Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-26
TwENrY-oNE SAILORS LOST.
Worst Wreck of Many Years on
IfaffcrHs.
CNew York Tribune)

iNtW ork iflDNDc)
NORFOLK, VA, December 2i--Twen-
ty-one sailors OF the British steamship
Ariosto lost their lives near Hatteras, ~.
c., this morning. IN one OF the worst
wrecks that has occurred ga that vicinity
Ia twenty-three years. Captain Baines
and eight sailors were saved through The
heroic efforts Of the Ocracoke lfe-savlng
crew under Captain James Howard Vie
Ariosto, vessel OF 2.2CJ tons seven years
old, and owned by j. McAndrews * Co.
of London, was bound from Galveston TO
Hamburg boy way of Norfolk, with a mis-
cellaneOus cargo. and went ashore four
miles south OF Hatteras az o'clock this
morning in a gale blowing nearly nifty
miles an hour.
The OcracOke life-savug patrol discOv-
cred the ship ashore, and before daybreak
the life-savers were on the scene. They
fired line after line TO the stranded ship,
each one falling short. and # was not
until four hours afterward that one final
ly landed. In the mean time twenty-one
OF the crew decided 10 try 90 reach shore
in q small boat. They had sardly put Off
from the ship before q big wave engulfed
them. and they were thrown into the sea.
They made a desperate struggle for their
strength soon gave out, and they sank I'm
fun view Of these on the ship and the
lfe-savers, who were powerless 10 render
aid.
At about S o'clock "a well-dlrected shot
landed a line over the slice Of the ship,
which lay about six hundred feet out,
and in another hour tho first sailor was
landed by means Of tho breeches buoy
coming through The mountainous waves,
drenched 20 the skin. II took until night
fal 10 land the other seven men. includ-
ing Captain Baines. The men lost every
thing except the clothing they wore.
They are being cared for at the Ocrapoke
Hfe-saving station All Of the men who
were drowned were British. The life
savers have been instructed TO keep a
sharp lookout for any bodies that may
come ashore The cargo OF the Ariosto
consisted of cotton, wheat. corn, and
meal. AS soon as news of the disaster
reached here wrecking tugs were hurried
10 the scene, and IL is a race Of steam
against time to save the ship, which IS
leaking The wind however tonight is
in her favor The AriOsto wreck IS the
worst since the German ship Elizabeth
went ashore ia 1876. when tfty-hve per-
sons We're drowned.
WHY LIVES WE'RE LOST.
MASHlNblONs December Nupcilu-
tendent Kimball, Of the Life-Saving Bu-
reau. tonight received a. dispatch in Zee
gard 10 the loss Of the Ariosto. He Will
instruct Lieutenant Johnson. Of the reve-
nue-cutter service. who is attached to bis
office 10 proceed tomorrow 10 the scene
of the wreck and make report Of the
circumstances attending the loss OF life.
This is the practice always followed 10y
the life-saving service when there IS loss
or life attending an accident TO steamer
10 which Che slrfmcn have given assist
ancc
The Superintendent believes that the
distressing loss of life IS probably due uo
the hurried efforts Of the men TO get
away from the ship, instead Of waiting
until the broeches buoy could be rugged mp
between the ship and the shore and their
rescue effected. As the vessel appears
Sun TO be- in good condition the men, Doe
thinks. might have remained on her am
indefinite time before there was any real
danger of losing their lives. ships hands
Of "Ceep-water' boats, he thinks. take TO
tie boats too often. practice not follow
cd by men devoted 10 coast navigation
who realize the opportunities for rescue
f..r fIra lraal hos lI0V