The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-01

Southampton. March 31.-The passen-
ger steamer Stella, plying between this
port and the Channel Islands, crashed
upon the dreaded Casquet Rocks, near
the Island of Alderney, yesterday after
noon in a dense fog and fouudered in
ten minutes, her boilers exploding as she
went down. Reports as to the number
lost are conflicting, but the officials Of
the London and Southwestern Railroad
Company, which company owns the boat,
said that the drowned will not exceed
seventy Other reports make the loss
much higher. Three boats, including Il
collapsible boat, are missing.
The Stella left Southampton at noon
yesterday, conveying the first daylight
excursion of thc season to the Channel
Islands. There were about 1S0 passen-
gers on board and the crew numbered
80 men. The weather was fo$gy but
all went well until the afternoon, when
the fog became more dense.
At four O'Clock the Casquet Rocks
suddenly doomed up through the fog bank
and the steamer almost lmm, dlately af-
terwards struck amidships. The cap
tain, seeing that the Stella was fast
sinking. ordered the life boats to be
launched His instructions were carried
out with the utmost celerity, and the
women and children were embarked
in the boats. Then the captain ordered
the men to look after themselves.
\ survivor states that he and twenty
five 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 Il short distance
away from the wreck, the boilers of the
Stella burst with Il terrific explosion,
and the vessel disappeared stern fore
most i'll the sea.
The last thing the survivor saw was
the figure of the captain of the Stella
standing calmly, ON the bridge and Civ
ing his last instructions. The captain.
persisted with his vessel owing, to the
suction caused by the sinking steamer
being very great indeed
Continuing, the survivor referred to
said:
The suction was so tremendous that
we thought our boat would be engulfed.
| saw five boats and the collapsible boat,
beside our boat, leave the wreck. They
contained altogether between eighty and
hundred persons. Five of the boats
were soon lost to view, but we took Il
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.
I'VE sighted a sailboat at six O'Clock
in the morning but the Great Western
a hox
Railway Company's steamer Lynx, from
She bore down on as and took all on
board She eventually landed us ut
Guernsey"
The Great Western KaIlway Conn
pany's steamer Vera, from Southampton.
picked up forty Others of the survivors
and landed them at Guernsey.
Up to noon to-day 102 passengers had
been accounted f0r, 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
140 passengers ON board and that her
crew numbered II persons.
Another steamer of the same com
pany, which arrived at the Island OF
Jersey ut about noon to-day, reports
having passed many bodies OF victims
of the disaster about the Casquet Rocks.
\ 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 3:3O a. IN. the engineer showed
| him in the engine room a dial register
! ing speed of 1872 knots He says the
vessel struck within twenty-five minutes
afterward.
| Bush asserts that two lfe boats were
| sunk with the steamer which, after
| resting on the rocks for ten or fifteen
minutes, split i'll two and disappeared.
| Continuing, Bush said
when the Stella disappeared forty or
| fifty persons were discovered clinginG
| to pieces of wreckage or cabin furniture
and crying piteollsly for help. All the
passengers 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
supposedly in the direction of Guern-
CONVICT LEASE EXPIRES.