Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-03-20
UTOPIA DISASTER.
Further Particulars OF the Sink
ing of TT British Steamer
Utopia at Gibraltar.
II is Estimated Now That Over
Four Hundred Persons
Were Drowned.
Terrible Scenes on Board.

GIBRALTAR, March 1S.-It Is now
believed that the los Of life by the
sinking Of the Anchor line steamer
Utopia. hich collided yesterday on
entering the bay with the British
ironclsd Rodney, was much larger
than at fret estimated. 1t Is thought
that OF the 700 Italian emigrants and
the crew an board Of the steamer 400
persons were drowned.
GIBRALTAR, March Is, 5 p. m.-Noi
until now has il been possible to give
a full aud auth' ntic account Of appal-
ling catastrophe, the falling light maxi
ing il difficult lest night to see from
the shore what was going on at the
scene Of the disaster, and the terrible
gale making it slmt 81 imPoss bic to
communicate with the vessel until
n late hour ts-day. Early last evening
the Utopia staggered as though unable
TO make headway against the current.
Suddenly q strong gale, combined
with the current. swept the ill-fated
vessel across the bows Of the AnsOn
and In a moment her bull was pierced
and cut by the ram Of irOnclAd.
Tue Utopia, sitter pulling clear OF
the ironclad, drifted about in the wind
a. sea. The rapid in rush Of the
water through the rent of her side
caused her TO settle down 10 d se min.
utes from the time Of the first impact.
The Anson's boats were then lOwerd
Immediately, as were also the boats
from the other vessels of the British
channel squadron. The Swedish
man Of war FreyA and the cable ship
Amber, and the ironclads turned their
powerful electric search ligh,s on the
scene OF the disaster TO assist the res
cuers. On the shore the news Of the
disaster spread quickly. Au enormous
crowd gathered on toe parade. and
great excitement prevailed. Little
could be seen, however, save the
looming hul-s the men Of war and
the white search lights ia ling upon
the foam fiecked crests of the waves
and Illuminating the driving spind-
rift. The sbrieks Of the UtOpia's pas
sengeIs and If the crew could be
plainly he I'd above the roaring of the
gale. The sea WIS SO heavy that the
boats of the rescuers could not with
safety appTOsch the wreck, 80 that they
were conn elIed TO lie to the leeward,
where they picked up the people as
they were swept from the decks. As
the UtOpia's bows settled u terrific
scene wa WITNESSED from the boat.
Those still on board of the binking
steamer made sudden rush en- masse
to the fre rigging, struggling for
their lives, and vsinly seeking place
of refuge. Twenty minutes later the
forecsstle was submerged aud a large
number of persons gathered there,
who had not dared o lean overheard
with the hope of being rescued by the
boats and VINO had failed IN their ef.
fort- to asce0d the rigging, were car
ried away by the waves. Tue resc1.
ers, blinded by the wind and rain
saw nothing but cOnfu ed struggling
mAss of human beings entangled with
the wreckage. A steam pinnaee res
cued sll those who had taken refng,
in the main rigging. but the les. one:
were not taken of until IL o'clock a
night. They were so exhausted thaI
they could do nothing for themselves
so it was necessary co hall them int
the boa's by brave bluejackets In III,
rigging. who clambered into tn,
shrouds aud passed the helpless peO
pie y the Ieseuers in the boats. BOtf
the British and Swedish sailors diC
plucky and vigorous work. Whil'
the steam pinnace belonging to thu
British ironclad InmOralite was en-
gagged in the work Of rescue her screw
fculed aud she became helpless an,
driited on the rocks. In trying tosav
themselves two OF the sailors aboar'
the pinnace were drowned. The re
mainder were rescued. The tOts
number Of liYes lost Is DOW placed a
576. Divers are at work recoverin
the bodi- from the wreck.
THE uFoPIA's CARGO.
NEW YORK. March ls.-The agent
Of the Anchor Line Steamship com
pany today received the following re
port Of tlrs Utopia dl alter: 9Th
list Of the saved embraces two c4bi
passengers and As Of the,crew. Fl.
teen Of the crew and 475 IaEssngel
were lost. The ship was not insured