Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-12-11
A Horror At Sea.
THE STEAMSHIP WILLIE
DU HAVRE SUNK.
Over 200 Lives Lost.

Over 200 Lives Lost.
LONDON, December 1.-The steamship
Vile du Havre from New York to Hav.
re, has sunk at sea. Over 200 lives were
lost. The ship Trimountain, from New
York, arrived at Cardiff early this morn.
ing with the intelligence of 4 dreadful
disaster to the steamship Vile du Havre
which left New York November 10 fol
Havre, in command of Captain Sur
mount. At O'Clock on the morning OF
the 23d the Vile du Havre came in col
lision with the British ship Locherne
from London to New York, and sunk
shortly after. Two hundred and twen-
ty-six passengers Of the Vile du Havre
were lost. The Trimountain saved sew
enty-eight passengers and brought them
to Cardiff.
Later dispatches from Cardiff bring
the following additional particulars Of
the loss Of the steamship Vile du Hav-
re. She was struck amidships by the
Lecherne, and sunk in twelve minutes
after the collision. The Locherne i'm
mediately lowered three boats, which
rendered all the service possible by
them. Fifty-three of the crew were
saved, including the Captain, and these
go to make up the eighty-seven save
Among the passengers saved are ten wo-
men.
LONDON, December 1.-The following
additional particulars of the Vile du
Havre have been gathered from the of
ficers and passengers at Cardiff: The
Vile du Havre experineed thick fog
until the Goth. At the time of the col
lision the weather was clear, little
wind blowing, but there was a heavy
sea. The Captain had just retired, and
the second officer was in charge. The
lights on the steamer were all right. The
collision was wholly unexpected. The
Locherne struck the steamer amidships
and made a ehasm twelve feet deep and
from twenty-five to thirty feet wide
The exact position of the Vile du Havre
at the time was latitude AZ. q, Longitude
30. 81. A panic took possession of the
passengers. Five minutes after the col
lision the main and mizzen nasts fell
across two large boats, which were fill
ed with people and ready for launching.
The boats were crushed to pieces and
many of their occupants killed and in
ured. In the briefinterval between the
collision and the sinking of the steamer,
the crew were able to launch only a
whale boat and the Captains gig. The
Locherne went q mile before stopping.
She then got out four beats to pick up
the people struggling in the water
Meanwhile the whale boat, under COM
mand of the second officer of the Vile du
Havre, picked up one load of those who
were clinging to planks, spars, etc., and
took them to the Locherne. She return
ed to the scene and rescued another load.
Captain Surmont, who remained on the
deck to the last, was rescued by this
boat three quarters of an hour after the
collision. One of his officers SWAN a
mile to the Locherne, and was hauled
on board with rope. The boats con-
tinued to search the waters in the vicin-
nifty of the disaster until there was no
hope of saving more lives. The cold was
intense. Many of the survivors were
immersed two hours, and almost lifeless
when rescued. The ship Trimountain
sighted the Locherne at SA. NJ. six hour
after the sinking of the steamer, and re-
ceived the survivors, as before reported.
The saved speak in the highest terms of
the kindness of Captain Urgruhart, her
There were six stowa-
ways on board the Vile du Havre.
Later accounts make the date of the
collision the 22d instead of the 23d ult.
A vessel arrived at Bristol reports speak
ing her, with ten survivors of the Vile
du Havre on board.
The survivors of the Vile du Havre
reached Bristol to-day. They were all
saved by boats of the Locherne and
transferred to the Trimountain, which
carried them to Cariff. There is great
excitement in London over the loss of
the vessel.
LONDON, Dec. 1.
The Purser Of the steamship Vile du
Havre gives the following account of
the disaster: The steamer was struck
on the starboard side. The main-mast
and rigging were carried away. The
long boat was not Crushed on deck, but
after being lowered the mizzenmast fall
ing upon it, killed nearly all its occu-
pants. The main-mast fell after the
mizzen, toppling over on the deck, and
killing many persons. In a few min
utes the ship began to sink amid great
disorder and terror. The scene was
awful beyond description.
The air was rent with shrieks. But
some were heard saying, calmly. GAS
we must die, let us die nobly." The
water rushed into the hold with incred-
ible velocity. undressed myself, and,
with a companion, jumped overheard,
and swan toward the Loeb Erne, then
half mile distant. As / left heard
the ship cracking, and looking back,
saw her 60 down with one plunge for
ward. For moment the shrek were
terrible, then all was silent. 1t was the
silence of death.
The Captain remained on the bridge
of the Vile du Havre during the whole
time, and went down with the ship. He
was picked up an hour afterwsrd. All
the officers were rescued in a similar
manner, except the First Lieutenant,
whom the Captain sent to the Loeb
Erne to see If she was in sinking con-
dition, or if she were able to receive
the passengers of the Vile du Havre.
I swan half an hour, and finally reach
ed the Loch Erne, but missed the ropes
thrown to ME. remained in the water
for another quarter of an hour, but was
eventually rescued by the Loeb Erne.
Among the passengers on the deck of
the Vile du Havre was French gen.
tleman of remarkable coslness and
presence of mind. He comforted many
by his words. A priest asked:
care you Roman Catho!icg"