New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-26
SIXTEEN MEN LOST AT SEA
THE NORGE SINKS a FRENCH FISHING
SCHOONER

THE NORGE SINKS A FRENCH FISHING
SCHOONER.
NINE OF THE CREW OF THE SAILING VESSEL
SAVED BY THE sTEAMER-cAPTAIN
KNUDsEH's Explanation.
Nine survivors from the French fishing schooner
La Coquette OF Bayonne. France were brought
into port yesterday on the Thlnsvala Line steamer
Norge Sixteen OF the crew OF the French schooner
lost their lives in collision between the Norge
and the schooner Those who were saved had
narrow escapes from meeting the same tate as
their comrades The collision occurred between 8
and O'Clock Saturday afternoon. on the Banks
Of Newfoundland. La Coquette was just DAY
and a halrs sail away from Miquelon when she
was run down by the steamer. The men rescueo
from the schooner were:
pEnRE Louis captain LEMENANT. Jean Bap
1.iIPRRFrJJ Victor sea LEQUEC Joseph, seaman
man LEsERRE. Joseph. seaman
man Rt-ELLAs. Henri. seaman.
The accident occurred after the Norge had been
in dense fog for twenty-five hours. and when she
frs, heard the foghorn Of the little schooner she
essened her speed and then. when It was seen mat
the schooner was close on the big steamer an ordeT
was given for full speed ahead. and the Norge
cut completely through La coquette
FIRST WARNING OF DANGER
The Norge. under the command Of Captain {. 3
Knudsen. left stet'in on August B. Copenhagen
August 10 and Chrstiansand August L. oound
for this port She had seven first cabin.
eleven second cabin and l43 Storage pas
sengers on board. 'rhe weather was fine until the
Norge reached the banks OF Newfoundland "heh
a heavy fog set In. The speed Of the vessel was
not reduced and Saturday August ~ the
weather was so hea " that Captain knudsen cou'a
not see three cable lengths ahead Of the steamer
III ~ "a from the west SOUTH
west The foghorn II a sailing vessel was hearo
orders we're at once given to reduce speed. ana
then once moro the foghorn sounded This time
the lookout on the y;eamer called out "Nessel on
the port bow" The French schooner was tAeh
seen heading from the north directly across the
how Of the Norge The order 70 reduce speed and
back was countermanded. and inc oresr, ~
sped 1 honded III" forward in esponse to the
meni OF the propeller and the hshlng schoone'
S w. anS FOR moment ne hull hung 10 the bis
steamer Then ~ broke away and disappearee -.
men rom tho schooner sprang aboard the Norge
having made their way up the anchor chmhs, ne
passengers on the Norge were fTighte.ed ~ ~ tls
huston and we're only quieted when they iouho
out that the steamer was uninjurea 1oa r ana
Caniain Bcrre and flve men Of La toluette were
picked up search wss mace 's ,o va The sur
,,ivors said that lumber ~ the men had oeeh
the men Just as the boat was returning 10 the
steamer snsi H9 SS T si ~ the ashins Schooner
a water speniel which had jumped overheard when
e,or, 70 get back on the sinking Vessel and failed
Then 10 swan around the side OF the Nuif ,uss-
!, vas ,"kcn into m. small boat the animal was
,sorSpghiv worn nut The Norge then proceeded
on her way this port
CAPTAIN KNrDsEN's EXPLANATION.
On her arrival mere Captain knud'en sa'a IN
explanation Il ne accident;
2 rfr Hgffr-
roor 81 the Goth VIXEN the collision ocGurrto
was standing on the bridge AZ ne ri e acsun, Of
The dense fog suddenly heard the iond o'a'e u
q foghorn . ,. ,-or, q, front oil,
my vessel 4 minute later saw me huu ~
small schooner Just ahead sly steamer Wa ing
a a, i hsvc 10 nm the schooner down or csc tn"
schooner would run into ne sie - my ,,,
al.d.tcr rars the sell 70 20 ahead ~ fu. ,peeei
and tine Sorge ran into ne p,t, n'S g., 90
'' dTte ga we. very choppy and - schooner
in her side considerably larger Just as the steam
g taetc4 swSy c 'sy[ cban S ~ ,Ss Norge ,ew
81 them chung to the chains and were drawn up
second OMccr Nelson at once lowered boat
Win a crew ard they began picking up ne rea.
men who were struggling In ne water Inc , oos'
Sixteen % the schoon@r.s crew were irh"n ~
the vortex made by the sinking schooner ana
were drowned" ,
Captafn Knudeen said that his men ioled faith
scciferis TIA. could not De avoided The fog was
so dense TINT We could rot see FAR ahead q Us
he ss!d II don't think that my crew or myself can
be held responsible" ior the accident
The sh!pvrecked sailors were placed In charge
% the French ConsulGeneral and taken 20 the
consulate where Captain Berre made Ms report
Tho men were then taken 70 a hotel for the night.
ana an investigation VII be made as 20 ne aeci,
dent to-day. In his statement 10 tonsul-denetal
pruwacrt Captain HeTre says that tho collision
occurred OF The Grand Parks day and hair
H., Coqucifc was ~ that limo on the Fishing
Ranks and thirty other schooners were about ne
There was dense fog. but the men were all on
The collision occurred 80 suddenly rhat tho nrs,
thing they knew the steamer Norge appearcf
coming toward them. head on. Tor their sids ~
was impossible 10 DO anything 20 get out or the
way The Norgo which was going az a speed or
from eight 10 ten knots al hour. ht la To-
ou.ffe I'm tho side Her a'ter-mast fell toward IN.
he vessel and the rigging. sails and mast pinned
~. men down. that 90 was inevitable death 'or
them "a the vessel began % sink 49,. c..
la Coquctte was d brgantlne OF "" IONS Shs
the owners being unknown. she sailed from Bay,
orne I'm MAY Tor Mqrelon. 10 nfh on me Grand
Banks She had made several trips % Mlgu'lon 10
mt IN a load % nah. and vas 10 have remained
an the Banks until the end Or the season. "nlch
would have been IN about ak weeks. Her ere"
were shipped At 81 Servan. ,,- -, .,,o
tons Sic r. 30 feet inches long ~ -ret inches
b.en, ana - feet deep She j. one OF The finest or
The Thingvalla Line feet which ply between Co
'rbe Norgc's register j. ioo Al a. Lloyds Her
captaln IS considered one OF the most carerul men
In the Atlantic service.
PRIVATE ClRSWELL NOME TOO LATE.
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