"DEPARTURE. -- The ship Hudson, Captain Isaiah Pratt, master, sailed from Shadwell Basin, London, with 863 souls of the Latter-day Saints on board, on Friday, the 3rd instant, for New York. On the night of Friday she anchored a little below Gravesend, and, as we learn, hoisted anchor and pushed out to sea from there at 3 a.m. on Saturday. The Saints on board, when we parted with them on Friday evening, were feeling very well, and were indulging in sanguine hopes of a pleasant and prosperous voyage. We trust that their hopes will be fully realized, and that their voyage to New York will be as speedy as the most sanguine can reasonably desire. The ship has sailed about seventeen days later than the time we wished to have the last of the emigrating Saints go, and that number of days later than we arranged, in the beginning, for her to depart. When we concluded the arrangement for her in the first place, it was expected by the parties of whom we chartered, that she would be in London in time to sail on the 16th of May, and with that understanding we settled upon her. She was delayed in New York, however, much beyond the time that had been assigned for her departure. Much as we were averse to this delay we had no alternative but to submit to it, as ships were so scarce that another could not be obtained that would answer our purpose any better, either as to price or the time of departure, than the Hudson. Our prayer is that the winds and the waves may be so propitious that this goodly ship, with its precious freight of souls, may be wafted so speedily on its voyage, that no serious detention may occur to the Saints and the teams which are to carry them, in consequence of the vessel's departure being delayed.
The company was placed under the presidency of Elder John M. Kay, with Elder George Halliday, John L. Smith (brother Smith having charge also of the Swiss and Holland Saints,) and Matthew M'Cune, as counsellors. Elder Alexander Ross acted as clerk. Besides the elders named, there were on board Elders Louis A. Bertrand, Samuel Neslen and Thomas O. King, who were returning to the Valley after finishing their missions in these lands, and Elders Alexander Ross, William Sanders, James C. Brown, George Webb, Thomas C. Patten and John Miller, who had been released from the ministry in this country to emigrate to Zion; also Elder Peter C. Neilsen, late president of the Bornholm Conference in Denmark, but who has been laboring in this country for two or three months past. . . ."
MS, 26:25 (June 18, 1864), pp.394-95
"June. Fri. 3. [1864] -- The ship Hudson sailed from London, England, with 863 Saints, under the direction of John M. Kay. The company arrived at New York July 19th, and at Wyoming [Nebraska] Aug. 2nd."
CC, p.71
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