New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-07

The arrival in this city, yesterday vi 'no
eapin portion Of the crew. and several passengers Vi
the Pacific Mail steamship Bienylle has reVNed Puono
interest in the Of the Inflated vessel The SURVIVORS
arrived by the Moro Castle OF the Atlantic Mail steam
shin Line. TRIBUNE reporter called yesterday on sew
eral Of the passengers aud crew, ana theH statements
are given below. Every passenger with whom Tue IT,
porter oonversed spoke in the highest terms OF t"o
bravery and GOODNESS of the captain and other
the Blenyule Eighty-onc persons were saved Dy hNo
boots pino were drowned in the surf, and about zen
SAM near the burning vessel One of the boats mas not
been heard from -, ,.,,,
Cant Jefferson Maury. commander OF the BienyiHe'
makes the following statement 10 Capt f. H. b"pS'
agent 1.-The Pacific Nal Steamship CompanyiI
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT
1tave 70 report the total loss by fire OF the chartered
steamship Bienville under my command on the evening
OF Aug 49, at sea- latitude 25o ~ north, Longitude
fto 1y west by account At 3:45 a. M Aug To- inc ON
eers OF the watch called and reported that the snip
WAS on fire in the forehod gave the order TO can inc
crew TO fro quarters quietly, and have the pumps
started and the steam turned to the fire cxngushers
leading INTO tho forehold and forward regbtroom at
the same time keeping the ship of before the Wlnd'
hauling down head-sais, leaving the head OF the )o
up and stopping tho engine. had the hose lea down
10 the forehatch and one Of the matches taken on anu
made an attempt 70 get below with the water but the
volume OF smoke great that had TO close inc
hatch immediately then had the water led TO the
forward yentator and started 1t below at the same
time having the matches battened over with wetawnihgs
and everything closed below. few minutes aIIer
starting the water the steampumps were disabled by
breaking working arm and our supply OF water was
entirely cut of from that then detached tho
chief second officers TO have the boats prepared Tor
saving the passengers and crew. The remainder of the
crew not SO employed did all they could with the hand
pumps and fire buckets, in conjunction with the steam
tire extnguishers TO keep the fire down. lowered four
boats and dropped them astern with boatkeepers III
them manning the two large lfeboats which we're on
deck in the forward davs and watered and proysoned
them ALL and took the diugey. smallest boat, aft on
tho quarterback had full supply Of lifepreservers
served to all the passengers and extra on the quar-
ter-deck for any who might require them also
had extra provisions and water placed AIT on the quar-
terdeck At $50 a. could discover nothing coming
from below but stcam and in hopes that the nre
was so far smothered that would be enabled to run Or
Walnes Island then distant about 65 miles by account
had two OF the boats hOsted at the after dayits and
was preparing hoist the others At this time had
coffee and bread prepared and served out TO
the passengers, who were all collected on the
after-deck The passengers greatly alarmed
at these measures, and by my telling them
that | hoped to be able 70 overcome the fire and
put it out While these preparations were making
forward and in short time discovered that the
fire wa making It's through both sides OF the ship
lust abreast OF the boiler then knew that all our efforts
10 save the ship, with the steam pumps broken down
then gave the order to begin dsembarking the pas
sengers placing in larger boats the best at
disposal and then dividing the women and children as
equally as possible in each boat, aud placing many
passengers in each Judged far load, and then di-
rocug them OF and lay by the ship for further
orders TwOboats safely loaded and sent of The
third loaded and also sent off, but by the care
lessness or of OF the crew, was caught under
the counter OF the ship capszed and stove at the same
time. All the people from her were rescued and
placed in another boat and sent Off The
first boats sent OF very moderately loaded, but
now had put heavier loads il the boats, intending TO
redstribue them afterward. At a. m found that all
the boats had been loaded and sent of from the ship
except the dugey and Of the smaller quarerboats,
neither OF which a hieboat, and that still had
more persons board than these boats could hold.
loaded the dngey, sending the ships boys and some
boys from the and few other passengers in
her aud placed her under the charge of Of the sea-
men, then had the last boat lowered, and placed
crew and part Of the remaining passengers in her. and
put under charge or Mr.. HarSer, the chief o,er
directing him to distribute part Of them and then TO
return TO the ship for those still remaining on board
succeeded boarding two of the boats and putting
three persons each them By that time the flames
had swept Tar ait and the heat had become so intense
that had signal for his return. On the return OF
thls boat pu an me remaining persons on ~
1880 a. m, having seen every person safely embarked
from the ship, and tue flames having burst from the
cabins and al forward OF dhat, IeIt tne snip "a tHe
same boat. Soon after Mr. Harger communicated WIN
had now reSheAed anu Tue sea was uCISaslnb, Ai.o
boats all too deep 10 be able to give them any as
slsance but by the AID OF the wreck OF the e,poat
which them, they finally succeeded Ia rlghtlng
aud baing their boat aud reaching Cat Island but
with the loss by drowning of several OF the passengers
and crew, supposed to be IRON TO 10 persons
On leaving the ship intended TO distribute the officers
whom had keep board among the other boats but
those that lightly laden kept out OF my reach
After pulling TO windward short time found that my
boat was deeply laden that she would certainly fill
oer TO prevent this to keep of aud run before the
mails TO the other boats 10 follow me as FAR as practicable
ing boat afOat during the day and night. Al 1870
y m we saw the ship apparently explode aud then LOST
ahead and continued running along 1t until $3.50
D. H., when discovered safe landing-pace under the
lee of a reef aud then beached the boat.
We were by the colOred Inhabitants who in
formed me that We had landed at James Point,
most hOspitable manner by them. Immediately ade
arrangements for having fires built at night and day,
aud signals shown TO guide the rest Of the boats TO safe
landngpaces. sent couriers with written requests TO
the authorities have the same done other points and
possible to dspach vessels 70 sea 10 search Tor ana
the rest Of the boats After walking across TO the
lee side OF the island succeeded IN hiring boat from
Boston johnson, 10 take me 10 Nassau, and make ar
raugements for having the rest OF my passengers for
warded the next day to the same port AZ p M the
evening started for Nassau by boat taking the
second and five Of the crew with me-, and arrived
at that place the next uOrhing az d. III; niheGaIey
communicated with the American Elce-Consnl Mr..
6aunder and lac At sent oil vessel 10 cruise Tor the
boats still The Hon. 5. A. johnson, Underwriters
Agent fOr the bahamas had the Atlantic Mall Companys
tug Anna cOaed ana prepared Tor sea- ana al p M we
sailed in her Tor the boats, MI johnson accom-
panying tug We proceeded 10 and eruised
In all directions where there would be chance OF meet
ing the boats, calling at HarDOr Island during our alb
to repair leak IN the tugs boiler ana dspatcng
wreckng schooner thence 70 cruise also ana assist MS
IN search On Aug 49, after an absence OF nearly
ak DAYS returned Nassau, and found that five boats
had reached land, and that their passengers were at
Nassau. The second boat which landed unfortunately
capsized in the surf and nine persons were drowned
Their names unknown, except Mrs BranneT and
buried by the authorities of Eleuhera Island There 10
stu one boat missing bat as she was one OF s9e pest OF