New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-15
sIcosrMuEp FROM FIRST PAoE.I

ton became critical, and the water still
rising, being in doubt as to what the result
Of cur efforts would be if continued and de-
sirous of placing my passengers beyond
danger. had signals made to the steamer
which had for two hours been within our
sight and was going in parallel direction
to our own, in order to attract her attention
to us and speak to her. 1t was the Greece.
of Liverpool. As soon as she was within
hailing distance, about four o'clock in the
evening, ! began to disembark my
passengers. Several times, meanwhile,
/ entered the engine room, and
every time found the water was
gaining. Our fires, / also found, were
nearly extinguished, and at last the engines
stopped OF their own accord. The second
officer of the English vessel, in making his
last trip, came on board and begged me
strongly, on the part of Captain Thomas, to
20 on board his vessel and confer with him,
stating that my vessel would be watched
until morning. promising formally before
my officers to put me back on board nov YES
sci, if nothing happened during the night to
prevent my returning. l then, on the
strength of this, ordered the transfer of all
my passengers and placed the mails in
safety, escorted by the first lieutenant,
On reaching the GREECE / left alongside
four OF my boats, completely supplied, the
four others having been broken. On getting
on board saw the captain Of the steamer,
and it was decided that, to ascertain the
gravity of the leakage, boat should be
sent with my second officer and the chief
engineer OF the Greece, who would make
thorough examination. They came back be-
tween nine and ten o'clock, reporting seven
feet Of water everywhere. AfterwaN /
had with Captain Thomas conversation
that two of my officers heard perfectly, by
which / should get back to my ship at day
break to examine the progress OF the leak
age, tranship some Of the provisions and
baggage, and afterward adopt a formal de-
termination by an assembled council to
abandon the Europe, if necessary, or at
tempt to bring her under sail to the nearest
port If il were possible.
This agreement having been accepted, l
caused the boats that remained to me to be
made fast alongside the Greece, but the sea
smashed them. l remained on deck all |
night to watch over my ship and in tie |
morning, when the boat was got ready to |
he sent Oft, prepared to embark in boat. |
according 10 an agreement. with my second |
and third heutenants and an engineer, |
when / was rebuffed in a brutal manner |
The chief engineer Of the Greece came back |
declaring that the water had gained two
feet. Later, another boat, commanded by |
the first officer OF the Greece, left to take
possession OF my steamer as derelict YES
sci, and IN SO dong violated all laws Of
honor and honest dealing. This uniustiia-
bic act protest against in q most emphatic
My action in this matter can be
authenticated by all my officers and crew,
10 well as BY the passengers who were on
deck at that time.
A second boat was sent out with like
result and had the same kind of reception
applied to Captain Thomas, who was sur
rounded by some of his officers, and told
aim that protested against his act and said
{ was piece of bad faith. He replied that
he first officer Of the Greece was going to
AXE my steamer to England. We were
hen in age north latitude and 800 west |
Ongitude. In the face Of this arbitrary act |
sOlemnly protested. was helpless and
without power and was a prisoner with all
ny officers and men. l had, therefore, but
ne last resource left to prevent a mutiny
' hich evaporation had driven my crew to
he verge OF. To avert this inevitable col
sion and certain blOOdshed ! suffered the
ast humiliation, but say boldly in my de-
ense, that acted with humanitarian views
D save the human beings intrusted to nv
are, and with all c0nscientiOusness of the
ght OF an honest man. ! must add in 6
lstice tina: with the exception of the before !
ientoned outrages myself and officers 7
ere treated with urbanity on board the Fl
reece. 9
Captain Thomas Indignantly repudiates !,
10 assertion that any attempt was made to g
revent Captain Lemairie, or any officer Of I
10 Europe. from returning and resuming .
| charge. Lemairie, he says, did not want
} return. As soon as he came on board b
re Greece, certainly within an hour after
ard, he (Lemairie) went to his berth, and .
ID not present an appearance again until | s
thin sight of Sandy Hook. L