New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-01
WAS 1T LA BRETAGNE?
A RIG STEAMER PAID NO HEED TO THE
CHAMPAGNE
c.YrAIN ROBERTS OF THE ROMAN. SAYS HE
THINKS IT WAS THE FRENCH LINER
PASSENGERS START FOR NEW
YORK BY RAJ


Halifax y s. Feb. oS-The sensational feat
ure to-day IN the case of the French Line
steamer La Champagne which was towed into
this harbor disabled Saturday night was
the statement that she had been passed the
Banks and her signals of distress unheeded by
steamer which was believed 10 be La Bretagne
OF the same line. This statement was founded
on the assertion of Captain Roberts. OF the
Roman which brought the La Champagne TO
Halifax
In the stories told last night OF the incidents
attending the picking up of La Champagne Il
was made known that steamers came in
sight Of the helpless ship about the same time.
One the faster Of the two little in ad
vance Of the other. 1t was near midnight and
red fires burning the deck of La Cham
payne. while rockets were also being fired In
rapid succession to attract attention The sig
nails for assist ance must have been seen by the
officers of both steamers. but the Roman was
the only which bore down on the crippled
vessel The other seemed TO swerve slightly
from her course at first, but soon II was per-
ceived that she proceeding on her way AT
fuN speed without any intention OF coming TO
the rescue.
The general opinion aboard was that II was
an American liner from Southampton TO New
York. When Captain Roberts Of the Roman
entered the saloon OF La Champagne last night
an eager group OF passengers asked him apou'
the other steamer In answer 10 question from
a woman Captain Roberts said AS far as
could make out. It was the French Line steamer
La Bretagne Of the same line as the one on
which you now are" Captain Rooerts's state
r1ent created a sensation among the passengers
La Champagne was picked up seven hundred
miles east Of Halifax. She was in the ice centre
and consequently missed passing steamers "h'c"
are taking the southerly course. 1t was fort
unate that when she broke her cables she
drifted southwark. for she was carried right
into the course OF westward bound steamers
This morning the Champagne's decks resem-
hled a little city The crowd. however was con-
siderably diminished by the departure Of sew
entv-one first class and intermediate passen-
gers who started this morning for New YORK
by rail dozen others went this afternoon
but there are about fifty first and second class
passengers still in the city. Nearly all OF the
latter will proceed by train tomorrow morning
and II is expected that the steerage pass argers
will be sent TO New-York by way of Boston by
the Halifax sailing Wednesday morning.
The passengers who went this morning VIII ar
rive in Boston tomorrow morning and expect
n reach New-York at in the afternoon
The steamer is in badly damaged condition
with the loss OF her propelle~ and ceranged
machinery At 10 o'clock tonight her Halifax
gents 5 Cunard & Co. were unable TO state
whether she would remain here for repairs or
~ ,oxed 70 New-York for that purpose. They
Z,ere waiting advices from NewYork.
The officers Of La Bretagne, who are now in
this city, declared positively yesterday that II
could not have been their steamer which passed
La Champagne and refused her assistance,
The officers Of the American Line steamer Paris,
which some people thought might have been the
A,rk,
equally certain that il was not their vessel.
They say that at the time the steamer is re-
1 af,rln he