The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-08-09
MYSTERY or THE OCEAN.
British Ship Oscar Sinks a Vessel
in Mid-0cean.
SIX OF THE OSCARS CREW LOST.

In Addition the Entire Crow OF the Un-
suferings OF tho Seventeen Survivors,
Sixty Lives Lost on New South Wales.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. Q. = The British
ship Prince Oscar, from Liverpool, Cap
tain Henderson, collided In mid-ocean on
July 13 with an unknown sailing vessel.
Both ships sank In less than ten minutes
Six members Of the crew Of the Prince
Oscar and all on board the unknown vessel
were lost. The survivors, seventeen in
number, were rescued by the ship Dhar-
war, after having been confined in an
open boat, with neither food nor water,
for three days. They were transferred to
the British steamship Capac, from Pr
saqua, and brought to this port last night.
The disaster. occurred shortly after mid
night. The Prince Oscar, which was
bound from Shields, for Iquique, laden
with coal, was going at a clipping gait on
the port tack before brisk wind and with
all canvas set. 1t is estimated by the crew
that she was making about six and half
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 course of the Prince Oscar.
The iron hull Of tho latter struck tho
unknown full amidships, knocking her
almost on her beam end and crashing
through the woodwork 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 re-
bound. 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
thal four minutes from the time she was
struck the stranger keeled over and
plunged 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
manned, but in less time than 1t takes to
tell 1t 1t 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 overheard, and, with the excep-
tion 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 lowered about the scene OF
the wreck until daylight came in an ef-
fort to rescue the two missing members of
the Prince Oscars crew and any members
OF the crew Of the stranger who might
have been fortunate enough to have kept
afioat. They found no one, however, and
nothing to indicate the name home or
destination of their companions in mis-
fortune. Finally they left the scene and
headed they knew not exactly where.
Twenty-four hours later q heavy sea
struck the boat commanded by Mate
Lynch and capsized 1t. Her occupants,
eight In number, were thrown into the
sea, and the already overcrowded craft
which Captain Henderson commanded
put quickly to the rescue They were sue
cessful in getting four Of the men aboard.
The rest were drowned.
There were now seventeen men in the
small lifeboat, with nothing to eat, moth
ing to drink, and barely room to stretch
their weary limbs. The sun was broiling
hot, and their hunger and thirst was al
most unbearablo Toward evening of the
second day one Of the crew discovered a
small cask Of fish oil slowed away in the
vivors in small doses, and they used it to
moisten their parched lips and tongues.
Most Of the men were partially naked,
having had no time to secure any clothes
before leaving their vessel.
For three days and nights they foated
thus on the South Atlantic, and just as
they were about to abandon hope they
sighted the ship Dharwar, from London,
bound to Melbourne. They succeeded in
attracting the attention Of those on board
and were soon upon her decks. They wero
accorded every attention and furnished
with food, drink and clothes, and four
days later were put aboard the Capnc,
bound for this port.
Those lost by the disaster were: William
knight, cook, Of South Shields; Oscar
Nelson. seaman, of Christiania e. Peter
sen, seaman, Of Denmark; August Car
ton, deck boy, of 0stend; !. Relap, of
Douglass, Isle Of Mani J. Anderson, stew
ard, OF Liverpool; tho entire crew of the
unknown vessel