Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-13
SCARE ON FRENCH LINER
La Champagne Grazed a Nor
 wegian Bark Of Cape Race.
LooMED SUDDENLY FROM THE FOG
Passengers on Deck Experienced a Thrill That Lasted Twenty Seconds-A Collision Was Narrowly AvoIded-Celebrated the Escape at Dinner That Night.

Passengers on Deck Experienced . Thrill That Lasted Twenty seconds-A Collision
 Was Narrowly Avoided-CeIebrated the
 Escape at Dinner That Night.
 NEW YORK. Aug. 13.-The steamer Champagne of the French line. bound to this port, narrowly escaped a collision with an unknown Norwegian bark of the banks of Newfoundland last Thursday afternoon. By quick and clever maneuver- ing Captain Laurent averted what might have been n serious accident
 The Champagne, one of the best steam CTS of the French line. left Havre a week ago last Saturday. She had smooth wealth CT, and of the banks of Newfoundland a thick fog rolled over her course. There was n heavy curtain of mist over the wa ter on Thursday afternoon. although the weather was not disagrecable Most of the passengers were out on deck. The Champagne was going at about l2 knots an hour. a little more than half speed
 The siren of tho liner was blowing csn- tinuously and two luokouts were watch ing intently fJT vessels in the fog The vessel was l3 miles from Cape Race.
 The prncticcd ear of Captain Laurent. who was on the bridge caught the sound of the vessels foghorn. He knew that 1t must be sailing vessel
  bow and was apparently not moro than l5O yards away The commander lost no time He caused the helm to bc put hard apnrt and signalled for the engines to be reversed.
 As the Champagne moved nearer the passengers could make out the outlines of n bark heading eastward The wind was from the south, and the vessel, on the star board tack. was crossing the steamers bows. moving at n threO knot rate.
 To the passengers on the Champagnos deck 1t seemed that 1t was only a matter of a few seconds before steamer and bark would be in collision. The action was crowded into n space of about 70 seconds. the steamer moving tO the starbOard astern of the bark, missing her by 2O ar 30 yards.
 Tho vessel was n Norwegian hark of about l. 500 tons The steamer had mean while almost lost headway. The engines were started again, and n few minutes later the Champagne was steaming n l2 knot rate for New York Many of tho passengers were thrown into state of frcnZied excitement by the incident They crowded about Captain Laurent and hail. ed him aS their dcliverer. The commander smiled and told them that [" an experien,- cd mariner therc was nothing remarkable in the experience which they had under gone
 There have been many such encounters with sailing craft or tho hanks rccsntly. The White Star steamer Majestic about two weeks ago ran down n fishing smack in a fog and brought the rescued Cr,'w to this port.
 The Anchor line steamer City of Rome a month or sn ago. while bound for this port stuck another fishing vessel. and the steamers first officer was put on board to navigate her to the coast of Nova Scotia
 A passenger on the Champagne said that while many of those on deck were considerably excited most of the passen- gers had such confidence in Captain Lau- rent that they were easily quieted- At dinner that night there was more than the usual gaycty. and many tuasts were drunk to the health of the Champagne's com mander