The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-11-02
WRECKED IN A TYPHOON.
The Steamship Bokhara Lost
in the China Sea.
Twenty-three Saved Out Of a
Grew of Two Hundred.

The Peninsula and Oriental steamship
Bokhara is total wreck on Sand Island,
one OF the Pheng-Hoo or Pescadores group
between the island Of Formosa aud the
Chinese mainland. Only twenty three per-
sons on board the Bokhara were saved, tho
lost including the commander Of the steam
ship and the greater part of her officers and
crew. =
There were 200 persons aboard the steam
ship. OF these 10 were drowned. Twenty
passengers, five officers and three sergeanJs
Of the Hong Kong garrison were among the
lost. Among the saved wsre DR.. Lowson
and Lieutenant Markham. ~. -.
The Bokhara sailed from Shanghai, China,
for Hong Kong. Soon after she sailed she
hatches were closely battened down, but the
seas that boar led her quickly tore @the' tar.
pautihs Of and soon the matches themselves
were lifted and carried overheard. Spare
sails were then lashei over the openings, but
these were Of little service in preventing tho
seas from entering the hold, and soon tons
of water had entered the steamship. Water
began to pour into the flreroom, and, though
every effort was made to keep 1t out, it be-
gan to gain on the pumps. which were work.
ing at their utmost capacity.
'
ssngers. None of'them was allowed ON deck.
Those in the cabin, though they fully real.
lied their danger, were far more calm than
the steerage passengers. Among the latter
pandemonium reigned. They were mostly
Chinese, and had 1t not been for the fact
that they were locked below. many Of thom
would undoubtedly have thrown themselves
Soon the coal passsrs and fremen were
drowned out by the water rising in the fire.
room, and b few minutes Later the fires were
extinaulshed.- The donkey boiler on the
main deck were kept going, however, and
the pumps continued to work, keeping the
water from gaining as rapidly as 1t other
wise would have done. Once the fires wens
out the vessel became unmanayeable. 1t
WAS impossible to set any canvas. In tns
condition the vessel was driven on shore.
Everybody was ordered on deck. The pas
sengers had put on life preservers, but these
were Of little use, as many. OF the people
were swept overheard and drowned oy tne
seas breaking over them. -
1t was impossible to lower the boats
Those on the windward side OF the steamer
were smashed to pieces soon after she
stranded. while those on the Ice side could
not be approached because of the ssas 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 hav-
ing bean carried away. s,.,.,.-:.: -
The twenty-tRre who were saved man:
AGED, by almost supsrhumau Efforts, to hold
on until the storm subsidized. Then they were
taken of In an exhausted condition.
The Bokhara was three masted iron screw
steamship OF s955 gross tons She was sol
feet long, thirty mine feet beam and twenty
nina Feat deem. She was built In Greenoc6
In 1873 by Laird g. Co., and hailed from that
port. Her engines, of 500 horse power, were
Of the compound inverted type.
The cargo Of tho Bokhara was very vaiu-
abls. It comprised Q large amount of specie
and large consignment Of silk.