away all boats immediately, but the Captain and crew of the brig, nine in all, came on board over the bow. After about ten minutes the brig arose stern foremost off our st’bd quarter and a boat was sent to endeavor to recover some of the effects. The brig was a Norwegian and called the Ceres from Cadiz, bound to the Baltic with salt. At 5:45, took aboard a Plymouth Pilot and under his direction stood in for Plymouth; at 7:30 came to anchor in Plymouth Harbour.
The American Consul came on board. Sent brig’s people ashore.
