Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-05-14
AN OCEAN HORROR.
Wreck of the Steamship Schiller in
the English Channel.

Three hundred and forty-two lives were los
on Friday night by the wreck of the steamship
Schiller of the Eagle line, off the Sicily Islands
about 35 miles from Lands End, England. The
steamship was entering the English Channel or
her passage from New York to Hamburg, via
Plymouth AND Cherbourg. She struck on tn,
Retarriere Ledge during dense fog at 10 p. m.
while under full Roadway. OF the 3S5 person:
on board only 43 were saved, including l l OF
the l4l cabin, and of the l20 Storage passen.
gers, the first second, and fourth officers, and
% members of the crew of l24 men, The
Schiller carried cargo worth probably $780,
GEO and ii heavy MAIL portion of which was
/ saved.
The first information of this terrible catastro
phe meager though it was, startled the commun-
ity on saturday morning, and the feeling of hor.
ror was intensified when it was learned that the
earliest estimate of the loss of life fell far short
the awful reality The particulars of the disaste,
rs CLEANED from the Associated Press dispatches
from London and Plymouth are presented below
in n connected narrative, prominence being given
to the latest news:
The Schiller left New-Yorl about noon on
April y, setting sail for Plymouth, England
Where she was To call on her voyage to Hamburg
TN the afternoon of May I, a heavy fog settled
upon the sea. The commander OF the vessel
capt John Il. Thomas seems to have had no APP
prehensIons OF danger, for one OF the dispatches
states that the schiller was under full hcadway
when she met herfatc. The regular course of the
vessels OF this line hes within five miles of the
Scliy islands and II Ii probable that the Officers
supposed that the schiller had passed southwark
OF POI Bank. an island on the edge of the group
when IN reality size had gone northward OF Ii
through the channel separating II from Bishop
ROCK ana Retarriere Ledge. Ur Bishop Rock
theFe Il II lighthouse, with Og-bell, which j.
generally heard miles away. At 10 O'Clock nj
night, without warning, the Vessel struck Re-
tsiflere Ledge. She must have been running M
IeH speed, Tor she struck "brcadside on" and
soon went down, a total wreck. The wind was
blowing gale, a high running. and the
I FOG was very denss' Every breaker lifted the
vessel higher and drove her further upon the
Fochs; ana before her ptSsengerS-.most of whom
We're sleeping in their birth>-could comprehend
their peru, the bottom and sides of the vessel
We're stove in. aud the water Was rushing into
the hold and cabins. Many OF the passengers
must have passed almost without struggle from
sleep To death. Many who rushed from THEN
sttc-ronnl> INTO the cabins Were unable TO reach
the deck Two of the boats which had been
lowered were da he'd against the rocks and TN,
lsasScheer> and sfalnen who were in them Were
aiIo"h helpless INTO the sea As the vcSS, sank
IN i"ur iatIons of water those who We're on deck
cihilS de- peHitely Ia the rigging. As the hours
passed the vessel h,x.san break up and the MAN.
mast fell with crash amid cries az DESPAIR The
remaining mast WAS carried over the side at A.
M ana those who were clinging To IL fell into the
IA.
Tie seiily Islands form "A small circular group
about y miles southwest OF Lands End. There
are perhaps " OF these Islands, many Of them
being merely huge rocks. six OF them are In
haolleus 81 MARY and ~. Agnes on the east.
anu lresru. biser. 81 Martins and Samson, fur
ther north. The rest of the group aie low islands
with abrupt sides, and are scIssrsited by shallow
channels. Bishop Hook with iss lighthouse. and
the edge Of Retarrfere reef. are a mile to the
Sonth OF ~ Agnes Island. and with The exception
of Poi Bank, are on the southern edge OF tin.
group The llght-housr on Bishop rock. a ~ IL
conspicuous Structure. Il half mile frum The
scene OF the wreck: and NJ 81 Mafy's Island To
the north. there n another lighthouse lss feet
high. Nearly every siioai in this group has its
legend Of wreck. An English admiral with nine
ships of the line. was wreck ed here. And apa mon
pcrsShed: and i'm later years the Thames and the
DuTo went 20 plecws on the same hedges. with
terrible lass of life.