The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-20
The Steamship Edam Sunk Off
the English Channel
ALL ON BOARD ARE SAVED
The Turkistan Stove Great Hole in
Her Side
The Passengers Lost All Their Baggage and
Took to the Boats Half Naked
but Orderly
Associated Press Special Wire.

PLYMOUTH, England, Sept. l9.-1he
steamer Beresford has arrived here hav-
ing in tow the Vulture and four ships
boats containing the captain and passen-
gers of the Netherland Steamship com
pany's steamship Edam OF Rotterdam,
from New York, bound for Amsterdam.
At O'Clock this morning the Edam col
lided with the Turkistan', IN dense fog.
The Edam foundered and the Turkistan
was lost to view IN the fog. The captain.
passengers and crew OF the Edam, who
took to boats i'm ediatly after the coils
ion, were picked up by the Traveller.
The trawler Vulture was on the fishing
grounds fifteen miles from Eddystone
lighthouse last night. Just before L
o'clock thick fog came up. Those on
the vulture heard a great blowing OF
whistles, then terrific crash. The Vul-
ture i.m sdiateiy went alongside the
steamship Edam, which was rapidly fill
ing. Captain Brunsma requested the
Vulture to stand by. The ships boats
were quickly lowered and passengers
helped into them without accident. The
passengers were greatly alarmed, but
there was no panic. A majority went,on
men and children were first mbarked in
the ships boats. The sea was perfectly
smooth. TIE Tnrkistan: which did not
acpear to have sustained injury by the
collision, stood by until danger had
passed, then proceeded in the direction
OF Cardiff. The Edam founderei at 3
O'Clock, two hours after the collision.
The Edam and Turkistan came together
with great force, although proceeding
cautiously in the fog. The Turkistan $
PROV made great hole III the side OF
the Edam. Both vessels Immediately
lowered boats and many passengers were
transferred from the Edam by the Turk
fstan's boats. Another account says the
Edam foundered within half an hour
after the collision. Everything is being
zone at Plymouth TO make the ship
wrecked people comfortable, and supply
them with clothing. as all their baggage
was lost. The Edam carried ninety-three
steerage passengers. The Turkistan' s
bows were badly damaged.
The steamer Edam was built at hotter
dam in 1858. Shs was $50 feet long, 80
feet beam, % feet deep. She registered
3l30 tons gross, 1867 tons net.
The Edam was struck amldshlps on the
port side, Captain Brunsma being on the
bridge at the time. He had heard the
Turkistan whistle and had replied sew
eral times. When at last the vessel
doomed up in the fog it was too late to
avoid a collision, but the captain imme-
diately signaled to reverse the engin as
and ordered everybody on deck. He
directed that the passengers and crew be
divided into four parties, one for each OF
the steamships boats. The boats were
lowered without any panic. The women
and children were handed down into
them, some of them but half dressed. In
the meantime boats from the Turkistan
had arrived and Captain Drew of the
Vulture from Brixham, who had heard
the crash, brought his trawler alongside
the fast sinking Edam.
Captain Drew OF the Vulture in an in
terview with representative of the As
ISOLATED Press, said that he had Just
reached the fishing grounds, about fifteen
miles. northwest of the Eddystone light
house, when the fog bank came up.
Hearing the sound of whistling and
little later the crash, he bore immediate
ly down on the noise. The night was so
dark that he was unable to see how large
the vessels were or where the Turkistan
struck the Edam. He did not thinksthat
the Turkistan was much damaged but be
ascertained that her stem was somew hat
injured.
The officers of the Edam refused to give
any details of the disaster beyond saying
there was no panic on board the steam
ship but that every body kept perfectly
cool. From other sources it was learned
that the steamer settled down at the stem
first and sank in about forty minutes
after the vessels struck, by which time
all the boats had got clear of the doomed
ship. Captain Brunsma tried to board
her again before she sank, but the dau-
ger was too great. The passengers were
all emlgrants of the poorest class and
none of them could speak English.
When they reached Plymouth they pre-
scented pitiable spectacle, the most for
tunate of them being only half clad :.
They were, however, soon provided with
clothing. English yachtsmen contribut-
ed money for the alienation of their dis
tress and local tradesmen gave generously
for the same purpose.