The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-11
Shipwreck or the Mercedes.

We have already published an account Of this
awful shpwIsck and tIanslate from the Lima Co
The lamentable and unforeseen accident that
took place near the entrance Of Casma harbor, at
o'clock on the morning Of the I'd ult., is msfor-
the inhabitants Of the capital. Seven hundred and
thirty .one Peruvians, who shipped on board the
frgate Mercedes TO join the ranks OF the army, have
been the innocent victims OF our civil dissensions
The Mercedes was accompanied ~ the government
steamer Rimac, and at about IL o'1ock the former
struck upon rock near the mouth Of t,e harDor OF
Casma. The gallant commander Of the ship, ISota'n
Don Juan Noel, who understood instantly the immi-
nent peril that threatened bis ship, thought Of no
greatest number of lives. In the midst Of
the confusion on board, with an admirable calm
ness and he ordered the boats to be lowered
and wen. below to urge Gen. Allende to come up
and remained himself in the ship in or Ter to sive
others. And you, commander?' said Gen. Al
lende. II. General, will save my ship or will Pc
IRISH with those who are unable to escape. may
have committed an error, but he who commands
ship ought not to abandon her while there is any
hope left" Neither the entreates repeated by the
could shake the resolution of the gallant Peruvian
They then separated, and shortly afterwards the
frigate began to settle down with such rapidity
that in few moments all had disappeared ship,
few seconds before, there might have been heard
great cry-a cry of anguish, shrieking for mercy
but the ocean rolled along and stied it in its
The catastrophe finished in an instant, and the
sea looked calm and tranquil as before, and not as
though seven hundred bodies had found sepulchre
in its depths.
This reference to misfortune so tremendous is
food for reflection to every class If those who first
brought about the civil war that we have now to
deplore had fOreseen the events of the I'd of May,
they would have understood better the words spoken
few months since before the Emperor Of Russia,
by the president Of the Peace Society:-"In the
of &c Mt fhpca .l,Dv n1-o
suffer most, but the innocent women and children"
In regard to the commandant of the Rimac, differ.
ent accounts have been received Of it. The supreme
government is determined to come to the aid Of
the families of those who have persisted, as may be
seen by the decree which we publish below. For
part we venture to suggest the following idea:
One of the most valuable monuments to be found
in the cemetery Of New York is erected by steam
navigation company to the memory Of a captain,
who, under precisely similar circumstances to those
in the case Of Commander Noel, persisted with the
ship he commanded. In that case the gallant Off.
I, could have saved himself, but he preferred sacri
icng his life rather than his duty, and this heroic
act has been immortalized by the monument that
records it. The commander, Noel, persisted in his
endeavor to save the lives Of his fellow creatures
and to perform his duty in the service Of his coun
try. Would it not, then, be right to honor the
memory Of 20 distinguished on officer by raising in
Casma monument like that in New York?
The following is the decree Of Jose Rufino Eche-
nique, President Of the Republic, alluded to in the
fore going article -
Profoundly grieved for the unfortunate event at
Casma in which the nation has felt one of the la
mentable consequences of the ambition Of indefat
gable revolutioDaries, by whom pea ,e and the mis-
fortunes and Affections that society suffer for their
crimes, are unheeded and uncared for, the govern
ment, fulfilling sacred duty and exertng itself in
favor of the families Of the shipwrecked parties in
promptly endeavoring to alleviate their situation by
every means in its power, do decree
AIT. ]. That the families of the chiefs, officers
aud soldiers of the army and navy who persisted on
board the frgate Mercedes, shall be considered as
the families Of those who have die in battle.
Art. z. That the government will provide instruc-
ton for their sons, daughters brothers, and give
to their families such gifts the government may
think proper.
Art. promises to the families Of all the individu
ais of the troop the distributions set down in the
third article Of the law of niontepio.
Art. requires that the Project of Ancahs from
the lists Of the last review shall examine with the
greatest accuracy and promptitude in all parts of
the department the debts of the deceased, &c.
Art. s. The government contributes an honorable
testimony to the memory of Captain Don Juan
Noel commander of the frigate Mercedes who
rather than abandon his ship persisted in 1t with
heroic valor, and that there be given to his widow
the n,onfepio, as to widow Of rear-admiral who
died in battle.
The Minister of War and Marine is charged with
the carrying out Of this decree. Given in the Gov
eminent House at Lima, the Sd May, 1854.
JOSE RUFINo EcuENIQUE.
ANTONIO GUTIERREZ DE Ia FUENTE