The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-06-04
Testimony of the English Pilot in
Charge of Vessel.
OnicIaI Statement from COnsuI-General
Glade at Berlin-Frightfu1 Twenty
Minutes Early on the goth OF
January LAst-A Brave Captain.

at Bremen denies statements
printed that the crew of the Eipe
had done next to nothing to save
the lives of passengers. An in
stance is cited that one Of the
pilots in leaving the ship, NOM
ent or so before she went down,
offered Captain Won Goessel cork
Jacket The captain replied, "No
sir, thank you, I have no use for
one," and standing on the bridge
went down with his ship without
attempting to save his own life.
The subjoined testimony of the
English pilot who was in charge of
the Elbe when she sank, graphic
ally describes those frightful
twenty minutes early on the 29th
of January last, and is reproduced
at the instance of Consul Glade.
Robert William Greenham, Trim
ity House pilot, living in the Isle of
Wight, stated that he Joined the Elbe
at Southampton on January oath,
and left for the return journey from
Bremerhaven at O'Clock on January
29th. His duties commenced at the
Overs Lightship and he had to con-
duct the Elbe through the Isle of
Wight pilotage district.
He turned in at about half-past u
at night, having been on the bridge
from O'Clock till II with the chief
IL - fI4 o.
phere was clear with cloudy sky.
The Terschelling Light could be seen
on the port bow about three points.
He awoke about o'clock and about
twenty minutes or half an hour later
he heard a crash which sounded like
the collapsng of an engine cylinder.
He jumped out of his bunk and look
ed out of his door. He then saw that
the ship had been struck about fifty
feet abaft where he had been sleep
ing. He saw one of the petty officers
attempting to close the water-tight
compartment. He got the rest of his
clothes, and, having called the Weser
pilot, they made their way to the
deck, dressing as they went. He got
20 the bridge where he found the cap
tain and chief officer. He spoke to
the captain and asked what had hap
pened He replied that a collision
remarked that the ship had been run
into by a steamer on the port side.
During the conversation he observed
that the ship was making list to
port. The captain ordered rockets
and blue lights to be burned and gave
several orders in German. An officer
came on the bridge and reported that
all the water tight compartments and
doors had been closed, but the ship
still listed to port. The captain order
ed the engines to go half speed ahead,
and the helm to be put hard a-star-
board in order, ii possible, to make a
lee side, and also TO lift the damaged
side out OF the water.
When he came on deck, however,
the engines had stopped. The next
order from the captain was to get the
boats ready. There were ten boats on
board the Elective to starboard and
five to port. He himself went to No. 3
boat, and commenced cutting the LASH
ing of the covers and the lanyards. As
soon IA the coverings were sufficiently
removed, axes were used to cut the
ropes, n everything was frozen stiff,
almost like bars of iron. The orders
were then given for Everyone on
deck; crew To stations; women and
children To the starboard side" This
was that they might be saved first.
The orders were given in clear voice
and were obeyed promptly. At this
time total darkness prevailed, As the
electric light had gone out. In his
opinion everything was done 10 save
life. There was no confusion among
the crew, but he would not speak for
the passengers. No. : boat was low
cred tn the promenade deck in order
that the passengers might get in
easily. An officer then informed him
n.
were closed, and that ii was impoSsi-
bile for the ship 10 sink lie ran down
tn his cabin and took u cork-jacket.
Noticing that the water was coming
above the flooring, he went on deck 10
No. boat and he saw that this and
the adjoining boat were pretty we'll
iilled. The ship was then settling
down ut the stern. The water was
level with the deck and the seas were
breaking over the stern and port side
and on 20 the quarterback. He Went
10 the port bridge ladder and called 70
Captain Won Goessel. Captain We
must get the boats away as quick as
possible for the ship Is fast settling
down and the water is already COM |
ing over the quarterback He did (
not wait for n reply, but left the lad /
der. His reason for calling ont was /
that he could see better than the cap /
tain what was taking place. He did 1
not see "A soul on the port side between /
No. 3 and , boats. He returned IL No. /
3 boat aud then heard the order, /
Lower the boats" No. i boat was 1
immediately lowered from the port /
side aud swamped; as she touched |
the water "A sea struck her in the stern /
and shot her nose under water. He /
then jumped into No. : boat, and the /
third officer followed. This boat was /
now lowered aud the Weser pilot slid /
down the fore tackle and fell into the /
boat
When oil deck he saw a green light /
aud a white stern light ahaft the
E.lbe's port beam, hut he could not (
aaN ~ heihar IL Mna sfAanarr He