The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-12-06 00:00:00

TERRIBLE COLLISION AT SEA.

TWO HUNDRED AND TwENTV sI7( LIVES MAST.

At Cardiff, on Monday, the news was received of one
of the not terrible cataetrophes which have happened
at bee during late years, pssralleled only by the wreck of
the ill-frted North fleet in the early part of the present
year. At two o'clock on the morning of the 22nd of
November the French steamer Vile du Hoerr, wben
cff th., Azores, bound from New York for Havre, with
rj,Ld passengers, came into collision with the sail.
'gap Locator's, of Glasgow, and was sunk in the
fwp •clod .4 12 minuted, with nearly the whole of
• 'grew and passengers, numbering 313 souls.—We
twsOte foilowiug acoonnt of the fearful disaster from

_ .
The rah du Havre left New York with 89 firet-
elms passengers, 19 second claw, 47 third chid, and
six stowaways, making a total of 141, besides the
crew, which numbered 172 all told. Many of the
cabin paegettgers wore gentlemen with their wives
and families, who w. re leaving America to spend
the winter in France—mome for pleasure, and others
going there for the benefit of their health. Among
the survivors are children who have lost their
parents, ard parents who have lost their children ;
others their sisters and brothers. From the time of
the vessel sailing from New York a thick fog pre-
vailed, which noceimitated the most careful mitten.
tion on the part of the Captain and officers. On the
night of Themodev, the 20th, the fog began to clear
away, anti on Friday a breeze sprang up, which raised
a somewhat heavy ewelL Friday night was a bright
starlight night, and pnseengere sod crew, relieved to
come extent from the danger which gum-minded them
during the fog, retired to rest with hopes of a pleasant
some, to France. The Captain, who had ecaremly
tindted the deck since the vessel left New York. went
to his cabin about twelve o'clock, leaving the Second
Officer in charge. The passengers were all in bed, and
everything seemed going on well. About two o'clock
on Setnrday all were startled from their slumbers by
a dreadful crash, which seemed to shake every part of
the vessel. Men, women, and children rushed on
deck in thole nightdresses, to see the boas of a
large vessel projecting over the deck of the
Ville du Haire, and to hear the rishieg of the
water into their own ill-fated come!. The Lochearn, •
large vessel belonging to Glasgow, bound from Liver
pool for New York had struck them on the starboard
ade, just about midehipe, cutting a hole in her deck
deep, and breaking in the iron plates of the
steamer for 2511. or 30ft. The vessel was then in lat.
4721, lung. 35 3L with a rather heavy P.& and tint
little wind. The terror which prevailed among the
ers pare]) zed their t fforta to save themeedves.
Mte;gthrew themselves on their knees in prayer;
many giving themeelves up to despair on hear-
ing the water rushing into the trees- I, and feeling
that she was rapidly stokiug, never quitted their
state rooms, fathers, mothers, and children going down
together. At this moment there WM no outcry, bat
alI seemed to meet calmly the death that was soon to
overtake them. From the for ie of the aollis'oo, the
mainmast and mitenmast fell, meshing, in their fall,
the two ,large boats of the steamer, and killing num.
berg of plagsengers ; and from the rapidity with which
the vessel went down the crew were only able
to launch the whaleboat and the captain's gig. In
twelve minutiae from the time of the collision the
IV( du Name had sunk, carrying with her
the crew and passengers, with the exception
of the Second Lieutenant, who had succeeded in
launching the whaleboat, which was under his care,
and several of the crew who had got into the Captain's
gig. The Loatearn. after gettieg &ear of the Ville du
Rowe, kept on her course for a mile. ant then hove to
and launched four other boats to pock up the paesengers
and crew, who were floating about on the sea— ome
on pieces of plank, some on Ilfebuoys, others on mike,
on anything that would serve to keep them afloat. So
sudden as the catastrophe that not a single person
was saved from the deck. Thole who were on deck
when she went down afterwards fl oared, and were
picked up, but a large number, after rising to the
surface, sank again to ripe no more. The Second
Lieutenant, with the whaleboat, on dered it, after being
tilled with person., to row to the L.-Alain, and, after
.putttng them on board. returned and picked up another
boatload. The Captain and Second Officer rema.ned on
deck and went down with the steamer, but on floating
were picked up by the whaleboat, after being in the
water for two hours. The Purser and Assistant rurser
were both saved. The second Officer imam to the
Loeltearn, a distance of a mile. The Aseis' ant Engineer
was saved, and he was the only person caved from the
engineer department. The Captain, who had been for
three days and nights without sleep, was worn out
with fatigue at the time of the ; but he did
all he could in Launching the boats from the ship. The
officer who was in charge of the veesel sank with her,
and was never seen again. A large number of thoee
who wore saved had, fortunately, secured for them-
selves some piece of the tioattng timber; and runny of
the ladies were picked up after being in the water for
nearly two hones. The b-.ate of the Loehearn and those
of the Ville du Hum remained about the scene of the
ace:dent until all hove of saving life way abandoned,
and they then returned to the Lvehearn. Here it wag
found that one lady had lost hr husband and four
children, three young ladies bad oat their parents, and
one young man had topt father, mother, and sister. Oue
gentleman going with he sister to France for the
benefit of her health, found treat she way among those
who had gone down in the veggie!. The scene on the
deck of the Loehearn was most distressing. Thoee who
were saved had loot their all ; the ladiee and gentlemen
who escaped had only time to filth on deck in their
nightdreegee, and all owe their safety to some acct.
debtal circumstance of being able to reach something
floating when they rose to the t iii. fat.'. Their snfferinge
during the time they were in the water were intense,
the cold rendering them alinoet bfele-s. When taken
of the pieces of plank int., boats but little life se
mained, and they must goon have fallen into the water
thou cold and exhaustion.

On examining the bows of the Locheam it was
found thot she was much damaged, and about eight
o'clock in the morning an American ship, which was
afterwards discovered to be the Trentoniain, hove in
eight. Signsla were made to her, and shs hove to. It
was found she was bound for Bristol from New York,
and after a second survey o' the Loehearn it wee
deemed advisable to transfer the survivors, 87 in num.
bee, to the Trtnioptaiii. They were received on board
by Captain UrquhArt, and every attention WM paid
to them. The Trewntain cattle to Anchor on Sunday
morning in the Cardiff Roads, and sent the sur-
vivors on shore, where they were received at several
of the hotels in the town. A large number have been
accommodated at the Royal Hotel. Among the 87
persons saved there are 23 fireteclass pamengers-10
ladies and 13 gentlemen ; of the second-eloss paeaerigere
only one lady is saved, and of the thhd demi three are
saved, all men; of the Grew, 54, and six officers,
making a total of 87, out of 313, 60 of whom were
idles and children.

LIST OP PISPFNGEBS 5A119.-11114 Mary Banter, Wm
Ann limiter, Mr.. SpatLya, Mies Broaden, Mies Edge
Cornelia, Mra Bulkeiey who lost three children), Mn
Bann, Mr. tbar.es Waite, Mr. James Bishop. Mr.
?meninx SMie, Mr. R. A liVittins, Jun., Mr. Alfred
Bartacon, Mr. Theophile Lirlannx, Mr. Legrand Cranur,
Mr Milady Batt, Mr. Crean, Mr. 11.ary Bulking°,
Madame Creete, Mr. Hypolite Wane, Mr. lreder
m c Mar-
comet, Mr. Earn E Earner Plqingnot, Mr. mile Cook, and Mr.
liatibmiel We.,.