The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-30
YIIE STEAMSHIP AMERIOUE.
The Latest Addition to the
French Line.
Her Dimensions Accommodations, Machinery
and Ofiicers-A Lucky First voyage-Res-
cuing the Crew Of Water Logged
vessel-story of Trials and suferings


ing after boisterous and eventful passage OF
eleven days and four hours, mean time, from
Brest. She left the latter port at six O'Clock r. NJ
on the 18th inst having favorable weather the
first and second days out, with turbulent seas,
and from this time encountered heavy head winds
and tremendous cross seas, reaching the oar at
Sandy Hook at ten O'Clock on Wednesday evening,
after detention OF four hours in rescuing a
water.logged crew, OF which mention Will be fully
made below.
This vessel, though rot as large as one or two of
the line, has been furnished with all the improve
ments which an extended experience and o pro-
fuse outlay OF money can secure She is one OF the
first steamships OF the line rebut-the Allan tique,
OF the South American trade-with new frames,
new decks, new engines and boilers, new upper
works, and internal appointments new in every
respect. She was reconstructed and heightened
In hull by Messrs. Leslie Co., OF Hebburn.
Newcaste.on-Tyne. and her improved machinery
is from the extensive works OF Messrs.
Mandsleys, Sons h Field OF London. Her dimen-
sions are as ioilOws:-Length on deck, 40 feet;
breadth of beam, 4s feet Inches; depth OF hold,
80 ieet inchesi draught OF water at load line, "a
feet; has four decks, Is bark rugged and ts OF 500
tons burden, builders measurement, while her
registered tonnage Is 800 tons. The bottom plat
ing OF the Amerique Is seven eighths OF an inch,
an inch, and on every deck there are beam ties or
stringers IN such number and character xs to give
Jnc VcSscl kTcoL bCTeuRtu anu uur0DluLy.
MACHINERY.
The Amerfque's motive power is OF a novel char
acser "a ana consists Of four engines which are
pressure cylinders being OF Al incnes each in diam
eter and the two low pressure cylinders of rs
piston OF feet inches. Steam is provided by six
boilers placed lengthwise OF the vessel each having
four furnaces Tne departments OF freight and Of
the anchors aud of the precautions against fire
and the security to prevent 1t are operated
by Independent engines and pumps. There are
md ha
arrangements for proper ventilation are Of the
most perfect and improved nature.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The accommodations for passengers are OF
the luxuriant character that this line has long
grand and elegant, being surrounded with tropical
plants, and, as you descend, the eye rests
s n4S second % the to s
OF those vessels which have preceded them
on the route hence to Havre. The saloon is wide
mented with figures wrought in gold, while the
ceiling Is exquistey finished in white, with gold
Mirrors are on every hand, and to further adorn
the apartment are grand piano and q library con-
% woks OF the S 5
opposite the grand entrance, is smoking room,
whose c0seyness and appointments will commend
themselves to the old ocean traveller. AIT and
forward OF the saloon are
THE sTATBROOMs
for the hrst class passengers, and there is not
vessel in the port New York the apart
ments OF which are 80 roomy and present
30 much COnIOfC. Tne fixtures are OF the most
respect. In these rooms OF retirement there can
be- be-. accommodated liz passengers called FIRST
looking quite as pleasant and agreeable,
there can be oertned in roomy rooms
these quarters Is perfect and these lOungtng places
are Just as sumptuous as those on the deck above.
furnished In blue the bathrooms ana lavatory iOr
the same sex, while those for the gentlemen are
Just as pleasant. but removed a considerable dis
n
Among the many improvements, or rather sug-
gested different arrangements on board are the
tons OF the vessel, all easily reached, and the ten
large hfeboats are 80 arranged as to be lowered NJ
will.
LIST OF OFFICERS
The oflcers OF the Amerique fourteen In num-
ber and with q crew OF lS2, MAKE up ships com,
through great peril on the ocean highway, but are
still devoted to their profession as followers OF
Neptune. The officers are as annexed
CGpt0i,l-ROussan.
Second C0ptdtnIGaray.
First Observation-Disclosures.
Second Lieutenant
Third acknowledgements
Assistant Purser -Durbec.
StuQeOn-Falle.
Chter EYagtneer-Keesen.
Assistant Engineers Mouille, Wallet, Pinon.
REsCuINa AN ENGLISH CREW.
Not only did the AmeIique make decidedly ex-
cellent first trip across the ocean, but she was In
strumental IN rescuing from horrible death
eleven English sailors, VINO momentariy expected
Atlantic. This OCCURRED S on the 2lst inst. at
III A. NJ IN latitude Al deg. % min and Ia longitude
% deg 80 MIN !merldan Of Paris and was 50 sue
that 1t must be hailed as harbinger Of nope to
the new craft The story Of the deliversnce
Zarah Is better told IN the language Of Captain
David CrOwther, who was interviewed late yester-
a snst the DarR 2ars %
swansea, Wales lett the former port at eight
A. sa i laden with t Ss
with fresh breeze from the northwest, and pro-
ceeded ON our VOYAGE, feeling that
EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT.
Christmas, and no crew ever felt more satisfied
than ours as they expressed again and again
On this day, when the world felt at peace, an just
alter the Christmas dinner had been served, 1t
commenced to blow from the east-sOutheast, and
a heavy cross sea Knocked our vessel about SO
iearfuliy that the Joy OF the few hours before
hove the bark to under close reefed mantopsail,
but all the time she was labortng very heavily, and
10 our gfea1 anS IL s aa
During the night the gale moderated and then We
put the snip before the wind, hoping for better
Sst ns' the e'' wind veered 70 the wesTnort tn
west, and, blowing great guns" the sea
In latitude 81 deg min. north and longitude II
deg. % min. west. That night closed IN full OF
gloom, and every one on board expressed the lear
reached" From this date until the 18th Of jan
uary there was succession OF strong and va
riable winds, accompanied with heavy cross
seas, and there became q settled convic-
ton in the minds OF all that great ex-
posure, II not death, were awaiting them. But the
CREW WERE AS BRAVE
as ever stepped on board a craft and worked with
a will during the days and nights OF fatigue that
followed. AT noon of the date last given usth
inst), latitude A. deg. As MIN. north
longitude IS deg. Al min. west, the ba-
rometer, though very low, was railing fast
and. despite the waves, which ran mountains
high, we commenced taking IN sail, fearful that the
worst mad yet to come. At four O'Clock p M. II
began to moderate, with light winds. and then was
finished the work OF slowing the foresail and FORE
topsal, when We hove the bark to on the star
board tack under the lower maintopsail. The
wind now piped vciOusly from the southeast, and,
at ten O'Clock p. NJ, there was thunder squat,
accompanied with terrific lightning, and the sea
became more angry than ever. 1t was ''nasty and
dangerous" The ship labored very heavily,
and was making water so fast that all
hands went to the pumps ana did what was
In their power to relieve her, but in vain. At mid
night hurricane came upon them, with the sea
making q complete breach over the vessel, washing
away buwarks and stanchions and making
wreck the long boat. The leak increasing