Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-02-04
A BATTLE WITH DEATH
The Eventful Voyage of the
Steamship India.
FOUR OF HER BOW PLATES STOVE IN

There Being Danger That the Ship Would
Sink the Crew Refused to Work Unless
the Captaim Altered His Course-He
Put in at bermuda. Where Repairs
Were Made.
NEW YORK, FEB. 4.-Seldom is the
steamship confronted with such varied
experiences on a single voyage as that
which befell Captain TAFT of the British
steamship India, during the trip across
the Atlantic, which has just ended with
her arrival in this port. Death, impend-
ing shipwreck, constant battling with
the elements, panic among the 454 steer
age passengers, and last but not least,
mutiny on the part Of the crew, Were the
features of the voyage.
The India sailed from Leghorn for this
port Dec. II, passing 1.-The Rock" Jan.
3. Some difficulty had been experienced
in securing a competent crew, as it was
known that the India had been patched
up, and sailOrmen did not regard her as
| Il seatworthy steamer.
This impression pervaded the fo'castle
when the India started westward, and
was intensified ON the 18th, when terri
| fic no'wester struck the broadside of the
steamer, careening her to port, and
swinging her around as though she We're
a pine chip tossed on the broad Atlantic
| Big waves boarded her at all times.
| One gigantic wall of blue water rolled
against the starboard bow, and in a jitfy
stove in four of the bow plates, making Il
| hole big enough to drive Il horse and cart
| into.
The shock caused the vessel 30 recoil
| rboro that che XyOn1l
| sink.
The crew. as we'll as the 454 steerage
passen GERS, were for a time pauic-strick-
| en-. All order was thrown to the winds.
| Officers and captain had no more control
over the terrified people than school
| ma am would have over flock of wild
/ geese.
Some were in favor of taking to the
| small boats.
When another big wave washed aboard
and tore away the lifeboat the frightened
| people began to realize that their only
safety lay i'll saving the ship, and all
| hands, including some of the passengers,
then went to work to stop up the big
hole in the bow. 1t was q mighty job,
as every wave which came aboard washed
partly through this aperture.
The vessel was then about $50 miles
southwest of Bermuda, and the crew
| look IL upon themselves W Wdlu JOl GuG
captain and demand that he put into
some convenient port.
| All hands came aft when the demand
was made.
| Captain TAFT received the men kindly,
told them that in acting for his own i'll
terests he was acting for them, and
while he refused to alter his course, ht
partly reassured the men, and they Went
forward to work.
The ship WAS saved from going down
| by the ingenuity of the chief engineer,
| who built II wooden bulkhead abuft of
| the rent, thus constructing Il water-tigh
| compartment and combining the seas
| which rushed inboarI, to Ike forward
| part of the vessel.
l On the morning of the 21st the gale il
I the mean time having increased in fury,
! the vessel began showing signs which i'll
/ Dictated her unseawOrt Illness. The crew
| again went aft and crowded into the cap
tain's cabin. They plainly told him tina
he must put into some port, as the Vtsse
was liable to go down.
He finally consented, and that after
noon bore down for Bermuda, arrivin:
there Jan. "a. There the naval and loca
board of steamship inspectors pronounce
the vessel unseaworthy and she was no
again permitted to sail until she VA
thoroughly repaired.