The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-09-12
Wsses. Of the Princes Allee.
LoNpoN. eeptember =. 4. Is1s

AVhDON, 'CepteusDef 4, 1915. 80
The excursion steaideE Princess Alice,
which was run TO and sunk, with such
frightful results last evening, wac one of
Che largest saloon Bteaniers of the Ion-
don Steamboat Company. She left Lon
don at II O'Clock yesterday morning for
Gravesend and Sheerness, many excur-
sionists being induced by fine weather to
go for asholiday trip. The vessel left
Grayeeend on. her return Journey coon
after six o'clock in the evening, and ar
rived within sight of the Royal Arsenal
at Woolwich about eight o'clock. The
Bywell Castle was then approaching on
the opposite course, aud the two steamers
were near the middle of the stream, ius5
off the city, almost the precise spot where
fatal collision occurred between the
Metis and Wentworth ten years ago.
What happened is impossible to detail:
all that is known amid the maddcliire
excitement is that the screw steamer
struck the Princess Alice on her port
side, near the fore sponsor. Al scene
which has he'd no parallel on the river
ensued. a few, very few persons clam-
bered on the other vessel, but nearly all
rushed TO the after part of the Princess
Alice. As the boz subsidized gradually
under water, shrieks were fearful, and
nothing could be done to save life.
4aere wore dozen or more life buoys
on board, and some boats were swinging
In the davits, but even If they could have
been got at they would been of little SER
vice under the circumstances. Within
five minutes the Princess Alice kneeled
completely over, aud went down in deem
water. Some small boats hastened "a
the scene, and the Duke of Teck, another
steamer belonging to the same COMPANY.
which was also On its passage up the
river with party of excursionists, went
TO the rescue, but the river for a hundred
yards was full OF drowning people.
screaming in anguish, praying for help.
and as ie was growing dark not much
could be done. It is believed not more
than one hundred and fiity persons es-
capped out of eight hundred aboard the
vessel. 93sii
The Princess Alice was lcng and low.
river steamer, built for excursions down
the Thames, of which the. nidGis and
poorer classes of Londoners were very
fond. She had saloons on her forward
ana after decRe, and her passenger-c carry
ing capacity was unusually large. a
large proportion of her passengers last
deck, and must have seen Beforehand
tDviy impending DOOM, out those in the q,
stern OF the steamer had no warning un-
TIL they heard the crash, and found the
passengers from the forward part of tho
vessel running TO the afterpart. Beyond
the fact that the tide wac afjons two
hours ebb, which would enable the Prin-
cess Alice to ease and stop sooner than
the screw steamer, which would be borne
on the tide, it is impossible TO discover
any of the circumstance: immediately
preceding the collision. Before the
boats came into a collision there were
cries from one to the other to keep out of Z
the way, but as usual in such cases, the
accident was probably due to .znisunder-
stsnding, the one misinterpreting tho In (
tention of the other. All the rules of
sailing were cast to the winds in the mo- l
mi mt of peril eash tskinss=s.sssea wrong
coarse to avoid each others blunder.