Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-09
TRAGEDY OF THE OCEAN
Two Big Ships Meet, Crash To-
 gether and Sink.
ALL ON BOARD THE UNKNOWN LOST.

Oscar and all on board the unknown yes sel were lost.
 The survivors-17 in number-were res cued by the ship Dharwar after having been confined in an open boat with neither food nor water for three days. They were transferred to the British steamship Ca- pac, from Pisaqua, and brought to this port.
 The names of the lost are William Knight, cook of South Shields; Oscar Nelson, seaman. of Christiana; E. Peter sen, seaman, of Denmark; August Car lon, deckboy, of Ostend; l. Relap of Doug lass, Isle of Man; J. Anderson, steward, of Liverpool; the entire crew of the un- known vessel.
 Those saved and landed here in the Ga pac were Captain John Henderson, Mate B. Lynch, Second Mate D. Piggott, Car penter Carl Abrahamsen, William Oliver, seaman; Charles Olsen seaman; A. Bunt- ing, seaman; P. Tobin, seaman; Albert Nelson, seaman; P. Petersen, seaman; L. Olsen, seaman; Thomas Doyle, sea man; W. Petersen, seaman; J. Jose, sea- man; Ariel Homborg, seaman; A. Mof ley, seaman; H. Everett, cabin boy.
 Disaster Occurred at Midnight.
 The disaster occurred shortly after mid night in latitude 9S0 south, longitude -2S 20 west. The Prince Oscar, which was bound from Shields, which port she left on May 27 for Iquique, laden with coal, was going at clipping gait on the port tack before brisk wind and with all can vas set It is estimated by the crew that she was making about 6% knots an hour, when suddenly there loomed up directly under her bows four masted vessel.
 The mate asserts that the stranger had no lights burning, and after she was sighted it was impossible to alter the If ho h,,11 of the latter struck the unknown full amidships, knocking her almost on her beam end and crashing through the wood- work until her prov was more than half buried. The stranger went over almost on her beam ends as the Prince Oscar backed away from the rebound.
 As the crew of the Prince Oscar stood peering through the darkness they saw the stranger partially right herself and then she rapidly began to sink. They listened in vain for some signs of life, but not cry for help nor word of command came from the stricken vessel. In less than four minutes from the time she was struck the stranger heeled over and pluDg- ed stern first into the depths below.
 Captain Henderson of the Prince Oscar, who was below in his berth, rushed on deck just in time to discover that his ship was also sinking. The pumps were man. ned, but in less time than it takes to tell it, it was discovered that there was no hope from that source. Lifeboats were ordered cut adrift, and the men were told to jump and swim for their lives. They all went overboard and with the exception of two unfortunates reached the small boats. Captain Henderson, who was the last man to leave the ship, went over in his night garments and swan fully two miles before he was picked up. Both boats hoy cred about the scene of the wreck until daylight came in an effort to rescue the two missing members of the Prince Os cars crew and any momber of the crew of the stranger who might have been fortu- nate enough to have kept afloat. They found no one, however, and nothing to indicate the name, home or destination of their companions in misfortune. Three Days of Suffering. Finally they left the scene and headed l they knew not exactly where. Twenty 1 four hours later a heavy sea struck the boat commanded by Mate Lynch and cap l sized it. Her occupants-eight in number l were thrown into the sea, and the al- ready overcrowded craft which Captain Henderson commanded put quickly to the rescue. They were successful in getting | four of the men aboard. The rest were | drowned.
 
 lifcboat, with nothing to eat, nothing to drink and barely room to stretch theil 1 weary limbs. The sun was broiling hot | and their hunger and thirst was almost unbearable. Toward evening Of the sec- l ond day one of the crew discovered a small cask of fshoil slowed away in the little boat. This was dealt out to the survivors in small doses, and they used it to moisten | their parched lips and tongues. Most of l 6o toll l-nI I I l no time to secure any clothes before leav- ing their vessel.
 For three days and nights they foated | thus on the bosom of the south Atlantic, and just as they were about to abandon hope they sighted the ship Dharwar, from London bound to Melbourne. They suc- ceeded in attracting the attention of those 1 on board and were soon upon her decks. They were accorded every attention and furnished with food drink and clothes, | and four days later, in latitude 16:3S south, longitude 37:3O west, were put aboard the Capac, bound for this port.
 All of the survivors still bear evidences | of the sufferings they endured while aboard the small boat.
 Captain Henderson, when seen, was very reticcnt, preferring not to give the full details of the disaster until he had | reported to British Consul Clipperton, which official will be asked to institute a | naval court of inquiry and hear the full details of the disaster.
 After some persuasion, however, Cap tain Henderson told the following story: | Captain Anderson's Story.
 I've left Shields on May 27 for Iquique, with l, $50 tons of coal, and our voyage l up to the night of the collision was quite devoid of any interesting features On the night of July 13, when the collision occurred, had just turned in, leaving the deck in charge of the chief officer. The wind was southwest and squally, and there was considerable sea-. We were go- ing along possibly 6A knots an hour, with everything set excepting the fore and mig zen topgallant sails, full and by wind on port tack.
 "The mate saw nothing of the approach ing vessel until she was almost on top of us, and he positively asserts that neither of her side lights were burning.
 "She had every stitch of canvas set and was jumping through the water at 8 live ly rate. Consequently when both vessels came together the crash was terrific, and the damage was sufficient to cause both to go to the bottom within ten minutes. Is Not a sound came from those on board A the unknown ship, and at the expiration of five minutes the tips of her masts were seen sinking beneath the surface of the water. Although the men from the Prince 1 Oscar hovered about the locality in theil small boats until daylight they did mol catch sight of any portion of the unfortu' nate craft which might lead to the discov cry of her identity.
 "I am confident all were drowned, ' continued the captain, and tears trickled down his weather beaten checks as ht thought of the loss of life. He claims his statement and those of his men will bt sufficient to exonerate him from all blame as the vessel which wont down with al hands was clearly at fault. ,-