The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-26
CAPT. LUCE OF THE ARCTIC.
AN OCEAN HORROR WHOSE MEMORY
IITES arm MANY YEARS.

t,.nve Ienrs AGO, HccnIIed-A Courm-
xeous Captain and an Jndiscipiincd Crew
-GoInx Down while Firing "a signal Gun.
The loss OF the Arctic made so vivid an
imprcs sion, and scored itself 50 deeply on tho
memory thnt few persons are ready to believe
without reflection. that 1t occurred quarter of
a century ago. Capt james c. Luce. to whom
public reception was rendered in this city after
his rescue is now II ruddy faced. brght-eycd
old man. employed rs an inspector by the Great
Western tmarinel Insurance Company in its
Office in Wall street.
For the first time in many years. the public
had n direct reminder Of the appalling calam-
ity Of which he was the central figure. in his
appearance as witness in the Merrill will
case. Mrs. Merril's husband was n Captain in
the same line OF steamships. and Capt Luce
used frequently to see her at his office after her
husbands death 1t was his observations OF
her manners and his memory Of what this &c
centric old lady said. that WIS sought by tho
lawyers. The yellow files OF the newspapers
printed in October ls5i are full Of the dra-
matte story as IL was gradually revealed 10y the
ninoty-seve men who were picked up.
some in bouts. some on ono piece of wreck.
some on another Not woman nor n child was
saved. Tho Arctic was tho finest steamship OF
the Collins line. Her statcrooms were u revela-
ton Of elegance to the European tourists OF
those DAYS. and have hardly been equalled since.
She sailed from Liverpool on Wednesday morn
ing. Sept. 90 1864. with 1913 passengers and
with crew of $50 mcn-3s3 persons. all told.
Among those whom an evil fortune gathered In
her saloons were Mrs. T. X. Collins. wife Of the
head OF the line. who was returning with her
daughter. Is years old and her son. IA years
old. TO her homo in Lnrchmout. after a summer
spent in Europe: W. b. Drown. son Of James
Brown Of. Brown Brothers bankers. with his
wife and infant child and his sister: the Duke
de- Grammont and the Duke de Guynet. both Of
France; Mr. L. SANFORD. n leading lawyer Of
this city; Mr.. Woodruff. n brother OF Mrs. Col
Inns with his wife, Mr. Mahlon Day. wife. and
daughter. and many ell-known business men,
such as Mr. A. Benedict. Of Burr & Benedict,
md his wife. and Mr.. Asaph Stone wife. and
daughter. To these may be added Mr.. W. W.
Comstock a brother Of Capt Comstock. who
was then commanding the Baltic OF the same
line Of steamships. and Mrs George +. Allen
and child. She was a daughter OF Mr.. James
Brown. named above. Her husband. who ac-
companied them. WINS saved.
The vessel had fairly good weather and at
noon Of their seventh day out Capt. Luce con
pictured that they were within fifty miles
of land on the Newfoundland Banks.
The helmsman was steering west by
the compass. 1t had been foggy. so that
usually the double-look-9ut could not see fur
u
intervals. however. the ship. which was kept
going ut the rate Of 1917 miles an hour, would
plunge into fog ms binding as q snow bank
and this would be followed by a clear space ex-
tending mile or two miles ahead. Capt Luce
found 1t clear enough to take the sun at noon
md then went below TO work out his position
His calculations finished afterward showed Il
TO be latitude 4G' So ". longitude SO W.
When an ocean steamship is on her course
an order 10 change the helm is very rare. ant
the change made is usually very slight. Will,
tho Captain was working out his position HI
heard a shouted order Hard a-starboardr
This In fog could have only one meaning
Capt. Luce dropped his papers and sprang VI
on deck. As he emerged from the companion
way he felt great crash forward. and at thu
same moment saw the prov Of a steamer. JUS
visible through the fog. under his starboar.
bow. The order, Hard a-starboard' was
given 70 turn the Arctic to port. but II came toe
late. Capt. Luce saw. as the strange steamer
drove past him. that ten feet Of her bow hnt
been crushed Of by the collision. and nj once
inferred that she must sink. He h9d litl'
fears Tor his own vessel and his iirst order nile
the Arctc's wheels We're reversed was that Frs
Officer Gouray and six seamrn should 70 L
peared in the fog never 10 be heard ~ after
ward. They We're hardly In the water however
before the cry came MP from below that th
Arctic was leaking. Examination showed tina
while the crushed bow OF the strange steamer
had only Scared the. side II the Arctic nbovi
water her anchor. which was swinging over N,
side had given the larger vessel n fata
stab. The iron stock cross piecel %
square. had been driven through the side %
the Arctic about eighteen inches above III,
water limo. and one OF It's fuses had made
great hole lust below the water line. IL Is con
Pictured that the Auke tore Of a plank becaus,
the shank or main shaft OF the anchor broke
leaving the stock sticking through the side.
Is also thought that some Of the loneitud ma
have pierced the Arctic. The other vessel wg
steering east-southrast across tho Arctic
course. and was headed toward land.
The engines and steam pumps and bilge in
leeions on tho Arctic were ordered AZ work
The bilge Injections were an apparatus b.
which at each revolution OF the wheel streau
Of water Of the size Of u barrel could be throw
alternately from each side Of the vessel Capt
Luce said alterWard that he had reason 70 be
eve that Chief Engineer Rogers did not set tn
bllge Infectious AT work, although he had tor
him positively that he had done So. In add
ton 10 the steam pumps four deck pumps wer
vigorougly worked 10y uuss myers. IN the meal
time vain Efforts were made 20 stop the leak b
putting sails over the Low. in order that the
IsAS -" huthen mo tIo lc"Nf W mru u Nn
found that the water was gaining rapidly "i
the pumps and threatening 10 put out the tlres
Cant Luce gave orders 70 lower the bouts.
The only r0mmunl 'atl0n That mad hecn ha'
with Ill.," other steamship WIS hy means Of
boat, which she had sent out 10 inquire into IN
condition OF the Arctic. This boat came nj
suddenly In the fox ami WINS crushed under on
Of the paddle wheels which was backing at IN
saved Out Of its crr c wa5 Gaus t up o wa
the side, and gave the Information that his YES
sci was the iron screw steamer Nesta. com
manded by Capt. Duchesne (aiterward Captau
OF the Pereire.l
for wild disorder, mainly due 70 the hrem"r
The Arctic had on board forty men connect"
with her machinery OF these thirty-two wer
clnssed as ilrcmen or coalhenvers. They an
spite of orders Tho order VIVA given TO lowe
the boats and tow them ast"rn. % BE- kept II
readiness 20 take the women and children whc
thr fires went ont and the vessel could make N
more hradway toward the land There wa
room in the bonis for many more besides ~ 1s
WHO had forced Their way INTO t3en, ny whel