New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-30

also number OF barrels OF parafre oil. Ihe
Foscolia reached Sandy Hook Llghtshp at d"
p m the same day, and then the usual course
was taken TO the eastward. as our destination
was Bordeaux, France
Just before sundown took an observation
and found that the ships compasses were al
right The sun went down with nasty look as
II bad weather ahead. All went wei Win
us until 715 p. m. when heavy FOG set ID.
| was on the bridge, and at once ordered al
the lights displayed ara the fog signal kept
going. AS the fog grew denser the speed OF 'he
vessel was reduced to about three and half
knots. or about half-speed. We were travelling
at this speed at 7:45 p. m. with double look
out | was on the port side and second Mate
r Thomas was on the starboard Side
"A couple Of minutes later the lookout, John-
son. on the forecastle. reported large steamer
on our port bow. | looked up and saw DIX
steamer with four tunnels dead ahead. As VI"
steamer WAS rot more than two hundred yards
away | saw that collision could not DE
avoided I blew three blasts on the whistle 10
let the steamer know that we would BACK NJ
full speed and at the same time the engines
were reversed. The steamer answered us WIN
one blast was then steering east-half-south
and the Columbia was going southwest by-"cst'
oThe vessels came together with terrible
cruiser and cut through her after SPONSOR The
two vessels remained locked together FOR a
couple OF minutes. until the backing OF the Fos-
colia,s engines tore them apart. and the bow OF
the Foscolla back to her frs. water-tlght com
nartment was seen to be torn off. Part OF 1t
was eth hanging TO the Columbia The wreck
are was sticking in the Columbia above ana be
lo,y the waterlinc and caused her 10 list con
siderably II II had not been for the overhang-
ing sponsor from tho side Of the warship, the
Foscolia would only have struck the Columbia a
glancng blow The Columbia was hit just for
ward Of the after sponsor on the starboard side
II vas dead calm at the time OF the collision,
and the forward lookout on my vessel had
narrow 2. cape from the crash
GETTING THE CREW OFF.
after the backing away saw that tho injury
to the FoscOlla serious. and instantly or
dercd the nleboats launched. They were placed
in the water In just four minutes. and fifteen OF
my men were ordered into them. remained on
the wreck with my Ave officers Chief Engi-
neer William Saunders and Second Engineer
Sidney Price after trying the engines. reported
them to be so badly damaged by the collision
as 10 be incapable OF working the ship. The
Foscolia was leaking badly. so the pumps were
started. The which had taken TO the
small boats had by this time been sent aboard
the Columbia, which had hole In her starboard
side large enough to drive team and carriage
through
Il with my officers still remained on our ship.
and the pumps kept working until 1870
o. M, but they had little effect. as she was get
ting lower and lower in the water. Two boats
from the Columbia were standing by her at that
time and Lieutenant Williams. in command OF
them. asked me what intended doing. l re-
piled that would stand by my ship until she
went down. then ordered the officers into the
ifeboat and I remained at the main rigging
while the steamship continued to sink. | asked
the men In the Columbia's boats II had done
everything | could to save my ship. and they
answered that had. Both my officers and the
Columbia's men advised me to abandon the ves-
sell which was then sinking rapidly. / got into
tho small boat, and then said would stand by
until the wreck disappeared. Lieutenant Will
Jams then told that as the Columbia was
badly hurt 1t might be necessary for her to go
into port at once repeated that would not
leave the Foscolia until she went down.
Then / arranged that II the Columbia had to
go she would inform me by blowing long short
and long blasts OF her whistle. remained with
my officers about fifty yards from the sinking
ship. and until "a. m. 1 COulu near tilt corstdHt
footing OF the cruisers whistle Then II faded
out Of my hearing. but knew where was be-
cause could hear the Fire Island foghorn. then.
| Judged about eight miles away and bearing
porth-northeast by the compass In my boat.
THE FOsCOLIA SINKS
at $50 A. m ! heard a great noise In the
wreck, which / afterward discovered was made
by the anchor chain running out of the locker.
Exactly at 3 a. IN. the Foscoia went down head
orst In about nineteen fathoms Of water. 1t re-