New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-17


imagination than that whose details, in the case
Of the French steamer Lyonrais, we lay before our
readers this morning. This ship was some thirty
six hours from NewYOrk, on her return voyage to
Havre, and had reached point off the Nantucket
Shoals soue fifty eight miles north of the Light. 1t
was after at night, and the passeng gers had re tired
to rest, when suddenly emerging from the surround
ing darkness another vessel rushed against her 81 ie
and stove .uch gap that it was soon evident she
could not be kept adOat. The cause of this injury
at once disappeared again. whether into the gloomy
my stery of the night, or whether, fatally wounded
herself by the collision, she went down with all on
board, it lie now impossible to tell. The only indi-
cation respecting her was afforded by her figure
head, which was broken off in the shock, and left
on the deck of the Lyonnas. 1t was in the form
of dragon, painted black, with red eyes and gilt
forked tongue. We shall no doubt soon hear to
what vessel it belonged.
Tie Ly Onnais was one Of six iron screw steam
ships built during this aud last year by john Laird
of Liverpool, for Gualthier, Frere & Co. Of Havre.
She appears to have been ably manned aud well pro-
yided. When il became evident that the water could
not be bailed out longer from the injured steamer the
damage wrought by the striking vessel being o
formidable, and that she must be abandoned then
raft was constructed capable of holding fifty per-
sons. But why raft We ask for information.
Why was there not efficiency of lfe-boats to
meet even the accident of the injury done 10 Of
them There were, it seems, according TO the
sworn affidavit of the second lieutenant, two boats,
ftUn -hoafo IF fha latt rxxha
sunk being damaged at the time Now here is a
steamer built to carry hundreds of passengers with
but two lfe-bOas. How is this lie. us have light.
We know there is often hideous neglect this point
on vessels ofIhe first class The magnitude ofthe loss
Of human life at sea has largely or chiefly grown
out of this want of suitable hfe-bOats. gentle
man who recently made voyage in one of the
Hayre steamers informs us that he was told that
she had e-boats for only about half the passengers
and crew Ought there not TO be a law rlgidy en-.
forceddetailing the number of fe-boats for given
number of persons aboard whatever vessel-allOw-
ance, too being made for any Injury such boats
might sustain and a reserve accordingly being pro-
vded for
Thus far, according to the affidavit Of Lieut..
Luguiere, we know certainly of but two lives lost
those of persons who were with him. These per-
ished of cold before the rest of the party were
taken up, on the 9th inst, by the bark Elise of
Brt men, Capt. Nordenblatt. There is, however,
some discrepancy between the statement from
Lieut.. Luguierre, as originally published in our
evening edition of Saturday, and that given by him
on oath before the French Consul General, which
We publish likewise to-day. In the first account
we learn that the boats were badly proysioned, and
were without compas,e that the water in the ship
had spoiled and that the bread and other provisions
could not be obtained from the storeroom on &C.
count Of the storm and, moreover, that two Of the
life. boats W. mt down, and that he did not believe
the raft could have weahered the storm during the
night, but that all went down on il. In the sworn
account We find that the boats had nautical instru
ments, weIe well proyisoned, especially the raft,
and the inference is that the poor crea-
lures aboard the raft are not lost. Fur.
Their, we find in the first statement Of the
Lieutenant that "tco of the boats had scarcely left
the steamship when they went down, and those
"who were in them endeayored TO reach the raft,
(Which was crowded with about fifty persons.
Many, in their efforts to preserve their lives IN
" this death struggle. sank TO rise no more. OF
"he foryfrs to fry ptrsOns in these boats, Ithink
"tue thirds r,ye drorned.' But in the sworn
testimony of the Lieutenant this awful statement is
disposed of as follows: During the night the life
beat con msnded by Mr. DublOt, which had been
'damae,d at the moment Of the collision. was car
"red by the waves against the raft and immediate
ely sank. Those IN her rde rescued by the raft"
There is in these two statements difference OF
painful import u the friends aud relatives OF the
pass,pp,rs Tie one account Of the Lieutenant