The New York herald., 1873-12-17
THE VILE Du HAvRE DISASTER

Testimony OF LIE Grand C. Cramer as to
the Disgraceful Discipline OF the Crew
A Blade OF the Screw Lost Days Before
the Accident.
And now comes LIE Grand Z. Cramer, OF Troy, to
bear testimony against the management OF the
vessel after collision. In letter written to his
parents and published IN the Troy Times of Mon
day, he says:-
! will now state briefly the calamity which hur-
ried 230 souls out OF $40 into eternity. The day
after we left New York the weather was fine, the
sea smooth and all promised well for q successful
and pleasant voyage. On Monday storm came
up which continued for As hours, and
blade of her screw. This accident although
1t did not materially AFFECT the speed
over the passengers and created a feeling q un.
easiness among them, which the apparent lack Of
discipline and order among the Officers Gers and crew
lasted Friday evening".
clear and starlight we then being 500 miles from
New York and Just about in mid-Ocean. That night
we all went to our staterooms feeling more Sc
great peril our lives to be placed or how few
OF us would live to see the light OF another day.
q sound sleep by a terrible crash, accompanied by
the shrieks and cries OF men, women and children.
come into collision with ony small vessel: that
the steamer was not at all injured; and l. after
telling aunty to dress, went up on deck and found
that we had c0lllded with large iron sailing ves-
sci, which struck our steamer amidship. making a
very large hole In her side below the water line.
at once saw that the steamer was rapidly sinking,
and that our only hope OF safety was In the life
boats. ! returned to aunty and told her
the condition OF the ship, and brought her
up on deck as soon as possible, and placed her
with the ladies, while / went with some
gentlemen to help get on the life boats to save the
ladies' The lack Of discipline we had before noticed
troll M the the mem they were only @ thinking s' Of
ssyn COa Sa e asua ws g. un to
accustomed to handling the rigging OF lfeboats,
and but few OF US to do anything We all worked
with desperation to get boat into the water Had
we had more time we might have done so; but the
ship was settling very last, and suddenly she went
down, bow first, with all on board-at least all the
passengers as about half the crew had gone In the
boats and lett us to our fate. / saw aunty just
erless to save her, there being no life preserver to
Ue found in the stateroom on the deck, although
l made every effort to find one for her.
went down with the ship, believing 1t was my
suction OF the ship came to the surface, and,
although encumbered with clothes, managed to
swim until got hold oil a floating spar, although
was pulled under water twice by some poor drown
ing person. Alter being in The water over so
minutes, was picked up by boat from the ship
tnat had run into u.s. completely exhausted, more
dead than alive. was taken with others, TO the
Loeb Earn, which proved to be an English ship,
and, although herself badly damaged by the COLI
sion, was yet able to keep anoat and save the few
OF us who are now here to tell the sad story.
After being on board few hours we were trans
ferred to the ship we are now on, haiilng from
New York to Bristol, England, commanded by
Captain Urquhart, one OF the nOblest and kindest
hearted men that ever walked deck. There were
only 23 FIRST class passengers saved out OF S5-1l
ladies and IL gentlemen-the remaining saved
being steerage passengers, Officers and crew.
Eighty.fve IN ALL out OF $40 souls, were saved