The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-16

or @ bounded by geographical lines.
I. IL connection with .Sis Subject, we give, n |
enc ly column, aIsiolss from tae tive lsad.ng !
ga,e,. Of Virgil ID, as expressing toe feelings
. scoii..a iem5,rass pa "hss'eD 'hs Pr
ssnt ssIee. OF politics.
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Eesssraosys II
We -publish this moTnie 6, ia order to meet
ine unsatisfed demands OF on readers, from
yesterdays edition Of the HERALD, the heart
rending narrative Ct Captain Luce, of the loss
Of his noble ship; and we appeni to it again,
for the same leasOn, the statement Of tie first
assistant engineer. We also publish, sabstan-
tially, D. yeial O. the impressive sermons deli
yered in our different metropolitan churches yes
terday, touch ng this awful calami y, and
report Of the solemn and affecting discourse
of the Rev. Mr.. Carter at Yonkers, the c0uu-
try residence Of Captain Luce. These state
ments and discorrses will be read with pain
full interest, rather increased than diminished
since the facts and the full measure Of the ter
ribie disaster have been officially disclosed.
And what are the prominent iaGts to which
We may safely attribute the large proportion Of
the crew saved end Of the passengers leetg The
first ard ncpst important is, PROFESSIONALLY,
the fatal mistake on beth ships, after the col
lision, touching the vessel most seriously dar
msges and most imoeriously repairing assist
ance. The bows of the Vesta. 1t appears, are
torn away be.cw the water afhc, giving to iAcse
on board the Arctic, as the propeller passed ~,
clear view through her broken front Down
into her very hold. 1t also APPEARS that
at the 2rstant of Tire collision the Arcti. was
on the summit Of swell Of the sea, nd the
propeller dying, also, much lower in the
wster) was in the trough Of the wave; aud
hence the shock 10 the Arctic was given so far
sclow the weteT line as to be invisible at first,
and, from the protruding iron fragments of the
other vessel, beyond the remedy when disco
vered, of canvas covering on ne-outside, or Of
pumps or packing from within. The first inn
pression'on both ships was, thsn, that the pro-
peller, from the frightful chaSn in her bows,
was n danger Of instantly sinking, and that
the arctic was comparatively unframed. The
frst impulse, therefore, of Capt. Luce was re-
lief+o the propeller; and Mr.. Gourley, the first
oesccr, was accordingly at once sent off in =
beat, to see what conld ehs done in behalf o!
| the Vesta.
| This was the first Of &c series Of movements,
Ill humanely ordeGed 9o. the best, hut all, from
\ the panic and the cbaausion which resulted
| among the ship's crew, contributing to swell
the catalogue ofthc passengers destroyed The
loss Of Mr.. Gourley deprived the noble captain
| Of his right handensn. The loss Of Mr.. Baah-
lam, detailed upon the only remaining duty Of
saving life, was the loss Of another indispen.
sable agent FOR order and discipline. The cap
tain could not supervise the letting down Of the
boats at different points Of the deck at the
same time, crowded as it was with two hun
drod or more passengers and panic stricken
crew. The Absence Of his two principal officers
disarmcd hisl and he was left to the voluntary
assistance of inexperienced passengers, and OF
| such Of thec-ew as chose to remain. From the
services eli the third officer, Mr.. Dorian, in 1T.
ting Mp the raft upon which seventy odd souls
were at ices. temporarily saved, it may be safe
| ly Inferred that with two or three more such
] men each with detachment Of the crew under
| bis orders, the whole Of the passengers and the
| crew, liz boats and rasis, might have been nut
ailoat
Let rs suppose, Tor example. that on the mo.
Ment after the concus sion. the full extent Of the
| damage to the Arctic had been discovered md
| reported to the captain: The chief officers
| would have tcen retained for time on board:
+, the practical men Of the crew would have been
organized into working detachments upon RATS,
while others wonld have been assigned to the
| duty Of first bestowing the women and chiidrt q
in the beats, with provisions for day or two,
| and then to the task Of providing for the other
passengers. The ship, after being struck, re.
maincd four hours and three-qusrters aaoai.
| Within that time we contend, all the passengers
and all the crew could have been put afloat,
with water and provisions for few days, and
with the means Of signalling vessels from Ills.
lance, had the damage to the Arcti eecn fully
appreciated Ivy the captain on .Ae moment after
| the collision
1t WAS bis misfortune that his danger was
not discovered until it was too late for either
system, discipline, or efficiency in providing
The means OF escape. It was his misfortune,
also, and the browning misfortune to The mass
Of the passengers, that the crew were arprised
OF The danger 10 season to understand that
there were not boats enough for the accommo.
dataon Of all on board, and that the interval TO
the sinking Of the ship would be too short for
the construction of RATS for their acconmo-
dation. So the crew, with the single instinct Of
sclf-preservation. bssely abandoned their dnty,
and deserted the ship, captain, and passengers
10 their fate
Dispassionateiy weighing all the facts and
testimony in the case, we feel no hesitation in
the opinion that Captain Lace with a spiri, of
ccDinenaehle selfpossession sad sel.saorl-
ilcing bravery, nobly did bis duty throughout
the tlyins exigencics Of his appalling situation,
ond that shc fearful loss Of life from the Arctir