The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-14
The Lost Steamer Repub;ic.
LETTER FROM TnE CHIEF STEWARD or THE STEAMER
EDITOR HERALD

~. IL.
IT. TN EDITOR oF THE HERALD
NEw YoRK Nov H. 1865
IN your OF yesterday there appeared statement
from Mr. H. d. Ellsworth, passenger Of tho lot steam
ship Republic, denying tho unjust attack Of Captain
Ryer The commander of the above vessel
Mr. Ellsworth in his statement makes appear that
wholly to blame the boats not being properly
nishcd with water and provisions that dsrcgarled
the orders of Captain Young and that his orders
mperecty carried out In refu,aton viii shy that at
early hour Captain Young did give orders fur
nish all necessary articles for the boats and that
once forwarded all the demohns there we're on board
there being neither breakers bread bags In the
shp) and had them filed with water ] robbed the
sailors OF their clothes bags and had them filled rcplc
ton with pilot bread, poultry. sardincs, hams, and
matches; oil and lanterns next procured aud then
portioned on in Ave different LOTS lot sent TO each
boat. While slowed the provisions in Captain Haw.
thorn boat the second steward stored that Of Captain
Youngs In the meantime word brought M that
tho second mates (Mr Ryan " boat had been lowered
without any provisions and that the chief had
fused to have anything placed In his boat until she
lowered. ] Immediately informed the proper person
that those two boats had no provisions on board On
dcavorcd 10 get them placed therein afterwards but tho
officers in charge Of the provisoned boats too
excited TO be made 10 understand their condition.
In Captain Young's boat, in which Mr r. fortn
naie as 10 be placed, tho amount Of Prov
sons and water FOR seventeen people as there was IN
Captain Hawthorns boat for yhrcc and all those
in the latter boat can testify thai when we were picked
up, forty eight hours after the ship foundccf there
entables still left Tho water had all been
uscd, and that all that want ng Tho want OF
that necessary article could have been obyined had
there been the proper vessels In the ship TO have put the
water In. As II was did the best could by filng
demohns
Il q that Captain Hawthorns boat the only
furnished with compass and other nautical nstru-
mcnts IL through my personal efforts that the boat
was 20 furnished for when tho ship had but n few
seconds TO live I dashed the Instruments 10 my body
and gained the boat Captain Youngs boat would also
have been SO provided had not the instruments been
DESTROYED on deck while waiting 10 DO shipped
Mr. Ellsworth in speaking or tho unscaw ort Illness
OF the Republic does from hearsay else he have
a knowledge OF shipbuildng or rs scafaring man If
the latter he certainly must know that II the duty
OF any steward 10 equip OF otherwise furnish boats In
the time Of danger, but that That duty belongs
higher officer will not say that did my duty; will
leave that 10 others But do know that did tho
duties Of others, not only one occasion, but
several
In justly vindicating the reputation Of Captain
Young Mr.. Ellsworth assails mine without any cause
whatever II he does but remember Captain Young aud
myself stood side BY side lowering him (Mr j.. and
others Into the boats md 10 safety II both unjust
and unnir TO he accused Of disobcdcuoo Of orders az
such a time ~ the sinking OF a ship and when my
reputation as steward IL my all
ny pving the above space IN your columns Won VIII
greatly oblige A. w. LYONS,
Chief Steward OF late steamship Republic