New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-08
Captain Horey. of the Lodona.
From the New York Herald.


Brief mention has been made in the city
Journals concerning the history ana ~ a ~
steamship Lodona, wrecked on Cape
Carnayeral on the sixteenth ultimo. The
thousands on both sides of the Atlantic who
have received private and official courte
sizes at his hands will appreciate more ex-
tended historical notice, which we herewith
append:
Captain Hovey was born at Essex, Con-
nectieut. in 1916. His seafaring life COM
menced at very early age and continued,
with scarce an interruption, for over forty
years Until lately, he was connected with
the Black Star line of New York and Lon
don packets, his first voyage being as cabin
boy for his brother-in-law, the late well
known Captain III. L. Champlin, the founder
of that Line. At the age of twenty-four he
commanded the ship President, and sue
cessively the Philadelphia, the Westminster,
the Deyonshire and the Amazon. In the
winter of 1850, while in the Devonshire, he
met in mid-ocean the Hamburg steamship
Helena Sloman, in sinking condition, with
LIS souls on board. Other vessels had been
sighted by the unfortunate steamer, and
recognized her condition, but the wildness
of the storm had seemed to preclude COM
munication. After most labOrious and peril
GUS efforts, Captain Hovey succeeded in
saving the entire crew and passengers, but
with the loss of one of his own boats crews,
which had swamped while passing on its
errand of mercy. For this humane act, Cap
tain Hovey received the unbounded plaudits
of all classes of citizens, and the press
throughout the country.
The cities of New York and Hamburg
had medals struck commemorative OF the
event, and presented other suitable testi-
monials in honor of the intrepid captain
and crew. In the contemporary issues OF
the New York journals frequent mention
may be found concerning the remarkable
passages of the Devonshire. Several trips
were made in the number of days usually
allotted to steamers, and one in the shortest
time for sailing vessels on record. In 1853
the Black Star line completed the magni-
ficent ship Amazon, of 1000 tons burden,
built expressly for Captain Hovey and I'M
der his immediate supervision. HIS unsur-
passed skill as navigator and his uniform
courtesy and care of his passengers made
this ship for ten years favorite on both
sides of the water. To book for the ANA
zon was considered a guarantee of safe
and pleasant voyage She left London
November l, 1868, with full cargo and
over one thousand cabin and steerage pas
sengers A storm prevented her putting to
sea until the evening of the third, and
when finally under way, and but a few
miles Oh Margate, DeF lower OOlu WIS as
covered to be in flames. Apparently the
fire had been long smoldering in her cargo,
as all efforts to get it under were unavail-
ing On its first discovery the shore was
sgnaled, and steam tugs had put out to
her assistance.
Through the heroic exertions of her Off
GERS and crew every person on board was
safely got off, Captain Hovey bringing from
the Storage, at the imminent risk of his
life. one old man, who had become too para
Iyzed with fear to make any effort to es-
cape. Soon after this occurrence Captain
Hovey became part owner and commander
of the Lodona. 1t is noticeable that just
before assuming this command offers of two
other steamers sailing from this port were
made him Under his able management
the Lodona steadily gained in favor ameng
shippers and made uniformly successful
voyages. She had been very lately redtted
with new boilers and machinery in great
part, and newly decked. Originally de-
signed for blockade running, she was en-
tirely of iron and of unusual strength and
She left this port for New
Orleans with full complement Of officers
and men, and has closed her record, and
that or her brave captain and many of her
crew, on the bleak coast which has proved
the grave of so many intrepid American
seamen. Captain Hovey found it not in
consistent with his profession to be thor
ough Christian man, and it is his character
as such that will longest survive in the
of his immediate neighbors and
friends