The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-17
BUFFETED By BILLIARDS..
Ocean Liners Decks Swept By
Wind and Wave.

The Steamer Italia Loses Her Life
boats, Which Are Either Smashed
to Splinters or Swept Away-Ths
Hakon Jarl, a Three Master, at
Sea With Distress Signals Flying.
Exciting Voyage of La Champagne.
New York, Sept l6-The Anchor line
steamer Italia, from Mediterranean ports,
experienced a hurricane on Sept. 8. The
wind began TO blow hard on the evening OF
Sept. Z, and gradually increased in force
until o'clock the next afternoon, when
it was found necessary to heave the ship
to that she might ride easier. A couple
OF stay sails were set to steady the
rolling steamer. The gale developed into
a hurricane, and at p. m, the steering
chain parted and the steamer fell into the
trough of the sea. Before the hand gear
could be shipped, a tremendous sea
boarded the vessel on the port side and
swept everything movable from the decks.
Life boats No. ! and No were stove into
kindling wood, and No. 6 was carried
completely away. The doors OF the
smoking room and hospital were smashed,
and the copper pipes along the deck which
supply steam TO the donkey
engines and windlasses were
twisted into fantastic shapes
The engine room skylight was broken
and much water passed into the engine
room. A quantity of water also found its
way into the after saloon, but beyond
wetting carpets and cushions the damage
done was triAing. AS soon as the hand
steering wheel was rugged the ship was
again headed 20 the swell and rode out
the gale in safety The Wilson line
steamer HindOO, Capt. James Douglass,
also encountered the tail of the same hur-
ricane, but escaped with the loss OF part
OF her cattle fittings.
The French liner La Champagne, which
arrived at her pier this morning, had
voyage full Of incident ON the morning
of the ilth three masted vessel flying
signal of distress was sighted TO the
southwark. Az the main mast was the
inverted signal IN. w." which
means 81 am sinking" The French
man at once altered her course and
circled around the vessel. No sign
of life was TO be seen on board. a life
boat in charge of NJ. Rotte, the second
lieutenant, was lowered and sent TO the
vessel. When the boat returned Lieut..
Rotte reported that the vessel was the
Hakon Jarl from Christiansand with a
deckload Of lumber Hor hold was filled
with water, and she was kept afioat by
her deckload alone There was no one
on board Everything had been left in
| shipshape order. The sails mad been
furled and the wheel lashed.
The captain had taken all his charts
and instruments and valuables, and the
| crew had left none of their clothing. The
| men had left the vessel in the largest
! lileboat. Lieut. Rotte was sure from the
| general appearance OF things that the
boat had not been deserted hastily. The
| vessel was sighted in lat. 50' 35 north
and long, 32' 40 west, Paris meridian
On Sept. IA the steamer Nerito was
sighted aground on the southeast point
of Sable Island The Nerito belongs to
| the English Colum bia Steam Navigation
Company and was bound from Sunder-
land TO Halifax. She 1oated the signal
"Am distressed and need help" The
Champagne stopped her engines and
asked if the Neritos people wanted to
abandon her. They replied that they did
not and sent boat to the Frenchman
asking to have a dispatch sent to Halifax
| from New York on the steamshipsoar-
rival asking for assistance. Those in the
boat reported that there were no passen-
! gers on board the Nerito. She had
crew Of twenty-seven, including her Of
ficers She had run aground on the morn
| ing Of Sept. IL in a heavy fog.
Capt. Laurent says the Nerito was in
very dangerous position, her stern was
so high out Of the water that her screw
| was plainly visible. II a high south wind
| should spring she would certainly 90 to
! pieces, he thought. The remainder of the
! voyage was without incident. Among tho
! passengers on La Champagne were James
Fargo of Wells, Fargo, & Co, MIR. J.
! II. Haries of Drexel, Harles & Co., and
! Alexander Salvinl, the actor. MIR. SAL
vini said he had been abroad since early
in June. He had spent most Of the time
with his father. Salvini, the elder, will
not come to this country this year and
has practically retired from the stage.
He acts on rare occasions in Italy, but
that is all. His health is excellent.