The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-10-18
WRECK OF The BOKHARA
Only Twcnty-Three Saved Out
of Two Hundred on Board.
SHE WAS STRUCK BY A rYpHooN.

Driven on "a Lee Shore-- Passengers swept
Overheard and the Boats Smashed to
Pieccs--The ship Total Loss Hsl
Cargo Very Valuahlq
LONDON, Oct. 49,. Later dispatches
concerning the wreck of the Peninsula
& Oriental steamship Bokhara in the
channel of Fokien in the China Sea CON
firm the first reports of the disaster and
give additional details.
The weather was terrific, and the rag
ing waters quenched the fires on the
steamer. The steamer became unman-
ageable and sank, and the commander
and majority Of the officers and crew
were lost.
There were 200 persons on board.
OF these III were drowned. Twenty
passengers, five officers and three ser
geants of the Hong Kong garrison were
among the lost Among the saved are
DR.. Lowson and Lieut.. Markham.
Some time after the Bokhara lefb
Shanghai the barometer began to fall,
and the vessel was made snug allow and
aloft TO ride out the gale that was known
to be approaching
In a few more hours the wind was
blowing a terrific gale The steamer was
to the westward of Formosa, where ty-
phoons are Of frequent occurrence and in
the comparatively narrow waterway she
did not have safe sea room. The sea was
running tremendously high and efforts
were made to lay the steamer head on;
but with the wind shifting about the
compass a peculiarity Of tyDhoons, his
was impossible.
Soon a terribly high cross sea was run.
ming and che steamer was pitched about
like an empty bottle. Her matches were
closely battened down, but the seas that
boarded her soon tore the tarpaulins OFF,
aud shortly the matches themselves were
+ lifted and carried overheard Spare sails
| were then lashed over the openings, but
these were of little service in preventing
the seas from entering the hold, and soon
tons of water had entered the steamer.
| Water began to pour into the fire room,
| and, though every effort was made to
| keep it out, it began to gain on the
| pumps, which were working at their ut
I most capacity.
| CONSERVATION prevailed among the pas
sengers. None of them was allowed on
| deck.
They were mostly Chinese, and had it
not been for the fact that they were
| locked below many would undoubtedly
have jumped into the sea.
Soon the coal passers and firemen were
| drowned out by the water rising in the
fire room, and few moments later the
fires were eXtiuguished.
The situation of the ship was now most
precarious. Hawsers were thrown out to
! keep the vessels head up to the wind
but she broached to, and she was soon
rolling and pitching fearfully in the cross
seas that were pounding her, and very
often making clean breaches over her.
Suddenly, above the bowling and
shrieking of the wind, a dull booming
sound was heard, and those on board
knew they were drifting on a lee shore,
and that the sound they heard was the
sound of the crashing of rollers on the
shore.
Soon through the binding rain land
was seen close at hand, and in a few
minutes the steamer struck. Everyone
was ordered on deck. The passengers
had put on life preservers, but these
were of little use as many of the people
were swept overheard and drowned by the
seas breaking over them.
1t was impossible to lower the boats
Those on the windward side eff the steam
er were smashed to pieces soon after she
stranded, while those on the lee side
could not be approached because of the
seas that were sweeping the steamers
decks.
All hands huddled under the lee of the
deck houses for what little shelter they
afforded, but every time a sea surged
over the vessel their number grew less,
some Of them having been carried away
each time
The twenty-three who were saved man
aged by almost superhuman efforts tc
hold on until the storm subsided. Their
they were taken of in an exhausted con
diGion.
1t is probable that all the rescued will
be brought to Hong Kong on Tuesday.
The steamer Ancona has been sent to the
wreck.
The cargo of the Bokhara was very val
liable. 1t comprised a large amount OF
specie and a large consignment Of silk