New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-05
THE PRINCESS ALICE DISASTER.
THE STEAMER OUT OF HER COURSE WHEN SHE
WAS sTRCCK-LEss THAN FIVE MINUTES Az
FoRDED THE PASSENGERS TO ESCAPE.


WAS sTRCCK-LEss THAN FIVE MINUTES Az
FoRDED THE PASSENGERS TO ESCAPE.
LONDON. Wednesday Sept. A. 1879
The cause of the Princess Alice disaster is
believed be that both vessels rounding the sharp
bend in the river caused by the projection Of point OF
land wherein the powder magazine 81 the WOowich
Arsenal is situated In order 70 turn this point the
Princess Alice had crossed to the rghhand side OF
the river and was thus out proper Her
lights were probably Obscured by the shadow Of tho
powder magazine and being much smaller and lower
than the Bywe Castle. the latter upon her before
the danger perceived.
The Princess Alice left London at about IL o'clock yes
terday morning Gravesend and sheerness, many ex
cursonsts being induced by the fair weather to go for
holiday trip The vessel LETT Gravesend on the return
Journey soon after o'clock in the evening, and arrived
within sghtOf the Royal Arsena at WOOlwch at about
O'clock The Bywe Castle then approaching on the
opposite course. The then near the
middle tn, stream, just of the City OF London gas
works at BecktOn and below the North Woolwich Car
dens-amost the precise spot where the fatal collision
occurred between Metis and Wentworth ten years
ago. What happened is impossible accurately to do
tail. All that Is known, AMID the maddemng excite
,nent ia that the screw steamer struck the Princess
Alice on the port side near forespOnsou. scene
which has had no parallel the river ensued. Very
few persons clambered the other vessel, but nearly
all rushed 10 after part OF the Princess Alice AS the
bow gradually under the water the shreks were
fearful and nothing could be done to save life. There
were a dozen or more life-buoys on board and some
boats were swinging the davits, but even II they
coud have been got at they would have been Of little
service under the circumstances. Within five minutes
the Princess Alice keeled completely over, and went
down IN deep water Some small boats fastened TO the
scene and the Duke OF Teck another steamer belonging
IN the same company which also on the passage up
the river with party of lists went to the res
one but the river for hundred yards tn OF dro"h
ing peopc screaming in anguish and praying Tor help
and as il was growing dark them not much couiu NC
dome Ii is believed that not more tnan lou persons es
coped out OF the 800 aboard the vessel.
m, prneess Alice was one OF the largest vessels OF the
tdon steamboat Company. She long and lOwriver
,dde steamer built for excursions down the Thames,
~ which the middle and poorer classes in London are
y,rv fond She had saloons the forward and after
decks and pAssenger-carrying capacity was unusually
or large proportion OF her passengers last evening
were ON the upper saloon deck and must have seen
beforehand their impending DOOM Dul tOse IN Tie stern
al inc steamer mad warning until they heard the
crash and found the passengers from Tue orTsfa part
of the vessel running tn the AFTER part beyond he Isei
that the tide about Two hours eDJ, when WOUId
enable Princess Alice TO ease ana sop sooner tnan
the screw steamer which would he borne on me tae
mno,slbe 10 discover OF the circumstances mme-
into collision there cries from the one TO the other
IN ep ont Of the way but as usual IN such cases, the
one mslnterprctng the intention OF the other All the
Tes Ct sailing cast 10 the winds N the moment OF
peril each taking the wrong couseo @Nou e8en others
bluudcr.
The Queen has telegraphed her sympathy to those
afflicted by the OF relatives and friends by the dis
aster to the Princess Alice. -, ,
Il is feared that the number Oh crowned Will eAcee"
COO
AT least FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE DROWNED.
LoNDoN. Thursday, Sept. 5, 1873
The latest information received relative to the
Princess Alice disaster confirms the belief that fully
500 persons were drowned