Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-02

w
were rescued were saved in a similar man
ner, except the First-Lieutenant whom the
Captain sent to the Loeb Erne to see If she
was in a sinking condition, or if she was
able to receive the passengers OF the Vile
du Havre. | swan half an hour and finally |
reached the Loeb Erne, but missed the
ropes thrown to lie. remained in the
water for another quarter Of an hour, but |
was eventually rescued by the Loeb Erne.
Among the passengers ON deck OF the |
Vile du Hayre was a French gentleman
Of remarkable GOODNESS and presence OF |
mind, he comforted many by his words.
A priest asked, 'tAre you a Roman Catho-
| lic3' ssYes," was the answer. "Repent,
| then" said the priest, ''and forgive your
sins.n With these last words the priest |
sank in the waves. The penitent was |
saved. The boats crossed and recrOssed |
| the scene of disaster, searching for survl- |
vors, until 10 A. NJ. ALI further efforts |
were then abandoned as hopeless. The |
survivors remained on the Loeb Erne until |
P. NJ, when they were transported to the |
Trimountain.
Cant. Urauharts Narrative.
On Saturday morning, Nov. p, being in |
| lat. AZ deg. "a min, long. 80 deg. 30 min.,
we sighted vessel ON our weather bow,
with bowsprit gone and sails flying we
hove to, and saw signals of distress III y
ont. Coming nearer, the ship proved TO he
| the Loeb Erne, eight days out of Lon IN
for New York. Coming alongside, tiie
| Captain asked me to receive the survivors
| of the Vile du Havre, which had been
sunk by the Loeb Erne at o'clock that
morning. After consultation it was deem
ed advisable to transfer all the rescued peo-
pie but one French clergymen, who
had became deranged, and another
of the party was left to take care
of him. The survivors were crowded into
the small cabin in pitiable state. They
were heart broken, illclad and destitute, but
amidst their grief they expressed their gra-
titude to the captain and crew Of the Loeb
Erne for saving them from death. l sup
piled them with all the clothing which
could possibly be spared on my ship, and
with other requisites. Nevertheless some
were almost naked and others were
badly injured by fragments of the
wreck coming in contact with them.
After receiving all on board the Trimoun-
tain, decided to cruise about the scene OF
the wreck. Search was continued until
nearly dark that night, but we saw only two
casks floating, and search was finally relin-
quished, and we proceeded on our voyage
to Bristol 1 intended to land at Queens
town, but favorable wind enabled us to
reach Cardiff. The survivors attach no
blame to the officers of the
Loeb Erne for the catastrophe,
but say they did everything
nossible to prevent the enormous sac
rifce of life. The Locherne was very
badly damaged in her bows, her boWsprit
| IOla ont in
abDye the water line. The passengers OF
th, Vile du Havre say Capt. SurmOnt,
during many DAYS of fog, took every pre-
caution and was constantly on the bridge
ofthe steamer. No one explains how the
collision occurred.
Incidents.
The Tribanle's correspondent says: Men,
women and children, seized with terror,
rushed on deck in their night clothing, and
all was confusion. The Loeb Erne's bow
had cut assure in the deck Of the Vile
dl Havre u feet in depth, and the iron
plating of her side was crushed in for dis
lance of 80 feet. 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 water pouring into the ship,
| never Quilted their StaterOoms. Whole fam
lies thus went down together. Among the
survivors was one lady whose husband and
four children had persisted in the sea.
Three Young ladies lost their fathers and
{ mothers. 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 Latest Up TO This Morning.
LONDON, Dee. 1.-The ship Loeb Erne
| was so badly damaged by her collision with
the steamer Vile du Havre that the per-
sons rescued by her from the wreck request
ed to be put on the Trimountain. All were
| safely transferred with the exception Of
2 three persons who were too badly injured
= TO he removed. After the collision the
l Loeb Erne put about for Queenstown, at
which port She was due about the 18th ult
Nothing yet has been heard of her.
Additional Particulars.
, The following particulars Of the loss OF
the Vile du Havre have been gathered from
officers and passengers of the lost vessel at
Cardiff: The Vile du Havre experienced
a thick fog until the 18th. AT the time OF
: the collision the weather was clear; Little
: wind blowing, but there was a heavy sea.
3 The Captain had Just retired, and the sec
i ond-officer was in charge. The lights on
the steamer were all right. The collision
was wholly unexpected. The Loeb Erne
e struck the steamer amidshipS, and made q
1 chasm Il feet deep and from % to 80 feel
t wide. The exact position of the Vile du
it Havre at the time was latitude, II deg.
II n min: longitude, % deg, 81 min. A
# manic took possession of the passengers
2, Five minutes after the collision the mail
e and mizzen masts fell across two
L large boats which were filled will
Il people and ready for launching. The boat:
st were crushed together, and many OF then
e. occupants killed injured. In the brief III
W terval between the collision and SINKING
of the steamer, the crew were able to launcl
only a whale boat and captains gig. III
y Loeb Erne went a mile before stopping; sh
4 then got out four boats to pick up peopl
Q. struggling in the water. Meanwhile tn
;. whale-boat, under the command OF the sec
II, ond lieutenant of the Vile du HaVre
picked up one load of those who wer
i clinging to planks, spars, etc, and tool
- them to the Loeb Erne. She returned t
~ the scene and secured another load. Capt
le Surmont, who remained on deck to tn
last, was secured by a boat three-quarter
,e of an hour after the collision. On
:. of his officers swan mil
-
~ on board with rope. The boats contlnu
~ ed to search the waters in the vicinity {
,' the disaster until there was no hope OF say
~ ING any more lives. The cold was intense
y Many of the survivors were immersed tW
hours and almost lifeless when rescued
The ship Trimountain was sighted at 8
he NJ, 6 hours after sinking of the steame
re and received the survivors. AS before re
IS, ported, the saved speak in the highest term
ey of the. kindness Of Capt. Urquhart, he
commander.
There were six stOw-aways on board IN
w Vile du Havre. Later accounts make tn
at date of the collision the 22d instead OF tn
Iu 23d. A vessel which arrived at Bristol re
as ports speaking her, with ten survivors
in the Vile du Havre on board.
he CHICAGO, Dec. Among passenger
IL on the Inflated Vile du Havre, were tn
I'll following from Chicago: Mrs. ID. Good
as win and two children; Master Willie Cul
IS yer, son of b. F. Culver; Mrs. II. A. Spo
1t. ford, three children and nurse. Mrs. Spo
tie ford is reported among the saved; ne
lie husband started for England tonight. /