The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-08-15
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
Interesting Account Of the
Stranding Of the
Prins Willem.
Special correspondence of the United


| Special correspondence of the United
Press.
| BRIDGETOWJN. Barbados. B. w. L..
July rs, 1ss5.-The following details of the
stranding of the steamship Prins Wiilem
l have just been received here:-
The steamship Prins Willem l., one
of the regular steamers of the Dutch
Mail Line between New York, the Span
ish Main the West Indies, Dutch Guiana
and Holland was stranded on the 18th
| inst. off the coast of Venezuela. When
the steamer became overdue at the West
Indian ports at which she was scheduled
to call. some anxiety was experienced
and as the cable between Trinidad and
| Cumana was interrupted. her where
abouts could not be learned
| Meanwhile the Prins Wilem I. had
| had gone on a reef off the coast of Vene-
| zuela where she remained until con-
siderably lightened of her cargo. This
occupied the greater part of one day
| and as darkness came down-though the
ship had now been successfully f1oated
off-she had to anchor and await day
| light to reload the cargo which had been
taken out. an operation which occupied
a considerable portion of another day.
| LAS there were 12O passengers on board
| the steamer her non-alrival at the regu-
lar ports of call created some uneasiness
and which was not allayed till the steam
er came to anchor off Trinidad on the
10th inst.
VESSEL SEAWORTHY.
| A survey of the vessel was made next
| day when she was declared to be per-
fectly seaworthy and proceeded on her
| voyage to Europe.
| Captain Sorgdrager the commander of
| the Prins Willem L., has given full de-
| tails of the stranding of the vessel. He
| explains that after leaving Clmana on
| the 18th inst, he took "tne inside pas
| sage" which runs between the island
| of MargarJta and the Venezuelan coast,
| in preference to what is known as the
| outward passage" He had reckoned
| that by the time the steamer reached
| the narrow parts of the inside pas
| sage it would be daylight and he
would experience neither danger nor diff
| Guilty in navigating his ship through the
| narrows. At five O'Clock, while it was
! still dark, the ship struck on a reef off
| the island of Cubagua and remained fast.
| He caused stern anchors to be put out
| on which the crew worked, the engines
| going all the time full speed astern, but
| they were not able to move the vessel.
I
| in a boat to Cumara for assistance in
the snaps of schooners or lighters to
| take off the cargo to tighten the ship and
| instructions, to cable to Trinidad for a
| steamer to transfer the passengers to
| Port cf Spain.
| UNLOADING THE STEAMER.
| Captain Sorgdrager Immediately after
| proceeded in one of his boats, to the
Island of Cubagua, about III miles dis
tant, and arranged with some sixty of
| the natives to take off, in their fishing
boats, what they could of the steamers S
| cargo. They commenced work at eight
| O'Clock and continued to work hard
| throughout the day till about P. NJ,
| when they felt the vessel heave slight
| ly. By this time 652 bags of coffee had
| been taken OFF the steamer, and the fur
| Their discharging was suspended till am
| attempt was made to move the vessel.
| Again work was commenced with the
| stern anchors and the engines set full
| speed astern. In a short time the yes,
| sci went astern and that at such a rate
| tnat the anchor cables broke and the
anchors were lost. The ship, however,
| was saved. Information was then sent
! to stop all assistance from Carupano
and Trinidad
| INQUIRY AS TO ACCIDENT.
| BY daylight next day work was COM
| nlenced with reloading the cargo which
| had been taken off and when this had
| been completed the steamer proceeded
! towards Culnana to pick up the steam
| ers boat and men. Captain Sorgdrager
| met the boat about half way on their
return to the ship and with them they
| had brought a Venezuelan schooper, but
| the latter was sent back and the Prins
| Willem I. proceeded on her voyage.
There is considerable comment as to
| whether the captain of the steamer was
| warranted IN taking the inside passage
| but the matter will doubtless be the sub
ject of inquiry.
| 1t is worthy OF note that the Prins
| Willem l. had ON board at the time she
/ went ashore thirty of the crew of the
| steamer Asturian Prince which had also
stranded off the coast of Venezuela only
I day or two before. The crew of the
/ Asturian Prince were being taken as
passengers to Trinidad to be sent home
| by the British authorities to England all
hopes of saving the Prince Line steamer
| having been abandoned
l