Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-09
coLLIDED At MIDNIGHT.


PHILADELPHIA, Aug. g. The British
ship Prince Oscar, Captain Henderson,
collided in midocean on July IS with an
unknown sailing vessel. Both ships sank
in less than 10 minutes. Six members Of
the crew of the Prince Oscar and all on
board the unknown vessel were lost. The
survivors. II in number. were rescued by
the ship Dharwar, after having been con-
fined In an open boat, with neither food
nor water, for three days. They were
transferred to the British steamship
Capac, from Pisaqua, and brought to this
port last night.
The disaster occurred shortly after mid
night in lat $50 S., long. 28.20 w. The
Prince Oscar, which was bound from
Shields, which port she left May "a for
Iquique, laden with coal, and was going
at clipping gait on the port tack before
brisk wind, with all canvas set 1t
is estimated by the crew that she was
making about 81 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 the latter struck the unknown full
amidships knocking her on her beam
ends, and crashing through the woodwork
until her bow 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
kJ<nvx eI,< Il I1, a. "A.
tened in vain for some signs of life, but
not a 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
plunged stern first into the depths below.
Captain Henderson Of the Prince Oscar,
who was below in his birth, rushed ON
deck just in time to discover that his ship
was also sinking. The pumps were then
manned, 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 overheard, and, with the excep-
tion of two unfortunates, reached the
small boats.
Captain Henderson, who was the last
night garments and swan fully two miles
before he was picked up. Both boats
hovered about the scene of the wreck un-
til daylight came, in an effort to rescue
the two missing members of the Prince
Oscars crew. They found no one, how
ever, and nothing to indicate the name,
home or destination Of their companions
In misfortune.
n aud hn,<l <l1<l
they knew not exactly where. Twenty
four hours later heavy sea struck the
boat commanded by Mate Lynch and cap
sized 1t. Her occupants, eight in number,
were thrown into the sea, and the already
overcrowded craft which Captain Hender-
son commanded put quickly to the rescue.
They were successful In getting four of
the men aboard. The rest were drowned.
There were now II men In the small life
boat, with nothing to eat, nothing to
drink, and barely room to stretch their
weary limbs. The sun was broilinQ hot.
and their hunger and thirst were almost
unbearable. Toward evening of the sec
ond day one Of the crew discovered a
small cask Of fish oil slowed away In the
little boat. This was dealt out to the sur
vivors In small doses, and they used II 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 fioated
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
succeeded In attracting the attention OF
those on board and were soon upon her
decks. They were accorded every at
tention, and furnished with food, drink
and clothes, and four days later, in lat.
1888 s., long. $3.50 W., were put aboard
the Capac, bound for this port. All Of the
survivors still bear evidences Of the suffer-
ings they endured while aboard the small