“Miscellaneous”

Date

3-24-1812

Newspaper

Lexington American Statesman

Page and Column

Page 4, Column 1-3

Newspaper Location

Lexington , Kentucky

Serial Number

201

Abstract

Brief mention in a long article about the New Madrid earthquakes.

Transcript

MISCELLANEOUS. The winter season, which has just expired, has been one that will be perculiarly distinguished, in consequence of the various extraordinary circumstances by which it has been accompanied. The people have not only been alarmed by the visitations of a desolating Earthquake, but almost every part of the world seems to have suffered, from the most dreadful storms. In Nov. last, an American brig, together with another from Dundalk, (1) were driven on shore at Holyhead, Eng. when the whole crew of the American vessel perished, as well as about half the number of the other. Much damage was done at the same time, to vessels navigating the Baltic. The gales of wind in the North seas, have been immensely destructive. The British lost between 40 and 50 vessels; and amongst the remote Orkney's Danish ships with rich cargoes, protected by British licenses, are reported to have suffered a complete wreck. An Amsterdam article of Dec. last, states the whole coast on the Texel to be covered with the wreck of English vessels. The vessels seem to have been laden with munitions of war, as nothing has been seen but casks of powder, cases of muskets, and a thousand other objects of almost a similar kind. The loss of the English is supposed to be about 3000 men, and the most of a convoy of 230 vessels, may be considered as lost. Accounts form Naples and Bari, of same case, mention a number of vessels which had been foundered and wrecked, as well as the great number of dead bodies and other wreck about every where on the coast. The snow storms in Dec. spread destruction and ruin along the whole coast of North America. At Halifax, and below Quebeck and the harbour, 20 vessels are sold to have been either wrecked, stranded or damaged, attended with the loss of many lives. Indeed, in some cases the crews, nearly to a man, are stated to have perished. The snow in the northern states was very deep, accompanied with an unusual degree of cold. The water of the Delaware, East and North rivers was congested, and the river craft suffered prodigiously from the ice. Some persons lost their lives by the mere agency of cold, and others by losing their way in the snow. Whole droves of cattle and flocks of sheep were, in some cases, overwhelmed in the drifting snow, or found frozen to death in the open fields. Whilst wandering on the drifting snow, or found frozen to death in the open fields, whilst in some cases, they were dug out alive. A black man and boy were picked up on Orleans beach, and the bodies of three other men on Nauset beach, near Chatham, C. Cod. The mails in Connecticut were stopped by the drifted snow, & several vessels at New London, were very much damaged. In a vessel which had blown off the latter place, three of the crew froze to death, and the remainder were much frost bitten. Many vessels and small craft on the coast had been cast away and were missing. A young man, in going to his school in Spencer, Mass. was overtaken by the snow storm-was overpowered and perished. A yawl, and the wreck of another vessel were taken up near Provincetown, soon after the storm. A vessel from Baltimore, one from Orleans, and from Daniriscotta with salt, for Boston, went ashore and lost their cargoes. Some bilged after they were stranded, or escaped with knocking off their rudders, or with the loss of their anchors, masts, and cables. The Antonia, a Spanish built vessel, bound from Charleston to Havanna, was wrecked, and lost 5 out of 7 of her crew. At Norfolk, a new rope house was nearly demolished-the vessels were broken from their fastenings-were driven against the Southern draw bridge, by which they received great injury, and rendered the bridge altogether impassible. On Long Island, 56 vessels were seen ashore in one day. Accounts from N. York, state the damage to have been incalculable. The vessels in the harbor dragged their anchors to a considerable distance, and the whole coast presented a scene where vessels had been either wrecked, stranded, or materially injured. A vessel bound from Sagg harbour to N. York, was lost on Eaton's Neck, and out of 14 persons, only one escaped! Another vessel, bound from N. York to East Haddam, was wrecked, and 12 out of 13 persons perished! A brig went on shore in Gardner's bay, near N. London, and the 4 men on deck were frozen so fast as to be cut of the ice! A schooner, which drifted from the wharf, at N. London, was lost, together with the two men on board. The captain and crew of a sloop which rode out the gale in N. Haven bay, were so much frozen, as not to be expected to live! Ten sloops were driven ashore at Whitestone, about seven miles above Hellgate. Houses, in some cases, were unroofed and thrown down. Information from Augusta, Georgia, states that there was a snow storm to the Southward, on the 16th Jan. when the snow was from 12 to 14 inches deep-a very unusual circumstance in that latitude. The