The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-15 00:00:00

THE NEVi/FOUNDLAND FISHING
FLEET.

Particulars are now to hrind of the recent disseter
to the fishing fleet on tha banks of Newfoundland.
All the fleet had dories, or small boats' out, while
the vessels lay at moorings, As the fish were being
rapidly caught the crews were so eager that they
seemed to pay little attention to the impending storm.
Presently a white bank was seen to northward, and
a squall of wind and rain struck the whole fleet,
The men in the dories hauled in their lines, and bent
to their bars with a vigorous effort to reach their
vessels. Some oi them Were successful in doing so,
but the force of the gale increased so rapidly, and the
sea rose so fast, that the struggles of many were in-
effectual, On board the fishing fleet the scene was one
of wild excitement. The schooners were pitching bows
under, and every instant the waves threatened to
part their moorings. Those whose crews were lucky
enough to reach them at once cut adrift from their
anehorage, and, under small sail, ran before the
storm. The Wachusett was one of the fortunate craft.
All her men sucbeeded in getting safely on hoard.
Just as the last dory was hoisted safely on deck, and
the fishermen were congratulating themselves on
their narrow escape from death, a big sea struck the
schooner, and her moorings parted. The foresail
was hoisted, and the Wachusett was soon running
before the gale. As they scudded along before the
hurricane, followed by monntainouo waves' the
schooner passed through a serial of scenes so heart-
rending that the spectators will never forget them.
Every now and then they rushed past a dory with
its occupants in 'despair, linowing well that there
was no prospect of rescue, By and bye, as the
wind blew harder, the Wachusett passed more dories,
but these were bottom up, and their crews had
doubtless peri,hed. One of the sailors said the
derelict dories were as plentiful as.seagulls, and spas,
oars, water casks, and ther deck gear were seen in
profusion. Various estimates have been made of the
lessee. By, the most Moderate accounts it eeeems
clear that eighty lives have been sacrificed. No leis
than 2(.0 dories have been lost, and the damsels t the
fishing fleet is very large. Many of them lost anchors
and cables. The sails of others were tort' to rihands,
and not a few were dismasted. One French fishing
tnig lost four dories and eight men. Many vessels
had the decks swept, anchors and cableo 'Were lost,
and every Vessel on the banks , was more or less
damaged by wind and sea. About 2,000 dories were
away at the trawls. The captain of the Wachusett
said the sea for fully thirty miles in his schooner's
course was strewn with wreckage. His veipel was
anchored about twenty mile 4 sonth•east of the
Vir.lins. The schooner CarrielE, Leau, of Gloucester,
Mass,, with 1,000 quintal's of codfish on board, parted
her mooringo and was dashed ashere, ' •

A new official gazette, printed in the Japanese
tongue, has made its appearance at Tokio. It is en-
titled the Kampo, and consists of sixt,en well-printed
pages. In addition to official notifications, it provides
its readers with an abstract of foreign news, as well as
an article on agrieuittire and manufacture.
A telegram from Lloyd's signal station at.the Lizard
states that the Schiedam, Netherlands-American line
steamer, from New York, passing for Amsterdam at
four p.m. on Sunday, in reply to inquiry as to what
Jort of passage she had, signalled the following :
'We hal hurricane on Ist Sept. in lat. 0, long, 23,
Ten feet of water in engine room."