Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-12-05
Disaster at Sea.

Disaster at Sea.
A STEAMSHIP SUNK BY COLLISION
NEARLY 200 PERSONS DROWNED
SCENES OF THE CALAMITY.
&C., &C., &C.
The Steamship Vile de Havre formerly
Napoleon III, running between New Y ork
and Havre was sunk on the 9th ult., by
being run into by the British ship Loeb
Earn. The fated Steamer had 226 persons
on board of whom only 83 were saved. Our
Northern exchanges give the following ac-
count of
THE COLLISION.
At the time of the collision the weather
was clear and little wind was blowing, but
there was heavy sea. The captain had
just retired and the second officer was iii
charge. The lights on the steamer were
all right, and the collision was wholly I'M
expected. The Loeb Earn struck the s ca
mer amidships and made IL cilasm twelve
feet deep and from twenty-five to thirty
feet wide. The exact position Of the Wills
de Havre at the time WAS lat. 42z1, long.
1881.
A panic took possession of the passen-
gers. Five minutes after the collision the
main and mizZen masts fell across two
large boats which were filled witt! people
and ready for launching. The boats were
crushed, and many of their occupants kill
ed and injured.
In the brief interval be ween the coils
ion and the sinking of the steamer the crew
were able to launch only whale boat and
captains gig. The Loeb Earn went mile
before stopping. She then got out foul
boats to pick up the people struggling in
the water. Meantime the whale boat, un-
der the command Of the second lieutenant
of the Vile de Havre, picked up one load
of those who were clinging to the planks
spars, &c. and took them to the Loeb Earn
She returned to the scene and rescued an
| other load.
Captain Surmount, who remained on
! deck to the last was rescued by this boat
Three quarters Of an hour after the coils
| ion one of his officers swan a mile to the
Loeb Earn, and was hauled on board with
| rope. The boats continued to search the
water in the vicinity of the disaster unit
there was no hope of saving more lives.
The cold was intense. Many Of the sur
vivors were immersed two hours, and were
| almost lifeless when rescued. The shil
| Trimountain sighted the Loeb Earn al
eight A. M, six hours after the sinking O
the steamer, and received the survivors
| before reported. The saved speak in the
| highest terms Of the kindness of Captain
| Urquhart, her commander. There were
| six stow-aways on board the Vile dt
Havre.
THE PANIC ON BOARD.
The shock of the collision Instantly star
| tied the passengers and crew, and they
| I'll chod in tho 0ahip aD6 On Tho 6nnlxc G tbf
water poured in the chasm made by the
Loeb Earn. Most Of the passengers WERE
| too terrified to try to save themselves
Many prayed and many laid down will
| the calmness of utter despair. Some hear
| ing the water pouring into the ship never
| quilted their staterooms. Whole families
| thus went down together. The four boats
| lowered by the Loeb Earn found passen
gers and crew floating on the waves, hold
| ing to planks, buoys, spars, and whatever
| else could be seized as the wreck Many
had thus prepared themselves from the
| first.
| Many of the women saved were foun6
| floating in the water. The captain of the
| Vile de Havre is reported to have beer
quite exhausted by his three days an6
| nights Of uninterrupted duty. The Officer
who was in command when the collision
| took place was lost. The sufferings o.
| those who were rescued were intense. the
cold being very severe. Many persons WERE
nearly insensible, and would have utterly
persisted in a few minutes. The rescues
were nearly all a matter OF haphazard, as
| the time permitted no organized effort OF
attempt at choice.
| STATEMENT OF THE PURSER.
The purser of the steamer says: In {
few minutes the ship began to sink amidst
great disorder and frantic terror The
scene was awful beyond all description
The air was rent with shrieks. but some
die, let us die nobly" The water rushed
into the hold with incredible velocity.
undressed myself, and with companion
jumped overheard and swan toward tht
Loeb Earn, then half mile distant. Al
1 left heard the ship cracking, and look
| ing back saw her go down with one plung'
| forward. For a moment the shrieks were
terrible, then all was silent Alas, it wa
the silence of death. Among the passen
gers on the deck of the Vile de Havre wa
| a French gentleman of remarkable cool
ness and presence Of mind. He comforte(
many by his words. A priest asked care
answer Repent, then," said the priest
ssand forgive your sins'' With these
| last words the priest sank in the waves
| The penitent was saved.
Among those who lost their lives on The
| Vile de Havre was daughter son-in-law
and three grandchildren of the late Hon
William G. Rives, of Albemarle county
Henry Sigourney, ESQ.,, of Boston, mar
ried Amelia Louise, the eldest daughter
| of Mr.. Rives. She was an amiable and &C
complished lady, and beloved by large
circle of friends. This sad affection will
fall heavily upon the aged mother of Mrs
Sigourney-Mrs. J. P. Rives-who still
lives in Albemarle county, in this State
SANGUINARY ATTACK ON A CIRCUS