The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-06-01
UNDER THE WAVES.
FRIGHTFUL MARINE DISASTER.
Collision OTIhe German war Steam
er K9nig wilhelm with the
GrOsser kurfurst-The Lat.
ter Vessel Sinks I'm Five
Minutes-AbOut 45O
Lives Lost.
MARINE DISASTER,

ately, and her boilers exploded as she
went down. The weather was bright
and the soa calm At the time Of the dis.
sster. Il is reported from Dover that
only eighteen persons out of the compli,
ment Of four hundred and sixty officers
and men on board the Grosser Kurfurst
were saved. Boats went from the shore
and from the other vessels of the German
fleet to the assistance Of the drowning
people, and It is hoped that more lives
were saved.
DOVER, May 9l.-The German squad
ron, consisting OF three iron .clsds, the
Prussen, Grosser kurfurst and Koenig
Wilhelm, passed Dover st $40 this morn
Jag, bound for Plymouth, whence it was
expected to sail Tor Gibraltar. When
the squadron was OF Ludga!e, about five
was observed to be gradually keeling
over on her beam ends, and men were
seen CrOwding on the bulWarks. In about
five minutes the vessel went down on her
side, her boilers blowing up as sac
sank. Boats from other iron c.sds
were llulched, and number OF
Foikestone fishing smacks near by hur-
ried to the scene. 1t Is hoped many
lives were saved. The Folkestone life
bost was launched, but arrived too late TO
be of any service. Several steamers have
gone to the scene of the disaster from
Dover. 1t is believed the KOenig Will
helm, which ran into the Grosser kur-
furst, is very badly damaged.
Four Hundred and Finy Persons
Drowned.
New YORK, May 81 London dis
patches state that the German embassy
is informed thst 450 parsons W. Q
drowned by the sinking OF the iron-clsu
Grosser Kurfurst. The German ambas-
ssdor, with the Crown Prince, have gone
bv special train TO the scene of the dIsas-
ter. 1t seems that the vessels were under
full headway when the Koenig Wilhelm
ran into the GrOsser kIrfurst. The
shock was terrific, the latter vessel filling
and sinking within five minutes after the
collision. To add to the horror of the
situation, the boilers of the vessel ex.
ploded, scattering death and destruction
in every direction.
LONDON, May 3l.-A telegram to the
Admiralty says OF the sinking OF the
Grosser Kurturst: About three hundred
perlshed and two hundred have been
saved. This comes from the coast guard
at Folkestone.
A dispatch from Dover says; 1t IS re-
ported that the Grosser KurluIst carried
a crew OF six hundred men, OF whom be-
tween three and four hundred are sup
posed TO have been drowned.
A telegram to Lloyds from Folkestone
repeats the report first tclegraphed that
only eighteen men were rescued, but lts
correctness Is doubted All previous re-
ports say life boats were lowered from the
other ironclads Immediately and large
number of small craft from Dover and
Folkestone FASTENED to the locality,
LONDON, May 3l.-Aecording to 3 re-
port received by the Admiralty, the col.
iision occurred seven miles southeast OF
Falkcstone.
A despatch from Dover says the fore
ward part of the iron clad hoeuig vii.
helm is under water.
W. II. Smith, First Lord of the Ad-
miraty, stated in the House of Com
mons tins afternoon, that according TO
the reports received by the Lords oil the
Admiralty, from 10 to 200 OF the crew
of the Grosser Kurfurst hand been saved
and 300 persisted. The Grosser KuTlurst
WAS the flag ship of the squadron. The
admiral commanding the squadron was
among the saved
LONDON, May 3l.-A steamer just re-
turned from the scene of the disaster,
reports that the Koenig Wilhelm WAS
Gble to proceed down the channel, prob
ably for Portsmouth. The Prusssn re-
mains on the spot. Nothing is TO be seen
of the Grosser Kurfurst. The captain Of
fishing boat makes the following state.
ment: My boat with the other vessels
was returning to FolkesLone when we
noticed three iron clsds coming down. A
bark was fetching oil shore. The Grosser
Kurfurst ported her helm TO clear the
bark. The Koenig Wilhelm pulled hard
port and struck the Grosser kurfursI
forward of her mizZen mast. The hur-
furst went over on her br0adsIde and
sank in five mlLu,Cs. She went down IN
fifteen minutes All hands Jumped over.
board. Our boa.s reached the spot
directly afterwards and rescued twenty
seven men, including three officers. The
other boats rescued a number of the
crew. all of whom were transferred TO the
Keaig Wilhelm. Captain Batoch, Of
| the Grosser Kuriurst, went down with
| his ship. The boilers did not explode
/ but the escaping steam must have scsIdcd
the persons in the water,
The koenig Wilhelm had her bow:
stove in, but the leak was soon stopped
with hammocks. The collision wa:
caused by the koenig wilhelm porting
/ her helm too suddenly.
Mr.. Smith, the First Lord Of the Ad
miralty, IN bis statement IN the House
/ OF Commons to-day, confirms the rePor
| that the collision occurred while tn.
/ Grosser kdrlurst was endesvoring t.
svoId merchantmen. He said doc,
was preparing st Portsmouth for the re
/ ception Of the koenig Wilhelm, and slt
isnow proceeding thither.
One Hundred aud Eighty-Thre'
Saved.
LONDON. May 3l.-According TO