The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-31
OCEAN STEERAGE ABUSES"
Have Passengers Any Cause to
Make Complaint?
Letter from the Superintendent Of the National
Line-A Complete Refutation Of the Charges
Against the Erin-No Lack Of Pro-
visions or Water-Semi-Gen-
tility in the Storage.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

MCDONNELL, upon the subject or ocean steerage
abuses. appeared In the columns OF the HERALD.
The writer thereof was passenger on the steam-
ship Erin, OF the National line, and brought series
OF charges against the officers OF the vessel and
complained much OF Encouragement, breach Of
faith and contract on the part of the company and
its agents and the general condition OF the vessel.
There are two sides to every story, and the HERALD
with Its accustomed tmpartiality, herewith lays
before the public "facts" regarding the faults Mr..
Mcdonnell complains OF. The manager OF the Ma
tional line having addressed to the HERALD the
following communication, reporter was sent to
ascertain, by personal observation, II any Of the
evils complained Of had existence, and also
whether the assertions made by Mr.. Mcdonnell
were verified by the statements of his fellow pas
sengers on the voyage in question.
LETTER FROM THE MANAGER OF THE NATIONAL LINE.
New YORK. jan 80 1873
NY attention having been called to a lette. written
Erin Of our hne in which he Ses some very damaging
T Ss Mhos e f. seS to 5 to SaSe
nothing personally to complain Of and he acknowledges
thing could be desired. am told by several OF the
y s
with the greatest consideration on board ship nasmuch
nd he Sa fs as a his @
.se table ws other MAY sas
were not strictly in accordance with the rules of Tie
%m %sy R i0f :" hs
M s S ns IN
to his may say that the ship Which was to have sailed
Wrong with her and had to be locked The Erin
MADE the as n%n az me ss n
e Of as fs6er d T in sndn n
allowed money for all the time that they were
No. 1T was wrong to erect hunks and to place lug
gage and barrels Of meat on the main deck" would
the DunKS. The barrels OF removed the
the ship left Havre OF the luggage consisting Of
were brought hold and given to the Italians BY
No $ he says. was wrong to 60 to sea in
Of The heaviest VOYAGES that known in the win
mot 81 hs n s
after good run of thirteen days This charge one
oosa omit apontpg the
sSn s4 7is he wSsH sts the trouble
Of e be %na U tho
being excellent as ate some the morning
S shsf Sd Mr. had or any s Ss
the food was bad tried to give them the best food IN
fifteen days when, in the best weather has taken
agents IN London have been in the habit Of deeeivng
acts outside agents not lot the
sompanys servants. This last voyage was, as said
Of her being very much longer than usual was ' cause
with In ns to aSs s Ses ana SeSS SsD
nal en wss ah he sbn @ on inquiry
that wers ' Kept sS % iG rom
the there %s and psron in w hs 5 sI and
one Is ever allowed to Co. except the stewardess Of
to Without sufficient
the full as c wl
fed BY the emigration officers There is no foundation
sssras s. twice dsE to hear somga'nt"
nave not inc slightest
xmns assf Of %bs% no There was
sSt provisions suieisnt three months anu "'''
usual berths and partitions in the female department
hSn wos se spp tie SI ns nR af.
likely that water supplied in smaller quantities than
Knows they gallons dag
besides having from twenty to twenty-five thousand gal
Quantity allowed a
h to be- tep a G
pumps or there would be continued disorder.
the hospital and give
on odT S
whom he admits were accomplished" more than
q c an sck without
vss s s6c ane to p the
weather to keep the decks constantly covered with
gers takes 1t all up and converts it into mud which has
No. Is Kit was wrong to leave the passengers on the
main ds s without VT seats s tables and term
that they and tables aSe sEsf cs
ships enables us to give plenty of room in this
le ut was wrong to have closets especially fe
without any notice the doors in foreign languages and
was infamous 70 nave no better place for accommoda-
IN the since he Sns' and ~dc
s d III he @ H ns nScss %
posted on the doors in different languages:
who were meek enough 70 bear with such tsssf%sns
ave sfeS * So che they should
have punished the sailors guilty OF such acts have
81 '" %as wong sTp1 to use language which ono
would not expect to hear in the most depraved quarters
steerage passengers II must be expected that men
this could be stopped ~" anu '"e" 10 NOT see now
NO Is n was wrong to food in dirty vessels"
ut vs Il Ss 9sn in
flooring damp and loose for the purpose Of screen
ing an Illegal act There was spare supply Of coal in
passed to bankers aud the place swept
cold wsrmes and most table place fof
them n the cold weather on the coast.
$ and sssas
sell anything
been made to the Captain and he would have stopped
in several parts of the steerage.
No. ~ 1T was wrong Tor the stewards to be often
drunk and was very wrong for the Captain
that none of these things occurred that this
l. totally untrue by several passengers who were In the
ship. Ihave doubt Winter passage to the west.
ward there is some discomfort the shin brought
passengers than generally at this time of the
year, and the voyage was yerv tempestuous one
II Is Impossible, during continuance Of heavy seas
ANA gales OF wind to make comfortable ms
they can be made in summer when the ship has quiet
weather and everything goes along smoothly. 1t Is not
likely that we should make point OF treating our
gcrsbady ofsanctioninc Injustice bv anv
officer Of the company Our rules most strict MS
pect our passengers 70 be our friends after landing here
and buy tickets 10 bring their friends are c
hind IL Is for our interest TO please them, and am
sorry that we do not appear to have this
the satisfaction OF Mr. Mcdonald think he can hardly
expect cabin accommodation In the Storage he ought
TO have come In the cabin, where would have found
Things more IN accordance with his usual style of living
am, sir, yours obedieny,
y. W. j. HURST.
Manager National Line of Steamers
WHAT REPORTER SAW.
About three O'Clock yesterday afternoon a
HERALD reporter visited the steamers Italy and
Holland, Of the National line. The first named OF
these vessels will be at sea before this edition is