The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-16
STATEMENT OF CAPT. THOMAS j. HENRY,
TIE COMMANDER OF TIE NEW ERA.

|. TO Thy EDIToR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
The ship New Era stranded the Jersey coast,
I'll. uorniug or Monday, the 18th inst Many lives
lost. The ship under my command, and sailed
from Bremen for New York the 2Sth OF September
last The New Era ,327 tons burthen, launch
ed in April last at Bath Maine and at the time OF her
wreck homeward bound her first trip across the
SHE sailed from Bremen With 426 souls on board
noluling passengers officers and crew The divisions
OF this number follows-fvc 6rst cabin passen
gers six second cabin three hundred and seventy four
steeragc twenty nine ships company and twelve passeu
ger cooks. Our passage from Bremen 0as very rough
During all my experience upon the ocean, do not know
that ever made voyage when the weather Tor SO long
a time was severe. ~
On Friday the 10th inst, took'dsy last observation
Of the sun On that night set in strong south wind,
which freshcned til Saturday forenoon when the rain
poured in torrents This weather continued,
very rough and very stormy, until Sunday,
when the wind changed to the southeast,
aud blew gaN and the rain poured down with great
violence Duras the whole Of Sunday and Sunday
night the gale and the storm continued. At this time
Judged myself fine Long Island coast, and was
ryins heavy press of upon the ship TO keep
of. On Monday morning about O'Clock, the hour of
changing the watch upon deck, the ship struck the
beach was upon deck myself at the time, and fully
comprehending the situation Of the snip my first efforts
for the safety of my passengers; Anxious to get
line ashore, immediately ordered boat launched
for the purpose under the command Of my first mate
George Jerdon, who attended by six of the ships
crew coil OF line placed in this boat and every
thing fair tho of the effort to reach the
shore. To my astonishment and disappointment, IS
soon 50 tho boat cleared from tho side Of the vessel
the coil of line deliberately picked up and thrown
overheard and the boat in safety reached the shore
by this act Of cowardc and brutal disregard Of the lives
of hear he m
eating with the beach annulled. This communca
ton being necessary for the preservation of nv pas
sengers instantly ordered another boat TO be lowered
for the shore As soon as she reached the water BY my
command four or Ave Of nv crew took DOS.
session Of her. and ordered 10 be coiled into her. the
deep sea line Here again ! was met by the obstnacy
and dsobediencc OF my Those in tho small boat
refused receive the coil of rope but wanted to out
the line they advanced towards the beach insisted
upon my commands being obeycd and absolutely ordered
the coil of rope to be taken into the small boat saw
from the nature OF the that to attempt to row out
ts mSs
bellious and disregardng my command pushed or the
shore rowing out the line as they r.t in listen upon
the sip when they cut the line and Ike the boat which
had been launched oefore them, paea %, tn. shore
rising, and the ship humping heavily upon the sand,
Still impressed with the imperative ne easily OF
BY Line with .h sSs 1sns
In doing this the boat was half filled with water
an: and, gsI,y o !, seven ven q ss crew crew
4
| attempted ia dor But while enga ged In this
| the passengers, frantic with Excitement AMI with
fear made rush for the boat, were about TO pnr
i cpitate themselves into hor, tho party NJ the
who had possession cut lad 4forn thc ship and
pushed from her side IN the rush this boat only
one passenger succeeded in gettse into her While the
doctor OF the ship lost his life in thAttempt Az
this boat free from the ship e also directed
for the shore which reached = safety aud where
who instgated by cowardcc ami contempt Of duty,
had abandoned the vessel in the very hour when their
services were needed most We at this time truly
in pesous situation. The was1bgeakng over us
the drenched with Ntcr and freezing
with cold, Accommodation had been established with
the land mostcf my had deseted, and my last
boat was gone; our only hope in tie strength
ship In fortunate lu Of the sea- IN asssta from
the inha OF the coast who were gathered upon
the shore.
The wreckers upon the beach attempted TO Hre
line TO US, BY attaching II to ball, and shooting IL
across the ship The too rough for them to
reach M with boats. The first shots Of avail
but tie sixth seventh trial line sent
fore rigging was standing, at the time this line
reached us upon the jbboom reached IL, and, haul
ing II in We soon received board the main hswser,
which fastened at the forestays. The lfoboat
then swung upon this line and hauled from the beach.
Pefore this boat reached the ships side II was filled with
water and a. II within reach stepped into
bail that the work Of transferring the passengers
to the shore might be commenced without delay While
was engaged In this rush made for the boat BY
the passengers and fearing would be instantly
crowded and perhaps broken, and all our pre-
sent advantages OF line communication with the beach
destroyed mooned to those the shore TO haul the
boat In. This done immediately about passsa-
Ge(s being q The boat Including myself When we were