The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-09-11
The Thames Disaster.
SIX HUNDRED LIVES LOST
How and Where the Cal
amity Occurred.
Distressing Scenes and Incidents

amlLy occurred.
Distressing Scenes and Incidents.
LONDON, Sept. 4-The scene OF
the Princess Alice disaster is that
portion Of the Thames which begins
to broaden as il approaches the sea.
Grayesend, whence the steame sail
ed on her return trip, is in Kent, on
the right bank Of the Thames, 33
miles west-northwest Of Canterbury,
and "a miles east-northeast of Lon
don by the North Kent Railway. 1t
occupies a somewhat commanding
position On the first rising ground az
ter entering the river from the sea,
and consists of the old town with
narrow streets, and of the new town,
west of the older portion, with hand
some streets, squares and terraces.
Ascending the river from Grave
send the Princess Alice passed
through some tortuous windiDgs un-
til it came to Barking, whcn the col.
lision occurred. This town is seven
miles east-northeast OF London, and
is near the point where the Rodney
and the Thames unite. 1t is a place
of about 10000 inhabitants, and has
considerable transit trade in coal aud
timber.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
LONDON, Sept. 4.-The steamer
Princess Alice, which was run into
aud sunk with such frightfuI results
last evening by the collier Bywell
Castle, was one Of the largest saloon
steamers CT the London Steamboat
Company. The Princess Alice left
Gravesend for London o 0 after 6
in the evening, and arrived in sight
Of the Royal Arseaal OF Woolwich at
about eight O'Clock. The Bywell
Castle ives then approaching on the
opposite course. The two steamers
were near the middle of the river
jest of the City of London gas
works, ct Beckton, almost the pre-
else spot where the fatal collision cc-
Cured between the Noctis and Went
worth ten years ago.
What happened is impossible ac-
c~urately TO detail. All that is known
amid the maddening excitement is
that the screw steamer struck the
Princess Alice on the port side near
the fore. sponsing.
\ scene which has no parallel On
the river ehsued. a very few per-
sons clambered On the other vessel.
but nearly all rushed 20 the after
part of the Princess Alice. As the
bow gradually subsidized under the
water the shrieks were fearful. and
nothing could be done TO save their
lives.
There were q dozen OF more lie
buoys on board, and some boats
were swinging in the davits. but
even if they could have been got at
they would have been of little serv-
ice under the circumstances. With.
in i've minutes. the Princess Alice
keeled completely over and went
down III deep water. Some small
boats fastened to the scene, and the
DoBe OF Teck, another steamer be-
longing to the same company, which
was also on her passage up the river
with a party of excursionists, went to
the rescue. but the river for a hund-
red yards was full of
DROWNING PEOPLE.
screaming ia anguish aud praying
for help. and asi it was growing dark
then not much could be done. 1t is
believed that not more han $50 per-
sons escaped out of 500 aboard the
vessel The Princess Alice was q
long aud low Figer steamer. built for
excursions down the Thames, of
which the middle and poorer classes
OF L1nd ners were very fond. She
had s~alJons % The forward and after
decks, aud her passenger-earrving
capacity was unusually large.
4 large portion Of her passengers
were Hu the upper, or saloon deck,
and must have seen beforehand their
impending dom, bot those ia the
stern OF the steamer had no warning
until they heard the crash and found
the passengers from the forward part
of the vessel running to the after
part. Beyond the fact that the tide
was about tgo hours ebb, which
would enable the Princess Alice to
ease and stop sOoner than the screw
steamer, which would be boroe on
the tide. IL is impossible To discover
any of the circumstances Immediately
preceding the C llisi1n. Def re- the
bJa's came into collision, there were
cries from one to the other to keep
out Of the way. bat as usual in such
cases, the accident was probably due
q misunderstanding.
The cause of the disaster il believ- ,
ed u be that both vessels were round
ing the sharp bend in the river caus-
ed by the projection Of apoint Of land
wherein the powder magazine of
Woolwich Arsenal is situated In or
der 70 turn this point the Princess
Alice had crossed over to The right !
bank of the river. and wss thus cut
her proper purse Tier ligh.s
were probably obscuTed by the shad- !
Nv of the magazine, aud being much I
smaller and lower than the Bywell /
the latter was up)a her before
be danger ives perceived
THE FATAL COLLISION.
LONDON, Sept. 5-The following is
he log OF the steamer Bywell Castle. +
which run down the excursion steam.
n Princess Alice on the Thames
Tuesday evening the master and
were on the upper bridge and
he lookout on the top gallant f,re-
Light airs prevailed The
weather. was a little f,zy At 7:45
;. NJ, proceeded at half speed d,wn :
iallion's Reach When It al Gu