The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-20

Brest. France. June is--DesaiIs are slow
~ being obtained % the loss OF the Castle
liner. Drummond Castle. bound from Cape
Town to London. and IA passen-
gers and l99 officers and men. The steam
e. was going a. fall speed shortly before
midnight on Tuesday. June Is. heading
around Cape FInistsrre from the Bay OF
Biscay. on Fsnisferre Is the island %
Ushant. about twsnty-ssx miles northwest
OF here, N group OF thirty islands. The
Drummond Castle. 10 steer a safe course
should have been away outside Ushant.
upon which island IL lighthouse and
signal station, but for some reason not sat-
9afantorily explained. the steamship head
Cd inside Ushant. Between that point and
the mainland o. France Is line OF islands.
Including Moiene and lie Coaaet connected
by ridges Of rock with each other. AT dif-
feremf places there are rifles between
which vessels can pass with safety. bat
between Esaant and Molene. the latter
Island being a6out halfway TO the MAIN
land. is a sanksn reef OF rocks. with deep
water on bath sides OF Il. and covered in
parts Al even the Lowest tides. IL was on
this ridge that the Drummond Castle
struck while going az full speed.
The steamer must have struck 50 as 70
tear a big rent n the bottom from stem
70 stern. thus filing the water-tight conn
partmsnts almost Immediately. and send
Ing her 20 the bottom on the other side Of
the reef In about three minutes only Two
boats were lowered after the Castle FIRST
struck. One capslzeI. and three persons
were saved oGt Of az on board The second
class cruiser Sy.sell " hich was of Ishant
al the time or the disaster. heard signals
Of distress and sent boats 20 the rescue.
but without avail OF the saved. two men
we're picked up floating on wreckase by
fishermen fram the mainland. A man nam
ed Marauardt reached Moiene island.
About ten bodies have already been recov-
cred OF Ushant. At the time the Drum
mond Castle struck the reef a high south
west wind wAs blowing. and Ii was raining
and foggy. about tire worst condition possi-
bic for approaching that part Of the coast.
Maruuarif says Capt. Pierre had just gone
70 the cabin for brief rest when terri
bic shock caused the Drummsnd Castle
70 culver as II shaken by a dynamite ex-
plosson. This was followed by a herrfbls
grating rasp.ng sound. the noise OF rush
ing water, and cries Of passengers.
The commanding officer ordered all
hands 70 clear away the boats for lower
ing. bat the rents IA the steamer were so
wide and aeep that few passengers had
time 20 scramble upon the deck before she
gave two or three heavy rolls. then ar aw-
ful larch, aceanpant by some interior
10 she reports 81 the other two seamen
rescued said the steamship went down
So suddenly that there vas TO time even
% launch ore boat much less two.
and even II the beat had been
launched tha sea was running 40 high and
in such RAPID succession. a popularity y
the seas ia that part % the French coast.
that she would have been promptly
swampea. Some q the passeng gers. how
az A.. gazeMsFkuee Amfs
around themselves. bodies washed ashore
being 50 provided
Gooabals who survived the disaster %
the pr8mmond Castle. WAS auartermsster
~ tha xhlp. He said; a few moments
before the shock q drszzisnE rain ccnmenc-
sd 10 fan. and the atmosphere was soggy.
The sea vas not rouge, bar there was
long swell No liEhts were visible" The
children on the ship had gone 20 bed. eut
a number 81 passengers were on deck. The
vessel Sas x1tag fourteen knsfS an hour.
VIXEN Suddenly. VITA absolutely rs pre1inn-
mary warning there was a terrible crash.
The captain. who wss an fAe bridge with
tas thira officer when fhe skip struck. trn-
rreilatelv ordered AZ hands to ire boats.
Al the passengers rssSAs-4 N deck. many
ouly Aaif-etaA. aEi panic-stricke1. The
stearser vas n8m glSte& 50 aeavty thAt. al
though fhs crew behaved admirably and
s-rn1ssf.ee ~ as auytasuE Hsartrea9tax
CRIES rinse from taase On beard. z aen Trey
realised tsey we're doawe1 The NTaa-
sysaTsa teRssae sswk beneath sur feet with
as on board IN ahout fwa minutes after
sac @-rsfe& threw gavseif lnso she water
and w~asned 4 floafinz plank taeu saw
an5.Aes survivor ~ oa8. cErSnx 70
s-naa spar We }aGnea cur Efforts IN cai-
Testing 0sasr srars. and tlaus made q rc1}wa
@s~t 81 ysft On shss we wcge baNstsd
abaat uatEI rno~nsng. whsn we sighted \
Haa5r~ eHaas nee "a frarn rs I waved nv
ran. wh&rh ass Seea, an8 So wsre $500
rs-Ses nu W1a4 Rsi8 ~ was n tAA
ssreeass1e. when ~ fest a crash. and -
had Sgsst tsrue Sc rusa - h4S pest az ere
81 Use heRts N nea 1he ship sank. Thirty-
enc Ae8ses saxe sNas Tar been p}cksd gpe
TIE French asntrastv officials @ho have
a,-er cumming fne scene ~ the week q
the TNr~1m1w1c@3 Castle express tAe heA 81
,hat shs vas broken Hn by the EXPLOSION
~f ne~ H=e8lers after sha began So founder
artss F-reneh zaVsr1rnsHt hax s@rf ~ Ser
sst.n - -rAas re- ire 2ra3 fe~ ire parpasa
Fsa-sfaY~s ss4-e