New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-22
DEATH IN THE BAY OF SPEZIA
STEAMSHIPS MEET IN COLLISION AND las
LIVES ARE LOST.
THE MARIA p. THE WRECKED VESSEL oooHO
LOWER ONLY ONE BoAT-sHE WAS FILLED
WITH EMIGRANTs BOUND FOR

SOUTH AMERICA
La Spezia Italy. July 2i-A terrible accident
resulting In the loss Of l4s lives. occurred near
the mouth OF the Bay OF Spezia to-day. Al l'oo
o'clock this morning the steamers Or'igia anu
Maria p ran into each other, and the latter
vessel was so badly damaged that she sank ID
very short time The Maria p. had on board III
addition to her crew. 17s passengers. bornd iro"
Naples for South America. by far the larger
part Of whom were emigrants The night was
pitch dark. when the collision occurred. ana tne
scene on board the sinking steamer almost denes
description. Most OF the passengers were asleep
In their hunks at the time. and were awaKened
by the crashing OF the steamers plates, deck
beams and deck-planks. They were panic
stricken and rushed pellmell deck where
they ran hither and thither, calling upon the
saints to them.
From the reports OF the disaster received here,
1t is impossible to determine whether any at
tempt made by the Maria =. TO clear away
and launch her small boats to attempt to rescue
the passengers. but. Judging from the accounts
given by the excited survivors. 1t Is surns"d
that the steamer went down too quickly to allow
of this being done. though boat got away
The blackness Of the night added to the terror oi
those on board. and II Is understood that some
Oh tHe pdsstTBtIs, WIFI ifdi'
overheard.
The force Of the collision was terrific. The
Ortigia struck the Maria p squarely on tne
starboard side and her stem penetrated the III
fated steamer for a distance Of eighteen rect
When she backed out. great volume OF water
poured through the oriice and the vessel be-
gan almost Immediately TO settle
The survivors are in such mental condition
that II Is impossible yet to get any coherent
story from them. but from the statements or
some Of the crew. 1t appears that the disaster
was the fault Of the Ortigis. The crew OF the
Maria u. numbered seventeen. or this NUMBER
fourteen were saved In the boat that got clear
Of the ship This boat also saved the thirty
passengers.
The Ortga. former voyage. was In col
lsion In the same spot with a French steamer.
and this fact adds strength to the belief that
she responsible for thie mornings disaster
The collision occurred of lsola del Tino Inc
Ortigia left Genoa at o'clock last night the
Maria =. was bound for Genoa. where the emil
grants board Of her were to be transhipped
TO the steamer sud America which was 10 con-
vcy them 10 the River de In Plate.
II was learned this afternoon that the lookout
man on the Ortigia saw nothing OF the other
steamer until 1t was too late to avoid collision
The officers Of the Ortg!a say that no boats
were lowered by the Maria p. and that their
vessel saved all the survivors The Oriisia re-.
mained In the vicinity Of the accident Tor several
hours. hoping that she might be able TO rescue
others.
The bow Of the ortigia has a rent four yards
long Just above the water-line
Admiral NORM. Minister Of Mariro announced
the disaster t. the Chamber ~ Deputies this
afternoon and the news created n deep I'm
preston. MANY ~ the Deputies expressed sym
pathy with the families - the victims. An off,
cial inquiry has been ordered by the Minister
The Maria r. was a schooner rIggei iron. screw
steamer 722 gross and f57 ne, tons She was built
In Sunderland IN 'sss and was IL feet long. = fe~t
inch bean, and 10 feet inches depth of hold She
had nve compartments Her engines were OF the
compound type She was owned by Aarini Brich-
etto. and her haling port was Genoa.