depth of the snow in Kentucky, in one instance, was uncommonly deep, and fell in a shorter time than the same quantity had ever been unknown to fall upon any former occasion. The United States' brig Nautilus was overtaken by a violent hail & snow storm, off the Delaware, on the 23d Feb. and continued to experience the sufferings of a tempestuous sea, until the 16th Jan. when she landed in Newport, (R.I) loaded with ice, and many of the crew frost bit. At one time, the vessel was thrown on her beam ends, and several times filled between the decks by the sea passing her. Her guns were thrown overboard-her stern shattered to pieces-rudder loosened, all he ports bursted out, and in consequence of a tremendous sea, the bowsprit was taken off, and the fore top mast cut away. The crew were subject to hard and incessant labor-were drenched with water and benumbed with cold-There was not a dry spot in the vessel-clothes and bedding wet, and no fire to warm them or cook for them. The hail and snow beat with such violence, at times, that the stations on deck were very unsafe. The vessel dangerously thumped upon the wrecks, and was driven near a thousand miles to the Eastward from a gale, accompanied with torments of hail, snow and rain, which commenced on the 27th and continued for 13 days. The crew had cooked only 5 days in 27, and from their constant exposure, they broke out all over with sores and ulcers. The medicine chest was stove, and the sick could obtain no relief. A brig entered the harbour of Newport, with two men frozen to death, and all the rest like to die. Another man was frozen to death on the quarter deck of the Essex. The loss, damage and distress of vessels at sea are indescribable. The weather was extremely severe throughout North America, about the middles of Jan. The Mercury in Fahrenheit's at one time, stood at Quebeck, at 30 deg. below zero, and at Montreal, from 28 to 30 deg. below 0. At N. York, [unreadable]. At Utica, 21. At Hartford, (Conn.) 5. At Newburyport, 12. At Salem, 11. At Boston, 9 below 0, and at Chillicothe, 32 deg. below the freezing point. The French Astronomers say a New Comet may be seen in the heavens with good glasses. In Dec. it was in the constellation Eridanus, and on the 5th of that month, its right ascension was 64, 23, and the declination 13, 34. Its apparent right ascension is retrogade and very slow, and it declination seems to carry it towards the northern hemisphere. An article dated Prague, says, that on the 12th Dec. last, a violent shock of an Earthquake, the direction of which was from south to north, was felt at Howenstein, in the circle of Ellbogen, , by which moveables were thrown out of their places. On the 13th, at half past 8, P. M. it was felt at Kaaden, in the vicinity of Saatz, accompanied with the usual rumbling noise. At Paris, and Verona, on the 18th, at 33 m. past 11, P. M. At Marienberg, on the 12th, at 8, P. M. where the direction was from north to south. The element fire, seems to have done its due proportion of injury. Besides the melancholy misfortunes of Richmond; Charleston, Hartford and Pittsburgh, and other parts of the Union, have been occasionally visited by its ravages. The steam engine manufactory of Messrs. Livingston & Fulton, of N. York, has lately been consumed, by which a lost was sustained of about 4,000 dollars. The grist mill, fulling mill, carding and picking machines, cloth factory and dye works of Major T. Carol, on Long Island, (N.Y) has also been consumed. The paper and cotton mills of Mr. Deuman, of Springfield, (N. J.) have been destroyed by fire, as also the sugar house and works of Benj. Farrar, Esq who resides about 9 miles above N. Orelans.-The Academy in Columbia, S. Carolina, lately took fire, and was reduced to ashes. Although our various misfortunes, and the many dreadful visitations we have experienced, should impose some restrictions upon the moral deportment of men; we yet have frequent and daring instances of their turpitude. Smuggling has succeeded to fair commerce, and the commercial regulations of government are shamefully evaded. A quantity of tea has been seized at St. John's-imported from the United States-packed up in boxes, and entered at the custom house, as candles. At Albany, N. Y. two wagon loads of Mattrasses were seized, the stuffing of which was found to consist of flannels, cambrick muslins, and kersey-meres . Other British goods were seized by the collector at the same place. A quantity of smuggled broad cloths, bandana hkfs. silk gloves, and calico, have been seized in Boston and Northampton, which were ingeniously packed up in molasses hog sheads and flour barrels. At the same place, 90 pieces of calicoes were seized, as well as two hogsheads and four barrels of cutlery and hard ware, which were entered as containing potatoes. A large amount of prohibited goods have also been seized at Woburn Woods, at Saco, Old York, and at Portland. In some cases, vessels are stated to be employed off the coast by merchants, for the purpose of smuggling goods into different places, whenever opportunities may present themselves.

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