New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-21
MARINE AFFAIRS.

MARINE AFFAIRS.
THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE NEW ERA.
10 the Editor Of The N. T. Tribune
SIR: You will oblige me very much by having the
kindness to publish the following lines in reference
to the late catastrophe Of the wreck Of the New Era
not much in justification of myself to do justice
to Mr.. Van ROnzelen, and the chief mate, Mr.. Jor.
dan whose conduct On that occ 4son instead Of mer-
iting reproach are both deserving of the highest
praise.
As the different statements of Capt. Henry for,
far as have seen them published in the public prints
no two agree as TO Of the most important points,
are calculated TO create wrong and unfavorabe i'm
preston upon the minds Of the public 10 reference to
the conduct of the sbJve-named gentlemen feel it
to DO sacred duty 10 correct such errors as have
noticed in these statements, that their actions may be
judged OF in their true and proper light
In one OF his statements referring to the first boat
which started from the ship, the captain says; The
the shore safe with the line, but the men
"let 20 Of it," This is not so. The line was too
short and did not reach TO The shore aud therefore the
chief mate Mr. Jordan was obliged to lot go of it
before he made the shore. Then he says again: The
balance Of the deserted with two Of the cabin
passengers" There was nothing like desertlOn on
he part OF the crew. Those who went in the first boat
with the chief mate we're commanded to do 30, In
orOer TO draw q line to the beach, but failed 10 do
for the before stated. The second boat.
steerec by Mr.. Van RonZelen left for the pur-
pose but met with better success the line becom
Ing ebtaDgled with others, and being impeded by
number of passengers standing on 1t, on the gang
way. The third boat started about al hour ettcr the
second boat. | had determined TO swim over 10 the
beach and had prepared myself for that purpose by
diyesting myself of nearly all OF my clothing; but
seeing only teS men engaged in getting OFF the Dtg-
boat jumped down from the poop deck on to the
main deck, climbed up the main rigging then on TO
the fore rigging aud thence on the top Of tue gal
ley in order 10 get at where the boat was, and
70 e,atf ba hna
down but endeayored 10 Induce some OF the passen-
gers also to assist speaking to them in their own Ian
guaCe as | did in every case when their assistance
was netoed neither of the officers speaking the Ger
man language. Even then had no Intention Of get
ting into the boat, but only Jumped down into 1t
when saw there were TOO few hands to work IT. For
What occurred after this refer 10 the statements
made by me heretofore.
The remarks which you have made edlto' Ihlly III
your paper of the 10th iDsi upon this sad event. are,
for the part correct but am sorry to see that
you also aborng under the Impression that none
of the officers or crew did their duty. There we're
somt who neglected their duty, particularly the two
msn who hao the lookout on the jlbboomi they we're
certainly OF at their posts but who they wert don
know Although il squslly aud raining, re-
NAMED on deck the whole night the chief mate also
wa not in bed the whole night After the chit tnate
bad got ashore and had failed IN his efforts to get
line across, for the reason before stated he nsei
every me ans 10 start the surf boat lie and Mr. an
Ronzeen volunteered to co. and indeed got into the
boat but only one mar Whose name have forgot
tenl could be induced TO join them; they we're, how
ever, kept back by those standing around, as the
surf was running SO high they thought that both men
and boat would have been lost IL Is indeed painful
10 hear such men accused Of cowEdice, when am
40 fully conscious from actual observ alton, that they
both cid every thing that could be expected oil them
on the score of either bravery or duty. .-.
Respectfully, yours etc, o. BEHNE'
Readisg NOr ls, 1854
Tag WRECK OF THE NEw ERA-An hope of
saving ANYTHING further from the wreck Of the New
Era has been abandoned.
SAILING OF THE CALIFoRsIA MAIL STEAMER
The North Star sailed yesterday afternoon from this
port for California with the mails and large number
of passengers.
The Mexican war steamer General Iturbide,
recently built by the firm Of Jacob A. Westervelt n
Co for the Mexican Government, sailed from this
port on Saturday for Vera Cruz. She was provided
with oscilatpg engines of new construction by the
Faron Iron Works in Front-st.
ARRIVAL OF EMIGRASTs-Dunng Sunday and
Monday, os73 emigrAnts arrived at this port from
Europe But few deaths occurred during the voyage
LAUNCH. - The clipper ship Adelaide will be
launched from the yard of Abraham c. Bell foot OF
Stanton Ct, f. f.. on Wednesday morning, at 10
o'clock. She is intended for Thos Wsrdles line OF
San Francisco packets, and viii be commanded by
| Can't. Joseph Hamilton, late of the Eclipse.
| THr SIx.DAYs STEAMER TO EURoPE.-The steam
shin VIM Norris is undergoing alterations at the
foot of Fighth-s, East River. She i. owned by Mr..
| Graham. Of wall-st, who is having another deck
bull, upon her. large number of shiPOners are at
work upon the ship but none of her machinery has
vet been put on board GuiOn, Russell & Co., of the
Naptune Iron Works are said to have contracted TO
furi ish her engines.
NAyAI-We learn that an order was received by
the Commandsnt of the Navy Yard, at Gosport yes
terday 70 prepare all the vessels which be equipped
for orders The Navy Department, it is said, sntic-
rate the arrival of Commodore Perry in the United
Sates in the of January next, and that they
have sdvices from the East, saying that the steam
sbps Mississippi and Susquehsnns, the sloop-of war
Plymouth and the store-sbips Supply, Southampton,
and Lexington-an Of that sqasdron-sre now on
their way home, leaving on the station the stesmer
Powhsttsp and the sloops Macedonian and Van
dslis Capt. Joel Abbott will be the senior officer
\ left thar Norfolk Beacon, nth.
II r.. n -: Mo..a Of nannsit N. Y. has hc-