The New York herald., 1876-03-13
THE STRATH-CLYDE DISASTER.
THE rRAxcoN1A's SIDE OF THE STORY.

THE FRANCoNIA's SIDE OF THE STORY.
None but English reports having appeared in the
press of this city concerning the sinking Of the English
steamer Srath Clyde after being collision with the
Hamburg steamer Franconia OF Dover the following
evidence, giving the German side Of tho case, will
read with interest at the present moment The story
Is from eye witness of the sad catastrophe Many
lives lost, it may be remembered and the captain
of the German vessel has been severely censured u
England for "A lack of humanity in not rescung the
passengers of the sinking English steamer. The fol-
lowing is the statement
On the 18th OF February, about four O'Clock P. NJ,
steamed along the English coast having light winds
and hazy weather or Dover VIC English
going about the speed ourselves
ing in about the same direction and remaining abreast
of the Franconia her starboard side for about 1--WE
minutes Suddenly, either for the sake Of bravado
try TO pass the German steamers bow or in conse-
quence of a wrong command, the steamer headed
toward the Franconia under full speed When
captain who was on the bridge saw that IL was i'm
possible to avoid a collision any other way he
ordered the engines to bc reversed at full speed which
command was executed with great prompttude. On
the English steamer neither the engine stopped
her changed, and with full headway she ran
into the fore part of our steamer, tearing away
bow and receiving herself hole at least four feet
wide just forward oil her mainmast The
con fusion the uniucky vessel which
commenced to sink Immediately, was beyond descrp-
ton. After clear OF her she kept at full
speed command seeming TO have entirely ceased
change in the speed OF tue engines seemed to have
taken place
One OF the steamers officers saved himself by
jumping over to our ship stating af,erward that he
did not know how he got there All hands busy
boats to 60 TO the assistance Of the people
the sinking steamer, without at first thinking OF
selves when the English pilot our steamer called
out TO the captain on the bridge to toward the
Shore as ship also sinking. The order was
obeyed and the existing leak thoroughly examined,
when 1t fortunately found that with the exception
of the 1re compartment, which had filed there
water in the ship. In this respect had
nothing to fear therefore, for the moment az
the iron bulkheads proved to be sufficiently
tight. During this time the awful catastrophe of tho
sinking vessel taking place. In the Of
most four minutes nothing but the tops OF the mas
were 20 be above the water. We coulo not tell n
an ybody had been saved Two boats filled with men
drifted the sea- and probably rescued by the
Dover steamship, which had meanwhile arrived upou
the scene disaster A bark In the vicinity might We
thought, also have rescued some people
We proceeded TO the Thames anchorlng previously
during the night or Deal, and the following day pro.
cccdcd LONDON. The presence of mind and tho good
judgment Of the captain OF the Francona, well
the discipline and prompt execution Of his commands
on the part OF the officers and crew. be sum-
cicntly praised IL reported upon arrival IN
London that the Franconia was to bo hbclcd for tho
sum OF Gao 900, tho computed value OF the sunkel
Strath. Clyde.