New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-13
loss OF THE DANAdRR.

The sighting of an abandoned emigrant
steamer in the middle of the Atlantic is the
most ominous maritime 6dings received IN
New York for many years. The Danmark car
ried from the Baltic ports $50 passengers and
a crew ranging from 20 to 100 men. When
last seen on April 8 by the City OF Chester she
was abandoned, water-logged and sinking
rapidly. What had become Of the 100 people
who had expected to arrive at this port three
davs ago? That is a grim and CHASTITY mys-
terry of the sea. The diSmantled ship settling
silently into the depths OF the ocean gave no
sign Of ir diligence or hope. But as she was
living in ae track Of passing steamers it is not
improbable that large portion OF her human
freight was transferred to another vessel. Ii
no steamer were in sight when the catastrophe
occurred, an effort would undoubtedly have
been made to launch every lifeboat and raft,
and the survivors would naturally have re-
NAMED in the vicinity of the sinking ship, eX-
pecting that it would attract attention from
long distance and facilitate the approach OF
rescuers. The absence Of boats and RATS when
the City of Chester sighted the wreck tends to
strengthen the hope that some other steamer
had anticipated her appearance and succeeded
Five days have passed since the Danmark
was last seen, pitching helplessly in the trough
of the sea. A rescuing steamer ought TO have
reached ST. Johns within forty Eight hours
from latitude 46, longitude 81 West. The City
of Chester has arrived in England with the
melancholy tidings of the wreck, so that there
has been time to make the passage in that d.
rection. Notwithstanding the inexplicable de-
lay it would be premature TO conclude that the
$50 emigrants and sailors have persisted. The
Atlantic is crowded thoroughfare. The
chances of rescue from shipwreck are nowhere
better than in the quarter where the Danmark
went down. Very much depends, OF course
mon the suddenness and nature of the catas-
trophe. Was the ship overcome by continued
stress of weather, or was she struck and run
down by another vessel sharing the recent fate
of the Geiser of the same unfortunate Thing
yalla Line? These questions are unknown ele-
ments of the ocean mystery which has brought
cloud of harassing uncertainty over so many
Scandinavian homes.
The Danmark is reported by the agents tn
have been amply supplied with lifeboats and
RATS, although she was carrying an unusually
large number OF Storage passengers. She was
not an old vessel, was accounted stanch and
seaworthy, and had recently been put in thor
ough repair. Her captain was most expert
enced officer, and the crew had been recruited
and strengthened for what proved to be hei
last voyage. 1t seems incredible that plucky
commander could have abandoned the vesse
so long as there was any hope Of keeping hei
afoat; and it is equally improbable that the
passengers and crew should have taken refuge
in the lifeboats and RATS and disappeared from
the scene of the disaster. Details Of the rescue
| of passengers and crew will be received, it il
| safe to assume, from some quarter within forty
eight hours. The City Of Chester would natu
rally outsai the rescuing steamer, if she were
hound eastward