The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-15

spAIR-CowARDICE OF THE 'CREW AMI
yrrpo,sm OF SOME OF THE PASSENGERS
A BRAVE SEAMAN WHO SAVED Fohif
rIyEs-Hrs ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT
,,.ny,s prrEous sToRY-THE MARIA
GANsETT AND sgoNINGToN BUILT ~
RUN TO RICHMOND AND BALTIMORE
New York Tribune Of sundayJ
while the sum OF mortality from the loss
a, the Narragansett falls below the great
sbjpwrecks OF the century, In hairowinH
details nothing is lacking. In the darkness
Of a midnight fog hundreds are brought race
| IN face with the horror OF sudden DOOM
These are travellers Of the night, fresh from
home or business, embarking on common
place. everyday voyage, without ONT
| thonght OF danger, and expecting rs mat
fer OF course TO be at the journeys end on
the morrow. SO ordinary and seemingly so
cafe have these passages through the Sounu
become that the least presumptuous passen.
Ger on either vessel seeks his berth without
realizing that there Is special need OF pro.
fecfjon from on high during the watches OIL
The night. Suddenly there Is an awiu'
shock that sends q thrill OF dread ana de-
spair through every heart. Inc TWO
vessels are locked together for an Instant
and then torn asunder. ore Is unmanaSe-
able: her engines are no longer moving
the water Is sweeping into her DOW 10
great torrent, and officers and crew are ne'
side themselves with panic terror Inc
other, struck amidships and nearly cut III
two. keeIs over and settles TO the bottom,
her Woodwork bursting into fame and her
Messengers swarmng in their night.clotbes
4 npSCflDe
that bewiIderment, the helplessness, the
CONSERVATION. the cries, the piteous pray
ers. the agonizing struggles OF the next
twenty minutes, before boat is lowered
from the other vessel, or the life-raft set
afloat. or The timely rescue from a passing
steamers Who can read without shudder-
ing the beart-rending accounts given by
eye-witnesses OF the CHASTITY scenes OF That
awful night!
Somebody may have been to blame. Very
likely. The laundering and inefiiciency,
the inattentive watch, the needless nayiga-
ton. the lack of discipline in the crews, and
the lack Of self-possessiOn in the officers
all these things and many more may DC
brought to light in due time. But to-day
on this quiet, peaceful day OF rest-let us
gather I'D the higher morals OF the calamity.
Science and experience serve useful end>,
but they cannot prevent occasional disas-
tiers like this. How helpless are they" who
90 down to the sea in ships" even when
close to land and in this nineteenth century
OF progress
A Brave Seaman.
Nearly all the passengers praise IN The
highest terms the brave action OF Henry
Duroy. IA seaman OF the United States ship
Tenn( ssee, living at Twenty-thlrd street,
North river. They all said that he saved
at least forty persons. lie had lett his ship
without leave for the purpose OF visiting
his mother, and when the accident &C.
cured. at the risk Of his own life, he boldly
took command Of about forty persons. and
constituted himself their champion. BY bis
exertions they were all saved. He was in
great trouble at the hotel for fear That he
would be punished when he returned TO the
ship for leaving it without permission. The
passengers and guests then said they would
work to reward him for his bravery.
The following petition was then drawn
up, and signed by the passengers and
guests:
"Io CAPTAIN Harmony, Commander OF
United States frigate Tennessee:
eve, the undersigned, being conversant
with facis-sOme from actual observation
and others from unquestoned evidence
as regards the part one OF your seamen took
in rescuing the lives Of passengers who
were On board the steamer Narraganselt
at the time OF her loss, do feel that his no.
bic and heroic deed and the active service
| he endered-tbereby saving from thirty TO
forty people, some OF whom are now at
Earle's Hotel, New York city, and can tes-
MISUNDERSTANDING he may have thrown
himself liable to your rules OF discipline, is
deserving OF commentator and a Through.
we therefore petition you, not only 10 re-
lieve him from punishment, but grant him
furlough OF thirty days US reward OF
merit for his humane efforts on that terrible
OCCASION"
Lieutenant. Commander Morris came down
to the hotel in response to q dispatch, and
when he read the petition and talked with
the people asked to see the seaman Duroy.
He cOmplmented him highly on bis brave
~, and said that, although be had broken
the rules, he would be freely forgiven for
his brave action in rescuing human lie at
the imminent risk of his own. He gave
| him permission TO stay in the city until to-
morrow, when further furlouGh will be
given him. In addition, the guests at the
hotel raised a subscription and presented
the seaman with twenty dollar gold piece.
MODEST AS WELL AS BRAVE.
Henry Duroy is a slender seaman, about
| thirty-fye years Of age. He has been in the
| United States service for about six years,
and has been attached to the ship Tennessee
| for six months. When asked to state what
| he did in rescuing the people he replied /:
"Ob, these people give me too much credit.
| only did Just what you would have done
| il you had been there" When pressed by
one OF the guests to narrate his story Of the
accident, he said:
swell, il was about midnight when |
was awakened from bunk L had made for
myself on the lower deck by the collision.
| / did not know what the trouble was, but
| went up to the upper deck to see. l saw
| lots OF people rushing about in the most
| frantic manner, and then | saw the Stoning-
ton ahead OF us. | took IN the situation at
once, and dressed. Several women, seeing
my sailor clothes, rushed up to me, and
asked me for Gods sake TO save them. /
told them l certainly would, if they would
promise not to get excited, and 10 do Just
as told them. Then more came over TO
me, and one woman held up her child fol
me TO save. looked around, and could
not see any officer Of the boat. went ur
with the people to the saloon deck, and
there / saw the water rushing over the rails
put one woman on top OF the rail. Jumped
| up myself, and the others followed.
81 saw that we could not stay there; so
took the party up TO the hurricane deck.
carried the woman's child up myself.
then assisted in gettinga
LARGE RAFT INTO THE WATER,
| a,d hrouobt ,nv I,ttIo cro,v On hoard II