The New York herald., 1876-01-14
A TERRIBLE TALE.


The loss Of the Harvest Queen is now established be-
yond doubt Captain Cunningham, Of the Black Ball
line, was despatched from Liverpool 10 Wexford with
instructions examine the spars and forecasue washed
ashore near Tuskar Light, and report they were
portions Of the Harvest Queen. The sad news Is al
hand that Captain Cunningham fully Identifies the lrag
parts Of the ship about which much anxiety
has lately been manifested
CAN IT BE POSSIBLE?
This announcement is made in company with an
other which, II true-and there now seems little doubt
to its authenticty-tends TO place the captain
Of the steamship Adriatic in equIvoca light.
IL has been stated-and the statement is verified
by one Of the passengers OF the Adriatcthat on the
night OF the 3Oth Of December that steamer came in
collision with ship, name unknown. reference to
The log Of the Adratc win show that collision is
mentioned defect which Captain Jennings has yet TO
explain 1t is strange that the officers should deny
that any collision took place, when Mr. Yard, one OF
the passengers positively states that did occur
and that the steamer stopped her engines for TWO
hours.
A PASSENGERS STORY
Al halfpast nine last night a HERALD reporter
mounted the steps OF No 500 Lexington avenue, and
making inquiry for Mr.. W. W. Yard was informed
by the maid who opened the door that he was at homo
When MI. Yard entered the paror the reporter asked
him II he was the gentleman named in the passenger
hist Of the steamship Adraiic He said he was the
same and the following conversation ensued-
"Mr Yard, have you recollection of anything OF an
extraordinary nature occurring on the night o pecem
al know there was collision that night heard
about IL the next morning. suppose ths with an arr
of deprecation that Captain Allen has been talking
with you about the matter =" Captain Alien was Tel
low passenger with Mr. Yard
A look Of surprise the only response TO the re-
ply that Captain Allen had not been seen and could not
be found
The reporter asked Mr. Yard TO tell him all he knew
of the collision on the night OF the Both of December
and following story with frequent questions here
and there, was told by the passenger
asleep
some time when was awakened by the stopping of the
ships engines As thought they were taking sound
ings turned over aud went to sleep again. In the
morning heard there had been collision, and that
the shin had stopped for TWO hours | heard the
captain say that IL his impression that the ship
which struck had glanced OF and not hurt
The boats were lowered, but nobody picked up
IL the impression that the man who forward.
when he saw collision was imminent, jumped and
tried to catch on the steamer, and losing his bold fell
into the water and was drowned We did not run into
the colding ship she ran into us, for at the time We
were backing up.
"How do YOU know you were backing up when yon
aseepy' asked the reporter.
''0h l know were; could swear to it, - was the
answer.
Here Mr. Yard who said his brother was a particular
friend OF Captain Jennings, INDUCED in unpro-
voked structures the talking propensities Of Captain
Allen, who he said, had not been TO sea for twenty
years, anu who, he thought knew nothing about the
business.
WAS any damage done to the Adratic by the coils
ion ~ queried the writer.
eyes :" answered Mr.. Yard, sour anchor stocks
torn away and other slight damage TO the forward rig
Thanking Mr.. Yard for his information the reporter
Withdrew
MORE INTERESTING FACTS.
When the steamer Adriaiic, OF the White Star line
reached port SUnday.last II noticed that her
bulwarks and bow railing stove in, and the atten
tion OF loungcrs about the piers drawn the
pdity with which repairs were being made The
Captain made the usual report, exhibited log
bearing upon 1t only records OF fair weather
and plain sailing. and no inkllng gwen OF
tragedy. There some too, Of opinion that this
marine disaster which SO much care has been taken 10
cloak over throws considerable light upon the fate Of
the missing Harvest Queen Yesterday information
was received at the HERALD Office from authentic
that the nrst day OF her last voyage
the Atlantic the Adratc into and sunk vessel in
the Irish channel the entire crew OF which perished.
IL also suggested that the collision rather
IRON careessness Than from accident and that the OIL
OF the steamer were responsible for IT.
Last night HERALD man passed along the White
Star line pier the foot West Tenth street and,
failing to ana any of the regular seaarng hands in the
company employ in the neghborhood, he went
board Al the head of the gangplank he was accosted
by man in charge
'No he has just gone ashore, was the reply Then,
after scrutnzing his nIerrogaor the man said, "Oh,
you were across with us, weren't youP
Certainly Don't you remember / was speaking to
you the night OF the collision A big smash-up
wasn't ~"
.'You may well say So and the seaman gave a very
eloquent shake of the head that seemed speak vol
Just then officer along, and the reporter,
luting him, said LAS the Captain away perhaps you
would favor me with an account Of the collision you
had the way over -
The officer hestated moment and then said in
careless way
"Oh thai did not amount to anything; only slight
affair, depend upon H. was IN my bunk at the time
and not awakened by the shock you may be
II was OF little consequence
s'what became OF the vessel 7'' asked the reporter
''Oh, she sailed away, suppose We lowered the
boats when we struck her, hut she wasn't in sight,
and, by the by, saw thai vessel reached Liverpool
few days ago somewhat damaged. Perhaps that
the crait / know nothing about the
affair, anyway And he took his leave
The reporter then hunted up of the crew or the
Adriatic on shore, who were not SO uncommunicatve
their superioTs, and from them be elected fol
loving interesting facts
On Thursday, December 80 the Adriatc left port
and ng down the Irish Channel before stn
breeze About hail past TWO on Friday morning. when
she was Oh Moyne Head the man on the lookout
Phil Hamilton by name. sighted vessel oh the star
board tack and just the path OF the Adratic which
tacking TO port He at once gave the alarm,
the the wheel put the helm hard port and
the steamer changed her About ten minutes
passed and then Hamilton gave the alarm again for the
helm had been reversed and the TWO vessels
closing fast upon each other. Ii a starry
night and against the sky the lookout man
could easily trace the outlines Of large ship bark
moment passed and then with crash, the Adratic
dashed into the bow Of the stranger. The engine
reversed and the steamer backed mile two
"Iower tine boats, rang from the quarter deck, but
hardly had the men reached them when counter
order gwen. They were finally lOOsed from the
davits and manned, but they rowod
awav the lights of the strange vessel sank lower
and lower I'LL they reached the waters edge and then
hull and all out OF sight The sailors say
that the cries Of the drowning could be distinctly
heard and that they gave directions, they aoated
for a moment 10 the take tnd them.
The whole affair. these rough seafarlng people thnK
forms OF the most dsgraceiul sea tragedies Of
which there Is any record.
SIGNIFICANT FACTS
The Harvest Queen went from San Francisco 10
Queenstown where she arrived on December 20 She
her there lay in the track OF the Adriatic
The Jib sheets pennants and blocks and part Of the
outer ibs Of the ship which was sunk now-ac-
cordng to the sailors stores-on board the Adriauc
The blocks from their peculiar construction seem TO