The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-03

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: A cor
respondent Of THE Sun has given an account Of
n conversation with me about the last trip Of the
Pomeranin that | must correct in particular
or two. The HerdiFs weather bulletin in Paris
had told rs Of storm affecting the French coast
oct. &c. and We found It ut Havrc so strong
that the pilots would not take us out but We did
not collide with another ship rs we started. A
vessel driited against tho Pomerania while she
was Mt the dock and punched a hole in her side.
We did not nearly touch the Hnvre in mid
ocean. The two vessels heard each others sig
mails in the fox and passed within a furlong II
II had not been Tor careful att ntion 10 duty ON
both ships they would probably have smashed
each other. 80 exactly Woro they on the same
road, one hound for York and the other for
Concering the display OF wild lights Mt night
on the ship. they did not make "A splendid il
lumination but danced and lickered about tho
iron ropes and the masts Jhck o lantern like,
They We're more numerous and brilliant on this
occasion than the Captain had ever seen them,
lilo said there were Thousands and thousands
lie air was mn 81 Inn md Tho ,inrrne.s" ,so
Intense. OF course the condition Of the atmos-
phere and the iron about the ship accounts for
Such lights have beon scen n thousand times
when nothing appeared tu promote the sun
position that they are sign OF shipwreck hut
the coincidence OF tncir remarkable appearance
TINS time. ia connection with tho we'll known
sailors tradt! about them and speedy loss OF
An onlrer Of the Pomerania did not tell mo
the sailors -nld those lights meant the wreck Of
the ship. fellow passenger who had for many
years been master ~ a Nes-cl made that state-
mcht, and spoke ol The frDqu ney with which
lac hdd seen such lights, though not 80 brilliant
or numerous M those were represented 10 hn
ON wooden ships. often ia ugly nights the
watch al soH thinks h" discovers star. and Ia
surprised and grateful that the gloom of tho
sky ~ broken, but ia moment hls mistake IL
apparent. Tor his star is but spark on ,ho
rigging
While writing ~ the Pomcranin. il seems
proper should refer 10 the charge, which has
IN good condition when her hour of calamity
came. remarked on the voyage out the epc cinl
caro- with which the boats Wore oVprhaulud
just before our arrival at New York all tho
BOATS were tnkcn down cleaned, scrnpcd, and
wilh Rli their apparatus, nut in perfect order
hll never seen at sea such painstaking with
boHts.
IA for Commodore Schwcnson. should haye
expected Inn 10 70 down with his ship. lust rs
he dld dong his duty to the last | confess
however, 20 feeling for tho old hero nm affection
lhWwouid very strongly move me 10 stand by
nun In trouble, and would not ask that my
judgment should DO taken against evidence
But the testimony IL all for him. and tho crlti-
clsn suarlnG him il directed against the on eors
stances OF shipwrcck. We're the majority OF pas
lost ?
Tho fault Of the mistakes have attempted To
point out II MING, Tor when talking with your
correspondent / WIS hurried and, perhaps
careless.
One moro point. My trip home was not nm
bad weather for November. NJ uALsTEAD
CINCINNATI, Dec. 81, 1878.