Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-04-01
tBy Telegraph to v,rs,n,nn-rno,,
Survivors,

Southampton, March 31.-The passen-
ger steamer Stella. plying between thio
port and the Channel Islands, crashed
upon the dreaded Casquet rocks. near
the Island of Attorney. yesterday af-
ternoon in a dense fog and foundered
in ten minutes, her boilers exploding
as she went down. Reports as to the
number lest are conflicting. but the
officials of the London and Southwest
ern Railroad Company, which COM
pany owns the boat. said that the
drowned will not exceed seventy. 9th
or reports make the loss much higher.
Three boats. Including o collapsible
boat, are missing.
The Stella left Southampton at noon
yesterday, conveying the first daylight
excursion of the season to the Channel
Islands. There were about 1S5 pas
sengers on board and the crew num-
bercd 10 men. The weather was foggy.
but oil went we'll until the afternoon.
when the fog became most dense.
DANGER LOOMS UP.
At o'clock the Casquct rocks sud
denly doomed up through the fog bank
and the steamer almost Immediately
| afterwards struck amidships. The cap
l tain, seeing that the Stella was fast
sinking, ordered the life boats to be
Launched His Instructions were car
red out with the utmost celebrity and
the women and children were embark
ed in the boats. Then the captain or
dered the men to. look after them
selves.
4 c1r1iVor a n taG that ha and
ty-nve others put off from the Stella
in IA small boat. The sea was calm,
but there was a big swirl around the
rocks. When this boat was a shor;
distance away from the wreck the boil
ers of the Stella burst with a terrific
explosion and the vessel disappeared,
stern foremost. in the sea.
DIED AT HIS POST.
The last thing the survivor saw was
Stella standing calmly on the bridge
and giving his last instructions. The
captain persisted with his vessel, owing
TO the suction caused- blythe sinking
steamer being very great indeed.
STORY OF THE RESCUE
Continuing. the survivor referred to
said: THE suction was so tremendous
that we thought our boat would be en-
quilted. l saw five boats and the col
ldISlD.c Uudlt DcSlOe our DOul, leave the
wreck. They contained altogether be-
tween eighty and one hundred persons.
Five of the boats were soon lost to
view,but we took a boat filled 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 exhausted.
1--WE sighted a sail boat at 6 o'clock
in the morning. but the Great Western
Railway Company's steamer Lynx,
from Weymouth. had meanwhile hove
in sight She bore down on us and took
us all on board. She eventually landed
us at Guernsey"
The Great Western Railway Com
pany's steamer Vera, from Southamp-
ton, picked UP forty others of the sur
vvors and landed them at Guernsey.
THE NUMBER ACCOUNTED FOR.
Up to noon to-day 1O2 passengers had
been accounted for, including Mr.. j.
Parton and his wife. Mr.. Parton is the
manager of the Western London office
of the American Line.
Later accounts say that the Stella
had lao passengers on board and that
her crew numbered AZ persons.
Another steamer of the same com
pany, 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.
SPEED NOT DIMINISHED.
A survivor of the disaster named
Bush says the speed of the Stella in
the fog was not diminished, though the
fog whistles were sounded. Bush adds
that at $3.50 .. m. the engineer showed
him in the engine room a dial register
ing a speedof 1917 KNOTS. He says the
vessel struck within twenty-five min
Utes afterward.
Bush asserts that two life boats were
sunk with the steamer. which, after
resting on the rocks for ten or fifteen
minutes. split in two and disappeared
PITEOUs CRIES FOR HELP.
Continuing. Bush said:
when the Stella disappeared 40 or
so persons were discovered cllnglng to
pieces of wreckage or cabin furniture
and crying piteously for help All the
passengers and crew had been proyid-
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