The Times, Thursday, Jan 18, 1866; pg. 9; Issue 25398; col C THE LOSS OF THE STEAMSHIP LONDON. [continued] ---------------------- At 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday, the ship still rolling deeply in a heavy cross sea, and the wind blowing a whole gale from the south-west, a mountain of water fell heavily over the waist of the ship, and spent its destructive force upon the main hatchway, over the engine-room, completely demolishing this massive structure, measuring 12ft. by 8ft., and flooding with tons of water this portion of the ship. Instant endeavours to repair the hatchway were made with a promptitude and vigour commensurate with the imminent crisis. Every spare sail that could be got at, and even blankets and mattresses from all parts of the ship, were thrown over the aperture, but each succeeding sea shipped by the vessel tore away the frail resource of the moment, and not more than ten minutes after the hatchway had been destroyed the water had risen above the furnaces and up to the waists of the engineers and firemen employed in this part of the ship. The lower decks were also now flooded with the rush of water the ship was continually taking in. The chief engineer remained at his post until the water had risen above his waist, when he went on deck and reported the fires were out, and his engines rendered useless. Captain MARTIN, with calm conviction, remarked that he was not surprised: on the contrary, he had expected such a result. Finding his noble ship at length little more than a log on the water, Captain MARTIN ordered his maintopsail to be set, in the hope of keeping her before the wind. This had scarcely been accomplished when the force of the wind tore the sail into ribands, with the exception of one corner, under which the ship lay to throughout the remainder of the night. The donkey engine was supplied with steam by a boiler upon deck, and all the deck pumps were kept going throughout the night, and the passengers of all classes, now aroused to a sense of their imminent danger, shared with the crew their arduous labours. Notwithstanding every effort the water still gained upon the pumps, and the gale continuing at its height, cross seas with tremendous force were constantly breaking over the vessel. The motion of the ship became low and heavy, and she refused to rise to the action of the waves. At a quarter after 4 o'clock on Thursday morning she was struck by a stern sea, which carried away four of her stern ports, and admitted a flood of water through the breach. From this time all efforts were useless, and at daybreak Captain MARTIN, whose cool intrepidity had never for a moment forsaken him, entered the cuddy where all classes of the passengers had now taken refuge, and responding to an universal appeal, calmly announced the cessation of all human hope. It is a remarkable fact that this solemn admission was as solemnly received - a resigned silence prevailing throughout the assembly, broken only at brief intervals by the well-timed and appropriate exhortations of the Rev. Mr. DRAPER, whose spiritual services had been incessant during the previous 24 hours. At 10 o'clock, the ship still rolling deeply, an attempt was made to launch the starboard pinnace, but a sea struck her just as she reached the water, and she sunk, leaving a crew of five men struggling for their lives. As the ship was lying-to three of them managed to scramble up the sides of the ship, and the other two were rescued by ropes being thrown to them. After this the exhausted crew appeared indifferent to their fate, and no further effort at launching the remaining boats was made until 1 o'clock, when, the water having reached the main chains and the ship evidently settling down, the port pinnace was got over the ship's side. Even at this moment the sea was so heavy that those of the passengers who were within reach of the boat appeared to prefer the frail shelter of the sinking vessel to the obvious dangers of a small boat in a raging sea. At this crisis Captain MARTIN, always at hand, addressing Mr. GREENHILL, his chief engineer, under whose command this particular boat was rated, said, "There is not much chance for the boat; there is none for the ship. Your duty is done; mine is to remain here. Get in and take command of the few it will hold." Thus prompted, Mr. GREENHILL, with his fellow engineers and some few others, numbering only 19 souls, among whom were only three second-class passengers, quitted the ship, with only a few biscuits in the shape of provisions, and not a drop of water. The pinnace had scarcely cleared the wake of the vessel, upon the poop of which upwards of 50 of the passengers were seen grouped, when a tremendous sea was seen to break over the doomed circle, who, when the ship rose slowly again, were dicovered to have been swept into the surging waters. Another moment and the vessel herself, settling down stern foremost, threw up her bows into the air and sank beneath the waves. The pinnace having no sails on board could only keep afloat before the wind, and was repeatedly in danger of swamping. They had not been afloat two hours before they saw a full-rigged ship sail past them, but at too great a distance to hail. At 3 a.m. on Friday they sighted the sails of a brig, the crew of which overheard their shouts and bore towards them; but, failing to get into the track of the boat, after making several fruitless tacks, she bore away. At daybreak a full-rigged cutter was observed at some distance, and, hoisting a shirt upon an oar, they endeavoured, but in vain, to attract attention. Shortly afterwards the Italian bark Adrianople, Captain CAVASSA, bound with a cargo of wheat from Constantinople for Cork hove in sight, and the captain having observed the pinnace, immediately shortened sail, and lay to, preparing to take them on board. On reaching the ship, notwithstanding the stress of weather and straitened means for the support of so large an increase to his crew, Captain CAVASSA received the Englishmen with unbounded kindness and hospitality, supplying them with all that was necessary in their destitute condition. The exigencies of the gale had obliged Captain CAVASSA to sacrifice more than half his cargo, and during the four days' run into Falmouth the weather carried away his rudder, and brought into useful requisition the services of his English passengers. The foregoing details having been furnished to the reporter by Mr. GREENHILL, may be relied upon as strictly authentic, and the same remark applies to the annexed list of the passengers and crew of the ship: - ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~