The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-28
In A HAVEN
OF SAFETY.
The La Champagne TOWed
Into Halifax
WAS ADRIFT FOR 10 DAYS.
Engines Disabled ant Her Screw
Shaft Shatierej.
WAS ADRIFT FOR 10 DAYS.
PICKED UP BY STEAMER ROMAN.

Halifax, Feb. 2S.-The 300 and odd
passengers on board the French liner.
La Champagne, rested more soundly last
night than they had done for 10 days.
After drifting for five days on the New
foundland banks with her engines dis
abled and the screw shaft shattered,
the great Boston bound freighter Roman,
from Liverpool, came along. picked her
up and brought her into Halifax without
further mishap OF consequence.
Great was the JOY on board the French
steamer when the cloudy Sunday morn
ing broke with the shoces of Nova
Scotia in sight and the word was passed
that Halifax harbor 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 another day broke.
The Champagne sailed from Havre on
Feb. Il. All went well until the 18th
About o'clock a tremendous sound was
heard in the engine room, and in an
instant a panic seized upon the passen-
gers. II was discovered that the tail
screw shaft had broken. The steamer
was running at high speed and the en-
gines flew around like lightning when
the resistance of the screw was removed,
and before they could be stopped con-
siderable damage was done in the en-
gine room.
The vessel was put about. but after
further examination it was found that
the damage was irreparable. Nothing
remained TO be done but anchor. She
was just in the track of outward bound
steamers. The passengers and crew
were hopeful of being sighted by some
steamer, but thick fog sprang up,
blighting their hopes. There was a con-
tinual fire OF guns and rockets, but no
answer came to the signals. and on Fri
day the captain dispatched boat con-
tanning eight men, a coxswain and lieu
tenant. either to make land or sight a
passing steamer.
That night a fierce gale sprang up and
heavy seas dashed against the big
steamer on the banks. After midnight
the gale increased in fury, and about
4 o'clock Saturday morning the anchor
'''"'Na t'ii NNN WIN a snap anu the Snip
drifted southward. The situation was
critical in the extreme. The passen-
gers were terrified at the thought Of their
helpless condition-adrift on a disa bled
steamer in mid-ocean. The current
drove them southwark at the rate OF so
miles daily. veerins again to the south
west. All the while the steamer kept
showing her signals of distress, but no
answering signal came.
La Champagne drifted in this helpless
condition from Feb. Is until the 23rd. a
dread fear had seized upon the passen-
gers. Most OF them had retired when
near midnight the welcome cry. sail
ahoy," was heard. Ii re-echoed from
lookout tower to cabin and steerage,
and every soul on that big ship rejoiced.
Two steamers were sighted. one direct
ly before the La Champagne and the
other on the port bow.
la Champagne's guns doomed forth,
her rockets hared up and her red fires
burned luridly. The steamer in front
gave answering signals and bore down
rapidly. She proved TO be the Warren
liner Roman, bound from LIVERPOOL TO
Boston. Captain Poirot went aboard
and made arrangements with Captain
Roberts to tow him to the nearest port.
which proved TO be Halifax. Three
times the towing cables were parted by
the heavy pitching OF the ships. and
each time IL took considerable trouble
TO pass others. Finally two steel lines
and massive MANILA one were con-
nected, and with them the helpless ship
was brought safely into port.
What the passengers may have suf-
fered mentally Is not to be compared
with the physical torture OF the members
of the crew detailed for the trip in search
of assistance. For six days they were
at the mercy of the sea and the weather.
Then they were picked up by the Rot
terdam, which was bound to New York.
almost dead from cold and thirst. In
the cases OF two Of the men the frost
bites were so severe that IL seemed for
time as though they must lose their
hands and feet. However, they rallied
quickly, and their circulation returned.
TELEGRAPHIC BREvITIEs.