The Portland daily press., 1878-06-01
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
A GERMAN IRONCLAD LOST.
800 LIVES SUPPOSED TO BE
LOST.

DOVER, May 81. The German iron.cla
GrOsser Kurfurst sunk by collision with another
iron-clad this morning N the British chanpel
near this place, and it is feared that over 400
lives are lost.
[sEcoND DESPATCH.
The Grosser Kurfurst came in collision with
the iron-clad Koenig Wilhelm at 9.55 this
morning, three miles off Folkstone. The
Grosser Kurfurst sank almost Immediately
after they struck The steamers boilers ex-
ploded as she went down. The weather was
bright and the sea calm. 1t is reported from
Dover that only IS persons out of 460 were
saved. Boats went from the shore and were
sent from other vessels of the German fleet to
the assistance of the drowning people, and it is
hoped that more lives were saved.
THIRD DESPATCH
The German squadron consisting of three
iron-clads the Prelssen, Grosser Kurfurst and
koenig Wilhelm, passed Dover at S.45 this
morning, bound for Plymouth, where it was ex-
pected to sail for Gibraltar. When the
from the shore, one of the ironclads was OBJ
served to be gradually heeling over on her
beam ends, and the men were seen crowding
on the bulwarks In about five minutee her
boilers blew up and she sunk. Boats from the
other ironclads were launched, number of
Folkstone fishing smacks near by hurried to
the spot and it is hoped that many lives were
saved The Folkstone life boat was launched,
but arrived too late. Several steamers have
gone to the scene from Dover. It is believed
that the Xoening Wilhelm which ran into the
Grosser Kurfurst, is very badly damaged.
LONDON, May 81. - The Crown Prince
Frederick William and Count Won Munster,
the ambassador, have gone to Folkstone
According to the report of the disaster received
by the Admiralty collision occurred seven
miller east Of Folkstone. The latest dispatch
from Dover says the forward part of the IRON
clad Koenig Wilhelm is under water. Smith,
first Lord of the Admiralty, stated in the Com
mons this afternoon that according to reports
received by the Admiralty that 1870 to 200 of
the crew of Grosser Kurfurst were saved and
300 persisted. The Grosser Kurfurst was
the flagship of the squadron. The admiral
commanding was among the saved
The South casters Railway Company's
steamer has returned from the scene of the
disaster and reports the Koenig Wilhelm will
be able to proceed down the channel probably
for Portsmouth. The Preissen remains on the
spot. Nothing is to be seen of the Grosser
Kurfurst.
The captain of a fishing boat makes the
following statement:
My boat with other fishing vessels was
returning to Folkstone when we noticed three
iron clads coming. The Grosser Kurfurt
parted her helm to clear the bark, the Koenig
Wilhelm pulled hard port and struck the
Grosser Kurfurst forward of her mizenmast.
The Kurfurst went over on her broadside and
sank in five minutes. She went down in Is
fathoms. All hands jumped overheard. Our
boats reached the spot directly afterwards and
rescued % men including three officers. The
other boats rescued number of the crew, all
OF whom were transferred to the Koenig
Wilhelm. Cept. Batock of the Grosser Kur-
furst went down with his ship. The boilers
did not explode, but the escaping steam must
have scalded many persons in the water The
Koenig Wilhelm had her bows stove bat the
leak was stopped with hammock. The COLI
sion was undoubtedly caused by the Koenig
Wilhelm porting her helm too suddenly.
The latest Lloyd's telegram gives the total of
the saved at % officers and 100 men.
According to temegram despatch by Rsar
Admiral Batsch from Folkestone 1873 men were
saved. Most OF the estimates give the Grosser
Rurfursts' crew at about 500. A report resting
upon the authority of the Sandgate coast guard
says 225 men were saved. The coast guard,
however, state they are informed the Grosser
Kurfursts' crew was nearer that number than
500. It is reported that % of the rescued have
since died from exhaustion.