The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-12-11
The ville du Havre Disaster.

II a , re, Dec 4, WA l4Oluou. tapl. sur
Mun1 and sixty survivors Of the crew ar
rived here this morning and We're greeted
by an immense crowd OF people on the
wharf. A. soon as the party landed they
proceeded to the office of the steamship
company, where the captain was closely
interrOgated in relation 10 the circum-
stances attending the disaster which had
beiallen his vessel. One of the officers
said. when questioned that in his judg-
ment the collision was unexampled in the
manner of its occurrence He said. further,
that ii would never have happened if the
officer ut the deck had been Capt. sur
mont. The only accusations made are
against him and Second Lieut.. Auduvand,
who committed suicide. The informant,
who was in bed, Immediately rushed on
deck, and saw that four of the boats had
been disabled, and the masts We're already
falling overheard. Some Of the sailors
state that the lookout forward gave warm
ing that lights We're approaching through
the tog, and the officer in command was
Lieut.. Auduvand. and gave orders based
upon such warnings; but his command
vas too late. Others OF the crew assert
that he gave no orders. They affirm that
he trusted TO the chances of being able to
pass clear across the bow of the Loeb
Earn, and that the first order was given
10y Capt. Surmont, who sprang to the
deck. inst too late. however, 10 be able to
avert the catastrophe. The Lieutenant
look The desperate chance of running
clear. but had miscalculated, and seeing
The astnunded calamity which had re-
suited from his error of judgment, in his
despair accepted suicide as a solution of
hi- own embarrassment
There is no reasonable doubt but that he
could have saved himself. Five or six OF
The sailors. who were on duty at the time
say that they saw the lights OF the Loeb
Earn five minutes before the steamer
struck Col Montague's daughter was
The first one killed by the falling OF the
mast. All the passengers united in prayer
during the few moments Of terrible sus-
pense General admiration is expressed
III the courage of the American ladies.
who deEbrted themselves with great calm
ness. and made no confusion. Seeing
their almost inevitable fate. they knelt
and prayed. No one thought the end was
coming SO quickly as it did Capt. Sur
mont himself thought the ship would re
main atoat at least half an hour. Of the
total number of eight life boats i've were
disabled and three only remained in con-
diton for service, and these saved many
people. 1t is believed that Capt. Surmont
charged the disaster to the negligence OF
Lieut. Auduvand All are united, how
ever, in the belief that the captain did his
duty under the circumstances. Capt. Sur
mont says he had been on deck until 10
O'Clock and that when he retired he gave
orders to be aroused at O'Clock, promptly.
He was called, and saw the Loeb Earn al
most instantly in collision, but believed
there would be time to save all. He at
once gave orders to each officer to take
command OF boat but saw that two
boats We're disabled by the collision, and
and two minutes later others were de-
9royed by the falling masts He states
xhai the best order possible prevailed
d xnong the crew, who placed them
Sc Ives uudes perfect control. He sent the
trs.t officer aboard the Loeb Earn to APP
prize them OF the steamers danger, and
ask ssistance of their boats; the crew re-
NAMED on the Loeb Earn the captain OF
the Loeb Earn sent out three boats from
his vessel to pick up the passengers; the
captain remained at his post also, and en-
deavored to save passengers, but before
the boats had returned to the Loch Earn
the steamer went down. Capt. Surmont
and his officers blame those OF the loch
Earn 1t is the general opinion among the
crew of the Vile du Havre that il Capt.
Surnont had been on the deck the disaster
would never have happened, as the Loeb
Earn was seen six or seven minutes before
the collision,
There is good deal OF sound common
sense in the position taken by Rev. f. L.
Hincks, of Portland, in his Thanksgiving
sermon, on the subject of party loyalty
He says
Party loyalty! What is political party ?
1t is vehicle to carry me to the place
which ! wish to go. 1t take the cars at
Boston and Maine station on Saturday
having an engagement to preach at Law
renee, ! shall have no hesitation in leaving
the cars at that station should be very
weak and foolish to allow any notions OF
loyalty to the railroad train or my fellow
passengers to induce me to 60 on to Bos-
ION, and to break my engagement. So,
Al l embark in political party, and after
III mas earned me as far as can honorably
go WIN IT, 1t would carry me farther,
snail De very foolish to allow any notions
OF loyalty to 1t to make me remain in it
Loyalty 10 temporary organization
adopted as means to an end-(oyalty to
d system OF caucuses and conventions II
is as Impossible as loyalty to a train of
ears and locomotive. 1t is only nv
throwing off this notion that the trne
citizen ear make himself felt as DOVE,
for righteousness in the State. Only thu,
that the selfish purposes of politicians ca,
be made subservient to the moral senti
ment of the people in the ruling of ths
nation