The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-05-22
MlSHAP TO THE PARIS.
Big Atlantic Liner on the Rocks
Near Falmouth, England.
NEAR BY THE WRECKED MoHBGAN

The Vessel Struck on an outer Ledge
OF the .Treacherous Manacies Reef.
All the Passengers Taken In Safety
20 Falmouth.
Falmouth. May 22.-The American
line steamer Paris. Captain Watkins.
from Southampton and Cherbourg for
New York struck on an outlying ridge
of the Manacles at point half a mile
from where the wrecked Atlantic
transport liner Mohegan lies and FIVE
miles from Falmouth. Soon after l
o'clock in the morning, at high tide,
and in a dense fog, she ran ashore.
From the first there was no danger
Lifeboats and tugs we're soon literally
swarming around the vessel to render
assistance. A majority Of the pas
sengers, who numbered $50, were
brought to Falmouth, where they OBJ
tained lodgings for the night. The crew
remains on board.
The first intimation of the vessel
striking the rocks was slight grating
sound, which was followed by sec
| ond and more pronounced shock. The
| lookout shouted that there was some
! thing looming ahead, but before there
was time to reverse the engines the
ship had gone on the rocks, 200 yards
| from the shore. Assistance was sum
moned by means of rockets, and the
coast guards promptly telephoned to
| the life saving station for boats.
| A majority of the passengers we're
not aware that an accident had hap
pened until they were called up by
the stewards. On reaching the deck
they found the ships boats In perfect
readiness for their reception. The sea
was perfectly calm, and the only dis
comfort that the passengers expert
| enced was caused by the slight rain
that was falling at the time. Owing
to the calmness of the sea the boats
could be managed with entire safety.
Perfect order prevailed aboard the
vessel. Captain Watkins stood on the
bridge giving orders, and his perfect
self possession and calmness of de-
meanor had a reassuring effect upon
the passengers. In accordance with the
instructions of the captain, the wo-
men and children were the first to be
taken off the ship. Such perfect order
was maintained that a passenger de-
scribed the scene as simply a slow
| procession of women and children
walking in single file to the boats
1t is said that a Falmouth pilot boat
showed a warning signal to the Paris
telling the captain that he would put
the vessel on top of the Mohegan If he
did not alter the course of the ship
The warning, however, came too late
and the Paris struck on a ridge to the
westward of the Manacles.
1t is believed that the steamer has a
large rent in her bottom in the for
ward part of the ship. Tugs are stand
ing by her and will assist in an effort
to get her off the rocks.
The soundings made showed nine
fathoms of water forward and four
teen aft, but the ship rests on fiat
rock, while the rocks rising on each
side of her hold her almost erect
1t is stated that those in charge OF
the Paris were so perfectly confident
that they were pursuing the proper
course that the vessel was steamins
Is or 10 knots an hour when she struck
There will be little danger to the
steamer If the long calm continues
but should the wind veer to the east
or southeast the consequences might
be serious.
The officers log determines the po-
sition of the Paris, and the position OF
the wreck of the Mohegan shows that
the Paris was even more out of her
course than was the Mohegan, she
having passed between the Mohegan
: and the shore, and then, when the mis-
take was discovered, having changed
her course in the hope Of clearing the
rocks, thus miraculously escaping the
Manacles.
In connection with the accident tc
the Paris it will be of interest tC
mariners and travellers to hear that
persistent agitation since the wreck oi
the Mohegan has at last induced the
Trinity Brethren to act, and last week
they promised to erect a gas lighted
automatic sound producing buoy on the
Manaoles In place of the useless bell
buoy now there.
At the first summons a few of the
passengers appeared in their night
clothes, but as soon as they discovered
that there was no danger they returned
to their rooms and made themselves
} ready to leave the ship. The passen-
gers all behaved in the best possible
manner. There was no screaming OF
the part of the women, and the mos
perfect order was maintained.
Mrs. A. G. Spalding, of Chicago, said:
Il was we'll forward and felt the shock
When | aroused my colored maid she
insisted upon staying in bed, exclaim,
ing: If we must drown let us drown
in bed 1t was with some difficulty
that l persuaded her to go on deck
: even when rescue was assured"
The passengers are lavish In thei!
praise of the admirable behavior O
the officers and crew, and declare tha
1t was due to their self possession tha
no accident occurred to any one. Per
feet discipline, they say. was main.