The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-01

Captain of an Ocean Steamer Ignored
Signals of Distress.

Captain of an Ocean Steamer Ignored
Signals of Distress.
Halifax, N. s., March 1.-The state
ment is made that the Champagne was
passed on the banks and her signals OF
distress unheeded by a steamer which
was believed to be the Bretagne OF the
same line as the disabled craft. This
statemSnt Is foaSnded on the assertion
OF Captain Roberts of the Roman. In
the stories told of the events attending
the picking up of the Champagne II
was made known that two steamers
appeared in sight OF the helpless and
laundering ship about the same time.
one the faster OF the two, was little
in advance of the other. IL was near
midnight and red-fire was burning on
the deck Of the Champagne and rockets
were shooting high intofthe air in rapid
succession to attract attention. The
signals for assistance must have been
seen by officers OF both steamers. but
the Roman was the only one which bore
down on the cripple. The other seemed
TO swerve slightly from her course at
first, but soon IL was perceived that she
was proceeding on her way at full speed
without any intention of going to the
rescue.
The Champagne was picked up 700
miles east of Halifax, $50 miles south
east and about 100 miles south OF the
Virgin rocks. She was in the ice center
and consequently missed passing steam
ers which are taking'the southern course
on account of the ice. Ii was fortunate
that when she broke her cable she drift
ed southwark, for she was carried right
into the course of westward bound
steamers.
One Of the biggest men on board the
Champagne Sunday night was Captain
Roberts OF the Roman. He was fairly
worshipped. and the ladies took special
interest in him. He was we'll enter
tained. and the passengers who owed so
much to his timely rescue were profuse
in their expressions OF Indebtedness
to him. Their feelings in regard to
the ocean fiier which abandoned them
to their fate were quite the reverse, and
they spoke strongly on the subject. AS
Captain Roberts boat left the Side of
the Champagne he was cheered again
and again.end had to doff his cap on
several occasions.
At the time of the break down in the
engine room of the steamer which was
accompanied by tremendous crash
that startled everybody on board there
was big game Of poker going on in
the smoking room I'm which five saloon
passengers were engaged. There was
high jack-jot piled in the center OF the
table and the betting was in figures that
would stagger an ordinary player. Sud
denly came the crash below and all FIVE
| leaped to their feet. There was a mo-
mentary silence, which was broken when
one of the party raped on the table and
| cried: Lets finish and take our
| chances" The others assented, but
| II was only very few seconds when the
best hand raked the pot home, and the
| party hurried on deck.
| AS evidence of the precarious condi-
tion of the Champagne a saloon pas
| senger stated that every soul on board
was put on short rations the last six
| days they were out. When the vessel
had been out nine days and prospects
of being picked up were getting smaller,
| Captain Poirot announced that to pro-
vide for the emergency which then
seemed inevitable all hands would be
| placed on restricted fare. The pas
/ sengers generally did not grumble. The
desire for the preservation of their life
was stronger than the qualification of
| their appetite. Accordingly a notice
was posted in the saloon that only two
meals day would be served.