The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-19

same the world over, and no more tolerant OF
free press in Virginia than in Buenos Ayres
or Austria
TERRIBLE DIsAsTKR-THE LOSS OF THE
ARCTIC
We publish full accounts of the loss of the
steamer Arctic, and its precious freight of hu-
man life. Thus far, the number reported as
saved, is about hundred. A few more may
be picked up, but it is probable that more
than three hundred human beings were buried
in the sea.
With few exceptions the officers and crew
behaved shamefully, crowding the life boats
and leaving the helpless passengers generally to
their fate. The New York Courier and En-
quirer finds some consolation in the fact, that
few of the towards judging from their names
are Americans. This is doubtless true. Oar
vessels are commanded by American officers
but the majority of our sailors are the offscour-
ing of ell nations. This is an evil that should
be remedied. Better wages, better treatment,
and better accommodation, would secure ma
tive seamen Of good character but Americans
will avoid q service, where hard work is not
remunerative, and men are exposed to degra-
ding treatment.
In the selection of crews for these great
steamers, whose principal business is the con-
veyance of passengers, il is particularly i'm
portant to secure brave, skilful, and trust
! worthy men. Had there been such crew on
the Arctic, the horrors of the scene would have
been greatly mitigated.
| II was four hours after the Arctic was struck
before she went down, go that had there been
life boats enough, every life on board might
have been saved. But while the passengers
and crew numbered more than four hundred,
the boats could not accommodate two hundred,
and it was the knowledge of this fact, that
awakened a panic and struggle for life,
which proved 30 destructive. And for all the
fearful destruction of life resulting from this
circumstance, the company is responsible. 1t
was its solemn duty to provide for escape in
such contingency.
The steamer was running at the rate of thir-
teen or fourteen knots an hour, forty miles
from Cape Race, in q dense fog, over q great
thoroughfare, where collisions have often taken
place, and where the navigation is perilous.
Probably there was not soul aboard, that one
moment before the disaster did not rejoice at
the speed of the noble steamer-but what soul,
after the shock, would not have given worlds,
had the captain consulted safety rather than
speed
We have had enough of this racing be-
tween the ocean steamers. 1t is criminal and
murderous The collisions that have hitherto
happened have excited little attention. A
schooner has now and then been run down,
but its unknown crew had no special claim
upon the sympathies of the Public-and, be-
sides, what were their lives in comparison with
short passage across the Atlantic! Now
and then a steamer has been beached, but no
life lost. Now and then we hear of hair
breadth escapes in the fog from rocks or COLI
sions, but the danger and the cause of the dan
ger are alike forgotten in the joy of escape.
At last one of the finest steamers on the ocean,
running at full speed, and recklessly, in dense
fog, as che has often done BEFORE and as other
steamers do, is struck, and meets the dreadful
fate to which every such vessel is liable every
moment running with the same recklessness
Where lies the blame? Notwith the captain,
not with his employers chiefly, but with the
People. They demand the greatest speed, at
all hazards, and would refuse their patronage
to boat which would be more anxious to
make safe than quick passage.
Of the conduct Of Capt. Luce, it is difficult
to form proper judgment The accounts
generally represent him as bearing himself
courageously his declaration, /" the fate
of the Arctic shall be mine," was heroic. But
deserted by nearly all his officers, he seemed
to have no command at ell of the men; nor
cen We understand exactly the feeling that in :
duced him to keep his son to perish by his
side.
There is another matter on which light is
needed It is stated that after the collision the
Arctic took two or three turns round the other
steamer, for the purpose of aiding her. Four
hours then elapsed before she sunk. Where,
all this while, was the French steamer As
she has arrived safely, We now know that she
was not seriously injured. She was in a con-
dition to help the Arctic One Of her boats it
is said, was sent of, but was run down. Was
this all she had? She picked up subsequently,,
a few of the passengers of the Arctic but the
question recurs, where was she during the four
hours when the Arctic was sinkingf
70 Since the foregoing was written, the
Cambria has arrived, having picked up the
brave Captain Luce. His account, published
in another column, shows that he retained his
son by his side that he might save him, and
that the reason he could not command his men
was, because they nearly all took 10 the boats
and ran off,
HE CONDUCT OF THE CREW OF The ARCTIC
Opinions are very freely expressed respecting
the conduct Of the officers and crew. OF the
| one hundred and eight persons thus far known
to be saved, we can only count nineteen pas
sengers. In contrast with the rush made to
the boats by the crew, stands the conduct of
the passengers. Mr. Dorian, the third mate.
tells Us that he never saw men more coolly
courageous than these same passengers: and
be adds, that their quiet resignation and impli-
cit confidence in the captain and ofieefs of the
ship were such as it is impossible to surpass.
Mr.. Burns also says, in his statement, that af
ter the collision, and up to tho last moment,
the majority of the passengers were working
at the pumps, firing signal guns, and launch
ing spars etc., to form . raft by direction Of
the captain, while the crew took advantage of
the opportunity TO seize the boats ana escape,
leaving the captain without experienced hands,
and the passengers to take care of themselves.
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