Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-10-19
The Terrible Disaster.

The terrible disaster of the Arctic steam
ship has caused wall of mourning all over
the country Hardly community exists in
the land where sadness does not reveal itself
at the recital of the tale of woe Four hun
dred persons, of all'ages, from the infant to
the gray-haired man, prominent business men,
leading professional men, maidens and mat
rons, took their departure, many of them for
home and friends, in the splendid cabin and
saloons of the Inflated steamer. Why should
they fear1 She had crossed on the ocean
path many time, and safely conveyed many
precious cargo of human life. On she sped,
towards her destination, bearing on her decks
happy company. Had her speed been slack
ened but half hour, that company might have
landed in safety. Another steamer from a
point of departure thousands of miles distant,
pointed her prov oceanward. With the broad
ocean around them, what danger was there Of
meetings They meta crash, and hundreds
of human beings sank in the deep waters
Strange, mysterious indeed, are the ways of
Providence.
There seemed to be series of misfortunes
attending the disaster. The serious nature Of
the accident did not seem TO be apprehended
till too late. Every moments delay brought
the fearful aperture in the vessels side deeper
under water. Some of the boats went off not
half filled. Capt. Luce had no command over
the crew, although so far as he was concerned,
his conduct was selfsacrifcing and heroic in
the extreme. Then the captain of the pro-
peller, did not seem to be aware of the hope
less condition of the Arctic, and was out OF
sight and hearing at the moment when if his
vessel had been near at hand, such sacrifice
of human life had not occurred.
The question who is to be blamed, is one OF
difficult solution. The following remarks by
the editor of the New York Commercial Ad-
yertiser, are entitled to serious consideration
sit would have little avaled Capt. Luce
with this community had he habitually fallen
twenty-four forty-eight hours behind in the
oceanic race, TO plead the example of more
caution than his fellow commanders exhibited.
The Arctic would have been set down as a
slow boat, and not only would passengers
have deserted her for her more adventurous
compeers, but even merchants would have de-
clined to order by her their more perishable
freight or their lighter commodities, the sale
Of which depends upon the transient fashion
of the season. Were the commanders of all
the Collins steamers to pursue the same course,
the effect would be to throw the whole ocean
transit into the hands of the Cunard line.-
Just the same effect, reversing the parties,
would be produced were the Cunard steamers
alone to adopt such rule; and were both to
do It, there would soon be a popular clamor
for faster line of ocean steamers. Wespeak
not of what should be, but of what is. the popu-
lar sentiment. When by working the ma
ehinery to its utmost capacity, and 6v running
nj full speed night and day, in fogey as in
clear weather, a steamer of either line safely
makes rapid voyage, beating its rival even
by few minutes only, not a word is said q
the danger incurred, but the warmest and
most enthusiastic popular commentator il
bestowed upon the successful commander, and
increased patronage of his vessel is the result
Who can fail to infer from this phdt is expected
BY the public from the commanders of oul
ocean steamers!