The herald., 1893-02-12
OVERWHELMED BY WAVES.
The Steamship Pomeranian's
Terrible Experience.
A Tremendous Sea Temporarily
Engulfs the Vessel.
Part of the Crew and Passengers
Washed Overheard.
Everything Above Decks Carried Away.
The Captain KILLED and the
chip Taken Back to Port
Under Difficulties.
By the Associated Press.l

By the Associated Press.l
GREENocK, Scotland, Feb. 1.-THE
Allan line steamer Pomeranian, from
Glasgow for New York, returned here
after terrible experience. When out
1900 miles daring heavy storm every
thing 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 Mc>
Clean and William Urquhart, seamen !;
James and Lillian Gibson, Jane Caffery
and John Stewart, first cabin, and Peter
Forbes, second cabin passengers. were
washed overheard and drowned. Cap
tain Dalziel was dashed against the bull
warks and 80 severely hurt that he died
next day. The vessel was 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-
ing, the gale increased in severity until
the day of the disaster. The 4th OF
February dawned with a frightful gale
raging and tremendously high sea run
ming. The matches were battened down
and covered with tarpaulins, the venti-
lators were turned to leeward and every
precaution dictated by good seanonnahip
had been taken to prevent the water
nom getting below.
Several seas were shipped, but they
did no damage. Suddenly tremen-
dous sea reared its crest short distance
ahead OF the steamer as she plunged
down q wave. Before she could rise the
sea came over the starboard bow and
tons of green water rushed aft. Almoai
at the same time the falling wave astern
came aboard. The reeult almost defes
description. The deck OF the ealoon, the
chart house, bridge and boats were
smashed to pieces and partly washed
| overheard. The deck was covered witt
an almost inextricable mass of wreckage
SdB HInt ~nu sttirI ruszfiE OF ~ii9;nad
was not known. The steamer 1uss.s 1Nass..ssl y
pay off before the wind and the sea, ant
it was at once seen that the man at the
wheel had been carried overheard. Two
sailors sprang to the wheel and coon pull
the steamer on her course. 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
conversation with a saloon passenger
named John Stewart. They were both
dashed against the deck house, then
carried with terrific force. and jammed
beneath the steam winches. Captain
Dalziel's legs were broken and he sus,
tanned internal injuries. He was care
fully removed to his room, but died next
morning. Stewards legs were also
broken and he sustained other injuries,
from the effects Of which he died in a
few houre.
At the time of the accident Second
Officer John Cook was on the bridge
with John Hamilton, fourth officer, and
both of them were carried overheard
and drowned.
In the saloon deckhouse. when the
sea broke over the steamer, were James
Gibson and Lillian Gibson of Dalkeith,
and Jane Gaffery of Londonderry, ali
cabin passengers. They were carried
over the side and not afterwards seen.
David Forbes of Dundee, a second
cabin passenger, and James Pritchsrd
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 stanchions or
anything else convenient, and it is due
to this that the loss of life was not much
larger. For time the utmost conster-
nation prevailed, but this gave way to q
feeling of sadness when it was found so
many lives were lost.
With Captain Dalziel fatally injured
and unconscious in the cabin, the COM
mand of the steamer devolved upon the
first officer. When the chart room was
carried away, the charts, sextants and
quadrants, in fact everything essential
to the navigation OF the ship went with
it. The pinnacle box and compass on
the bridge were also gone overheard,
and had it not been that the compass
remained it is doubtful if the steamer
would have reached port for many days
yet.
The situation of affairs was terrible.
The first officer called the remaining
officers of the steamer to consultation
and it was decided to put about and re-
turn to Greenock. This was at once
done, and without any instruments
with which to make observations, the
voyage had to be made by dead reckon
ing and was necessarily slow. The first
officer was highly commended for his
skillful seamanship, for having navi.
gated the Pomeranian under such ad-
verse circumstances.
The scene at the burial of Captain
Dalziel was one of the Haddest ever
witnessed at sea. The crew and pas.
sengers stood silently weeping during
the simple and mournful ceremony.
The waves were running mountain high
and all felt they too might soon be with
the departed captain.
Veteran sailors who were on board
declare that during their experience Of
so years the storm was the worst they
ever encountered. If the ship had not
been staunch and the discipline good it
would have foundered. Although the
discomfort endured was very great, no.
body complained. Everybody looked
forward with eagerness to safe arrival on
land and all were too glad to be alive to