The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-13

Tho Recent Dosaster-Safevy ~ the Vegsas
We had no idea, when we expressed doubt
of the fetal loss Of the propeller which ran into
the Arctic, that our hopeful superstition was to
be so 500 confirmed. Yesterday afternoon we
received the news Of Ter safe arrival at port,
with all her own crew and passengers except
those sw m ed ia the boat by til Arctic. and
thirty -ope of the seamen and han of the lat
ter, who were rescued from the fragments Of
the wrecs. She turns cut, as we imagined, to
be q Ere Oh vessel, t Vesta. Nothing has
yet been heard of the missing boats Of the Are
tic, or OF he gel passengers not accounted
for.
The eEcue o. thirty-one more sailors-taken
in connection with the prolonged disap pearance
of til, Sc passengers-impels US at length to
break IN, ugh the reserve we yesterday thought
fit to keep on the sub ect of tn conduct of the
crew I the Arctic. There ia limit to the for
bearance which charity suggests: and we have
reached it, 1t is time that the world snou i
know that while the water was pouring through
the seams in the bow of the Arctic AM death
advanced with fearful strides, the IN N compos-
ing the crew of that vessel, Including seamen,
engineers and fremen, were, with one or two
exceptions, engaged in providing for their owa
safety, to the utter disregard Of that of the
lives en- rusted to their charge. They who were
ST ongcst: who knew best how 10 csc ape the
Ganger who were most accustomed to al.
front death in this shape who were most
familiar with the boats aud Their tackle, asd
who were best fitted to combat with the peril
DOW threatening men, women and children alik' +,
were the first to yield to selfishaess and COW
ardice, the first to save themselves at the ex.
pense Of those they were bound tn rescue at all
costs. They have succeeded: thirty one more
seamen have been brought ashore, but not ole
passenger. 1t was not for want Of example
they failed in their duty as men and ssilor>
Captain Luce was there, to teach them ali how
to die. Young Collins was there, setting gal
liant example of selfdenial aud courage. The
brave Dorian was there, full Of energy and de-
voton. But these recreaut sailors were blind
alike to the example of their officers, aud the
clear dictates of duty.
Nor must censure be confined to the seamen.
How does it happen that the Arctic went to SCI
boats could not contain half the number? M.
George IL. Burus states that the boat in which
he was saved, and which contained some TWEEN
ty two persons, was SO crowded that the bodies
Of those on board were bruised by the close
contact with each other. Even if we allow
that each of the six boats could carry thirty
persons, that would only amount to one hun.
bred and eighty, while the Arctic contained
four hundred and one persons
Again. how il it that whenever shipwreck
takes place, we hear that the tackles of the
boats have given way, and they have proved
useless? We are told that they break in con-
sequence of the unusual weight then placed ia
the boats: but what are they put there for, ii il
is not to sustain this very unusual weight? 1t
is time that both the number of the boats OF
every sea going vessel, their capacity aud
tacbles, were inspected by some public officer
appointed for The purpose.
Finally. some thought must be bestowed on
this practice Of running at full speed through
den fog: practice steadily pursued by all
the ocean steamers That it must increase the
chances of collisions everybody must see; but
no one openly objects to it. Every year one
or more vessels are run down off the Banks,
and their crews lost Only few years ago the
Charles Bartlett was run over by the Europa,
and one hunored and forty two persons drowned
The Arctic bas now been run down. What is to
be done? Shall the steamers be compelled to
slacken speed in the fog? Who will consent to
wait three more days for news? But, at all
events, some means might be taken to warn
vessels of the approach of these steamers: the
steam whistle might be kept going necessarily.
Anything to prevent such disasters as that Of
the Arctic.