, 1873-12-02
THE OCEAN DIsABTER.

Such diaaster as the sinking Of tho trans
Atlantic steamer Vile du Havro can only DO re-
ceiyod with universal wall Of grief. Iussan-
taneous md Wholesale death impreaHos MI aliko
with q souBe Of horror which llas no mitigating
or compensating alleyiations to orer. There be
those whose oflloe in lifo ia to find consolation
for tho desolato husbands and fathers, brothers
and siaters, mothers and daughters, and tho
stricken friends OF the passengers who won't
leave tho tnak Of finding comfort for comfort
leas souls, whose grief can discover nothing
proyidentia1 In 30 hard visitation as this. Totho
public at large, the disaster is Of those whoao
gravity is not lost oven through the frequency
Of their recurrence in late years. It will dampen
the ardor Of many who arc looking forward to
tho pleasures OF q European visit; and 1t must
striko deep into the hearts OF all, tho uncertain
ty Of life and the torrors OF sudden death. But,
80 far it teaches no losson and serves not as d
warming, It Ia one Of those dull, dead, dirgo-
like catastrophos ut which men pause moment
in horror, then bralsh away tho confusing
thoughts ind unavai1ing grief to rush On again
In tho world till the blow strikes somewhere else.
Perhaps 1t is as we'll that the details Of tho
disaster are 80 mesgre and unsatisfactory. They
will bo known In due timo and can bring with
them only now lerrors aud frosh grief. Every
ONO can picture to htmBelf better than tho most
graphic description can picture for him tho hopo
less situation Of collision at sea in the
sleoping hours Of early morning, followed By the
sinking OF tho ship in twolvo minutes. The
saving Of 80 largo proportion OF tho crow, aud
the loss of 30 many Of tho passengers, is readily
accounted for by the fact that half the crew wero
on duty, and all were familiar with tho ship,
while the passengers were asleep in their cabins
aud unskillod, even when awakened by the
ehock, in the means for naying themselves. It iB
not improbable that tho majority Of the pas
songors woro not awakened to a realization Of
their dangor bofore tho waves awopt oyor them.
Twelve minutes arc but brief under any circum-
STANCES thoy count for nothing In a sinking
ship at midnight in open sea for atartlod inox-
periencod, and hclpless passengers Whole first
thoughts arc probably for some ono boaidoa
themselves. Wo havo, as yot, no information that
juatiflea tho arraignmont Of tho officers OF
either ship for oulpablo oarelossuesB or neglect.
In tho absence of such information, however,
1t strikes one with amazemont that, In all the
broad expause Of ocean, thousands OF miles In
longth and breadth, two ships that do not
measure 100 foot III aggregate width should
strike. It would seem o hard matter to accom-
pliBh oyon In deliberate effort OF two vessels
leaving opposite shores; it is almost unaccount-
able when all efforts arc made to avoid colllB-
ion. After tho collision, tho colliding Vossol,
Loeb Erne, appears to have mado heroic efforts
to gayo 1ifo, Us eighty-Roven Of the passengers
and CROW woro picked up. Still thero were 22o
vesloHt, and 1t Ia thia which canuot be forgotten
Al wo read In the dispatches Of tho enormous
sIzoof tho Vilodu HAyre, second only to the Great
Eastern In dimenSions; Of tho great spool made
in her preceding voyage; Of tho marble wainacot-
lug, velvet upholstery, carved woodwork, and
the elaborate elegance with which tho steamer
waa eyerywhore provided, wo eau only wish TINT
como OF the woalth and ingenuity which fur
ulshol these things had been expended to SECURE
q creator strength. that might hayo avortod 80
quick wreck, mud enabled more porsops to ps-
cape With their lives.
Among al the Losses By the Yillo du Hayre, It