Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-12-04
THE LAST OCEAN DISASTER.

The shipwreck o. the ocean steamer Vile
du Hayre was terrible catastrophe. In the
middle of winter night she came in collision
with another vessel on the open sea, and in
twelve minutes she went down, carrying
with her to the depths below, 223 human
beings. She was considered one of the bes.
passenger steamships afoat, and was the
largest vessel, with the exception Of the Great
Eastern that ever entered the port of New
York
Her length from stern to stern was 1923
feet; breadth of beam, 40 feet; depth of hold,
10 feet. She had three cargo and two pas.
senger decks. Her gross tonnage was 5,0S6,
and she could carry at least 5000 tons of
cargo. She was bark rugged, had two fun
nels, eight boats, and four winches, the latter
icing used for hosting cargo.
The Vile du Havre was commanded by
Capt. Marius Surmont, graduate of the
French Navy. He has always borne high
reputation for seamanshp, and was given the
command Of this fine vessel as a special mark
of the companys appreciation of his character
and skill.
The Loeb Earn, which was the cause OF
this fearful disaster, is British ship of / 200
tons burden, drawing twenty feet of water.
She was launched at Glasgow, Scotland, in
November, 1869, and her consgnees are the
Glasgow Ship Company. Her dimensions
are length, 236 feet: beam, 80 feet and
depth of hold, u feet.
The Vile du Hayre sailed from New York
Nov. Is, and, after passing Eve days through
a thick fog, struck clear weather on the Goth.
The next day was windy, and heavy sea
was on, but the night of the 2lst was bright
and starlight. The Captain went below at
midnight, leaving the Second Officer in
charge. Two hours later-that is to say, at
2 o'clock on the morning of the 22d-the
collision occurred. With terrific blow, the
Loeb Earn struck the Vile du Hayre amid
ships.
Men, women, and children, seized with
terror, rushed on deck in their night clothing,
and all was confusion. The Loeb Earns
bow had cut assure in the deck of the Vile
du Havre twelve feet in depth; and the iron
plating Of her side was crushed in for dis
lance of thirty feet.
The collision took place in latitude Al 2l'
longitude 80 81. There was heavy sea
running, but not much wind at the time.
Most OF the passengers were too terrified
to try to save themselves. Many prayed and
many laid down with the calmness of utter
despair. Some, hearing the water pouring
into the ship, never quilted their staterooms ;
whole families thus went down together. The
means of escape were crippled by two boats
being crushed by the mainmast and mzzen-
mast, both OF which fell over five minutes
after the collision, killing and manning many
persons.
Two boats were launched, the whale-boat
being under command of the First Lieu.
tenant, and the Captains gig was manned by
seven sailors The Loeb Earn, after getting
clear, sailed mile. then hove to and sent
four boats to the wreck, which sunk in twelve
minutes after the collision. The whale boat
Of the Vile du Havre saved its load of pas
sengerS, who were put on board the Loeb
Earn. The boat then returned to the wreck
and saved second load, including the Cap
tain, who remained by tine Vile du Havrc
until she sunk.
The boats found the passengers and crew
floating on the waves, holding to planks,
buoys, spars and whatever could be seized as
the wreck went down. Many had thus pre-
pared themselves from the first. Many of
the women saved were floating in the water
for two hours or more before being picked
up. One of the officers of the steamer swan
to the Loeb Earn.
The Captain of the Vile du Havre is re-
ported to have been quite exhausted by his
The officer who was in command when the
collision took place was lost The boats re-
manned about the spot where the steamer
went down until there was no longer any
hope of saving more people.
Among the survivors was one lady whose
husband and four children had persisted in the
sea- Three young ladies lost their father md
mother. One young man lost his father,
mother and sister; and another gentleman
lost his sister, whom he was taking to France
for her health.
The suiierings of those who were rescued
were intense, the cold being very severe;
many persons were nearly insensble and
would have utterly persisted in few min
utes more. The rescues were nearly all a
matter of haphazaId, as the time permitted
no organized effort or attempt at choice.
The Loeb Earn was found to be much dam
aged by the collision, and hoisted signals of
distress. The Trimountain sighted her and
responded at o'clock in the morning. A
second Inspection OF the Loeb Earn made it
manifest that it was better to transfer the
rescued persons to the Trimoun tain; this
was accordingly done. Every attention was
shown to the survivors by Captain Urquhart
of the Trmountain, which ship reached Car
diff Roads on Sunday night, Nov. 80. The
rescued persons were landed and Hospitality
received at the hotels Of the city.
The saved included twenty three irstclass
passengers, one second-class, three third
class, six officers, and Fifty. four of the crew.
Two of the survivors remained on the Loeb
Earn, having been severely injured