The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-08
THE LOST PONNERANA.
Captain Schwenstn Tells the Story
Of the Disaster.
TRIBUTES TO MANLY COURAGE.
A Passenger Who Was Not
Careful Of Life.
SCHWENSEN TO BE RElNSTATED
10y CABLE 10 THE HERALD


HAMBURG, Dec. 7. 1873.
Captain Schwensen, of the Pommeranin,
statement Of the events relating to the
catastrophe of midnight November %.
He says:-"When the steamer sunk l
was sucked down into the vortex. 1
did not have on life belt, and only
gained the surface after desperate
struggle, where, most fortunately, l en-
countered spar, aided by which |
foated for an hour and half
l seemed to be utterly alone on the surface
of the water until at last the lights of
steamer, that proved to be the City of
Amsterdam, came in sight. l shouted. i
was heard. boat was sent and was
taken on board the steamer in semi
1903; thus 1 am able to fix the time
exactly"
The captain will remain for the present
at Hamburg on account Of his serious illness
growing out of the great shock to his nervous
system. His physicians encourage the hope
that he will soon be out once more, restored
to health. Captain Schwensen details the
events following the collision which oc-
Cured while he left the bridge for few
moments to visit the chart house in
order to examine the course He exoner-
ates First Officer Franzen from blame. IRE
specting the conduct OF the officers and crew
after the collision" the captain continues,
II can only speak in terms Of the highest
praise. My orders were carried out calmly
and effactually. The report that some of
the crew attempted to save their personal
property and neglected to attend to the
proper equipping Of the boats or to the
safety Of the passengers is, according to my
observation, utterly unfounded. Into the
last boat that pulled away ! saw q passen-
ger hurl an iron cornered Golfer clear from
the deck, knocking a hole in the boats
bottom and endangering the life of every
passenger in the craft.
AT THEIR POSTS.
s'Chief Officer Franzen was on deck dis
tributing life belts and experimenting the
lowering Of the boats until within few
seconds Of the sinking Of the Pommerania.
Doctor Schneiding, the surgeon, was also
distributing life belts. Chief Engineer
Helms assured me, soon after the col
lision, that the steam had been shut off in
consequence Of there being so much water
in the engine room that nothing could
be done. Second Officer Fokkes was on
deck to the last and declined to enter the
boats, refusing to leave his captain. Third
Officer Zanrow was at his post till the sink
ing of the ship, firing rockets. Thus it will
be seen that the first engineer, second and
third officers and the surgeon persisted
while doing their duty. AS to myself 1
say nothing, only that I was saved by a
miracle"
TRIBUTES TO THE DEAD AND LIVING
The words of praise which the captain
speaks in behalf Of his officers conduct in
the moment of trial are touching and gen.
erous, coming as they do from the lips of
commander who lives to hear it said of him
that he went down with his ship and would
not leave her while she hoated. In
conclusion, Captain Schwcnsen says:-"I
do not wish to be understood as
singing any one man out for more praise
than another. / do not know a man Of the
ships company who did not do his duty.
The Pommerania's decks were only few
feet above the water when the last boat lett
the ships side by my express orders, and
just in time to escape the terrible vortex
that followed the sinking Of the vessel. II
seemed Niagara in the ocean,
TO BE REISsTATFp.
II will be gratifying to the friends of
Captain Schwensen in America to know