The Portland daily press., 1878-11-27
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Steamship P0mmerania Run Down
and Sunk.
Fifty.eisht Persons Missing.
Heroic Conduct Of the Captain.

LONDON, Nov 26 -Noon.-Steamsbip Pom
merau,a, Schwepzep, New York, Nov. l4tb.
for FL .mburg, arrived at Plymouth at mid
night, "a inst, and was sunk by collision
with Welsh bark off Folkstop, this forenoon.
Fifty-eight were lost and one hundred and
sixty Two were saved.
The steamer Pommerania came in collision
about midnight, during fog, eight miles
southwest of Folkeston, with vessel reported
to be Welsh bark Noel lillian Of Carnarvon,
Rotterdam for Cardiff, in ballast. The Pom
merania was on her way from Plymouth to
Hamburg. The steamship foundered in about
ten minutes One hundred and sevanty-two
passengers and the crew were saved by the
steamer Glengsry, and landed at Dover The
vessel with which the Pom merania colided Is
anchored off Folkston, with bows stove and
her forward compartment full OF water. A
tug has gone to her assistance.
A telegram says 1852 persons on the Pommer-
ania were saved and IS are missing, Including
Capt SChwenzen.
Another telegram says the collision occurred
a dense fog, aud the Pommarania sank in
thirty minutes after Fifty-eight are believed
to be- lost, incl uding Capt. Schweuzen, second
officer Folkes and third officer Zarnow.
The agents here of the Hamburg-Amercan
Steamship Go. say that At passengers OF the
Pommerania we're to have landed at Plymouth
and Cherbourg. leaving 104 on board, four sec
ond and one third class passengers, embarked
at Plymouth. making total number on board
when the disaster occurred at 100. The
agent of the company at Plymouth says IN all
ten passengers landed there.
A dispatch from Dover to the Press Assc-
citation says Messrs. 0. Helms, chief engineer,
j. Scheduling, doctor, c. Peters, chief steward,
and TWO stewardesses are supposed to have
been drowned.
LONDON, 4 .. m.-Further particulars OF the
Pommerania disaster show that at the time Of
the collision she was near Dugsness Point,
three miles from shore. She struck on the
starboard side. midships, aud sank IN less than
twenty minutes Distress signals were given
and responded to by steamer Glengary, pro-
ceeding down the channel, which made all
speed towards the disaster. There were nine
boats on the POmmerania, four OF which were
crushed 10 the collision. Five were got off,
but one was overcrowded with passengers.
ship, leaving the Captain who refused to quit
the ship until the last moment. The last boat
to leave was under the chief officer, who did all
10 his power to induce the Captain to leave.
After pulling for half an hour the survivors
were picked up by the Glengary. One gentle
man was taken from the water unconscious
and restored. The Glengary staid near the
scene till day break, when the Pommerania
was seen with mast above water. No other
bodies were recovered. The Glengary then
proceeded to Dover with the saved, and landed
| them at 9 o'clock, when they we're taken to
| the Sailors Home aud treated with every kind
| moss and breakfasted, The story told by the
survivors tends show tn at the greatest possi-
BILE order, under the circumstances, was main-
tanned by the officers and crew. The following
is narrative by Louisa Laumahn OF Akron u. !:
We had capital run and got to Plymouth
| about 8 o'clock the morning OF the 10Th; landed
| some of the passengers and took some fol
| Hamburg and then ran for Cherbourg and
landed passengers, nearly all Of whom were
| cabin. Those left were mostly bstween decks
1 taA Nf II I iYlh od 1oGt
| night about quarter to twelve when felt a
sudden bumD as if the Pommerania had struck
| on rock I was alarmed but did not think
anything very serious had happened as we had
kept good lookout and the Captain appeared
| very careful, Ii was his hundred and twenty.
| sixth voyage he had told us. He celebrated hi
hundred and twenty-6fth when he was last al
| Hamburg. A fsw seconds after the collision
the Steward and some of the crew came ran
ming to us and said sailing bark had run into
US and We were all to go on deck. l went OF
| deck directly and saw our ships light, but th'
| fog was SO great that could see nothing else,
but they told me that the bark had run away.
The crew were then all busy lowering boats,
the ship beginning to sink In lowering the
boats there was great confusion, everS body
and sank Immediately after it got into the
water. Two others were smashed by th.
collision, The boats were fastened up tigh
aud we could not get them undone. The
POlmerania was sinking rapidly. There
were a number of women among the passen
gers. Our captain had a chance to save his
| life but would stick to his ship. saw him
| when our boat got away from the steame
standing on the bridge giving commands, try
| ing to save as many as he could and trying tt
obtain order. In twenty minutes after tn
collision the Pommerania we Mt down. She dil
not keel over bat went down gradually
The ship which ran US down l never saw
They told me she was sailing barque and tina
| with a north northwest wind she came bowl
ing along and ran right into us. thought I'm
the Shllar did. 1t was very thick weather
| There was good lookout on the POmmerani
all the time. She had smart sailors and thert
was always two or three on the bridge and tw
on the forepost from the time she entered thi
channel. The air boat was so crowded it wa
very nearly even with the water. There wert
a humber of women among the passengers,
don't know how many, but eight have beel
saved and baby. think the baby's mothe
| was drowned. Our captain had some fire
works on board and let them off. We man
aged to get into the boats that remained; hat
been there about ten minutes when the steame
Gleugary picked US up. She cruised about
long tipe.
Capt Pritchard of the bark Noel E,lian i
very reticent and refuses to show his log. Ht
says he was going down the channel at knot
An hour. He was on the deck of the bark snt
had been sounding the fog horn all night unit
the steamers lights were seen. The collision
occurred almost before those on board the bari
were aware that it was impending. Tue blow
was glancing one. The bark bounded oil an
ne did not see the steamer again. Captain
| Pritchard thought he was sinking. The barl
was too much disabled to render assistance
Seven feet of her bow was carried away, He
lights were burning brightly at the time an
she was sailing free on starboard tack. Th
steamer ran across her bows and Came on t
the port bow. turning her around completely
and then went away at fall speed. He was DC
aware that the Pommeriana had sunk until hi
arrival at Folkstone.
The Pommerania landed IA first class pas
seugers and 26 others at Cherbourg. The Mole