The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-04-11
The Atlantic Disaster.

We made mention last week of the terrible
disaster to the ocean steamer Atlantic of the
White Star line ON the coast of Nova Scotia,
in her attempt to reach the port of Halifax.
The details of the affair since brought to light
stamp it as calamity that has spread
dcsolation and mourning far and wide, the
number of the victims and their different resi-
dences in various sections of this country
and Europe ramifying the horror through the
length and breadth of both countries. An in
vestigation was ordered by the authorities Of
Nova Scotia, which has elected all the evil
dence of the facts connected with the ship
wreck, and which is mournfully interesting at
this time, while the affair is fresh in the minds
of the people, but which, alas! will probably
lose interest upon the recurrence some new
er, or if possible more narrowing calamity.
Several facts which themass ofpeople who
are patrons of public conveyances of thisclass
seldom stop to think about, are brought for
ward by the investigation. In the first place,
the complete control over the safety of their
lives, which passengers on such ships slrrren-
der for the time being to the officers in COM
mand of them, is conclusivey shown. Cap
tain Williams, of the Inflated Atlantic, deter
mining that it became necessary for him to
and provisions, changed the route of the YES
sci for that purpose as he seems to have been
fully authorized to do by the general instruc-
tons of the Company in whose employ he
was. Never having sailed vessel into that
port before, it would naturally be supposed
that more than ordinary diligence wouldhave
}, been exercised upon his part, in the interest
", safety of the twelve or fifteen hundred
sSs sSident upon his skill and judgment
n XII satter. He shows by his own state
s5,S upon the investigation, that he mis-
ok the whereabouts of his ship and not until
G4he wreck was actually made did he discover
the error We think, also, that he is Justly
censurabe for not remaining on deck, not
withstanding he supposed there was no i'm
mediate necessity for his presence there, and
for entrusting the command of the vessel to
his subordinate officers.
1t is in evidence, however, from all who
were witnesses of the affair, that Captain Will
liams and his officers, after the ship struck,
did everything that men could do to preserve
the lives of the unfortunate passengers who
were in such terrible jeopardy. But his and
their efforts were but inefliciently seconded
by the crew of the vessel.
1t appears, therefore, secondly that little
attention is paid to the morale of the scamen
who man these magnificent stamers on the
ocean lines. Capt. Williams crew, we pre-
sumo, was about fair sample of such; and it
does not show very favorably to the travell-
inc nllhlie fit in times of such aifc cxtrem-
ity their must be entrusted to men
whose only care seemed to bewho should flee
from the danger first, regardless of the fate of
the women and children pcrishing around
them.
The third point, we think, that is demon
strated by this investigation, or rather that is
apparent from the facts elected, in this that
companies who manage steamship lines
sometimes exercise more care to attract pat
ronage than prudence in regard to the safety
of the travelling public. Splendid vessels
may be commanded by incompetent men,
seryedby inefficient crews, and scantily sup
piled for voyage; and a hundred trips, never
theless, successfully made, yet one disaster of
the magnitude of that which befel the Allan
tic should prove a warning of the hazard of
trusting to luck in the matter.