New-York tribune., 1872-12-05
u Z ~
4 VOICE IRON TIE SEA.

Il
/ The steamship Missouri, bound from Now
York to Havana, was burned OFF Abaco, Oct.
I 2s, 1872. There were on board the vessel
\ eighty-nine persons, of whom seventy-three
+ pershed miserably. In the wild scramble for
life, each individual simply obeyed the first
Z law of nature, as it is called-self-preservat
There was no discipline, no organization, nor any
sort of combined effort to save life. heavy sea
was running at the time of the disaster; the
boats. lowered in disorder, were upset or
smashed; in the desperation and horror which
/ followed, only sixteen persons OF that great
ships company were saved. This is The brief,
bald story of one of the latest casualties of
/, the seattle sea so full of mystery, suffering,
I and sorrow. That it differs from other stories
OF other wrecks and burnings on the ocean in
some particulars is true; but essentially 1t is
the same sad old recital of careless prep
aration, thoughtless owners, undisciphncd
crews, imperfect appliances for life-saving,
and bewildered, panic-stricken passengers.
Here and there an instance of individual
heroism may stand out from the struggling
confusion; but the dark tragedy closes over
1 scene often repeated, never-endinS, stIl-be-
ginning.
With the human weakness Of these mOurnful
events, snatching its own chance Of life IN
selfish disregard of all others, we have moth
ing now to do. But official investigation
brings into the certain light all tof the
1 facts which made disaster possible, and fastened
. the dreadful fate Of those who were engulfed
in the sea. A Court of Inquiry held under
British law, at Nassau, finds that
1. The vessel was hurriedly put to sea with
out any trial of new machinery.
2. The fire originated from imperfectly and
newly felted boilers.
8. The hapless vessel was so equipped that
I its few boats could not be safely lowered.
4. On the alarm of fire all was confusion,
insubordinatiOn, and disorder.
This verdict is undoubtedly just; it Is Like
hundreds of other verdicts; it accounts for all
that happened. We have heard before of
vessels burned at sea; of officers and crews
demoralized and hopelessly scared; of ships
with much rich upholstery and few life
saving machines, and of floating fires in
securely guarded in the wooden shell which
carries them. Shall the world hear this
dreadful story fOreverf Fire will be n peril
and terror always, especially on the sea,
where isolated passengers gaze helplcssy on
meath their feet, leaving them no place
of refuge. But it is incredible that
no human pTecautiOn, no device of science
can mitigate these horrors, or make the annual
sacrifice of life less costly. Here was vessel
fitted for sea in hurry, new boilers
and machinery had been put In. but the own
ers were in such haste to get her on the line
again that she was sent off without even so
much as q trial of the new apparatus on
board. The last touches were put on
as the steamer swung from her moor
ings; no doubt tho sound Of hammers
closing up seams and joints Tosounded in
the hold as she passed out to sea. The felt
ing which incloses the boiler and confines its
heat was defective, but it was too late TO
remedy the defect; from this, says the verdict
of the Court of Inquiry, came the fire that
destroyed the ship. Here was the beginning
of the whole dreadful business. A fire in one
part of the ship could not be there confined !;
there were no compartments in which the
flames could be shut up and flooded by the
sea; no fire-proOf partitions nothing but
tinder-like plank, timber and ceilings every
where.
There were six boats, they say, capable of
carrying twenty-five persons each-ample for
the company of cighty-nine on board if they
were sound and properly handled. But these
were not enough, and, in the mad rush of the
hour, four of them were swamped, broken, or
burned. Twelve persons were saved In one
boat and four in another; all the rest were of
no account in the rescue Of tho drowning,
burning people IL there lad been Skilfl