New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-09
BUFFETED FOR MANY DAYS.
LOSS OF THE STEAMER POLLUX.
DESPERATE ATTEMPT OF THE CREW TO KEE

DESPERATE ATTEMPT OF THE CREW TO KEEP
MISUNDERSTANDING WITH HAWSERs.
The officers and crew Of the tank steamship Poux,
twenty men all told brought into port yesterday
bv the state Line steamship state of Nevada, having
been taken of their sinking ship about 800 miles on
the Irish coast The P0lluX one Of the four tank
steamers chartered by the Ward Line for The purpose
Of trying tie experiment OF bringing mof"Se'
in bulk from the West Indies i'll the same man
ner that oil is now conveyed by steamers across
the ocean. She left ROuen. France on NoveM-
her 12 in ballast for Philadelphia for Orders. Her char
ter 10 the Ward Line arranged for after she sailed
and instructions had been sent TO her agents at Pha
delpha % send her at once on her arrival to TINS pof'
whence che was 70 be sent to the West Indies Nheh
leaving the mouth OF the Seine the vessel grounded but
WAS got or 1t was thought at the time without serous
damage. Her sternpOSt sprung, however oy thS
grounding, 1t was subsequently shown, and this was
the primary Of her after difficulties For the hrsI
few days she had ordinary weather Iheh tc sc"S
iegan TO rise and the stormy winds TO blo"
on November - it was discovered That she was
leaking around her stcrnpost. Her great frccboard
made the ship in the strong wind which wac hIo"i"o
dnicult to manage. gale was now blowing ana d
tremendous sea was running. suddenly the rndder
broke from its upper fastcnings and became useless
The engines stopped and the snip bfoacheu 10
and rolled helpessy in tho trough OF the sea" III"
boatswain was lowered the stern and dved re-
age He was unsuccessful and was hauled on deck
In an exhausted condition. Then the captain ohercd
a French sailor $50 20 repeat the attempt. he trieo
IT, but without success The experiment WAS uleu Oh
fastening iron rods the rudder and steering by teSo
Int that was successful. and spar riidder was
tried that i spar rugged over the stern with cDies
leading lnboald over each quarter This not proving
n success hawsers were thrown overheard 70 act a.
drag and By this the ship was steeed ior lo'r
DAYS. All this time the great seas oaShea over 'o
ship freezing on her decks and 1t was bitterly cod
on November 81 the gale moderated and on that oaS
q passing vessel spoke the ship.
The captain had hopes that the moderation OF TIC
gale would allow him repair damages ana 80 ala ho'
signal for assistance. On that night, however inc
storm set I'm again, and the snip le''Aeu 80
badly that men had to be constantly hePV q.
the pumps She was then l'ooo HiioN ""
Tho coast Of Portugal, but became utterly unman-
arosble and was rapidly blown TO the northwest
by the Gale 1t now only question Oh h%pi"e
no. aaoat long enough for passing vessel TO come
a., ,bo r,scuc The men had 10 be dashed T. the pumps
10 prevent being washed overheard. 30 Tor DAYS u'e
vessel was swept by the seas and there seeleo ITO op
On December a French fireman. who had peeh oiucItu
40 ro forward TO relieve of the men al the pumps
was swept overheard by wave and lost II was Ho"
found that there only five tons OF cot' Ill u'e
hunhcrs and that the water gaining rapidly Inc
bridge and nearly all the deck fittings were e"ePe
away and all except two boats smashed Inc s'orl"
ragged with undated fury. ,
The water in the afterank rose so high that 1t itod
nm the ballast under the lazarette and letting the
wafer in there spoiled all the provisions eNcSp'l1s
some canned food. For seven DAYS the hel hdu o"Ia
sour ounces OF food each day Day after day passed
aI br G had come TO the struggling sailors in
s,orm and tempest and despair, and had gone a2aih
Finally on December 20 the smoke OF steamer ~as
,eon she bore down the crew ana seeluE thcI.
signals of distress hove TO and lowering Fer DoaIs sem
Them to the rescue over the heavy sea when was
ne steamer
Nevada from Glasgow for New York. When the foIiuA
Uas abandoned she was in sinking CONDITION. ,
"'T IT, soiIorS WHOM they arrived here yesterday
charged that the commander OF the PoluN' Htp'tiu
WhjtSon had been drinking heavily from me tile lhe
sim lcft RCncn This was denied by the captain Who
said that he never drank at all when at sea us
Statement was borne out by the officers OF me snip
The Pollnx steamer OF 4'}3 IONS Ou' ~ Dt"o0
IN 1887 and owned by W. ;. CrOwdace, OF that place
She cost about $4,000.