The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-19
THE OCEAN DISASTER.
NEARLY SETEN HUNDRED ENI-
GRANTS or TIE UTOPIA PERISH.
Ueartrendng Scenes Among the tnfortu-
nate-Rescuing the BOdies-Mr. Glad
stones Attack OH Parneil-Prince Napo-
Icons Interinent-Foreign Affairs.
fDy Gable to The Times.

by Cable to The Iimes.l
GIBRALTAR, Mar. 1s.-It is now believed
that the loss of life 10y sinking of the Anchor
Line steamer Utopia, which colllded yesterday
with the British ironclad Rodney while en-
tering the bay here was much larger than at
first estimated. Ii ~ calculated that ot the
700 Italian emigrants and crew on board the
steamer $40 persons were drowned. Several
of the bodies of those who lost their lives IN
the disaster have been washed ashore on the
Spanish coast.
An OPTICAL STATEMENT
LONDON, Mar. ls-The official statement in
regard 10 the Utopia is as follows: Number
Of persons aboard leaving Naples. $50. num-
ber saved. 81; number missing, probably all
drowned, $50.
Thirty-two bodies have been recovered
Food and lodging are being furnished the
survivors 10y the authorities Of Gibraltar. II
j. expected an Anchor Line will soon forward
rescued emigrants to their destination byan-
other steamer So thoroughly frightened are the
Italians that some of them declare they Will
return home. "a they will never again brave
the risks of an ocean voyage. Divers from
the British war ships are hard at work about
the spot where the Utopia went down. frin-
cipal efforts nj present are confined TO rescu-
ing the bodies Of the drowned
At o'clock this afternoon the divers and
the boats crews engaged at the wreck of the
Utopia had recovered ninety bodies. Among
those saved were twenty of Utopia's crew. W.
T. COlbron. stock broker Of New York. who
was "A saloon passenger is among those saved.
G. G.. Davis. of Boston. saloon passenger ~
reported missing The officers and crew Of
the British war ship Anson declare that the
Utopia fouled the ram OF the Anson, and thus
caused the catastrophe.
Az EYE-wITEEss' ACCOUNT.
An eve witness gives this account Of the
wreck Of the Utopia: The shrieks of the
Utopia's passengers and crew could be
plainly heard above the roaring of the gale.
The sea was so heavy that the boats of the
rescuers could not with safety approach the
wreck, 50 they were compelled 20 lie TO lee
ward. where they plckedup the people rs they
were swept from the decks As the [ topia' :
bows settled "a terrible scene was witnessed
from the boats. Those still on board the
sinking steamer made a rush en masse 10 the
fore-rigging. struggling for their lives and
yainly seeking places of refuge. Twenty
minutes later the forecastle was sub
merged. and a large number of persons
gathered there who had not dared to leap
overheard with the hope Of being rescued by
the boats and who had failed in their efforts
To- ascend the rigging. were carried away by
the waves. The rescuers. blinded by the wind
and rain. saw nothing but confused strug-
Cling Of human beings entangled with wreck
age.
STEAM PINNAcE TO THE RESCUE.
A steam pinnace rescued all those who had
taken refuge in the main rigging, but the
last ones We're not taken of until II o'clock
at night. They We're so exhausted that
they could do nothing for themselves.
The blue jackets clambered into the
shrouds and passed the helpless peo-
pie to the rescuers in the boats.
Both the British and the Swedish
sailors did plucky and vigorous work. While
steam pinnace belonging 10 the lronclad
immOrtalite was engaged IN the work OF res
cue her screw fouled and she became helpless
and lrifted on the rocks
DIED FOR OTHERS
In trying 10 save Themselves two of the sail
ors aboard the plnnace were drowned. Peter
sen. Swedish quartermaster. who had been
steering the Utopia short time before the
collision, says Just before the vessels came to-
eether he went below While there he felt
the shock of the collision and rushed from
below but before lie reached the main deck
the Utopia had gone broadside upon the
spur on the Anson's ram. The commander
OF the Utopia. Captain McKeague was on the
steamers bridge until the last moment.
Petersen adds that "a the Utopia was crushed
by the Anson's ram he clambered up the
davts of one Of the steamers boats and cut
the ropes holding IT. He had no
time, however. 20 get the boat
away as the bows of the Utopia has passed be-
meath the warship, aud 1t Is evident
she was rapidly sinking. Soon after, the
boats If the Anson having been promptly
lowered. one Of the men-of-war's cutters
ran alongside the Utopia, and Petersen
Jumped into her he says that while on
board the Utopia after the collision he was
surrounded by a terrible mass OF human
beings fighting their way desperately and say
agely, regardless Of sex or age, towards the