The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-17
The Foundered Steamships vilIe de KavTe, Europe
and IAmerique.
THE FRENCHMANs "LIFE FIRST, PROPERTY
AFTERWARDS" VS.. THE ENGLLsuNANs
- DON'T GIVE Ur THE SHIP"


/ We have refrained from saying a word
/ about the loss of TIE two Steamers of the
I French line that happened within Il fort
night of each other We would not do the
/ Pilgrims by the Perere the wrong to sup
pose that one of them would think of with
drawing from the Pilgrimage, on account
of any trouble raised the devil. .
Now that ample time has been given IL
prove that there has been no such DISPOSE
ton any where; it is proper to say that this
French line lad three of their Steamers
lcHgthened." These three were the Vile
de Havre, Europe, and L'Amerique. These
three, within a short time of each other,
have founderod at sea. There is not, on
this transatlantic Line, one Steamer, nop,
that has been " heightened" If, as some
surmise, the lengthening" of ship
impairs its trustworthir ess, this would go
bard with OMer famous 7 transatlantic Lines,
that are running ships so heightened.
Some experts say that, ii " heightened "
ships are dangerous, it can only be from
some difference in the iron used in the tor
located section, from the iron used in the
original ship. Modern Steamers, being of
iron, and being such vast fabrics, are, origi-
nally, made in sections, and fastened to-
may involve another question. The length
ening of the three heightened French
Steamers, was done by highly preten-
tious English ship-building establishment,
at New Castle on the Tyne. 1t will be for
judges in such matters to say whether it
was the method, or the way the Company
on the Tyne did their work, that led to
these disasters.
The Pereire, and the Vile de Paris, We're
built by the famous Napier Company, on
the Clyde, in the South West of Scotland.
No limit was set as to the cost of either of
them. There was but one specification 1t
was that these vessels should ercel any others
"a 10
Der of the Freeman is going through the
Press. the Pereire will come into this port,
completing her hundred and first crossing of
the Atlantic. She will sail on the 10th, and
be telegraphed off Brest on the 25th-her
usual nine days of passage.
The bad feeling that has arisen between
the French and the " National lines, con-
segment on a crew from steamer Of the
latter having made a desperate, and fruit
less, attempt to pilot the Europe into some
port, is deeply to be regretted. Two such
gallant gentlemen as Mr.. Hurst, of the
g National" and Mr.. Mckenzie, of the
French line, ought not to permit the mise
ries of national prejudices to be long pro-
tracted in a quarrel between two such
companies. 1t is resolved, at last, as we
look on it, into national difference as to
the etiquette. The French ticket is:
" Huma" life frst--,property far ways
AFTER" And, in the French merchant
marine law, Commanders of vessels are
vigorously held to this card. The strong
position for the French Line was "The
engineers, and officers, of L'Europc, on an
inspection-prOred correct condemned that
vessel, as not in a condition to Lave hope
of keeping her from laundering, as the
Vile de Havre, her exact counterpart, had
foundered, by the same break in the mid
die. The Commander Of a French vessel,
under such circumstances, would have
made himself liable to severe penalties,
had he permitted part of his crew, ont of
greed for an immense monied gain, to have
imminent!y periled lost, except for the
luck of being found, next day, by another
steamer) their lives, AS Catholic, we own
our feeling is in favor of this French code
of the merchant service. The gallant Cap
tain Fry, of the Virginius, won the admira-
ton OF his Cuban executiOners for the uu
hinching manner in which he offered his
own life, without complaint, while plead
ing in vain with those butchers for the
lives of others that, he protested, had
shipped on the Virgnius, ignorant of her
destination, and trusting to the ,rorthless
rags, under Mr.. Secretary of State Hamilton
Fish's direction, OF an American clearance,
on American papers-given by Mr. Fish's
orders-and covered by the United States
flag. We admire, as an act of higher
courage, Capt: Fry's refusal of the PROPOSE
ton urged on him to blow up the Vir.
ginius, rather than let her be captured
with the certainty of maltreatment and
speedy death when captured. "Now he
said, there are too many souls on board,
not fit to be hurled into eternity, without
any time to prepare for it," And he was
rewarded by having so many of those
ignorant men, Oh his brief exhortation and
instruction, profess the Catholic faith, and |
by Baptism, and other Sacraments, secure |
the salvation of their souls.
The French code for the merchant ma
rine, as we have said, is: "Take care of
human Tires first of property, only after
wards" But the British ticket is Don't
give up the ship ~ That il: Sailors are
but poor devils-worth on'y their ,raqes,
and what is paid for them to the keepers of
sailors boarding houses, who furnish them
s SMALL loss if twenty or thirty of them arc
drowned Don't give up the ship!'
Cardinal de Cheverus believed in win
III i. al.