The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-01

full extent of the loss Of life exceeds the estimate
formed even by the eye-witnesses, laborng under
the excitement Of the scene It is ascertsned that
at least seventy human beings have persisted, and
it may be that the number reaches one hundred
What now becomes Of the statement OF the captain,
who, after arriving in this city, said be had reason
to believe that only ten females and child lost
their vesl Ifhe honest in this statement, does
it not show that he very unfit for his post, and
that he about the last to be entrusted with
the care of so many lives in such an emergency
1t is worthy of remark that neither the owner,
captain, engineer, pilot, clerk, any of the off,
GERS on board Of the boat, among the lost This
shows that if they lost the lives Of others, they
knew how to take care oftheir own.
The owners and Captain Tallman say, in their
statement, that there no racing Whatever, and
that there was an agreement between the two boats
not to race This assertion of Interested parties,
in the face of the testimony of most respect
able witnesses, who have motive to misrepresent,
is only as feather in the scale, and is entitled to
no consideration whatever, beside the overwhelming
weight of evidence the other side Mr. Harris, the
only person who has forward to excupate them,
even partially, proves, beyond Doubt the boats
were racing Every thing proves it. The state
mtnt signed by these three gentlemen alleges that
the Henry Clay had two boats, capable of accommo-
datiI fifty passengers, at the time Of the accident
If this be true, (though it is not corroborated by
any person, but the very contrary asserted by the
passengeIs,) then why we're these boats not used in
saving the lives Of the passengers That they
never brought into action during the whole scene is
established conclusively Does not this assertion,
fho ductn f RITZ in oh
of the Henry Clay still more culpable-having in
their power the means Of saving the lives of the
men, women and children entrusted to them and
yet not employing those means But, as will be
seen by telegraphlc despatch from gentleman
who examined the steam guage, in company with
the barber Of the boat, the card of Messrs. Coll
yer, Radford and Tallman is fatty contradcted
in the important point about the quantity
of steam carried by the Henry Clay before the acc-
dents and if their statement in this particular is
flIed there is weight to be attached to any part
of it. The fact of Mr. Livermore and number of
Others being compelled to leave the boat, and
by the railroad, in order to consult the safety of
their lives leaves no doubt with any reasonable
mind, that there was only racing, but the high
est speed that could possibly be attained was forced
by every description Of means
Fearful as the accident has been, it is fortunate
that it was not far worse Every soul on board
might have persisted Had an explosion Of the
boilers taken place when the boat in the middle
of the river, mile and half from shore, she would
have probably gone down with every passenger; or
had the collision taken place, which seemed ut
tine inevitable, when the Henry Clay, with her bow
few feet ahead Of that of the Armenia, seered
right across it, in order to compel the Armenia to
stop or 60 ashore, the Henry Clay would have been
cut right in two and gone to the bottom, and the
Armenia might have also sunk from the shock
Nothing prevented this catastrophe but the stopping
of the engine of the Armenia So that the passen-
gels bad thus three imminent risks Of death i'm
pending over their heads.
Waving for the present the result of the legal in
ves'gation that is taking place, with a view to
enquire whether there are just and proper grounds
for q criminal prosecution direct attention to q
communication from legal gentleman, in this day :
paper 10 which be gives an abstract Of the laws Of
this State, in relation to steamboats,, which have
been pspably violated by both these boats, and, no
doubt. by others Any gentleman who sues for the
penalties for the poor of the county where the Of
fence was committed, will render lasting service
to the whole community.
We can assure the owner and officers that, though
they ped dea,h from fire water, they were in
the most imminent peril from anot her source They
very narrowly escaped summary punishment. We
have seen passengers who now bitterly regret they
did not nfiict it, and who swear soemnly that, if
they should ever be placed in the same predicament
again, they will not hesitate for a moment So let
those gentlemen who sport with the lives Of so
many human beings, look out in future for their
safety Self preservation is the first law Of
ture. and when common law or statute aw fails tho
California code may be resortcd to Transgressors
beware.
KossUTH AND HIS LANDLADY - The Courier and
Enquire, makes the following statement concerning
the last movements of Kossuth before he left for
England. 1t is just in keeping with all his pre-
yious movements
Kossuth had caused to be published In his most
pectsd ryan that he to embark Saturday. the
nth inst At his boarding hou'e he stated that he
should go Jersey City tn. Wednesday preceding
main there ii his tmbsrkatioD On the FORE
the latter day bis baggage having been got in
readiness his bill amounting 20 about $3.50, OF which
500 for regular board aud he remainder Tor large
other refre hD,ents furni he'd to his
visit,rs at his rquest presented 10 his
eompapion TiajDik Conferences tn r.upon had
by the latter with Kossuth, who in adjacent
room and the payment Of he face Of the bill
fused. Eighty dollars fr-t Of red ny HtlDk
settlement, afterwards ninety, and lastly hundred
The Last offer accompanied with the alternative
take that or 70 10 court b. laudady prote Just
sLe ought to have done meet indgosntly but, the