, 1873-04-03
THE "ATLANTIC F" HORROR,

The nows Of tho torriblo disaster to the
steamship Atlantic, on tho Noyia Scotia coast,
which occurred at o'clock on the morning Of
April I, will carry gloom into many household
| In this country and Europe mono tho less
poignant or hoart-ronding becaugo tho woight
of tho blow has fallen upon those in tho humble
walks OF life. In almost oil instant Of tine, one
OF tho 1argest of oconn-going steamships, con-
structed Of iron, built In wntor-tight compart-
mouts, and presumed to bc model Of strength
and safety, atrikos o rock, and goes
to the bottom go swiftly tLat many
of tho passengers aro drowned in
their berths. BY tho marvellous onlur-
ance a1sl heroic spirit Of tho Third Officer, Mr.
Brady, who ewam with ropc to q rock, two
hundred and fifty men woro saved, but the holp-
less women md children wero all lost, and over
soren hundred unfortunates wont down in tark-
ness and storm, their dying shrioka aud cries for
hop lost in tho pitiloss rush Of tho galo Words
aro feoblo to describe tho horrors Of such
scono. One Of its most pitiablo foaturcs is tho
fact tint most Of tho victims woro omigrants, on
their way to this country, to roioin their friends
from whom they had long beon Separated
young mon Of stout hearts aud strong artne,
seeking homes In tho Now World, full Of hopa
and olatlon, and old men, and wono1, and little
Children coming to spond their days hero, WHO
paid thoir paasago-1nonoy with tho daily and
weekly pittanccH sayoa by the wockiugmon an.l
'somon in our lalgo cities from their small wayos,
and forwarded to thon, tlat thoy too might bet
tor thoir condition il, life. If tho steamship At
lanslo had been filled with poople occupying high
social poaitions, mon and women Of wealth md
prominence and wadoly known, tho horror would
have soomed still greater, and tho public do,nanl
for rigid investigation Of the circumstances,
mud MI exemplary punishment Of those
responsible for tho disaster, would hayo
been Irresistible. In this case, how
ever, tho largo majority Of tho Victims
woro emigrants-poor iu purse, low in posltion,
and unknown out Of tho limits of thor own little
fanllios-and yet equal with those III tho oatina-
tton OF that Providence which 80 myBtcriously
permitted this disaster to occur It is possible,
therefore, that this diaaator, like that Of tho
Northaeot, may DO sensation of two or thrco.
days.. aud then, like tlat bo forgotten. 1t is
on1y the loss OF SO many unknown omigranta,
whose families mono Of us knew, whose na,nos
wo should mover recognizo, a.tl whoao tcaths
muko no public stlr--and yet, all over thia coun-
try aud Europe, tLoro are homes Which aro
plunged Into sudden and irremodlablo griof.
II may 10 as yot too carly to commout upon
tho olrcumstanccs attending this disastor, or to
attempt to fix tho responsibility upon any one
but there arc somo facts apparent at glance
which show culpablo negligence Of tho safety
Of passengers. III tho frat place. It ia surprising
in the prescnt perfection Of nautical yoIopco,
that tho officers Of Tho Atlantic should hayo 80
far lost their reckoning ~ to hayo mlssod larbor
10 familiar "a Halifax harbor is presumed 10 bo to
ocean commanders, and, matakiug light twenty
snll's Of On Cape RRmbsQ tor the light ct tlo