The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-21
Two of Her Lifeboats, One Keel Upward and
the Other Half Full Of Water. Seen by the
Steamer Coventry on March 4
The Lost Vessel Supposed to Have Struck
q DereIict or an Early Iceberg.
Possibility that the Crew and Passengers We're
Picked Up by Sailing Vessel-How the
Sarnia Mended Her Shaft al Sea.
TIDINGs FROM THE NARoNIC.

Two OF Her Lifeboats Seen eating on the
Banks of Newfoundland.
LIVERPOOL, March 2l-The White Star
line freight steamer Naronio. which sailed
from this port Feb. ii, for New York. Is as
the bottom of the sea. but the fate of her
crew and passengers Is still matter of un.
certainty. The following press cablegram
was received to-day from Bremen:
THE British steamer Coventry. Captain
Wilson, from Fernandina. Feb. 10, arrived
in this port to-day. She reports that st 9
o'clock on the morning of March 4. when in
latitude 42O north. longitude 40 west. she
passed lifeboat, painted white, bearing
the name 'Naronic.' The boat was floating
keel upward. At2o'clock on the afternoon
OF the same day another llfeboat from
the Naronio was passed. This
boat gave evidence of having en-
countered heavy weather. The masts and
oars OF the lifeboat had been lashed to-
gether and attached TO the painter, and
then thrown overheard as q sea anchor TO
keep she boats head ND co the wind. Judg-
ing from appearances neither of the boats
had been long adrift. The position of tho
drifting boats was about soush by west OF
Sable Island, on the banks OF Newfound.
land. There Is chance that the occupants
OF the boats were picked up by q passing
vessel.
Captain Wilson, commander of the Gov.
entry, states that he was not able TO plainly
declpher the name on the first lifeboat
passed by the steamer though there is no
doubt In his mind that lt was 'Naronlc.'
The boat being capsiZed rendered the read
ing OF the name almost impossible. as the
letters were reversed and could only be
seen when the ends of the boat were
thrown clear out of the sea. When the
Coventry came up with the second life
boat the name painted on it was plainly
discernable. This second boat was half
filled with water. It's appearance led Capt.
Wilson to believe that It's occupants had
been taken aboard some vessel. after
which the boat was cast adrift."
Officials of the White Star Line Company
here state that their advices from Bremen
show that the last lifeboat of the Naronio
passed By the Coventry was recently occu.
pied by q portion of the Naronic's crew,
and they expressed the hope that the occu.
pants bad been picked up by psssi ng yes.
sci. They also expressed the hope
tina: the occupants of the other
boats had been rescued. All doubt as
to the fate of the NaronIc has been dis
PEELED by the sighting of her lifeboats.
That she is now at the bottom of the ocean
cannot be disputed. but the cause of the
disaster Is, of course. still matter OF con-
lecture. 1t may be-. judging from the lati-
tude and longitude in which the boats
were seen, that the steamer struck either
derelict or an early iceberg. though 1t il
still rather early Ia the season for ice TO be
adrift SO far south the banks. 1t is
hoped TINT the mystery of the loss of the
steamer will soon be cleared ND by
the landing at some port OF members OF
her crew. A Ayessel which passed Deal to-
day sigDaled that she had on board
eleven shipwrecked people. and the White
Star officials say there is a strong probable
ity that they are part of the Grew of the
Naronic. The arrival of this vessel is
eagerly awaited. as should the shipwrecked
persons on board be from the Naronic. all
conjecture as to the causes that led to the
foundering of the steamer will be removed.