The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-09-11 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER:

THE CATASTROPHE ON THE RIVER

EBRO.

The Madrid Correspondent of the Standard gives an ac-
count of the recent catastrophe on the River Ebro, from
which we make the following extracts :

The Ebro river flows past the town of Logrono in a
broad bed that is seldom full of water, except after
heavy rains and storms like those of last week. In
its deepest channel, however, the current is rapid,
and forms eddies around the arches of the only stone
bridge that connects the town with the opposite shore.
. . . The military authorities of Logrono were re-
quested in August by the Town Council to make a,
bridge of boats over the Ebro, as their stone bridge re-
quired such repairs as allowed no communication
between Navara and the Rioja. With permission of the
War Office a company of Royal Engineers and pon-
toons were brought down from Saragossa, and they
set to work at once. Their commanding officers• con-
sidered that it was not necessary to make a complete
bridge, and he proceeded to construct a large raft with
pontoons and planks. This raft was made large enough
to carry coaches and carts, and it was duly tried in the
last days of August. It was looked upon as unwieldy
by the boatmen who frequent the rapid stream, and
hardly held to be manageable with a few rowers. As
it had been constructed according to all the rulers
of military engineering, the General in command
at Logrono ordered the troops to resume their
daily drill on the parade-ground, which is situate
on the Navarra bank, which is opposite. It fell to the
lot of the first battalion of the regiment of Valencia to
go across on Tuesday. The afternoon was bright and
beautiful, and the riverside looked cheerful, being
thronged with many sight-seers and soldiers off duty,
when the battalion marched down with its band play-
ing a lively Castillian tune. The peace establishment
of the four companies that cornilise a battalion of the
line is not very strong, and only twenty officers and
two hundred and fifty-five men were drawn up to
embark in the military ferry-boat, or ponLoon as it was
styled. A Lieutenant of Engineers directed the opera-
tion, and got on board with the Colonel of the regiment.
When the 275 soldiers and officers had been stowed on
the raft it moved slowly towards the Navarrese bank.
The band continued playing, and the soldiers, mostly
very young lads of the last conscription, began to
keep time with their feet, despite the warnings of
their officers. The result was that very soon the raft
began to roll ominously. The men became afraid,
and when they saw the water splash over the sides
and even enter the bottom of the raft they were not
easy to control. The raft gave a lurch forwards and
another aft, whereupon the soldieis rushed forwards
and capsized it. The people on both banks wit-
nessed this accident with intense anxiety, and, when
the first moment of panic was over, they hastened
to assist the two hundred and seventy-five men
who were struggling for life in the deep and
rapid Ebro. Barges were manned, and everything
that the soldiers could hold on to was thrown into the
river. Planks, rafters, casks served to save more than
one life, and some plucky civilians stripped and swam
boldly to rescue the soldiers. Such ;among them as
knew how to swim assisted their comrades, and the
Colonel, badly hurt, was saved by a sapper and bands-
man. In many places eight or ten men were just seen
for a moment clinging to one another, and then they
disappeared. The horror of the scene is described in
heartrending details by the local press, and after all
only ten officers and 150 privates were rescued.
The news had spread in Logrono, and from every
alley and street the inhabitants poured down to line
the bank. On the opposite side could be seen pea-
sants find country people all endeavouring to give
assistance. The authorities soon organised an active
search for the bodies when filet felt convinced that
no more survivors of the catastrophe remained. It
was a dismal scene as the work proceeded through the
night and the torches and large fires cast their livid
glareion the river, on the houses of Logrono, and on the
anxious crowd. Every now and then the barges came
to the bank, and the victims were laid on stretchers
and carried to the military hospital by soldiers of the
line and Artillerymen. At first none but privates
were rescued from the water, and then the bodies of a
captain, five subalterns, an adjutant, and seven ser-
geants were laid out stiff and cold on the quay. The
excitement was intense. Wives came to seek for hus-
bands. Parents looked in vain for a boy that had worn
the uniform of his country only fohr short months.
Several ladies came to inquire for the officers, and one
unfortunate creature, followed by three little ones, re-
cognised the dead father of her children on a stretcher.
Many officers and non-commissioned officers were
married men. As the night advanced the military
authorities stopped all examination of the bodies.
By the middle of the day after the catastrophe the
bodies of eight officers and 87 men had been recovered,
and the peasants from the villages on the banks
brought in a few more. The Regiment of Valencia
was mustered in barracks, and the roll was called
over in presence of the General commanding in
Logrono. All were deeply moved when dead silence
followed so many names. Thus the Colonel dis-
covered that ten officers and one hundred and
five men, besides the lieutenant of Engineers
and his orderly, had perished in the Ebro. This ter-
rible event has caused great and painful sensation in
Madrid, and in military circles especially. King
Alfonso sent a telegram of kind condolence to the
Regiment of Valencia by the War Office, and it was
read to the poor fellows as they were formed up ready
to go to the funeral of their comrades, amidst an im-
mense concourse of people. A subscription has been
opened for the widows and relations of the drowned,
and King Alfonso has given £4OO, Queen Christiana
£2OO, Queen Isabella £2OO, and the Princess of
Asturias £2OO.