Loss of the U.S.M. Steam Ship Arctic, Off Cape Race Wednesday September 27, 1854…

Men survived, but all women and children perished in this mid-19th century maritime disaster

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A re-imagination of an 1854 maritime disaster by lithographer N. Currier of New York:

The paddle steamer SS Arctic, owned by the Collins Line of New York, sank on September 27, 1854, after a collision with SS Vesta, a much smaller vessel, 50 miles (80 km) off the coast of Newfoundland. Passenger and crew lists indicate that there were probably more than 400 on board; of these, only 88 survived, most of whom were members of the crew. All the women and children on board perished.

Arctic was the largest and most celebrated of the four Collins steamers that had operated a regular transatlantic passenger and mail carrying service since 1850. After the collision Arctic’s captain, James Luce, first attempted to assist the stricken Vesta, which he believed was in imminent danger of sinking. When he discovered that his own ship had been seriously holed below the waterline, he decided to run her towards the nearest land, in the hopes of reaching safety. His plan failed; the engines stopped when the ship was still a considerable distance from land. Arctic’s lifeboat capacity was sufficient for less than half of those on board; when Luce ordered these launched, a breakdown in order and discipline meant that most places in the boats were taken by members of the crew or the more able-bodied male passengers. The rest struggled to build makeshift rafts, but most were unable to leave the ship, and went down with her when she sank, four hours after the collision. —Wikipedia

In this print the Arctic, flying the American flag, a British pennant and another pennant, is seen listing heavily. Passengers are seen trapped aboard the ship in great numbers or drowning in the water. Some passengers are safely atop of enormous hogsheads; others are in an overcrowded launch boat or seen standing upon a makeshift raft.

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