The New York herald., 1878-11-27

not float more than half hour. The GOODNESS
of Captain schwensen is beyond all praise. With
the rapidity of thought he sent men to
the bulkheads throughout the ship. others to
n tho passengers and crew. and others
to ear the boats in readiness to be
lower,d 1t was then discovered that two
of them had been crushed. The whistle
was loudly blown and distress signal rockets were
fired. Then followed the moment of suspense-it
was doubtful how the passengers would behave.
TIE PANIC.
The crash and roar of the rending ironwork pro-
of the passengers who not awakened by the
shock and noise Of the collision were brought
to consciousness by the members Of the watch, who
had been sent to tell them of their danger. In
a few minutes all were awake. The poor af-
frighted people now began to come on deck. many
only in their night clothes. None had any definite
idea Of the extent imminence OF the danger. None
had time to anything. Then followed the usual
rush for the boats. No to have thought of
the life belts and if these had been made of uni
person
very smooth. Tho captain tried to calm
the rising excitement by assuring the passengers that
all would be saved. At this moment however, one of
the six good boats was swamped at the vessels side
out too rapidly, and those at the stern
got clogged; result the four who
in her tending the blocks and getting out tho
were dumped into the sea. The boat hung by
it's stern tackle and before the ropes could be cut
than thirty people sprang the vessels side
into the already hsfsunken craft. As soon as tho
ropes cut the boat capsized and foated OF on
the tide. bottom upward With few exceptions sll
these people were drowned
NEARLY ALL LOST.
ETwo three afterward picked up by another
boat, having ont Of reach Of their struggling
gasping comrades The panic deck after the capsiz
ing of the first boat became general. Men and
rushed frantically hither and thther; others knet
silently in prayer. and several passengers
turned below to their staterooms only to
appear deck bearing large portmanteaus.
with which they absentmindcdy paraded the
deck. One gentleman descended the
panionway and returned to the promenade with his
silk hat his hand brushing it he proceeded with
the sleeve Of his cotton nghtshirt his only garment
Shrieks and prayers heard associated with the
commands Of the officers and the wrangling Of the
crew. Ominous indeed is the fact that all the crow
were saved and more than fifty passengers lost!
LEAVING THE SHIP.
Another boat had. meanwhile, been successfully got
into the the other side Of the steamer, but be-
fore anybody thought to see whether the plug
was in or not the boat was half full of
water, and when the passengers were lowered
down il came very nesr swsmpng. Many Of tho
passengers hsd to he dragged the steamers side
SO terror stricken were they. The discipline Of the
crew greatly improved after the Arst ten minutes
had passed. Five boats now in the
water and loading with their human freight
with considerable regularity. Strange to say
Of the passengers refused point blank to enter the
boats. Every effort was made by the first and second
officers to induce all to leave: but finding delay use
less the Ave boats pulled away from the sinking
Pommerania, leaving about twenty passengers and
Captain Schwensen on board.
THE LAST MOMENTS.
The captain remained on the bridge as the boats
drew off into the night and the great black hull
soon faded out Of sight in the haze. A few dim rays
OF light emerged from the ports. and away at the
masthead. silently q tongueless bell. swinging as
the swung, the great white light that
marked the disabled ships position. The fires were
ont the whistle could longer be sounded for the
want of steam. The great steamship could not move
although the shore was scarce six miles away. She
was helpless She was lost!
THE PoMMERASrAs STORY.
Chief Officer Franzen, of the Pommerana recovered
from his surliness tonight and made the following
statement My boat had forty people in it. and had
to attempt the rescue of any persons floating. We
rowed to the Glengarry-from Rouen for
Leith--which stood by during tho night. and
we saved one passenger from the water. At daylight
the topuast of the Pommerania and her fore and
main yards visible above the water but there
was nobody in the rigging. She lies abont south
west. twelve miles from the Forelsnd Light. The
Glengsry then steamed for Dover, and the tug Gran
Vile took the people into the harbor, where they
were taken to tho Sailors Home. There a thick
fog all day Monday. About forty-nve minutes after
eleven O'Clock might with hardly the slightest warn
ing OF the close proximity Of any vessel bark ap-
pcared on our starboard quarter and Immediately
crashed into us just abaft the funnel making large
hole. The water rushed in and the Pommerania began
sinking. The Captain ordered blue lights TO be sent
mp and the boats cleared away Perfect discipline was
maintained throughout. The Captain remained on
the bridge overseeing the launching Of the boats.
and, though begged to leave. steadfasty refused to