The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-05
PRICE TWO CENTS.
DROWNED BY THE HUNDRED
THE DISdSTEH That OTERTOOK THB
STEAMER PRINCESS iIICE
shaking within Five Minute. Amer she was
struck-A River Fun Of Drowning Persons
Only 80 Snved Omt of 500 On Hnnrd.

LONDON. Sept The paddle wheel excur-
sion steamer Princess Alice. which wis run into
and sunk with such frightful results last even
ing. while on her return from Graveseud to
London. by the screw collier Bywcll Castle. was
onc OF tho largest saloon steamers Of the Lon
don Steamboat Company. She left London at
about II o'clock \. VI. yesterday for Gravescnd
and Shoarncss, many eNcursionists being In
duccd by the fine weather to so for u holiday
trip. The vessel left Grnycscnd on the return
journey soon after O'Clock in tho evening, and
arrived within sight Of tho Royal Arsenal at
Woolwch Mt about o'clock. The Bywell Castle
was then approaching on tho opposite course.
The two steamers were ncnr the middle of the
stream. lust of the City of London Gas Works
at Beckton. and below the North woolwich
Gardens almost the precise spot whore
the fatal collision occurred between the
Motls and Wentworth ten years ago What
happened is impossible accurately to detail. All
that is known. amid the maddening excitement.
Is TINT tho screw steamer struck the Princess
Alice on tho port aide near tho fore sponsor.
scene which hns had no parallel on the river
ensued. A few. very few persons clambered
on the other vessel but nearly all rushed TO the
nftur part of the Princess Alice. A the bow
subsidized gradua IL under the water the shrieks
were fearful and nothing could be done to save
life. There were II dozen or more life buoys on
board. and some boats were swinging in the
davits but. even IL they could have been got at,
they would have been Of little service under the
circumstances.
Within five minutes the Princess Alice beeled
completely over. and went down in deep water.
some smnll boats hastenad 10 tho scene. and tho
Duke OF Teck. another steamer belonging TO the
Same company, which was also on the passage
NJ m" river with party of eNcursionisis went
10 the rescue. but the river for a hundred yards
was full Of drowning people. screaming in an
guish and prnyine for help. and rs it was grow
ing dark then. not much could be done. II is
believed that not moro thar so persons ESCAPED
out OF the 500 aboard the vessel.
The Princess Alice was n long and low river
steamer. built Tor excursions down the Thames.
OF which the middle aud poorer clnsses ~ Lon
doners we're very fond. She had saloons on
somely fitted up. and her passenger carrying
capacity was unusually large. She belonged TO
ni the best equipped steamers plying on the
Thames. She was very narrow forward and
her her prov was 'aper,d 70 such fine point that
she skiniincd through the water nj great
speed. She often carried as many Hs a thou
sand passengers. aud wis In great demand
among priviic eNrursiunisls aud picnic parties.
Her sister ship. the Alexandra, has become
great iavorite for her moonlight trips. The
company which owned these two vessels Is an
exceedingly wealthy corporation. All their
boats start from their spacious wharves at the
Old Swan pier London Bridge.
One Of the recent and most pleasurahle OF the
Princess Alce's excursions was trip to the
sea. or. as 1t was termed a whole day on the
London Hospital, md over II thousand pas
sengets were taken on hoard. The steamer
tWTt'u from lllt VA swan DER NJ = O'Clock in
the morning. called at Blarkwsil. baskerville
Gardens, and Sherrncss ON the down trip, and
ndSa ne p,rG p ., IN egrn hT at
to the special service q the Princess Alice was
on hand Us usual. The fare was si25, but for
ordinary excursions, such rs the one that has
proved such n calamity. 1t never exceeded nifty
cents.
A large proportion ~ the passengers las,
evening were on the upper or saloon deck and
must have seen beforehand their impending
doom. but those IN the stern Of the steamer had
IN tlt.ttF 4 ia, A
found the passengers from the forward part Of
tle vessel running To the after part. Beyond
the fn't TINT the tide WAS about two hours ebh
which would enable tn" Princess Alice to ease
and stop sooner than the Srrrw steamer, which
would be borne on the tide. II is impossible to
discover any OF tnr circumstances Immediately
preceding the collision.
~. The cause Of the disaster is believed 10 be
that both vessels werr rounding the sharp bend
IN the river causcd Icy tho projection II "A point
Of land wher'On the powder magazine Of the
Wooiwich Arsenal Is situn;rd. In order to turn
this point the Princess Alec hal 'r'.s.d ,ver
To- IN" right bank Of the river. and was thus out
q her proprr gourS". Her fights we're proha-
by ohS'urcd ly the shulow ct the powder
magazine, and being much smaller and lower
than the Bywell Castle the latter was upon her
before tie danger was perceived.
That portion Of the Thames at which the un.
!ortunatc stenmor was run down is not far from
M soy She WIS sailnS from Gruyesend, which
~ IN hrht on th' rlSht bank oil the Thames
thirty-thr rec miles from Canterbury and twenty
four miles from London. Til" place occupies
position on the nrsi rising ground to be seen
from the mouth uf the river. Ii is an ancient
town with new addition. The " old town as
II Is called. consists mostly Of narrow and pic.
turesqu" streets; the " new town 3" is full Of
handsome streets. squares, and terraces. The
scenery around il very charming. and tho air
Is very wnol,-ome. These attractions combined
with othnrs. have made GraV'send n popular
watering place. The excursion steamer upon
leaving Gravohcnd. PASSED through the tortu-
Gus wlndings 81 the stream as far MS Barking
when the clamitv occurred. Barking is an i'm
portnni town. ,"yrnt"rn miles aist- northeast OF
London. II IL situated near the point where tho
Rodney and Thum's Rivers unite. The coal
ANA lumber business Is carried on extensively
there. The town has over ten thousand in
habtants.
The Thermometer In New York Yesterday.