Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-25
ALL HANDS LOST.
A Spanish Steamer Wrecked on Penzance
--hIeu Perish in Sight OF Those ON Shore.


LONDON, Feb. 21-What is likely to
prove the gravest maritime disaster
which has occurred since the tempestu-
GUS weather set in is reported from the
Cornish coast.
A large vessel, whose name is I'M
known, but which is supposed TO be
| Spanish steamer, has been wrecked off
Penzance, and it is feared that all hands
who were aboard of her are lost.
| Already brief dispatches, telling of
tragic and horrifying scenes which at
tended the disaster, have been received.
1t is learned that boat containing six
men which had set out from the vessel
for shore was capsized almost immedi-
ately in the binding gale. Tho boat
was next seen keel upward, but none of
her crew could be seen except two men.
The first of these was clinging to the
boat in desperation and was seen to
be twice washed of. The second was
| swimming in an effort to reach safety.
Efforts made by the coasting board to
| help the two men proved too late, and
both were drowned. The boats from
the wreck and quantity Of wreckage
have come ashore.
A Cork packet-boat towed a Nor
|
| The master of the schooner was drowned.
| The schooner was on the point of
driving on the rocks. She had her
decks swept and was disabled in
Fridays gale.
The schooner Petrol has also been
towed to Queenstown. She was found
abandoned off Minehead. Her crew arc
supposed to have been drowned.
| IJf INaL Al
Patriot is stranded at Arklow Rock.
Three of those who were aboard of her
have been drowned.
| BURNED IN MID-ocEAN.
NEW YoRK, Feb. 21.-The officers Of
the Wilson line steamer Egyptian Mon
arch, just arrived from London, report
having encountered burning vessel on
the morning OF January 18th, about
1000 miles southwest of Southampton.
Captain Irwin at once headed for the
doomed craft.
Before coming within haiing distance
the forms of two persons could be seen
on the bowsprit of the burning vessel.
Their arms were entwined about each
other. They had clambered almost to
the end of the bowsprit and for q time
were free from the flames. Not another
soul was in sight When the Egyptian
Monarch came within hailing distance
those aboard could hear the cries of the
doomed couple on the bowsprit.
THE CAPTAIN AND HIS WIFE.
The persons on the bowsprit were
made out to be a very large man and 4
much smaller person, both dressed in
sailors attire. The former was the cap
| tnt .f4 k,,r ,...., 4
was his wife. Not another soul was on
board. The crew had taken their choice
between dying by fire or water, and
they chose the latter. They had leapod
overheard and found quick death.
The captain and his brave wife stood by
the ship until the last, hoping against
hope that they would be saved. They
had retreated along the bowsprit as the
flames crept nearer and nearer.
When the Egyptian Monarch came
alongside the wife was clinging to her
husbands back, her arms clasped about
his neck. He chung to the bowsprit and
moved further along inch by inch. AS
If to add to the misery of the terrible
occasion furious hail squall sprung up
and large hailstones beat down upon the
unprotected sailor and his wife. First
Officer Bingham, Second Officer Jordan
and Third Officer Kay We're excited.
Kay, who is brave man, called out /:
"Who will man boat with me and go
to the rescue of that woman?"
VOLUNTEERS TO THE RESCUE.
There were not brave men enough
aboard to go to the rescue. Only three
came forward. The rest were towards.
They hung back, afraid to risk their
lives. To man q boat in such q sea
would require at least ID men. Six
could no more control life-boat than
could six infants, but they tried it
nevertheless. The three officers and
three men launched their boat but the
effort was useless. Their frail craft was
buffeted about by the waves and wind
until they were exhausted. They were
drawn back on deck just as the boat
filled and sank.
During this time the unknown vessel
burned like furnace. The flames ate
through the bowsprit. Man and wife
saw their danger and with one laA cry
called to those on the steamer to help
them. They were beyond help. The
men on the Egyptian Monarch stood
speechless and powerless TO act. They
saw the flames draw nearer and nearer;
saw the bowsprit bend under the weight
of the two forms, saw the frantic mo-
tons Of the couple for help, and at last
saw them fall clasped in one long last
embrace into the dark icy waters.
Cagtain Irwin kept the vessel steering
about the burning hulk and did not
leave the scene until o'clock the next
morning. How many lives were lost is
not and will never be known. The lost
vessel is supposed to be the oil-laden
bark Lodinia, which left this port on
January I'd, bound for Liverpool. She