Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-12-26
The Vile du Havre.
NOBLE CONDUCT OF THE PASSENGERS.

The Vile du Havre.
NOBLE CONDUCT OF THE PASSENGERS.
Father Lorriaux of Paris, who was
one of the saved passengers, and whose
conspicuous part has before been men,
toned, writes to the London Times to
correct statements made about the action
of the passengers at the terrible moment.
His testimony is that they we're wonder
fully calm, prayerful and resigned;
SIR: In the account given by the
purser of the Vile du Havre there is a
very regretable omission. He speaks
about the Catholic priest conveying to
those around him his religious comfort
and consolation. We all admired the
noble conduct of that faithful clergyman,
but the narrative adds, "while around
the priest there was terrible excite
ment and frenzy" That is not correct.
Never have / seen people so calm and
resigned as the passengers of the Vile
du Havre. Not one shrek, not one cry,
was heard from the moment the Loeb
Earn struck us to the moment we went
down. Every one was composed AID
wonderfully calm.
A young lady was pressing her moth
er on her breast saying courage, dear
mother; it will be minutes struggle,
then we shall enter together in heaven"
Four sweet little girls were surrounding
their mother and two friends who were
with her, saying, let us pray; let us
ask God to keep u.s." About ten or
twelve ladies were little further on en-
gagged in earnest prayer. l have never
witnessed such a manifestation of the
power of faith.
After we had been taken on board the
Trimountain, we had religious services
every day-one day in English, one day
in French and all the rescued officers
of the Vile du Havre and the passen.
gers were regularly present.
No words can render the meek and
submissive attitude of the ladies after
the catastrophe. The poor mother whose
four children had gone down, almost
dead with cold and fatigue, told me
when we met on the Loeb Earn " The
Lord has given me those dear little ones
He takes them away. l will submit t.
his will.'
1t will comfort the numerous friends
of the unfortunate and bereaved passen
gers of the Vile du Havre to know tina
the Lord sustained them, and that boil
Protestants and Catholics felt they were
under the mighty and tender care of tn,
same merciful Father.
Believe me, yours sincerely,
tn. LoRRIAUx.
Pasteur Paris, one of the passenger
of the Vile du Hayre.
London, Dec. I'd.
THE CAUSE.
Francisco Leado, one of the rescued
Vile du Havre passengers, writes as fol
lows in regard to the cause of the COLI
sion: The one to be blamed for tn,
collision is the man who had charge o.
the Loeb Earns wheel, for if he had pu
the ship about in time, she would hav,
passed under our stern. The man OF
the lookout of the steamer did not un
derstand the course of the ship, anc
when he saw she was going to strike u
he did not know what to do, and lost hi
presence of mind. He telegraphed t.
the helmsman to bear away to port in
stead of to starboard. 1t was in thi
manner that the Loeb Earn collide,
with US striking the centre of the steam
er opposite the back pipe, where the ma
chinery is situated the weakest part O
the steamer on account of its being tn
place most empty.