New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-15
WHOLE NUMBER 2l56.

into the engine room, and had no ides
where 1t came from except the ships bot
tom. ! found on investigation that it wak
there the leak occurred.
The pumps we're vigorously applied, but
without avail, as the water poured in more
and more rapidly than we could discharge
II. The following day we sighted the
Greece, hred gun and put up signals OF
distress.
passenger on the Europe gives the
whole number of souls on the Europe at
PA. The freight list amount ted to 2OO6 IONS
of French goods. including 5000 baskets of
vine. The Europe left Brest Saturday.
twenty,e,ghth ultimo, and as she pro-
gressed the wind, which was blowing nuite
hard when she departed, Increased in vio-
lence, and she steamed slowly. On We'd
nesday night the fury of the storm was ter
rlble, and sleep was out of the question.
| up 10 thls tlme the donkey engine had been
kept in continuous motion. To few uncor-
cerned inquiries as to the cause for the con-
stant working OF the donkey the answer was
made that ashes were being raised. Atnoon
| Thursday, when it was calculated the
Europe was 1000 miles from Brest, a steam
er of the National line was in sight, and
everything appeared to be going WE'LL the
passengers being scattered around the YES
| oCA hAbuS UltAo dS Ocet NUty cOulU.
About P. NJ. gun was fred. Every
body asked his neighbor what it meant, bat
no one suspected the truth. Soon after an
| other gun was fired by the Europe, and
then it became evident there was trouble on
board. The crew were at work clearing
away boats. Distress signals were at the
| main peak, and the grave faces of the Off
GERS were unmistakable indications of the
seriousness OF the situation. Gradually it
was rumored that a large amount of water
had entered the steamers hold, and that the
Europe was IN sinking condition. The
officers, when questioned, were reticent, but
concealment was no longer possible or nee
essary.
1t was critical moment when the truth
became manifest to the passengers. They
behaved well, and very quietly went below
and put on life preEervers. The ladies be-
haved nobly, not on expression Of alarm
escaping their lips.
The National steamer. which proved to be
the Greece. approached rapidly, and stopped
about the fifth of mile distant Both
steamers lay in in the trough of the sea,
rolling heavily, but beats were lowered
from both vessels and the work of disem-
barkation commenced, the women and
children being first taken off, A few per-
sons were ducked unceremoniOusly, and
one or two were pretty badly scared bv the
immersion. There were. however several
narrow escapes from being crushed to death
beneath the steamers sides and the small
boats.
But little property of any kind was saved.
and much valuable jewelry of passengers
was lost. A little German girl was left be-
hind by its mother, but the wee thing was
found by male passenger and take off,
together with peJ bulldog. The officers
of the Europe behaved well, intelligently
and coolly. Arrived on the deck of the
Greece the rescued were greeted with lavish
welcomes from her officers and passengers,
and everything for their comfort was done.
Captain Lemairie came OFF in the last boat
bringing the mail bags with him. The dis
embarkation consumed two hours, from
4:3O to 6:3O P. NJ. Mr.. Back then went on
the Europe, but as it was too dark to make
complete investiga ,ior, he returned to
the Greece until morning. The Greece Law
by all night wkile the Europe, without a
human person on board, rocked to and fro
at the mercy of the waves.
Early in the morning Mr. Buck again
went on board, and concluded to try to
save the vessel, left the Greece with his
volunteer crew in two of the latter's boats.
all OF the EurOpe's boats having been al
lowed to drift away after eaving the pas
sengers the previous day. After he got on
board he found it impossible to turn the
Europe about, and the Greece undertook to
tempting to get hawser to the Europe the
latter seemed to feel the wind more strongly
than before, and came forging down with
her bow pointed straight for the Greece's
stern, and in minute cut fair into the
Greece's stern, like a knife entering a
cheese. The steamers soon got clear.
An examination showed the only damage
was hole four feet wide and seven feet
high in projecting part of the stern, some
distance above the water line. This was
soon repaired suficietly to prevent any dis
agreeable consequence. As to the cause of
the leakage the writer says he can not
speak authOritatively. On her last VOYAGE
from New York to Havre, the Europe en-
countered very severe weather, and was.
doubtless, badly strained. At Havre she
was put in dry deck and her condition on
leaving that city was apparently good.
Coming out OF Havre she bumped on the
bar, but 80 slightly that few people on
board knew of the touch. do not think
that shock did any injury to the steamer.
Iha6 the steamer was taking too much
water became apparent TO the officers when
she was two days out, still at that time
there was nothing dangerous to be seen.
and assuredly nothing to warrant Captain
Lemalrle IN turning back. The water first
began to make in the tireroOm on Tuesday
md Wednesday. The increase of water
vas not alarming. The tremendous weather
u Wednesday night had most unfavor-
lble effect. At between one and two o'clock
m Thursday morning the chief engineer
informed the captain that the water was
coming IN so fast that the pumps were
carcely able to keep it from gaining. 1t
vas not, however, until about A. M that
ne Europe's peril became apparent. The
water then began TO gain much more rapid
= than before.
Captain Lemairie and his chief engineer
esolved TO continue their efforts for few
ours, and if by that time they should not
successful IN lighting the waters it was
eclded they would do their utmost to keep
ne vessel afioat until land or another ship
hould be reached. Then the Greece hove
sight, and Captain Lemairie knew that he
1ouId at least save his passengers. With
ne assurance OF that safety the captain
Dnsldered himself justified in continuing
Is efforts to defeat the water. The sluices
ON the ire room compartment into the
Dgine room we're opened TO keep the water
Glow the level of the free, but the aper-
Tres were insufficient, as the water was
ore than foot higher in the fire room
ian in the engine room.
Later in the day orders were given to
,en the sluices ID the fore and aft compart-
ents, as the Greece officers reported no
ater in those compartments. Captain
emaire supposed The water ran across the
vi cuhhCls' pu'fSt tllt SIulCts. ana pre-
,nted the water from passing out of the
e rooIAs into other compartments
The Captain. Statement.
Captain Lemairie, in his statement. savs.
left Havre On the the twenty-sixth of
arch. About 300 metres outside the iettv
2 vessel, going at a full rate of sDeed
raped its bottom along It's full length.
{ the pumps TO working immediatelv.
Ter. - e0o"
arrived al bTest the next day, we re-