New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-25
TERRIFIC BATTLE WITH THE SEA.
TWENTY SEVEN MEN ON THE SHIP An
DROSA RESCUED IN THE NICK


Boston, March 24.-Twenty- ty-seven shipwrecked
seamen, after suffering many hardships were
landed at this port to-day by the Furness Line
steamship Ontario. from London. which reached
her berth Mt the Hoosac docks in Chariesfown
about 10 a m. Captain w. J. J. Wise. COM
mander Of the ontario. reported that he had
picked up on March about 300 miles west OF
the Irish coast the crew Of the iron British ship
Androsa Captain David Morgan. which was
fast sinking when the Ontario hove In sight.
The Androsa sailed from San Francisco on
October % for Liverpool, with cargo of about
200 tons of grain and a large quantity OF canned
goods. on December 13. when west OF cape
Horn. the first serious storm occurred with very
heavy seas running, frequently washing the
ships decks. starting the deckhouses and sweep
ing away all the deck movables Which had no.
been securely fastened During the height OF
this gale an unknown British ship was passed
scudding along under two lower topsails After
this gale abated all went well until January H.
when a. terrific hurricane overlook the ship In
this storm the cargo shifted. the vessel was move
down on her beam ends and for ten hours her
main and fore yards dragging in the water
The vessels bulwarks were smashed and one OF
hfr starboard lifeboats was demolished.
ON March the shin was within four hundred
miles Of Cork Ireland when a strong westerly
gale set in. accompanied by terrible sea The
wind steadily increased in fury until the next
dav when II was blowing full-sized hurricane
from the west-northwest. At D o'clock tnat
afternoon the fore and main lower topsalls were
blown TO pieces. and shortly after this noun
famous tidal wave swept over the ship burst
ing in the poop deck carrying away three life-
boats and skids from the forward house and all
movable articles from the deck. Captain Morgan
says:
1.-The bulwarks we're swept clean away. All
the chainplates were torn off. and the huge vol
ume of water had hardly swept over us when all
the topmasts went by the board ] had previ-
ously ordered the crew below, and no one was on
deck but myself and the officers when TINS awiul avn W
wave struck us. We then in a terrlDle
plight the vessel was unmanageabie, ana ner
starboard side was down in the water as far as
the matches. We could not make our way ABOUT
the vessel with any degree OF safety, but, as II
then became a battle for life, ordered the crew
on deck and we began jettsoning the cargo;
When the wave struck the vessel the second
mate David Evans was badly injured
The vesse. then sprung leak, and the crew,
constantly at the pumps, were fast becoming
helpless. on Sunday. March ., the weather
again moderated until the Sth, when the SKY mad
the appearance Of another approaching storm
which soon struck us, and 1t then became a
question Of few hours before the vessel would
founder. About o'clock that morning the
steamer Ontario hove in sight and distress
signal was shown. She sent boat, and after
much difficulty the crew was taken off. Most of
the men had TO be put to bed on board the
steamer. and for several days they were unable
10 be about. When last seen the Androsa was
fast settling in the water. preparatory to taking
her final plunge"
The lost vessel an iron ship Of l,392 tons
net built by Oswal Mordaunt & Co. of South
ampton. in 1851. and was owned by f.. F. & w
Roberts, of Liverpool She was valued at about
f2J 900 and is said to he nearly covered by in
fcN mi n
companies have large policies on the vessels