St. Landry democrat., 1879-06-28
Can't, Luce OF the Arctic.
AN OCEAN HORROR WHOSE MEMORY
LIVES AFTER MANY YEARS.
THE CRY "HARD A-STARBOARD" HEARD
TWENTY Y-FIVE YEARS AGO, RECALL
ED-A COURAGEOUS CAPTAIN
AND AN UNDIsCiPLINED
CREw-HoING DOWN
WHILE FIRING A
SIGNAL Gun
New York SUM-

am expression, ana SCOitti llSCiL SU uttp-
ly on the memory, that few persons are
ready to believe, without reflection: that
it occurred quarter of Il centuary ago.
Capt. James c. Luce, to whom q public
reception was rendered i'll this<Nty after
his rescue, is now a ruddy-faccd, bright
eyed old man, employed as an inspector
by the Great Western (marlne) lnsur
ance Company in it's office in Wall
street.
For the first time in many years, the
public had direct reminder Of the ap-
palling calamity of which he was the
central figure, in his appearance as a
witness in the Merrill will case. Mrs.
| Merrill's husband was 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 accentric old lady
said, that was sought by the lawyers.
| The yellow files of the newspapers
printed in October, 1854. are full of the
dramatic story as it was gradually re-
yealed by the ninety seven men who
were picked up, some in boats, some on
one piece OF wreck, some on another.
| Not q woman nor Il child was saved.
| The Arctic was the finest steamship of
| the Collins line. Her staterOOms were Il
revelation Of elegance to the European
! tourists OF those days, and have hardly
been equalled since. She sailed from
Liverpool on Wednesday morning, Sept.
! 30, 1854, with 333 passengers, and with
crew of $50 men-383 persons, all told.
Amony those whom an evil fortune
gathered in her saloons We're Mrs. +. X.
Collins, wife of the head of the line, who
was returning with her daughter, IS
years old, and her son, II years old to
her home in Larchmont, after summer
spent in Europe: w. B: Brown, son of
james Brown, of Brown Brothers, bank
his sister: the Duke de Grammont and
the Dukel de Guynet, both of France ;
Mr.. +. Sanford, a leading lawyer OF
this city Mr.. Woodruff, a brother of
airs. Collins, with his wife Mr.. Mahlon
Day, wife, and daughter, and many
Well-knOwn business men. such as Mr.
A. Benedict, of Burr & Benedict, and
| 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 steam
ships, and Mrs. George +. Allen and
child. She was daughter Of Mr.. James
Brown, named above. IIer husband,
who accompaniment them, was saved.
The vessel had fairly good weather,
and at noon OF their seventh day out
Capt. Luce conjectured that they were
foundland Banks. The helmsman was
| Steering west by the compass. 1t had
been fOggy, SO that usually the double
lookout could not see further than half
or three-quartcrs of a mile. At inter-
walls, however, the ship, which was kept
going at the rate of 134 miles an hour,
would plunge into fog as binding as a
snow bank, and this would be followed
by clear space extending a mile or two
miles ahead. Capt. Luce found it clear
enough to take the sun at noon, and
then went below to work out his posi-
ton. His calculations finished after
ward showed it to be latitude 46o 5J n,
longitude $50 W.
When an ocean steamship is on her
course, an order to change the helm is
very rare, an the change made is usually
very slight. While the CAPTAIN was
working out his position he heard a
shouted order. ' Hard a-starboard,"
ing. Capt. Luce dropped his papers
and sprang up on deck. AS he emerged
from the companion way he felt u great
crush forward, and at the same moment
saw the prov of a steamer, just visible
through the fog, under his starboard
bow. The order. Hard a-starboard.r
was given to turn the Arctic to port.
but 1t came foo late. Capt, Luce saw,
as the strange steamer drove past him,
that ten feet of her bow had been crush
ed of, by the collision and at once infer
red that she must sink. He hadelittle
fearsfor his own vessel, and his first
order after the Arctic's wheels were
reversed was that First officer Gourlay
aud six saamen should go to her relief
They got int0 their boat and disap-
peared in the fog, never to be heard of
afterward. They were hardly in the
water, however, before the cry came up
from below that the Arctic was leaking.
Examination showed that while the
crushed bow of the strange steamer had
water, her ANCHOR, which was swinging
over the side, had given the larger YES
sci fatal stab. The iron stock {cross
piece} of the anchor, seven inches by
four inches sdtiare, had been driven
through the side of iile Arctic about
eighteen inches above the water line,
and one of it's fiukes had made great
hole just below the water line. 1t is
conjectured that the tinke tore off
plank, because the shank or main shaft
Of the anchor broke, leaving the stock
sticking through the side. 1t is also
thought that some of the longitudinal
iron strips in the bow of the otter YES
sci may have pierced the Arctic. Fhe
other vessel was steering east-soutlleast
across the Aretic's course, and was head
ed toward land.
The engines and steam punps and
bilge injections on the Arctic were or |
dered at work. The bilge infections
Were an apparatus by which at each re-
volution Of the wheel a stream Of water
of the size Of a barrel could be thrown |
from each side Of the vessel.
Capt. Luce said afterWard that he had
reason to believe that Chief Engineer
Rogers did not set the hsise injections
at work, although he had told hiil posi-
to the steam pumps four deck pumps
were vigorougiy worked by passengers.
In the mean time vain efforts were made |
to stop the leak by putting sails over
the bow, in order that they might be |
sucked into the leak. When it was
found that the water was gaining rapid |
iy on the pumps and threatening to put
out the fires. Capt. Luce gave orders to |
lower the boats.
The only communication that had
been had with the other steamship was
by means of a beat, which she had sent
out to inquire into the condition of the
Arctic. This boat came up suddenly in
the fog, and was crushed under one Of
the paddle wheels, which was backing
ut the time. Only one man, French
sailor, was,sayed ont of its crew. He
was handed mp over the side, and gave
sise information that his vessel was the
ron sereW steamer Yesta, commanded
~ Capt Duehesne (afterward Captain
IF the Pereire.)