New-York tribune., 1896-08-26
TAKEN FROM LIFEBOATS.
THE MOLDAvA'S CREW RESCUED IN MID
OCEAN BY THE CIRCASSIA.

" THE FOG THE FORMER VESSEL HAD SIfsNCh AN
ICEBERG AND WAS FILLING WITH WATER
RAPIDLY WHEN ABANDONED-HER SAIL
oRs ALMOST EXHAUSTED
WHEN SIGHTED.
Che captain and crew of the British steamship
Moldava who reached this port yesterday morning
have every rea son to thank each OF their lucky
stars tha they are not at the bottom OF the
Atlantic Ocean with their vessel Ihe Mo'u"N"
struck an iceberg when about 80 miles east vi
Cape Race late last Wednesday afternoon "hen
The weather was extremely thick. and she gave
such signs Of Immediately laundering that the
officers and the crew lost time in lowering the
small boats and getting away. They tossed about
on the sea until Friday morning when they were
sighted by the Anchor Line steamer Circassa' on
her Way to this port from Glasgow. When rescued
,he men were nearly worn out from fatigue ahS
exposure The wreck of tho Modava Is only an
other realistic illustration of the perils that trans
atlantic craft run 10y reason OF iccbergs that hhu
their way into the beaten track. These monsters
have been unusually frequent this summer ana II
Is safe TO say that no ship captain is ever wholly
free from anxiety on Their account "heh '"e
weather is f1ggN.
The Moldava sailed from Bristol on August D.
and put into Cardiff. where she took cargo OF
20O ton. Of coal for Halifax. The ModaVa had
good weather until Wednesday, when IT grew
rapidly foggy. Late in the afternoon the fog
became so thick that ii was impossible 10 see
Tar ahead. and two lookouts were stationed
At 4S0 o'clock the captain and second mate
were on the bridge. and the engines were gong at
half speed when suddenly one of the lookouts
sung out iceberg dead ahead, sir The captain
at once stopped the engines but by that time the
huge berg had loomed up clearly out OF the mist
The steamers helm put over. and she oDeyeo
rohy but for all that her nose struck the ice ana
her starboard bow glanced along the glistenlhg
mass A glance told Captain Burnside that his
t,,I into
fee and he thinks from the fact that the ship
did not clear the ice in spite of her helm being
nut about that there may have been two bergs,
hut the fog was dense and the excitement so
great that he IS not sure or that point
WATER FLOWS in RAPIDLY.
Immediately the ship came to full stop pitch
ing a mast overheard from the force OF the I'M
nact Scarcely had the noise of the crash died
away when the ship swung clear and the engines
were started slowly. The chief engineer ana 'he
carpenter at once swung over the DOW ou'
could discover no injury. Plainly the damage was
below the water line. There it was. 10 he sure
and the sounding Of the well showed sixteen inches
OF water in tho second compartment. To close the
breach the captain hung heavy san over the
DOW a'H IN p1ace In spite of ali efforts however
the ship rapidly settled 10y the head ana a sec
ond sounding showed four feet OF wafer WhSre
only n few moments before there had been out
Captain Burnside knew that the ship was doomed
lie AZ once ordered the boats swung out ana all
hands mustered Ine captain OTNeIS "tit ooVEtN
in good order bur with breathess haste for nobody
knew but what the steamer might any moment go
nearly O'Clock when the boats were ready to Put
of At that time the water had 6egun 70 nooa thy
ursa,s S 10 bG; S'? sboyrd off In one boat went the
captain and nine OF mis- men. In another were the
first officer and nine more men whs the boais"an van
end five filled the third boat The captain also also
took dog in his boat. while the frst mate ooKed
So thai i,oe the snip was so far down al the head
that her propeller stuck out OF water ana She hsleu
swaliowed M in the fog. AS the three boats lay
there in the mist the men & heaTd & be Mpi
that surronnd,d mem 81, The shin and repV With her
not dare TO Put ndck daa no 'HS a fas and any
moment might he her last above the water. so the
Invisible steamer whistled aGan and passed away
of hearing.
A STEAMERS LIGHTS TO THE EAST
The boats then headed north by northwest steer
.nr a course which. allowing for a strong current.
would have taken them 10 ST. Johns. The men
rowed steadily until Thursday, when they were
forced 10 rest being worn out Thursday night 1t
came on 10 blow and / o'clock in the morning the
boats got out sea anchors and lay to until o'clock.
when they sighted the lights OF big steamer away
off 10 the east They lost time In burning blue
lighs and the steamer which proved TO be the Cir
cassia. altered her course ana. 10 the reledd, OF
the castaWAys. approached the boats Chiei omcer
William Sutherland on the bridge at the iime
and his orders the engines were stopped ana 'he
oastaways aiken aboard, ,. ,,o, o, O'Clock in
Chief Officer Sutherland saws tnat II, = a n ~
the morning ne blue lights burning on the star
board Of the tiICaSSld, ana as Ud"ll came
out the three boats. The rescued men. ne says
were almost worn out. and those in the boats"aih
boat had 10 be threatened in order 10 make them
keen at the oars. The men who had not been row
ing had been constantly bailing since Wednesda!
evening. As the castaways came over the slue oi
the Circassa there crowded around them many OF
the passengers who had been awakened ny the
stopping Of the engines. The rescued men were wei
cared for and their ARRIVAL in TINS port We're
turned over TO the British Consul from whom the
seamen went to the Sailors Home, in Cherry-st
where they told their yarn. r,,
Half of the will probably return 10 tneianu
whatever investigation the underwriters may see fit
10 institute as 10 the responsibility for the loss OF
the Moldava. ,,,. :. >-
The Nioldava was iron vessel built in New
castle England, by c. s Swan * Hunter ana was
owned by the Mercantile Shipping company oi
London. She was of Lar tons register