Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-17

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them on board the boat, until it was impossi-
BILE to rescue any more.
Captain Luce's son, Mr.. b. states, was .
cripple, and was lying in his berth at the time
OF the accident.
This is not the first time that Mr.. Baalham
has been in scenes Of trial on the ocean. He
was on board the New World at the time that
vessel rescued the passengers from the burning
ship Ocean Monarch, Of Boston, whose sad
fate is still fresh in the recollection of our read
ers. He commanded one Of the boats of the
New World, and succeeded in rescuing large
number of the Ocean Monarch's passengers.
For his noble conduct on that occasion, he re-
ceived a gold medal from the Massachusetts,
Humane Society.
AS to the question, why SO many saved were
of the crew and so few of the passengers, MIR.
Baalham states, in explanation, that Captain
Luce ordered him to jump into boat, which
touched the water than they were surrounded
with numbers who had jumped overheard and
were struggling for life. He says they did not
stop to notice who and what they were that
filled their boat. Another boat was also low
cred and Immediately filed The two had all
they could contain. They could do no more,
and with severest inner struggling they left the
others, whom they could not save, to the deep.
He says he left, when he did, at the imperative
command of Captain Luce.
Statement Of MIR. Henderson Moore, Pas
senger.
Mr.. Moore states that several of the crew in
the boat with him, say that they saw the butcher
of the Arctic, who is represented as very able
and skillful sailor, take command of boat,
which was launched, filled with ladies, in which
there was placed barrel of bread and barrel
of water, which boat is yet to be accounted for
Knowing the boat to be seaworthy, the suppo-
sition is that they have been picked up by some
vessel and carried to distant port.
Mr.. Moore states that the number of life
boats were not sufficient to accommodate more
than onethird the persons on board the Arctic,
and their only means of escape, being by the
construction Of raft, which was attempted or
by reaching shore with the steamer, which he
thinks Captain Luce intended. The boat in
which he was saved was the larger of the two,
and was crowded to her utmost extent, with
rs persons. There were only six available
boats, and allowing 80 persons to each boat,
could not have contained more than $50 in all
even had they been properly manned and
loaded.
The Fate of the Collins Family.
The Boston atlas says: ave have seen and
conyersed with rescued passengers of the
steamer Arctic, brought to this port by the
Europa. They are those who were saved in
the two boats which landed ut Broad Cove
and the narrowing details they give of the dis
aster, throw additional light upon the occur
renee. Mrs. Collins and several other ladies
oal ~ b<.h ,Ja1c
but the stern Of the boat being lowered by the
run, they were precipitated into the water, and
sunk TO rise no more. Mr.. and Mrs. Gale, Of
Worcester, were also in the same boat, and
Mrs. Gale having tainted in the boat had just
been removed to the steamer. All of them
undoubtedly persisted. After the had been
righted, it was Immediately filled again with
the crowd, and Immediately cut loose to pre-
vent being swamped. Those on the steamer
still appeared to keep up an appearance Of
cheerfulness. One man called to q friend in
the boat, bidding him good bye and requested
him to bear his love to his wife in Philadelphia
and tell her he was gone.
All the passengers bear testimony to the
noble conduct of Capt. Luce, and the heroic
firmness Of the unfortunate lady passengers
but they charge the company with even culpa-
BILE neglect in not having provided a sufficient
number of boats TO carry all on board. All the
boats would not have contained more than 1870
passengers, and the passengers say there is nc
doubt If Capt. Luce had been able to assure his
passengers that he had boats enough to hold
all on board, there would have been no confu-
sion, and all might have been saved. 1t is to
be hoped that this fatal omission hereafter will
be remedied.
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