The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-02-13
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
GREENoCK (Scotland), Feb. 1.-THE
Allan Line steamer Pomeranian, from
Glasgow for New York. returned here
yesterday after a frightful experience.
When about ] 200 miles out, during a
heavy storm, everything above decks
was swept away by huge wave, which
boarded the vessel when nobody was
prepared for it. John Cook and John
Hamilton, second and fourth officers;
James Pritchard and Fred Westbury,
stewards; Peter Mclean and William
Urquhart, seamen; James and Lillian
Gibson, Jane Gallery and John Stewart,
first cabin, and David Forbes, second
cabin, were washed overheard and
drowned. Captain Dalziel was dashed
against the bulwarks and so severely
hurt that he died next day. The vessel
then put about and started back under
command of the first officer.
The Pomeranian encountered bolster
Gus weather Immediately after leaving
port. 1t was thought the wind would
soon blow itself out, but instead of abat-
the day of the disaster, and the 18th of
February dawned with a frightful gale
raging and tremendously high sea rum
ming. The matches were battened down
and covered with tarpauling, the venti-
lators turned to leeward, and every pre-
caution dictated by good seamanship had
been taken to prevent the water getting
below. Several heavy seas were shipped,
bat they did no damage.
Suddenly a tremendous sea reared its
crest short distance ahead of the steamer
as she plunged down the wave, and before
she could rise the sea came over the star
board bow and tons of green water swept
aft. Almost at the same time the falling
wave astern came aboard. The result al
most defies description. The deck sa-
loon, chartehouse, bridge and boats were
smashed to pieces and partly washed
overheard, the deck was covered with an
almost inextricable mass of wreckage
and the utmost confusion reigned.
AT first the full extent of the disaster
was not known. The steamer began to
pay off before the wind and sea, and it
was at once seen that the quartermasters
AAeeA OCOh SoA1lC0 ONSI OOdIO. W. SdllOTS
sprang to the wheel and soon put the
steamer on her course, and then it was
found that Captain Dalziel was missing.
He was last seen standing on the lee side
of the steamer aft of the saloon, in con-
versation with passenger named John
Stewart. They were both dashed against
the deckhouse and then carried with ter
rife force and jammed beneath the after
steam winches. Captain Dalziel's legs
were broken and he sustained internal
injuries. He was carefully removed to
his room, but he died the next morning.
Stewards legs were also broken, and he
sustained other injuries, from the effects
of which he died in few hours.
At the time of the accident Second Of
fcer John Cook was standing on the
bridge with John Hamilton, the fourth
officer, and both of them were carried
overheard and drowned.
In the saloon deckhouse when the sea
broke over the steamer, were James Glib
son and Lillian Gibson of Dalkeith, and
Jane Gallery of Londonderry, all cabin
passengers. They were carried over the
side and not afterward seen. David
senger, and James Pritchard and Fred.
Westbury, stewards, were also lost in the
same manner.
When the sea boarded the steamer
every man about the deck who saw it
coming grabbed hold of the stanchions
or of anything else convenient, and it is
due to this fact that the loss of life was
not much larger. For time the utmost
CONSERVATION prevailed, but this gave
way to feeling of sadness when it was
found that so many lives had been lost.
With Captain Dalziel fatally injured
and unconscious in his cabin, the COM
mand of the steamer devolved upon the
First Officer. When the chartroom was
carried away the charts, sextants, quad
rants, and, in fact, everything essential
to the navigation of the ship, went with
it. The binnacle-box and the compass
on the bridge had also gone overheard,
and had it not been that the after compass
remained it is doubtful if the steamer
would have reached port foP many days
yet.
The situation was terrible. The First
officer called the remaining officers OF
the steamer into consultation, and it was
decided to put about and return to Green
ock. This was at once done, and without
any instruments with which to take OBJ
servations, the voyage had to be made
entirely by dead reckoning, and was
necessarily slow.