Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-03-25


GIBRALTAR, March 18.-It is now be-
lieved that the loss Of life by the sink
ing of the Anchor Line steamer Utopia,
which collided in the bay with the Brit
ish iron-clad Rodney yesterday, was
much larger than at first estimated. 1t
is calculated that of the 700 Italian emf
grants and the crew on board the steam
er 400 persons were drowned. Several
bodies of those who lost their lives in
the disaster have been washed ashore
on the Spanish coast.
One account of the disaster attributes
it to the fact that the British warship
Arson was drifting before the gale, and
that in SO doing she rammed the Ito
pia abaft the funnel. After ramming
the Utopia the Arson is said to have re-
versed her engines, which caused her to
back away from the Utopia, which YES
sci was practically impaled on the spur
of the Anson's ram, and the Utopia al
most Immediately afterwards sank be-
meath the waves.
Everything possible was done by the
officers and Seamen of the British war
ships in their efferts to save the lives of
the unfortunate people on board the
were washed overheard and drowned
from one of the warship's steam
launches while taking part in the work
Of rescue.
Among the Utopia's officers and petty
officers who were saved by the boats of
the warships were Capt. McKe&gue, the
ships doctor, boatswain, chief steward
and carpenter.
The scene after the collision has prob
ably never before been witnessed III the
history of maritime disasters. On one
side was the sinking passenger steam
ship, crowded with about 700 emigrants,
who filled the air with wild, horrible
appeals tor help and shrieks of terror
as they saw death awaiting them in the
dark angry waters of the Bay of Gibral
tar Overhead the clouds rushed furi-
ously, driven along by the strong
southwest gale which had been
one of the causes of the calamity.
Right and left of the sinking vessel were
the two monster battleships, the Rod
ney ana the Arson, huge specimens of
Britain's most powerful fighting ships,
pouring the light of their powerful cleo
trio rehectors upon the disabled steam
ship, lighting up the agony of her pas
sengers and showing clearly, too clear
", the terrible position in which they
small boats from the warships, manned
" blue Jackets, who strained every
nerve as they bent to their oars in that
heavy sea while striving CALAMITY to be
| first to reach the drowning passengers
Of the Utopia.
The rescued passengers, estimated to
number about 200 POSSIBLY more) souls
were most kindly cared for on board
| the warships or were taken ashore and
| housed in the different government
buildings.
A naval court of inquiry will be con-
vened on board the British flagship I'll.
British warship mixed up, in some. but
up to the present, not definitely ex
| planned manner, with the sinking of the
Utopia, is commanded by Capt. John
B. Warren. Both warshirs belong to
the Channel Squadron, Of which Ad
miral Jones is the second in command.
AT this hour $3.50 P. NJ the number
of persons saved from the Utopia disas-
ter is said to be 331, and the loss of life
is placed at about 400. possibly less.
Already thirty-two bodies have been
recovered.
The authorities of Gibraltar are fur
nishing the rescued people with lodg-
lngs, food and clothing. 1t is expected
that the Anchor Line people will short
! ly take steps to forward the Utopia's
survivors to their destinations in the
! United States by another steamship of
| their line. Some of the Italians, how
ever, are so badly scared by their ex
| periences of last night that they an
nounce their intention of never again
Drawing the dangers Of an ocean vessel.
| Divers from the war ships are now at
work over and above the spot where
the Utopia sank. 1t is possible efforts
will be made to raise her. The princi-
pal work of the divers this afternoon
has been the recovery of dead bodies.
| The divers and the boats crews who
| have been at work all day in the efforts
| being made by the British naval author
| tiles to discover SO many as possible of
the bodies of the passengers and crew
of the sunken steamer, have at this
hour a P. Pr. recovered ninety bodies.
Among those who were saved from
| the sinking vessel by the men were
twenty of the Utopia's crew. The pas
sengers who were rescued include w.
L. Colbron, stock broker, of New
York City, who was one of the saloon
passenge rs. G.. G. Davis, of Boston, an
other of the saloon passengers. is among
those who are reported as missing.
The officers and crew of II. NJ. S. An
son state that the Utopia fouled the ram
of the Arson, and thus caused the dam
age which resulted in the passenger
steamer sinking within few minutes
of being struck. The Anson's officers
assert that no blame can be attached to
the war vessel.