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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 2, 4 June 1864, Page 2

A "week of unwonted quietude .in. .business has terminated in another- of those catastrophes which have the .-effect of unsettling; tho minds of every one, and calling forth their sympathy and commiseration. We need scarcely say' we allude to the sad wreck on Thursday evening last, of the ill-starred*. and shortlived steamship Scotia. Full -^particulars will be found elsewhere in our columns, and as there will certainly be.a strict and prompt enquiry into all the circumstances attending the melancholy: occurrence, we feel it is scarcely our province now'to animadvert tod freely in regard to it, or to impute blame to any oiie until I a proper investigation be made. . One-thing, however, if the telegrams are reliable; will striko the most careless reader of the account of the wreck, and that is the influence a^ ,"- gentleman passenger," who, on this ''occasion,' had the audacity to undertake the safe conduct of the vessel into,., port, andthat, too, at dark midnight, possessed. One scarcely knows, so far as the circumstances have transpired, on whom to inveigh most bitterly— whether -on " tho " gentleman passenger " referred - .to,: for his unblushing effrontery and presumption in toying with the. lives .and, property of the passengers -and 'owners— or on the commander, far, his unexampled indifference and blind-; neglect of the high responsibility resting on him in trusting to the 'knowledge of the coast possessed by any passenger, whether a gentleman or otherwiser *wid however much experienced he may have been. £.t_ the same time, however, t there is great reason for congratulation, 'that £ no lives, were lost ; and we fully Qxpect that the character of our chief port will suffer little additional discredit irom thisTfresh. disaster having occurred there.; ; - .- ; _-. : . ,-.,..,. T i