Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-08-03
LOST ON THE OCEAN.
SEA DISASTERS THAT ARE SEEM
lNGLY INEXPCiCAELE.
Instances Where Great hips Have
Disappeared, Some of Them in aim,
Bright Weather and on Untroubied
Waters, Leaving No Trace.

1t seems passing strange, consider
ing the enormous amount Of ocean
traffic carried on nowadays, that it
should be possible for Il vessel to put
out to sea in fit condition, only to van
ish from the face of the waters and
leave no Indication of It's fate. True,
there are hundreds of unidentified
derelicts floating about the seas and
some of them may be the vessels which
have so nysteriously vanished. 1t is
appalling to think Of such mysteries
as the fates of these vessels, which,
setting sail with hundreds Of passcn
gers to whom the voyage perhaps
promises happiness, wealth and all the
joys of life, never reach their destina-
ton and are never again heard of.
Take the case Of the Burvie Castle
as Il striking example. She vanished
not in md-ocean, but between the ports
OF London and plymouth. Into the
latter port she should have put ON her
way to Australia. But she never
reached Plymouth and not a living
soul knows how or where she van
ishcd 1t is most extraordinary that
she should have been lost so near to
land without so much as a spar being
washed ashore to tell of her fearful
/ fate.
/ Equally mysterious is the case of the
Atalanta. This famous training yes
sci was stationed off Bermuda with
more than 80 souls aboard. Early in
/ 1850 she set sail for short cruise and
from that day to this she has never
! been heard of.
\ very considerable percentage of
the vessels which disappeared forever
in this mysterious manner We're run
ming between England and America at
the time. 1t might be thought that the
terrific seas of the vast Atlantic We're
responsible, but it has been proved
that many vessels We're lost when the
ocean was almost at dead calm.
a large sailing ship left New Or
leans some years ago for London.
Thrice she was spoken ana reported all
well, and she was facing exquisite
weather and a smooth sea at the third
time. Yet, it is known, she was lost
with all hands within twentyfour
hours, and to this day no trace of her
has been discovered.
In the early part Of 1899 a five-mast-
ed bark. the Maria. newly construct
ed vessel. and at that time the third
largest in the mercantile marine. set
sail, in beautiful weather. from one of
the biggest ports in Cochn-China for
Hamburg, with every promise of fair
voyage. But she never reached Ger
many. She vanished shortly after be-
ing spoken off the west coast of Africa,
and nothing has been found since to
Indicate the fate that befeil her.
Another vessel running between Eng
land and America which met an end
of Il kind none but those who shared
it ever knew, was the Grst-class steam
ship President. She sailed from New
York for q journey to Liverpool. in the
spring Of 1871, having on board a full
crew Of experienced hands and of
ficers and Il distinguished company of
passengers.
She left New York In fine weather,
in splendid condition. and with no rea-
son for fearing anything she was likely
to meet. But she was never spoke and
never heard of again. and. although
ffty-seven years have passed, no one
yet knows to what dire calamity her
end was due.---I.ondOn Mail