The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-01
ELBE DISASTER.
Loss Of Life is Now Placed
at About Three Hundred.
Second Lifeboat Still Missing-Cra.
thie's Officers Story Of Fog.

LowEsroFr, Feb. Inquiries wcfc tcle-
graphed to all the coast stations between
Cromer and Eastbourno this morning as
TO whether any wreck age from the Elbe
had becn seen. Replies have boen received
from all the stations, and they are Of the
same unyarying tenor. Nothing has been
discovered.
1t was thought that perhaps bodies
wreckage or clothing would be washed
ashore, but nothing from the lost steamer
has been seen. A heavy snowstorm is
prevailing on this coast and this renders
IL impossible that any more fishing smacks
will return from the vicinity of the disas-
ter before late in the day.
Altogether 10 fishing smncks which
sailed over the scene OF tho disaster have
returned. They report that they saw
nothing TO indicate that u steamer had
been lost
No trace OF the missing boat. with its
score of souls has been found. Probably
no word will ever be heard from the
missing boat.
Over Three Hundred Lives Lost.
Tho total OF the lost Is now set at 3O3.
The Brcmcn office of the North German
line reports that 324 people were on the
Elbe when she sailed. A cablcgram from
London this morning confirms this
This number comprises l49 officers and
sailors, so cabin passengers and l25 steer
age passcngers-824 persons In all. There
are 81 survivors. The lUst therefore,
number 303
The surviving officers of the Elbo de-
nounce the fog story Of the Crathie's ofii.
GERS sent out from Rotterdam as pure in
vention.
The English pilot, Greenham, said: 1T
is black lie. There was no fog. 1t was
quite clear, and the lights OF several
smacks were visible four or five miles off"
The Elbe seamen made similar state
ments.
When questioned as TO the conduct OF the
crew after the collision all the survivors
of the Elbe wreck agreed that the officers
and seamen were cod and self. possessed.
Eibc's Officers Criticised.
The Daily Graphic remarks the diver
gence Of the accounts as TO the conduct OF
the crew, especially as shown in Pilot
Greenham's tribute to the ships discipline
aud the charges made by Veyera and Hof-
mann. In an interview Hofmann said:
~ heard the captains orders to send
women and children to the starboard side
i have been used TO obeying orders as /
have been under military discipline, so I
even let my boy go, although he had got
Into the boat with me. 1t was the engi-
neer who took him out, and [significantlyl
the engineer is still alive"
Several survivors blame the trawlers
which ignored the signals for help The
fishermen say, however, that they could
not have gone to the rescue soon enough
unless they had cut themselves free
The Crathie's statement.
A statement Of the Crathies mate was
telegraphed from Rotterdam. He said.
cit was impossible to avoid the collision,
although difference of 10 yards at our
rate of speed would have averted It, AT
ter we struck we could not get our ropes
and chains clear, but had to cut them. 1
did not hear any commotion or cries for
help from the other vessel
The Elbe's course at the time of the coll
lision Is given as south-sout Invest and
her speed as 10 knots. The other vessel
was seen approaching about 21S points off
the Elbe's port bow. She was showing
green and masthead lights, and was
steaming apparen ly west northwest. She
ought, therefore. to have ported her helm
and passed under the Elbe's stern.