The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1874-02-11
HAWAIIAN GAZETTE
The "ville du Havre" Disaster
The story OF the Wreck.

Transatlantic COmpany's line, arrived at
this port at o'clock yesterday afternoon,
! (saysthe ~ Y. Iri6ane of December lsth)
after stormy passage, from Havre and
Brest. 1t was Thought possible that some
of the ill-fated steamers passengers, whose
plans had been so rudely defeated, and
whose friends and families had gone down
with the wreck, might return by this, the
earliest steamer, to the friends who had
been left behind. The list of passengers,
however, included none of the Vile du
Havre's passengers, and her officers and
crew, of course, will remain at Havre to
await the Government investigation.
Before the Europe sailed, however, she
was boarded by Captain Surnont and his
officers, and the details of the disaster
were fully rehearsed. A reporter of the
Tribune boarded the Europe on her arriv-
al Yesterday afternoon, and from Captain
/ Lemarie, Purser Lewal and Assistant Pur-
ser Gallon, and other officers who had
several interviews with the ship-wrecked
crew, obtained full particulars of the dis
aster a~rfs
Captain Surmont, accompanied by six
/ of his officers and five of his crew, reached
| Havre on Thursday, the 4th instant, hav-
ing been landed at Cardiff, Wales, on the
preceding Monday. The officers and a
portion of the crew went directly on
board the Europe She was preparing to
sail, and the hour for her departure was
already at hand. This prevented the re-
hearsal of the minute details which might
! otherwise have been furnished to her of
ficers The officers and crew of the Vile
du Havre dined upon the Europe on the
day of their arrival, and also breakfasted
there on the following morning, though
the night was spent on shore. The tragic
story of Captain Surmont and his crew is
this: r...-,
The Vile du Havre left New York for
Havre on the 18th of November with
full complement of officers and crew,
large number of passengers, and heavy
cargo. When only short distance out
at sea, she entered the borders of thick
fog, which at once shut out all sails from
sight and threatened danger to the great
steamship which was blowing through it.
The strictest vigilance was maintained in
every portion of the vessel, and every
possible precaution was taken to prevent
collisions Steadily the vessel kept ON
her course, and vainly her officers hoped
for clearer sky. The fog still enveloped
the steamer, and the watch on deck still
peered with straining eyes into the mist
Day succeeded day, but the fog lifted on
ly at intervals and then only for few
minutes, or possibly hours, at time
For five days and as many nights had
the French steamer pushed onward. CROP
ing her way as best she was able, and all
this time her officers were guarding
against harm.
On the morning of November goth a
brisk breeze sprang up, the fog was swept
before it, and the day was clear almost
for the first time since her departure from
New York. A heavy sea was rolling
throughout the day, but all fears had been
dispelled with the fog, and the Vile
du Havre now had plain sailing before
her. The morning of Friday the 2lst,
was also clear, and little or no fog was en-
countered during the day. The sea was
still running high, and the night came on
clear and starlit. The Captain himself
remained on deck until about 1890, when
he went below, leaving all things well on
board. He stretched himself in his birth, |
and soon fell asleep He was never in
the habit of sleel ing more than three or
four hours at time when at sea, and at |
about 2 a. NJ. arose to go on deck. As !
he came up he was startled to see large |
sailing vessel swiftly bearing down upon
the steamer, and at a glance he knew that |
collision was inevitable He had not
been informed of the approach ofany YES
sci, and knew nothing of it until he went
on deck. In moment the crash came,
and the unknown vessel plowed through |
the iron plates of the Vile du Havre,
opening frightful chasm, through which
the water rushed in tremendous volume.
The iron bowsprit of the Loeb Earn struck
the iron mainmast of the steamship with
full force, swapping it like pipe-stem.
The great mast tOttered over upon the
mizzenmast, but was still supported from
falling to the deck by and by the stays,
which had not given away. The Loeb
Earn had struck amidships on the star
board side, and shattered the boats Nos
and s beyond all hope of reconstruc-
ton.
The terrible shock had awakened the
passengers, who rushed upon deck in thin
night clothing, and in CONSERVATION sought
some means of rescue. Every one knew
that the vessel was sinking, and the of
feers and men sprang to the boats to
which they had assigned. They hurried
the passengers on board the boats as
rapidly as safety would permit, end
speedily prepared to man them. Many of
the passengers hurried to and fro in a
vain attempt to collect their scattered
senses, and some returned to their state
rooms to secure the articles of value
which had been forgotten in the first
wild moments of the disaster. By this
act number lost their lives. Had every
moment of time been improved, many
more lives might have been saved, since
all would have had time to take their
places in the boats, or at least to provide
themselves with life-preservers. A few
before the vessel went down
three chambermaids came on deck with
properly adjusted, but could
not summon courage to trust themselves
to them. They refused to jump over
board, and were supposed to have been
killed by the falling mast, or
to have been carried down by the sink
ing vessel Meanwhile the work of load I