St. Paul daily globe., 1890-12-08
SHIPS IN COLLISION.
The Steamer Id Champagne e
Crashes Into the Lisbonese
at Daylight.
a Hole Twenty Feet Long and
Ten Wide Cut in the Lis
bonese's Stern.
The Champagne RetursS to
New York and Is to Ee
Repaired.
Remarkably Stormy Passage
Remarkably Stormy Passage
of the North German
Steamer Saale.

NEW YORK. Dee. THE French
steamship La Champagne, which sailed
from this port for Havre at noon on
Saturday, returned 10 her dock, at the
foot of Morton street, at noon to-day,
having been in a collision at 5:S5 O'clock
this morning with the freight steam
ship Lisbonese, bound TO Brooklyn from
RIO Janelro. La Champagne lost
piece OF her stem, about ten feet long
and three feet wide, above the water
line. / .e accident occurred about two
miles south of Sandy Hook. The stem
of the Champagne struck the stern Of
the Lisbonese and both vessels escaped
serious injury. No person was hurt.
After the collision the Lisbonese pro-
ceeded to her dock III Brooklyn. Capt.
Boyer, Of The Champagne, gave the
following version OF the affair: I'VE
sailed at noon of Saturday with 449 cabin
and Steerage passengers. We had pilot
and the tug Assistance, Capt. Parker,
TO lead US out TO sea, because the
weather was very foggy. On the way
out we passed the Etruria. We went
out through the main channel. and
shortly after O'Clock this morning we
sighted the Lisbomese coming towards
Us quite speedily. Her route lay through
the south channel. We were going
At Half Speed
and had to keep gong, as the channel
Is but 2G0 feet wide, and We would be
washed ashore if We stOpped. 1t was
so dark could only make out the lights
and the outline of the other ship. Our
pilot signaled the other vessel that we
would cross her bow, we having the
right of way. The other vessel, much
TO our surprise, answered that she would
cross our bow. l saw that if she per-
sisted in her course, and continued at
the same speed, We would cut her down
amidships. i relieved the pilot, and
gave the signal to stop my ship.
The vessels approached each ether
steadily, and finally came to-
gethe. La Champagne's bow
striking the other vessels stern,
but, owing TO the lessened speed of my
ship, without doing any very serious
damage. 1t was very dark at the time,
but the fog had cleared and the stars
were shining" Pilot H.A. Devere, who
had charge of La Champagne, corrob-
grated Capt. BOyer's statement in every
particular. adding: For moment l
thought either vessel must cut the other
in two. 1t is my opinion that the cap
tain of the LisbOnese was alone to
blame" Capt. Parker. of the tug AS
sistanee. which was close to the scene
of the accident, also SAYS that the fault
lay with the Lisbonese. Although La
Champagne had drawn no water and
was
In No Danger,
Capt. Boyer determined 70 return to
port and take no chances. When the yes
sci reached her pier a. Forget, general
agent of the line, told the passengers to
consider the ship their home until We'd
nesday. Wien La Gascogne would take
them on their vGyage. La Champagne
will go on the dry dock tomorrow. The
passengers were all asleep when the
collision occurred, and but few were
awakened, SO slight was the shock. The
IisbOnese Is lying at Martins stores,
Brooklyn. Her commander, Capt.
King, said in regard to the collision:
I'VE took on pilot about fifteen miles
of Sandy Hook. The weather was
calm and We proceeded at full speed.
When we sighted the French steamer
our pilot signaled we Will port
l am not sure of the reply. 1t
was La Champagne's duty to keep out
OF our way. The current was against
Us and the Frenchman struck US on the
port side, about twenty-five feet for
ward of the stern. The Champagne's
nose crashed into our side about four
feet. broke off and grazed a few feet
further and then the vessels separated.
! think the French steamer was wholly
in the fault" The Lisbonese has a
gaping hole, twenty feet long and ten
feet wide, just forward the stern. The
sharp nose of the French steamer stood
in one corner Of the ships wine closet, .
and attached to it was section of plat
ing about ten feet square. The lower
edge of the hole is about two feet
above the water line. Capt. King says
that he could give no idea of the amount
OF the damage. 1t will take ten days to
make repairs.