The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-24
EIGHTEEN
LIVES LOST
IN A WRECK
The British Ship Asia
Lost in a Storm
at Night.
Driven on Shoals Off Nam
tueket and Dashed
to Pieces.
Captain, His Wife and Dauqh-
ter Among the Unfortu-
mates Drowned.
THREE SEAMEN SAVED.
Picked Up Nearly Unconscious After
Twenty-four Hours of Great
Suffering.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PROvINCETOWN, Mass, Feb. 23.-
The tug Mercury T.. Captain Evans,
has arrived here bringing news that
three men of the crew Of the British
ship Asia were rescued yesterday. The
men were taken from a piece of wreck
age on which they had been floating
for twenty-four hours and were great
ly exhausted.
The Asia struck on a great round
shoal off Nantucket during the gale
Monday and went to pieces. Captain
Dakin of the Asia with his wife and
daughter were among those on board
at the time and are supposed to have
persisted. 1t is reported that the body
of the captains daughter is at Wood
Shell, having been recovered with that
of a man, supposed to have been the
mate of the vessel Only three of
those on board the Asia were saved.
Following is a list of those lost: Cap
tain c. M. Dakin, Mrs. Dakin, Lena
Dakin, First Mate Thomas Cook, Sec
ond Mate Crosby James Murray, Mi
chael Doyle, Charles Stone, Frank
Walter, Charles Wyna, George John
son, Charles Ramba, Charles Williams,
Charles Carlton. John Fielding, Bur-
nett Burneson, Alfred Oldbury, Fred
Lancheste. Total Is.
The three men who were rescued
were taken to Hyannis to-day by the
United States steamer AZalea, where
they told the story of the wreck. The
ship struck on the shoal at IL o'clock
on Sunday last. The crew were en-
gagged in shortening sail at the time.
After she struck she fioated again and
then struck three times more, and at
last the crew were unable to get her
off in the fierce storm that prevailed.
Tremendous seas swept over the ship,
which began to leak. and at 2 o'clock
Monday morning it became certain
that she would soon go to pieces.
An attempt was made to launch the
boats, but as fast as one was lowered
it was smashed to pieces against the
vessel until they were all destroyed.
Captain Dakin then decided to con-
struct a raft, but before he could ac-
complish anything he was swept over
board and drowned. First Mate Cook
then ordered the crew to prepare to
leave the vessel on any piece of wreck
age they might be able to lash together
Part of the starboard planking of the
deck had been wrenched loose by a ire
was found that 1t would float with sew
eral persons on it. Mrs. Dakin and her
daughter, in charge of Mate Cook,
James Murray, Michael Doyle, Charles
Stone and Frank Walter, took places
on it and were launched from the ship
on a huge billow. William F. Smith,
Jacob Steburg and James PAGES. the
men who reached Hyannis to-day, left
the vessel soon after on another mass
of wreckage which they had hastily
fastened together with ropes, and at
the same time the other men. under the
direction of Second Mate Crosby, were
prepared to commit themselves to the
sea in a similar manner.
The raft bearing the three sailors
soon sighted the one on which were
Mate Cook, Mrs. Dakin, her daughter.
and the others, and kept it in sight
until dark Monday night At day
light the next morning they had sep
arated.
The wreck to which the three men
still chung drifted toward the Hand
kerchief lfghtship. and at 10 o'clock in
the forenoon they were rescued by the
crew Of the vessel. The men were so
far gone that they were unable to give
either their names or that of their ship.
On board the lightship prompt rene
dies were applied, and the men re-
vived and were soon able to tell enough
to show through what terrible expert
ences they had passed
Word having reached Hyannis of the
wreck, the United States steamer Aza- |
lea started this morning to cruise along
the sound among the wreckage of the !
Asia in search of possible survivors or |
to pick up the bodies of the victims. |
She spoke the lightship and was told !
of the men on board She steamed |
nd
wrecked men We're transferred to the
Azalea and conveyed to Hyannis.
The men will be cared for by the
British Consul at Chatham until thew
are able to be sent to their homes.