The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-28
LA CHAMPAGNE is AT HALIFAX.
THE DISABLED OCEAN LINER tow
ED INTO PORT.


abIed and Her Screw Shaft Batter
ed-Pnssengers In n Panic After
the AccIdent-Parted Her Anchor
Chain and Was Drifting HeIpIessly
When Found.
Halifax, n s., Feb. 27-The three hun
dred and odd passengers on board the
French liner La Champagne will rest
more soundly tonight than they have for
ten days. Since Thursday two weeks ago,
half of which time they have drifted with
anxiety for their personal safety, but to-
night they sleep in peace and comfort
safe In the harbor of Halifax, their fears
and cares on account of the danger being
dissipated by the happy knowledge that
they are no longer at the mercy of the
stormy ocean.
After drifting for five days on the New
foundland banks with her engines disa-
bled and the screw shaft battered, the
great Boston-bound freight steamer Ro-
man from Liverpool came along, picked
her up and brought her into Halifax with
out further mishap of consequence.
Great was the joy on board the big
French steamer when the cloudy Sunday
morning broke with the shores of Nova
Scotia in sight and the word was passed
that Halifax would be reached before
dark. Port was reached just in good time.
Three or four hours more would have
found the two steamers still at sea, caught
in a dark and stormy night with thick
snow falling, and they might have been
compelled to turn about and put off
shore to keep clear of the coast until an
other day broke.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press boarded La Champagne just as the
anchor was dropped. The saloon present
ed an animated scene, as the passengers
were eager to learn what anxious friends
in New York had thought of the deten-
ton of the steamer. All wished to tell the
story of the experiences adrift in mid
ocean. Now that they were safe in port
they disclalmed any fear, but some of
them could not conceal that they had
come through a trying ordeal
La Champagne sailed from Havre on
Feb 70 with fine, clear weather. whicn
continued for two days. Then the wind
| freshened and gale sprung up, blowing
| with moderate force All went well until
! the nth. The passengers had settled
down, and were passing the time pleas
antly. The ship was steaming fast
| against the head seas, when suddenly,
| about 4 o'clock, a tremendous crashing
| sound was heard In the engine rooms.
In an instant a panic seized the passen-
gers and great excitement prevailed In the
saloons and among the occupants of tho
| steerage The ships passage was stayed
| and heavy poundings shook the whole
! craft. Capt. Poirot quickly Gained the
| passengers, and soon after It was discov-
cred that the tail screw shaft had broken.
| The steamer was running al high speed
| and the engines few around like lightning
| vixen the resistance of the screw was re-
moved, and before they could be stopped
much damage was done in the engine
room. The wild racing of the big engines
| made great noise and the terrified pas
sengers thought the ship would be smasn-
ed to pieces.
Finally the engines stopped their pound
ing after the piston and connecting rods
| had snapped. Capt. Poirot announced
| that the injury could be repaired and the
| ship would proceed at l O'Clock next day.
She was put about but, after further OK
animation, it was found that the damage
was lrreparable. Nothing remained TO be
| done but anchor.
| La Champagne was then in latitude 45:2S,
longitude 5l:23 just in the track of out
| ward bound steamers. The passengers
| and crew were hopeful of being sighted
| by some passing steamer, but a thick fog
sprang up, blighting their hopes. The ship
was shrouded In fog, and nothing could be
seen on either side. The steamer kept up
a continual fire of guns and discharge of
rockets, but no answer came to their sig
nails. and on Friday the captain dispatched
| boat containing eight men and the third
! officer, either to make land or sight a
| passing steamer.
That night a fierce gale rose, and heavy
seas dashed against the big steamer on
the banks The anchor chains strained
and swung, and the ship was tossed about
like feather. After midnight the gale in
creased In fury, and at 4 o'clock Saturday
morning the anchor hawser parted with
| a snap, and the ship drifted southward
| The situation was critical In the extreme
| The passengers were terrified at the
thought of their helpless condition adrfi
on a disabled steamer In mid-ocean. The
| current drove them southwark at the rate
Of fifty miles daily, veering again TO the
southwest All the while the steamer kept
showing her signals of distress, but In
| vain.
La Champagne drifted In this condition
from Saturday morning, Feb. 10, until
Wednesday. Feb. q.
All through the long day the ship stead
| lily drifted and into the night, until the
| passengers who had bravely withstood
the experience had almost abandoned
hope. Most of them had retired 10 their
state rooms when near midnight the wei
come cry. "sail Ahoy," was heard. It re-
echoed from lookout TO cabin and steer
age, and every soul on that big ship re-
toiced
Two steamers we're sighted ten miles
away one directly before La Champagne
and the other on the port bow. La Cl- m
pagnes gun doomed forth and her rockets
nared up and her red fire burned luridly.
The steamer in front gave answering
signals and bore down rapidly upon La
Champagne. She proved TO be the War
rem liner Roman, bound from Liverpool
TO Boston.
The Roman stood by La Champagne
and at once Capt. Poirot went aboard and
made arrangements with Capt Roberts
to tow MIN to the nearest port-lIalifax.
The Roman passed a steel cable TO La
Champagne az noon Thursday and the two
steamers started for this port.
The first day the towing hawsers parted
three times, but little delay resulted, and
a START was finally made az 1 O'clock