The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-24
The Sultan Only Saved by the skill of Her
Omcers-An Official Statement from
the Captain of the Vessel.
A Portion of the Cabinet OF President
Grevy Resigns.
Ex-Empress Eugenie Says the Purpose of
Her Visit Is TO Afford Aid and SYM
pathy &c Prince Jerome.
THE LOST CIMBRIA.


ers Return without Any Survivors.
HAMBURG, Jan. % 3-According to the state
ment of another survivor of the disaster to
the ship Cimbria, as late as 2 o'clock on Fri.
day morning Captain Hansen received re-
port that the Cimbria's lights were all burn
ing properly. The breach made by the col
lision so great that the Cimbria immedi-
ately lay right over, with portion of her
deck under water
The thirty-nine persons brought into Cux-
haven had been occupants OF two boats. The
other seventeen persons saved were brought
in by the Treta.
No more persons have been landed from
the Cimbria. Sailing vessels passing west
ward may have picked up some. The four
steamers have not yet returned.
The Cimbria was struck forty feet from her
bow After making the breach the Sultan
scraped along the Cimbria and completely
rolled up her iron plates 1t is evident that
the blow must have been tremendous one.
The papers print brief report of what has
transplred of the statement made by the
captain OF the Sultan before the British con-
sui giving the part laying the blame on the
Cimbria in large type, with notes of exclama.
ton.
One Of the boats rescued by the Theta con.
tanned thirty persons, the other only nine.
The latter had been tossing about for nine
hours, and was water-logged. All the occu-
pants could do was to keep themselves from
being washed away by grasping the thwarts.
The statement concerning the death OF Cap.
fns, Al
the last, and of the first officer who was
seen swimming after the Cimbria had sunk,
concludes with the words. Faithful until
DEATH"
The most searching official inspection OF
the steamer Sultan shows the damage far
more serious than at first believed. Accord
ing to the testimony OF competent seafaring
people the mate of the Sultan displayed
marvellous clearness and rapidlty in stopping
the leak, and ii is scarcely conceivable how
the vessel ever reached Hamburg. Besides
the smashed bow and holes in both sides,
her keel for twelve or fifteen feet was COM
pletely split.
Two sisters among the passengers rescued
have written to relatives in village near
Berlin, lamenting that they lost everything,
even to their shoes, but in spite of their suf-
ferings they add that they mean 20 try their
luck in the next vessel, and hope soon to be
able to send their photographs from Omaha.
One red Indian brandi7hed his toma-
hawk before an officer of the
steamer, and had to be disarmed. The
tunult on board was indescribabIe. One
married couple cut their own throats in order
that, that they y. might o5s....1 die tossther . The
rigging to hold fast, telling them
the Sultan would soon rescue them, but
several became delirous and let go their
hold. The surgeon subsequently leaped into
the sea, saying he would make an end of
it,"
Another passenger was seen to cut his
throat when the Cimbria was sinking
Several persons were killed by the collision
itself owing to the flying about OF
splinters and planks. \ passenger in
the shrouds begged his neighbors
to push him into the sea, he being
fused to do so, when he let himself fal head
long into the waves. An elderly woman
holding her Bible in her cramped hands
and singing loudly funeral hymn, was
washed away from the deck. Two girls
belonging to a Suabian singing troupe
having secured life-belts swan about
long time, frantically crying Help! help!
Save us!'' People in the rigging replied, Come
to the rigging; we cannot move" The
girls, half benumbed and no longer able to
swim, cried out for the last time: I'VE can
not come" and disappeared beneath the
waves.
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
The captain of the Sultan, in his official
statement, says that before the fog set in
he had been going nine knots an hour, and
during the fog reduced the speed to -four
knots, the lowest rate of speed consistent
with keeping steerage way the
vessel. He neither heard nor saw
any kind of signals until suddenly,
at distance of little more than two ships
lengths, the Cimbria's green light appeared.
He Immediately, in accordance with the
rules OF the road endeayored to give way.
He thought he should be able to get clear,
when some incorrect steering occurred aboard
the Cimbria and suddenly he saw the red
light OF another steamer [Gt should be re-
membered here that probably the Cimbria's
red light was displayed by alteration OF her
course Almost simultaneously with the
appearance of the red light he felt the shock.
During the time the leak in his vessel was
being repaired, he constantly gave signals by
blue lights and blowing the steam whistle.
When the repairs had been effected, he mp
preached as nearly to the scene of the colls-
ion as he could without endangering his own
vessel, but owing to the dense
fog he saw nothing. He waited
about until 8 o'clock Friday
morning. AS proof of the correctness of his
statement he points to the lateness of the
time at which he arrived at Cuxhaven.
1t is considered that the great point in the
official investigation will be TO prove the ac-
curacy of this statement According to the
statements of persons intimately acquainted
with the Captain of the Sultan. both he
and his first officer are thoroughly compe-
tent and careful sailors, and especially noted
for the maintenance of strict dsipline.
Forty-fye thousand pounds are demanded