Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-12
DERELICT VESSELS.
srsAyeK ADVENTURES or SOME OF
THgM.
Roaming Abont theocsan and Endsngering
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. s,ery Of the
Bark Marie Celeste


IN local paper recently spoke OF the
wandorings Of dorelict vessel which
had been abandoned on the sea and
which had been drifting from place to
place for long time interfering with
navigation. An effort Will be made at
the next session OF Congress to have
some action taken by the princi-
pal naval powers Of the world to
chart tho oceans with view to
placing somewhere the responsibility
Tor removing from the face OF the ocean
the floating craft that make navigation
dangerous. Many OF these drifting,
Ownerlcss vessels are found on the open
Foa from time TO time. They are ships
which have sprung leaks and have been
abandoned as unsafe or which were cast
ashore. and then drifted away again
without their crews. They are without
direction or control and they Drift from
place to place a, the will Of the wind and
tides. II it Is possible TO secure unity
of action the seas will be charted and
divided into sections. in each Of which
Yome one of the maritime nations OF the
world will have jurisdiction over dere-
lcts and will assume the responsibility OF
sinking them or towing them 10 harbor.
AZ INTERESTING STUDY.
The history OF the derehcts that have
been followed from one part OF the
world TO another by the reports Of pass
ing vessels would make an interesting
hook. Ii was only few months ago
that vessel was brought into harbor that
had been abandoned of the American
coast. and after crossing the Gull
Stream hal drlited across the ocean,
and was finally picked up of the He
brides. She was taken into harbOr and
her cargo was found to have been little in
jurod Another ship that was aban-
doned and was finally brought into port
was the Maggie NJ. Rivers. She be-
came water-loRged off the coast of Hat
teras and was left 10 sink. Her captain
and crew escaped in the small boats and
were picked mp 10y a passing vessel.
The vessel floatod about, but did not
sink rs had been expected. She crossed
the Gulf Stream and then began 10
move in great circles. Often she was
very near shore and then she would be
heard from far at sea She was finally
brought into port at Bermuda after ten
months drifting, and her entire cargo
of lumber was saved and sold by the
crew of II. Nj. 5. Canada, which had
picked her up.
REMARKABLE DERELICT.
One OF tho most remarkable cases Of q
Cerelict ever known--in fact one OF the
most remarkable incidents OF the sea re-
corded in hist0ry-wss the discovery OF
the abandoned bark Marie Celeste in the
Mediterranean Sea some ten or twelve
wears ago. a vessel sailing the Mediter-
Tsnean one day sighted bark under full
sail and signslled her. There was no re-
Spouse. After signalling for some time
and getting no sign from the bark
the captain of the vessel sent boats
crew 10 investigate. The crew OF the
boat, as il approached the bark, could
distinguish 10 sign of life. There were
no seamen on her decks and no voice
hailed them. as their boat drew near.
They climbed aboard and found that the
deck OF the bark WIS deserted. although
everything on 10 was IN perfect order.
The sails were set and every rope was III
Its place. 1t looked as though all of the
crew had gone below But when the
boats crew went below they found tho
cabin and the forecastle alike empty.
Everything WAS IN perfect order. There
was a seving.machine in the cabin and
under tho needle was womans gar
ment half completed. 1t seemed as
though the sewer had been gone but
moment. In the forecastle were the sea
mems kits. An examination OF the hold
showed that there was full cargo
aboard. and apparently no injury to the
vessel had occurred.
Some sailors were sent aboard and the
lars was taken to Genoa. There her
opners were communicated with. They
were ignorant OF the fate of the captain
and crew. They had heard nothing from
flc bark since she sailed for New York.
A new crew was put on board and the
lark WAS taken 10 New York. Here and
IN Genoa search was made for trace OF
tle crew OF the vessel, bat without avail.
n8llv circulars were sent over the
world and tine friends Of the missing men
we're consulted, but no trace Of them
could be found And the mystery that
surrounded their disappearance has never
been cleared up. No one of them has
ever been heard from, and no one knows
TODAY how the Marie Celeste was aban-
boned under full head OF sail in the mid
die OF the Mediterranean and where her
iecreant crew went
FOLLOWED By FATE.
The Marie Celeste seemed to be fated
for peculiar adventures. After her event
ful voyage she was recommissloned at
New York and put into South American
trade. Three or four years ago she was
scuttled OF the coast of South America
and all of her cargo was lost. Her cap
tain was tried for the crime and found
guilty. The Marie Celeste was favored
bv fate above most derelicts IL that she
hal two adventures. With the majority
a. abandoned vessels abandonment
means SLOW dissolution. This was the
fate OF the TWeuty-one Friends which
drifted about the ocean for six or eight
months some wears ago and then dissp-
pesred. Her pieces probably lie rotting
al the bottom OF the ocean.
NIPPED by ARCTIC ICE.
One Of the most remarkable casesin
maritime history aud probably the most
famous WAS that of the British sloop-of-
var Kesolute. which was one of three
vessels sent on an expedition TO the Arc
lie seas about 1850 to search for tidings
81 sir John Franklin and his men. In
tho winter Of 1851, while in Melville
hay. the eastern blight of Bsfin's bay,
the ship WAS nipped in the ice OF
mighty pack aud forced clear above
the water The ice. III its constant
troubled movements, relaxed Its grip for
@ time and let the ship down to the wa
Ter, only 10 come together again with
greater force md crush her heavy sides
rs II they were paper. The ships bow
was lifted high III the air. and she was
beeled we'll down 10 starboard, while the
sturdy oaken frame and huge beams
buckled and ground as though she were
giant IL the throes of physical pain.
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