Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-30
The Big Wsrships Of Both Countries Tossed,
About Like Cockle-Shells
on the Deep.
wEATHERING A NIGHT OF WILD ALARM.
High-BOn British Ladies Compelled to Remain on.
Board the Storm-ToSsed Vessels for
Hours With the Tan
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF THE FRENCH SHIPS
rBY CABLE TO TIE DIsPArcH.l

EB1 CABLE TO THE DlSfA1C6.l
LONDON, Aug. Copyrighted. 1.-THE
international exchange of visits having beer
temporarily concluded by the return of Ad.
miral Gervais and the French feet to theil
coast, political tranquility rests upon
Europe The last day of the Frenchmen'l
stay at Portsmouth produced a climax in
the way of weather. For six days it had
rained three hours out of four, but on the
seventh it never stopped and the wind, no,
to be outdone, came along with hurricane
force. Such storm had not been known in
the summer time at Portsmouth for 20
years.
The Admiral had invited large number
of guests to dinner on the flagship and q
ball was to follow. Half q dozen steam
tugs were in readiness to convey those In
vited, and despite the storm ladies made
their way on board the tenders rather than
lose q chance which might never recur, and
then the Freuehmen had made themselves
go agreeable on shore that some sacrifice
might be made to do them honor on this
last night
IN A HURRICANES GRASP.
The tugs cast off and steamed at top speed,
but made slow work of it in the teeth of the
hurricane. Then it was seen the French
Admiral was signalling thatit would be pos
itively dangerous to come near his ship in
the heavy sea, and eancelling all previous
engagements.
But the blood of the British tar was up;
no hurricane had yet stopped him, and he
was not going to let the Frenchmen think he
was afraid of a little salt water and heavy
blow. So, plunging on, the little craft went
through seas of foam with decks washed
from stem to stern. Only little headway
was made, and presently the lashing rain
made the atmosphere SO thick that it was
impossible to see the length of the ves-
sells.
There was nothing for 1t but to lie to,
keeping the engines going to maintain the
position. The wind seemed to shrek in
fury; the little vessels rolled, plunged and
creaked in manner alarming to all lands
men. To make matters worse, every now
and then another helpless vessel would loom
up out of the blackness and then there
would be much shouting and whistling until
the danger of collision was averted
DEE 4lNT 1hE S1OhM.
On the boat provided for the newspaper
men not a single man out of the whole 20
went below. Soaked to the skin, they held
20 ropes on deck, every man with cork
jacket, prepared for the final struggle,
which they felt sure must come. So they
remained the whole night, startled every
few minutes by the widest alarms. When
day broke the tenders made their way
back into harbor and landed their passen-
gers, more dead than alive.
That these vessels avoided collision
throughout the night was little short of a
miracle. Six hours later the Government
tender started again to witness the DEPART
ure Of the feet, but only two of the hun
dred special correspondents at Portsmouth
ventured in her. They have had enough of
the sea Scores OF lady visitors to the Brit
ish feet, who had gone on board before the
storm arose, were obliged to remain with the
tars all night, much to the anxiety of their
friends ashore.
Some doubt has been thrown upon the
statement as to an invitation to the British
feet to visit Cherbourg, but there are good
grounds for the belief that such an invita-
tiOn was given by Admiral Gervais, and
that 1t was readily accepted. The Rus
SLAMS, however, pay the first visit to France.
and it is not probable that an English feet
will put into Cherbourg tor month later.