Only two ships of this line have been lost. The _Atlantic_ was wrecked on the coast of Nova Scotia, April 1st, 1873. She had left the Mersey on March 20th, with 32 saloon, 615 steerage passengers, and a crew of 143—790 in all—of whom about 560 perished, including all the women and children. What made the disaster even more deplorable, it was not satisfactorily accounted for. The morning was dark and boisterous, but not particularly foggy. Captain Williams had mistaken his reckoning, and was rushing his ship incautiously too near the land.[21] The _Naronic_ was a fine new cargo ship of 6,594 tons. She left Liverpool, February 11th, 1893, bound for New York; but she never arrived there. Two of her boats were picked up on March 4th, but no clue was ever found to the mysterious disappearance of the ship. * * * * * Thomas H. Ismay, recently retired from business, has all along been recognized as the manager-in-chief and moving spirit of the White Star Line, and a man of exceptional gifts and graces. Conspicuous alike by his enterprise and culture, Mr. Ismay has given proof of true greatness in declining honours that were easily within his reach. He might have been chairman of the London and North Western Railway Company—the greatest railway company in the world—but he would not. Several times he might have been returned to Parliament, but he declined. His name was confidently mentioned in connection with the Diamond Jubilee honours. Sir Thomas Ismay would have sounded well, but he begged to be excused, choosing to remain plain Thomas Ismay, of Liverpool, where his beneficent character is known and appreciated at its full value. The same may be said of the genial ex-captain of the _Majestic_, and commodore of the fleet, Captain Parsell, in whose personality were combined the culture of a gentleman and all the qualifications of a good sailor. Captain Cameron, of the _Teutonic_, has been in the service of the White Star Company nearly thirty years, having commenced his career in the sailing ships. He is one of the most popular commanders on the route. * * * * *