The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-17


WRECK OF THE LYoNNAIs-In chronicling. as
we have done in our issues Of Saturday and Sum
day, the loss of the French steamship Lyonnais,
by collision with an unknown clipper ship, on the
night of the I'd inst, il is pleasant even amid the
melancholy features of such an event. to do honor
to the high and noble qualities Of Capt. Devaulx
and his subordinate officers of the wrecked steam
er, and of Capt. Nelson of the Hamburg bark
Elise. The collision, as our readers are now
aware, took place about midnight. With such a
terrible catastrophe occurring at such time, one
would not have been surprised if despair had
paralyzed all hearts, and if the immediate danger
of being engulphed in the waves had rendered
powerless every arm. But no quailing in the
presence of that awful danger was evinced. Like
brave men, Devaulx and his officers crew and
passengers set about doing everything which skill
and experience suggested to keep the ship ahoat,
and, failing in that, to save their lives. There
was no confusion, DO issuing of illadvised or
ders and no hesisancy or refusal to obey those
which were issued. Calmly and thoughtfully
was every preparation to abandon the ship made.
The boats were launched. in good order, and the
officers. men and passengers regularly detailed
for each. They were well provisioned and sup
piled with all the necessares- sail, nautical
instruments, &c.-which they were likely to re-
quire. A raft too was constructed, and provi-
it during a month And when the hour Of final
abandonment came, the officers of each of the
boats received clear instructions as to their local
position and as to the course which they should
steer to reach the nearest point of land-the cap
tain expressing his determination to remain by
the ship until she should sink.
But one Of the three boats which left the ship
in company has yet been heard of; that is the one
which was under the command Of the second
lieutenant, Luguierre. The modest manner in
which he relates the incidents of the wreck
proves him to be brave man. Him
self and his companions were tossed about
on the banks of Newfoundland from Tuesday
until Sunday ard though two died of cold and
exposure, there was no sign Of shrinking or des-
pair on the part of the survivors. They were
picked up on Sunday, the 9th, by the bark Elise,
Captain Nordenbolott, bound from Baltimore to
Bremen, and were kindly cared for. The next
day they were tranderred-with the exception Of
Mr.. Schedel and his wife, who preferred going on
to Bremen-to the Hamburg bark Elise, bound
to New York, with 167 German emigrants and
reached this port on Friday, the l4th. They
speak in the highest terms of praise Of the kind
ness and humanity of Captain Nelson, of the lat
ter vessel-who did everything possible for their
convenience and comfort, even to supplying
them with his own clothes, and surrendering his
own room to them. Luguierre and other expe-
rienced men speak with confidence Of the proba-
BILE safety of the other boats and raft; and the
former has set out on the steamship Marion,
which has been sent in search of them.
We expect that our merchants will mark
their high sense of the courage and intrepi-
dity Of those brave men of the Lyonnais,
and Of the humanity Of Captain Nelson, of the
Hamburg bark Elise, as well as of Captain
Nordenbolott Of the Bremen bark Of the same
name. Honorable recognition has been made Of
the services of the captains of those vessels
which contributed to save the shipwrecked pas
sengers of the San Francisco and Caleb Grim
shaw; but we do not know that there is on record
a case calling for more hearty approval and re-
ward than that Of the wreck Of the Lyonnais.
We trust that we will have the pleasure of well
coming to safety and to honor Captain Devaulx
and the other missing oficers-and that as to
them all and Captain Nelson fitting tribute to
their GOODNESS, bravery and humanity will be rem
dered by our merchants