The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-27
HELPLESS ON THE OCEAN
LA CHAMPAGNE SOMEWHERE ON
THE BANKS OF NEWFOUNDLAND.
Ten OF Her Crew who Went in Search
tiOn and Taken to New York.

NEW YORK, Feb. 26-The Holland
American line steamer Rotterdam, from
Rotterdam. arrived at quarantine tonight
with Third Officer George Unsworth and
nine seamen of the overdue French liner La
Champagne, who were picked up from a
lifeboat on Thursday. Feb. "a. in latitude
1910 north and longitude 81 west. The men
when taken aboard the Rotterdam We're in
a helpless condition, having been in the
ships llfeboat for six days and nights. The
men were all more or less frostbitten.
Unsworth stated that La Champagne broke
her taiiend shaft on Thursday, Feb. IL, at
) D. m. in latitude 45:27, longitude 51:52. The
steamer being in helpless condition. Capt.
Poirot anchored the vessel on the edge of
Newfoundland banks. and there being a
possibility of the steamer not being picked
up in her position, Captain Poirot decided
to send q lifeboat in search of assistance.
One the morning OF the 18th. the lifeboat,
being fully provisioned, Unsworth and his
crew Of nine men left the ship in. the hope
Of intercepting some passing steamer. The
weather proved tempestuous, with intense
cosd. A sharp lookout was kept for pass
ing steamers. but none was seen. The boats
crew kept to their oars and for six days
and nights worked with might and main,
but owing to the cold and exposure became
we'll nigh exhausted. On the 24th at p.
M the Rotterdam bore down and stood by,
and with no little difficulty rescued all
hands. La Champagne experienced strong
head winds up to Feb. II, when the tall
end shaft gave way. When the accident oc-
CURED the best OF order prevailed The
steamer was perfectly tight and not making
any water. The passengers on being in
formed of the accident to the machinery
were perfectly calm, and the best of order
prevailed.
La Champagne carried SO4 passengers. As
belng cabin, So second cabin, 2oS steerage
and a crew of i75.
Later the Rotterdam came to her wharf
in Hoboken. An Associated Press reporter
tonight interviewed Third Officer Uns-
worth, who said: About all that car tell
you regarding the accident to La Cham
pagne is that it occurred about o'clock in
the afternoon of the 18th inst There was
a strong easterly wind at the time. The sea
was heavy end the atmosphere foggy. At
the time of the accident the boat was
headed in q southeasterly direction. 1t
seemed to be pretty well settled in the opin-
ion of the officers of the La Champagne
that the break was in the tailend staff. 1t
was, however, out of sight, and she only
thing to do under the circumstances. as ap-
peared was to bring the boat to anchor.
At the time we left the La Champagne all
on board appeared to be well confident and
even happy. They cheered us as we de-
parted for the southwark in search of as
sstance."
The rescued men said the La Champagne
was provisioned for at least a 1L0n "A, and
that nothing less than a cyclone off the
coast OF Newfoundland could send the
French liner TO the bottom. On account OF
the distance which they travelled in the six
days while aioat in the open boat-berween
two and three hundred miles-the seamen
OF the La Champagne seemed TO think It
would have been difficult for the Rotter-
dam TO have returned to the assistance Of
the La Champagne, and that the wiser poll
icy of hurrying to the port of New York
for the purpose OF giving the alarm and
notice of the whereabouts Of the La Cham
pagne had been adopted.