New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-27
TILE LOSS Or LIE POMMERANIA.

THE LOSS or THE POMNERANIA
Inexperienced landsmcn have terror of the
open sea. When they cross the ocean for the
first time the mid voyage is apt TO he for
them a season of incessant apprehension they
nut off their fears as they draw near port
and hail the first glimpse of land as
an assurance of safety. Seamen know
that the real danger begins just when most OF
the passengers suppose it to be over. The
careful commander who, between the New
foundland Banks and the meridian of Cape
Clear has spent so large a proportion of his
time looking after the comfort and enter
tainment of the cabin, now disappears
from the saloon and the after-deck, and di-
vides his anxious nights between the chart
room and the bridge. A good ship on the
wide ocean, even in storm, Is safer than
railway tram. 1t is the approach to the coast
that the seaman breads, the neighbOrhoOd
of rocks and shoals and currents, and
the encounter with other vessels. There are
few spots in the whole world of waters so
beset with perils as the English Channel.
Through this opening, which cOnverges from
both ends toward a narrow strait in the mid
de- pour necessarily the fleets of the greatest
trading nations of the globe. The argosies of
the richest and busiest commercial city that
ever existed, much of the traffic between
the British Islands and thousand marts
of fruitful France and Spain, and the
sunny Mediterranean and the distant East, the
shipping of the adventurous ports OF the North
Sea. and il large share of the exchange OF
products between the New World and the Old,
must push through this vexed and turbulent
channel. Crowded with vessels, it is haunted
moreover by frequent fOgs, and hedged by
pelils at the entrance on either side. The
Schiller was dashed upon the rocks at one OF
its cateways, and the Deutschland went to
pieces on the shoals near the other.
PERHAPS there is never q collision at sea
without grave fault on one side or on both ;
but. considering the liability of all men to
momentary lapses of carelesSness, to mis-
understandings, to errors Of judgment, and
to confusion of mind in the moment Of
danger, the wonder is not that ships are
sunk, but that in crowded waters like the
English Channel so many are kept afoat.
1t was almost within hail of the
EngIish shores that the Adriatic sank
the ship Harvest Queen, not a soul being
saved from the wrecked vessel. 1t was nearly
on the SPOT of the POmmerania disaster that
the Franconia ran down the Strathclyde, which
went to the bottom with ffty-twO Of her pas
sengers and crew. Here the splendid ship
Northflcet was sunk with fearful loss OF
life. Here the great German ironclad
KONG Wilhelm crashed into and de-
stroycd the GrOs5er KuIfiirst with the sacri-
fee of 300 lives Collisions which are quickly
forgotten, because the consequences have for
tunately not been SO appalling as in the cases
we have cited, are of weekly occurrence. The
Helyetia sank Il coast-guard vessel near
Queenstown q month ago, and destroyed
seventeen lives. The Utopia, during the pres
cnt year, was cnt down almost to the waters
edge near the mouth of the Thames.
A seaman like Captain Schwensen was Ger
tainly not likely to underestimate the dan
gers of the Channel. The German lines have
always had q reputation for careful manage
ment, and this brave and veteran officer was
one Of the ablest and most experienced COM
manders III the service Of the Hamburg Com
pany. He had made 125 round trips
between Germany and America in com
mand of a ship, ard this last voyage
completed round million OF miles
that he had sailed on this route with the rank
and responsibility of captain. 1t is gen.
uine satisfaction to read among the details OF
the disaster how CALAMITY the old man stood
at his post, to the very end. keeping order and
saving lives. Whether he went down with
his ship when he could do no more, as one
| report says, or whether he was saved at the
last, as another states, he did his whole duty.
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