The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-12-02
CRIMINAL CARELESsNESS.
Sinking Of q French Vessel With ITO
Passengers On Bosrd-Only 81 Persons
Saved.

NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-The ship Thomas
Dana Of Boston, Capt, {. C., Lisson, from
Liverpool, October 20, via Fajoe, Novem.
Der 5, arrived here yesterday morning con.
signed to Messsrs. Snow and Burgess. As
she came to anchor off the battery, 1t Was
apparent that she had been In coils.
ion during her voyage, for Der bowspirit
and all her head gear WAS gone, and q jag.
ged hole on the starbosrd bow was 40 evi.
dencs. OF accident. On boarding her the
reporter learned that on October 30, she
had bs7n n collision with the French brig
Rocay, Nom st. Pierre for France, aud
that the latter had sunk almost imme.
diately and of her crew and passeu.
gers, numbering In all ITO persons, only
twenty one we're saved. The wind at the
time OF the accident waasa moderate whole
saii breeze from the southwest oy south.
aud the sshie was he.aiiAg sgsst b norta On
the port tack. The ill.fated French brig
was running With the wind, absft the star.
board, her beam bending probably about
east southeast, or in nearly direction
OPPOSITE TO THAT OF THE SHIP.
made her green light about two points on
their starboard bow, and that 1t had been
in sight for some time before the two YES.
els came together. Capt. Slsson 10
weather beaten mariner about 30 years old,
and his story is as follows:
eve left Liverpool October % for this
port In ballast. On October 80, 10 latitude
4S degrees north, longitude Is degree. west,
at about balf.past o'clock in the morning,
the ship was reaching along on the port
tack heading about west by north, when
We were run into by French brig, which
afterward learned was named Rocaly, from
St. Pierre for France, with crew and pas
sengers all told Of 10 persons.
JUST BEFORE THE COLLISION
had been on deck converting with my
second officer, who had charge Of the deck.
The brig, Of course, was running. 1t was
just before day light and beautiful morn.
ing, although trihe hazy. had scarcely
got below when heard the outlook sing
out, "Sail ho!" Immediately ran on deck
and found tina. We had been run into aud
that the brig was sinking rapidly. In .
few moments she was out Of sight and the
water was filed with struggling men crying
piteously, in an unknown tongue, for aid.
We were going at the rate Of about five or
six knots, and tue brig came down on US at
a speed Of eight knots. She sank so quick.
ly that we only obtained a glimpse Of her
deck, upon which nothing could be seen,
not even ships bucket. We did not At
tempt to lower our boats, for that would
have imperiled the lives Of the men In
the water, but my crew worked nobly to
save them.
ROPES AND LIFE LINES
were thrown over, and some of my crew
were lowered over .ne sides with ropes
bound to their waists, and fairly dragged
the drowning men from the water.
Twenty-one in all were rescued. We re.
manned on the spot until about 1890, and
then continued on our course, as no bodies
came to the surface. Evidently the brig
did not have proper lookout, for she ran
almost on to Us before they saw the ships
lights. In their confusion they put the
helm aport and ran into US, striking the
ship on the starbosrd bow. Not the
slightest shock was felt by US. Hsd the
| brig kept on her course. the collision
would have been avoided. THIS was tho
fatal error on thelr part, as we obeyed the
laws Of navigation and kept on our course.
The brig was only l60 tons. When We got
those In the water safely on deck We found
that they were Frenchmen, who could not
| speak word OF English, and there WAS not
one ofmy crew that could speak French.
| From one Of the rescued men managed 10
| learn the name of the brig, how many there
were on board, and where they came from.
| The brig was returning
FROM THE ISLAND OF ct PIERRE.
The passengers had gone out to the island
in the spring to engage In the fishing busi-
ness, aud were returning to France 1t the
close OF the season with their wages. The
captain Of the brig, with eighty nine Of bis
passengers, including some Of the crew,
we're asleep below deck when the collision
occurred, and all we're lost. On the 9Th day
OF November put into the port Of FayaI,
flying the signals, ''send boat to take Of .
shipwrecked crew." The French Consul
sent boats of, and after writing . descrip.
ton Of the collision and forwarding Il to the
American Consul, put to sea again In less
than two hours. The rescued men lost ev.
erything, and supplied each man with ons
| suit Of clothes out of the ships locker.