The New York herald., 1870-03-13
THE STEAMSHIP SMIDT.
Scenes and Incidents OF Her
Stormy Voyage.
Her Arrival and Reception -Arecting later
views Between Reunited Families and
Acquaintance AZ Castle Garden
Statements Of PaSsengera

Man has won many victories over the elements Of
nature and made most OF tnen tribuf arv 60 h.s
purposes; yet occasionally ne IA reminded that ma
ture Is stii the superior or man. aad tnas ali the
skill OF his mind aud all the resources of nis In
telectual power, compared vita her grand forces,
but as chan before the wlnd-a brittle toy on mo
anvil under the blows OF the ora~ny suAn's ham
mer. On land al well q THESE forces often
break forth with q fury which nothing the handl-
work OF man can resist. Floods and tornadoes,
earthquakes and volcanoes, destroy IN a few mo-
ments what man has planned and built intending 10
to last for centuries; and enc ocean storms ana
hurricanes open watery grave 20 thoss VINO trust
themselves on the waves, relying upon the develop.
ments OF modern science and Invention In navigation
for their safety. Many tho sad stories OF such
disasters at sea; and rom the fable OF Virgil,
detailing how Juno sought 70 destroy the fugitive
Eneas ana his feet To Inc marine tales OF Captain
Marryatt and down the present DAY, the accounts
Of storms and snipwrecks eagerly read, for the
human heart instinctivey sympalhlzes with msfor-
tune and feels in these grand ou.bursts OF nature
tho evidence OF supernatural power.
Hence it Is, that not only those directly aud imme-
dately interested In tho safety OF vessel and her
passengers, officers and crew, but tho whole com
munity equally with them participate the general
anxiety whenever fears entertained OF the loss OF
ship at sea- and are equally relieved and reoiced at
the news OF her safety Thus IL Is in the OF tho
city OF Boston, whose fate still uncertain ana thus
II was in regard to the
STEAMSHIP sMIDT.
the safe arrival OF which, with 29s passengers after
q stormy journey across the Atlantic OF forty-nine
days, was chronlcled in the HERALD yesterday.
Although the large majority OF the community had
no personal interest either IN the vessel or IN her
human freight yet all felt thankful to fate that 30
many lives were saved from dreadful catastrophe
and an untmely death. And It may here be remarked
that 1t Is generally admitted that the Smidt owes
her safe dcyerance from the stormy ocean almost
alone to
HER PECULIAR MODEL.
The Smidt 10 the property or q Mr.. Lange, or Bre-
men, by whom she was designed and bullt. She Is
very roOmy and Ground beed.n One German
sailor, as he looked at her from the Battery
shore yesterday forenoon while her passengers
were being disembarked opposite Castle Garden,
exclaimed that she was . "glant washtub.n An In
cident told yesterday by one OF her or1cers
which indicates the design OF her builder. While
perienccd mariner said TO Mr.. LRngs that ne could
not expect much profit from the vessel her model
she would be too slow to become popular Us q pas.
sengcr ship. "Never mind" replied Mr.. Lange II
her 10 weather the severes storms OF the Atlantcn
And she proved herself equal to this purpose for it
IL asserted Dy ner 0nlCorB tnat she could not have
safely passed through fourteen days storm but
Tor her breadth OF beam and her rounded bow, SIDES
ana keel, which prevented her careening.
INCIDENTS or THE STORM.
There were twelv: cabin passengers anu 2s4 =
the steerage. One Of these, DR.. George Carl aof.
mann, OF Regensburg. In Bavaria, kept q diary DUR
ing the voyage, and from hun some very interesting
statements Of the scenes ana incidents during the
storm obtained. on the 2sth or January being
i've days out at sea, heavy northwestern gaze set
In, beating the waves uriously against the sides Of
n
rendering It impossible TO carry sails several Of
ike sse
4 swept the deck with tremendous weight, the
IRON masts bending before the green seasa li1s
| the smokestack thirty feet ABOVE the deck On the
29th OF January tho engine was stopped for fear OF
| waters against the screw.
For twenty-four hours the smidt wa. at the mercy
On January II and February l<ehe weather seemed
to moderate and the engine was put in motion but
night OF the I'd OF February the gale resumed ali id
former fury, and the doctor describes the scenes
roaring waves. The thunder and llah.ninr. 'as as
"sublimely awful.n In the morning the engine was
damaged, but IT T. was repaired 10 two hours; yet IL
perfect hurricane. The barometer this time fell 2s3
inches. The iron ship lay nat side against the
waves, which rose ne says. ike pyramids around
her and often broke over her deck. The crew fas.
tened themselves 10 tue rigging, and the men at
set in motion during the night OF the 3d. but after
working four hours the follower In the cylinder
broke and there was an end OF Its usefulness. The
skylight OF the saloon dashed IN and the cabin
flooded. All the sails were torn the wind chang M
its course with great suddenness all around the
compass This lasted I'LL the l0tn Of February with
out interruption, fun fourteen days.
On the 7th the Smidt passed Flores Island, one OF
the Azores. Chief Engineer Graf succeeded III re-
pairing the engine within twelve days, and when
tho storm had subsided tac ship was headed to tho
west.
SCENES IN THE srRRRAGB
In conversation yesterday with several Of the emil
age. some interesting items were ascertained. or
course, during the storm not one or them was
allowed on deck, and the hatchways were securely
covered Tho 2s4 persons In the hold suffered the
most severe anguish They feared every momens
TO be swamped IN the deep, never to see the SUMS
rays again. Those rcli2lOusly inclined SAID their
prayers, others wept uver their fate and others
sought raise hopes OF safety In the hearts their
friends But the greatest suffering arose from the
fact that they could neither stand sit nor walk but
had to lie In their Dertns and to hOd fast their
hands with all their strength, thus making sleep
almost impossible. The close atmosphere Of The
steerage with so many people, was also burdensomc
ana the heat is said 10 have been painful Under The
circumstances, tho usual rules or cleanliness and
ventilation could not be observed, which also in-
creased the suffering OF the people Yet strange to
when they landed yesterday they Oil looked well and
ruddy, aud none complained.
REUNION OF FRIENDS.
When the news OF tho arrival yesterday was
spread over the city BY the morning papeis there
was great rejoicing especially among the Germans.
tiyes on board tho Smdt and with gaddened hearts
| these wended their way to Castle Garden
| to receive them aud enjoy with them tneir
| cafe delivery from the clutches OF death.
Several could not even wait for the landing OF the
passengers at Castle Garden, but hired boats ana
| went over TO the Smdt which lay anchored OF the
"Garden,u q few hundred yards IN the streem,
boarded her and sought out those for fate at
sea tney mad felt 80 anxious. At last. ABOUT eleven
O'Clock the forenoon the great bulk of the steer.
age passengers were landed the cabin passengers
and some forty from the steerage having been per-
mitted to 90 on shore the evening before.
Ar THB BUREAU INFORMATION.
Tho scene which now engued II this landing cepo'
or emigrants was truly affecting. The Bureau Of
Information IS especially designed TO facilitate the
delivery OF newly arrived emigrants TO their friends
densey crowded with people OF both sexes,
waiting TO receive their friends from the ship Here
was father, who had sont 10 Germany for his whole
famiiy-a VIE and three children When these came
out tncy rushed into each others arms and wept
tears OF 10y at being together again. There came
young man, VINO expected his an1anced bridei son,
who with his earnings In this country had paid tho
passage nither OF his father aud SISTER; marricd
a ha yYrlltnn for ared mQtner AND