New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-13

Fro~ 7Hs nasv T.ss
Capt LUcE, 80 far h,s yeTsoual demesror ant
cononct are concerned. seems to have behaved slth
greet eo"pees sbd 20 have directed oil bis e rts TO
save the ship, regardless OF himself-resoyed adeed
to shsfe her fate. We do Dot see evidences Of the
energetic C.umaDd 30 essential IN such crisis aaf
winch # i bal been effective might have mit,ystad
the calsmiry; but there was DO shrinking fror the
6uty or the 6aDger-ns eagerness for personal safety
or for the pre- seryation OF his own family a, the az
perse OF other ives.
we hear censure expressed because the s.sasnsr
honId have been running ut so great speed through
a. aer So A fog We believe II Is agreed among soa-
u.p that % the steaner hsrset the danger q; A,sh
s1od is less in case OF collision win vessel OF other
91ay;n, buay than at loo speed-because her mo-
p..nrum and mower to ride over such obstacles are
corrpsnoroinTy greater. We believe, too, THAI all
the ocean steamers hsbifusy practice on TINS rule,
snd that full speed Is always keps ~ IaGsl
the iron propeller must have struck the Arctic ~ very
pesrly right angles II was, therefore, the Io,e.
the Arctic that broke oil her iron DOW; ana ,ne
Arctic had been gong slower, ana nsn mus ~ 80
force the propeller must have been driven tNroses
her, and sunk her Instantly Ii does not seem 70 US
therefore at all clear hst the increased
her danger or aggravated the catastrophe.
We regret furthermore, 10 see In some qusr'e1s
reaoiness 10 charge fault upon the princpai owner OF
the line II would seem that MIR. Collins mas afnfc-
tons enough to bear without being held to any andus
responsibility for toe disaster which has iaien UPON
HIM even with greater weight than upon any o'ner.
built It will be by the description of her which
we give in another column. that she was cfry
stron g(y baRt-thst no prcc tutions tor her sae'y
which timber and iron could afford were neglected.
The steamers of the Collins line undoubtedly the
streEgest vessels that float the ocean; aud with
the exception possibly of the Atlantic the Arctic WAS
quite as strong a. either Of the others Her mschoery
ras in good order, and everything that foresight
could effect to render her voy age safe had oeen doue
The fact that Mr.. Collins had entrusted hs whole
family 10 her decks proves conclusively his u con-
fdeBce in her stability
The disaster which has befslleu her adds an ,ther
fact to zoe evidence which has rereoty accunaa'ed
go fast of the pers which 81 the best beset the na'i-
cation Of the ocean. The wonderful exemption ron
accident which steamers have So pns ecloyed
had almost blinded the community 10 the TACT tnft
any danger incurred. Agaiost danger 10 its usual
forms full precautions had indeed been taken-oat no
foresight no precauton can bani-h entirely the
perils of the prevent the occurrence Of such
disasters as that which mas just carried desolson and
grief into both hemisDhtres.
From As Courier dec Etats Cais
II has been our sad duty 10 take part in msny disas
tiers to record the account Of many cuatrophes out
We have never before awhcle city instantaneous
ly plunged Into mourning SO deep, 50 universal Az
The sight of business almost entirely suspended nsgs
at half mast with exprt ssions Of grief exch snged at
every step in the public establishments, and even In
the streets the crowd pressing impayieny aud goom
ly wherever news could be expected-a stranger even
mic hit comprehend at fret glance that Ne VI ork was
public calamity.
Messureless indeed is the distress than three
hundred victims swallowed up by the waves-and Of
this number hundred at least of the highest position
in the United States, both in point OF fortune com
mercial influence and public consideration This Is
certsnly catastrophe to move the most insensib'e.
and even those who most strongly armed Against
the perpetual vicrsiiudes of American life.
There is no one moreover, who has not personal
share more or less immediate in this general mourn
ing the blow to speak, has struck from the topic
the bottom of the social scale. Ii has smtten al
circles The highest mercantile classes, the bar, the
banking house. different notwithstanding has
been spared; our own French population, especially,
has suffered in the most cruel manner. Heaven
grant, that regards ourselves, the worst is not yet
| to be learned.
twas on the 9th day of September, that the Arc
tic was destroyed, in consequence OF COLLISION WIN
! spotber steamer, which We have, unhappuy, every
! reason to believe was French. We give below tue
circumstances of the disaster but before commencing
the sad recital, must pay decided tribute OF re-
sptct and give a still more decided expression Oh
| ceIsuTe.
The tribute of respect, we owe TO the heroic memv
ory of Capt. Luce, the commander OF the Afctic,
who unable TO save everybody determined 70 share
the con mon fate and to descend into the fatal tomb
which was slowly overwhelming his ship
The censure must be directed by the whole weight
of rubIc opinion against the members OF the snip Q
company, whose only care, in the moment OF peru,
was TO secure their safety. With three OF TOUT
honorable exeeptiops they all appear To nave coward
ly deserted their posts. and to have seized upon inc
| means OF safety for their advantage alone. The
universal indignation will charge them with having
e. HANGED the horrors Of the catastrophe by their SCI
fish and unworthy violence. Who can say, In TACT,
that all bends united might not have constructed rsrs
sufficient TO have saved all the shpwceoked sidsrersi
But the time Ia examine the facts has not yet come
The stricken people too much absorbed in grief to
attend to justice