The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-01
CRASHED ON cASoUET ROCKS.
SEVENTY PEOPLE DROWNED ON A
PASSENGER STEAMER.

Americans on BOard-Most of the
Crew Perished with the Boat
Many Pathetic Incidents Were Re-
ported.
Southampton, March S1.-The passenger
steamer Stella, plying between this port
and the channel islands, crashed upon the
dreaded Casquet rocks, near the Island Of
Alderney. yesterday afternoon in dense
fox, and foundered in ten minutes, her
boiler exploding as she went down.
Reports as to the number lost are con-
fiicting. but the officials of the London
and Southwestern Railway Company,
which company owns the boat, said that
the drowned will not exceed seventy.
Other reports make the loss much higher.
Three boats, including a collapsible boat,
are missing.
The Stella left Southampton at noon
yesterday, conveying the first daylight ex-
cursion of the season to the channel ISL
ands. There were about 1S5 passengers on
board, and the crew numbered thirty-five
men. The weather was foggy, but all
went well 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 almost Immediately afterwards
struck amidship. The captain seeing that
the Stella was fast sinking. ordered the
lifeboats launched. His instructions were
carried out with the utmost celerity, and
the women and children were embarked in
the boats. The captain ordered the men to
look after themselves.
Steamers Boiler Burst.
A survivor states that he and twenty
five others put off from the Stella in a
small boat The sea was calm, but there
was big swirl around the rock. When this
boat was a short distance away from
the wreck, the boiler of the Stella burst
with terrific explosion and the vessel dis
appeared stern foremost in the sea.
The last thing the survivor saw was the
figure of the captain of the Stella stand
ing calmly on the bridge and giving his
last Instructions. The captain pershed
with his vessel, owing to the great sue
ton caused by the sinking steamer. Con-
Iinuing, the survivor referred to said
1.-The suction was so tremendous that
we thought our boat would be engulfeds
saw five boats and the collapsble boat,
beside our own, leave the wreck. They
contained altogether between eighty and
one hundred persons Five of the boats
were soon lost 10 view, but we took
boat filed with women in tow, and the
occupants of our boat took the oars in
turn and rowed all, night long until most
of us dropped asleep thoroughly exhaust
ed.
The Survivors Picked Up.
owe sighted sailboat also In the morn
ing, but the Great Western Railway Com
pany's steamer Lynx, from Weymouth,
had meanwhile hove in sight. She bore
down on us and took all on board. She
eventually landed us at Guernsey"
The Great Western Railway Company's
steamer Vera, from Southampton picked
up forty others of the survivors and land
ed them at Guernsey.
Up to noon to-day, 102 passengers had
been accounted for, including Mr.. ]. Par
ton and his wife. Mr. Parton is the man.
ager of the Western London Office of the
the Stella had 40 passengers on board
and that her crew numbered forty-two
persons.
Another steamer of the same company
which arrived at the ISLAND of Jersey at
about noon to-day, reports having passed
many bodies of victims of the disaster
about the Casquet rocks.
Kept Up Her Speed.
A survivor of the disaster named Bush
says the speed of the Stella in the for
was not diminished, though the fog whis-
ties were sounded.
Bush adds that at $3.50 O'Clock p. m, the
engineer showed him in the engine room
a dial registering a speed of eighteen and
a half knots. He says the vessel struck
within % minutes afterward
Bush asserts that two lifeboats were sunk
with the steamer. which after resting on
the rocks for ten or fifteen minutes split
in two and disappeared. Continuing, Bush
adds:
when the Stella disappeared forty or
fifty persons were discovered clinging TO
pieces of wreckage or cabin furniture and
crying piteously for help. All the passen-
gers and crew had been provided with
life belts and there was little panic as
the ship sank | first slipped into the
water, and then swan TO one of the boats
into which / was helped. We rowed sun
posedfy In the direction of Guernsey, but
seven hours later we found ourselves near
the scene OF the wreck and saw dozens of
persons clinging TO rocks"
The boat in which Bush was a passen-
ger was afterwards picked up by the
Lynx.
The passengers all agree that perfect Or
der and discipline prevailed on board the
Stella. The crew promptly took UP their
stations when the steamer struck, served
out the life belts and lowered the boats.
Scene Was Heartrendine.
The scene at the moment of the sinking
of the vessel was heartrending. Women
were screaming and praying, and people
were clinging 20 spars and other wreckaee
In all directions. Those who had succeed
ed in getting into the boats had narrow
escape from being engulfed on account OF
the suction caused by the sinking vessel
The voice of Capt Rocks from tho
bridge. was frequently heard urging the
rowers TO pull for their lives.
Tho boats. were adrift for fifteen hours
during which time their occupants were
without food or water. and as their clothes
were drenched they suffered greatly.