Year: 1873

The accounts received yesterday by mail
from London of the disaster of the Vile du
Havre add little or nothing to the full and
comprehensive cable dispatches which The
TRIBUNE printed on the 2d of December-the
same day that the London press published
their news of the catastrophe. 1t is one of the
most striking of the recent illustrations OF the
resources of enterprising journalism that we
were able to obtain before their publication
in England. all the facts and details of interest
in regard to this great calamity, and to
spread them before our readers at the same
hour at which they were first read in
London. The additional particulars which we
print to-day, selected from correspond
ence, throw no new light upon the causes of
the awful accident or of the responsibility
attaching 10 the several actors IN the scene
1t is possible that the official investigation
which has been ordered by the Government
OF France may clear up some of the mystery
in which, thus far, the event is slrOudcd. But
it is more likely that no one will ever be pun
ished, or even severely blamed, for that fright
full collision which destroyed one of the finest
ships a1oat and extinguished e2G lives in the
wintry sea-,


1t seems clear that Capt. SurmOnt is liable
to no censure. While the thick weather
lasted he remained constantly on deck. taking
scarcely enough rest to sustain life, and only
after the fog had lifted, and the sea had be-
come comparatively tranquil, and the night
had become cheerful with starlight, did I've
leave his post and take for an hour or two
the repose he so greatly needed. The ac-
counts agree in stating that the Loeb Earn
was visible" for from five to ten
minutes before she struck that she
plowed a hole some twenty-five feet
wide and twelve deep into the iron sides of
the Vile du Hsvre; that the latter sank in
about twelve minutes; and that for that brief
space the captain did all that could be done
for the safety of the passengers, keeping his
place on the bridge and going down with his
vessel when she sank. His resolute heart
saved him in the waves however, and there
is little doubt that he will yet justify fully
the confidence of his friends. There seems
also no cause for censuring the officers
of the Loeb Earn with the infOrma-
ton at present at our disposal. They
remained by the scene of the wreck as long
as there was the slightest chance of saving
lives. Their own vessel was abandoned few
days later in a sinking condition. and the
accounts since sent us by cable claim that
there was no carelessness or lack of vigilance
on board at the time of the collision. IL will
be hard to disentange the truth from the
medley of contradictions which inevitably
arise under circumstances of such personal
interest and excitement.


The details of the disaster are more harrow
ing than the first terrible statement. The
shock in the depth of night, like the crash OF sud
den doom the wild fright of the first rush on
deck, out of sleep into horror; the full extent
of the disaster instantly visible; the roar of
the water that poured into the hold as If
eager to destroy /; and then the crowning
cruelty of the catastrophe. the falling of tho
masts upon the long-boats filed with helpless
victims, az if the disaster was Indignantly
jealous of any escaping-all these incidents
mark this event with sad preemlnence
among horrible shipwrecks. But there Is even
here brighter side, high lights to match the
deep shadows. There was. al it now appears. no