The record-union., 1899-04-01
The Steamer Stella Wrecked in the
British Channel.
Crashes Upon the Casquet Rocks, Near the
Island Of AIderney.
The Boilers Explode, and the Yes
sci Immediately Disappears Be-
meath the ated
That Seventy Lives We're Lost,
Including All the Crew Except
the Second Mate.

| AAAI seventy Lives were LOST.
Including All the Crew Except
the Second Mate.
SOUTHAMPTON, March 31.-The
passenger steamer Stella, plying be-
tween this port and the Channel ISL
ands, crashed upon the dreaded Cas-
quet rocks, near the island of Alderney,
yesterday afternoon in a dense fog, and
foundered in ten minutes, her boilers
teNplodlng with tremendous report as
lshe went down In spite of this, it is
i SAID, there was no panic on board. The
coasting steamer Lynx, which brought
the news of the disaster here, picked
up four boats and forty persons 1t is
estimated that 120 persons were
drowned.
The second officer of the steamer,
who was among those rescued says
that collapsible boat was launched
1ull OF people, but he thinks she struck
on the rocks, owing to the fog
A steamer picked up boat contain
ing forty-seven persons, including twen-
ty women, who escaped from the wreck
ed steamer. They have been landed
here.
The Great Western Railway Com
pany's steamer Vera, from Southamp-
ton, has picked up forty others of the
survivors and landed them at Guern-
sey.
| Another steamer of the company
which arrived at the island of Jersey at
about noon to-day, reports having pass
ed many bodies of victims of the disas-
| ter about the Casquet rocks
The second mate was the only officer
Of the Stella who was saved
The Stella, which belonged to the
| London and Southwestern Railway
Company, left Southampton at noon
yesterday, conveying the first excursion
or the season to the Channel Islands
There were about 40 passengers on
board and the crew numbered forty
two men. The weather was foggy, but
all Went we'll until the afternoon, when
the fog became most dense, AT O'Clock
the Casquet rocks suddenly loomed- up
through the fog bank and the steamer
afterward struck amidships.
The CFg1taiT. seeing that the steamer
was fast sinking, ordered the Iifeboat is
10 be launched. His instructions were
carried out with the utmost celerity.
and the women and children were en-
barked in the boats. Then the Captain
ordered the men to look after them
| selves
A survivor states that he and twen-
ty-fve others put off from the Stella
in a small boat The sea was calm.
but there was a big swirl around the
rocks. When this boat was a short dis
tance away from the wreck the boilers
CT the Stella burst with a terrific ex-
plosion and the vessel disappeared
stern foremost in the sea.
The last thing the survivor saw was
the figure of the Captain of the Stella
standing calmly on the bridge and eiv-
Ing his last instructions. The Cantain
perfshed with his vessel. owing to the
suction caused by the sinking steamer.
| being very great indeed.
| Continuing, the survivor referred 70
SAID: The suction was so tremendous
that we thought our boat vould ha on
CURED. L saw five boats and the COL
lapsible boat besides our own leave the
wreck They contained altogether he
tween so and 100 persons. Five of tho
| p|ats were soon lost to view hut We
took boat filled with women in tow
and the occupants of our boat took
,ne oars III turn and rowed all night
long, until most of us dropped asleeY,
thoroughly exhausted.
I'VE sighted a sailboat ar o,o,oa,-
FL .ne niornihg, out the Great Western
Railway Company's steamer Tvnx
iroin weymouth, had meanwhile hove
IN sight She bore dewnkon lis and +ook
US all on board She eventually landea
| us at Guernsey"
NJ
speed of the Stella in the fog was not
| diminished, though the fog wbist1es
We're sounded. Bush adds that at go
a. m- the engineer showed him in the
engine-room dial which Registered a
speed of eighteen and one-balf knots
He says the vessel struck TWENTY-FIVE
minutes afterward.
Bush further asserts that two life
boats were sunk with the stean,a,,
which, after resting on the rocks for
ten or fifteen minutes. split in two and
disappeared.
Continuing, Bush said: ssWhen the
Stella disappeared forty or fiftv ner.
sons were discovered clinging TO nieces
of wreckage or cabin furniture and
crying piteously for help. All the mas
sengers and crew had been provided
with life belts, and there was little
panic as the ship sank. I first slipped
into the water, and then swan to one
of the boats, into which | was helned
We rowed supposedly in the direction
of Guernsey, but seven hours later
found ourselves near the scene of the
wreck, and saw dozens of persons
clinging to the rocks.''
The boat in which Bush was a. pas-
senger was afterward picked up by the
Lynx.
The passengers all agree that perfect
order and discipline prevailed on board
the Stella. The crew promptly took I'D
their station when the steamer struck
served cut the life belts and lowered
the boats
The scene at the moment of the sink
ing of the vessel was heartrending.
Those who had succeeded in getting
into the boats had a narrow escape
from being engulfed on account of the
suction caused by the sinking vessel
The voice of Captain Rocks, from the
bridge, was frequently heard, urging
the rowers to pull for their lives.
The boats We're adrift fifteen hours,
during which time their occupants were
without food or water, and as their
clothes were drenched they suffered
greatly.
The disaster caused intense excite