The Portland daily press., 1901-02-20
Splendid Management Of Code Of
Signals.
With the Steamer Cam
broman.
Tidings Will Relieve Friends of
"Dnchess Anne"

The steamer Csmbroman OF the Do
minion line arrived at this port yesterday
morning from Liverpool which port she
had left week ago last Saturday. A
fair winter passage was experienced, The
cargo consisted of about 500 tons and
there were forty-two passengers. The fol-
lowing interesting incident is narrated OF
the trip: at p. m on the afternoon OF
the 18th instant, in latitude 5O.01 degrees
W, longitude 50 20 degrees w, fair in the
middle OF the Atlantic, as in the Domin-
ion liner Cambroman We thuinped along
against heavy rolling swell we sighted
on our port bow the French bark Du.
ohesse Anne of Nantes In pitiable
plight. Her jlbhoon and her fore top
gallant mast were gone and all that re-
mained of her mainmast was broken
stump standing up some ten feet above
her deck. Her rigging hung slack, her
few remaining spsrs were i'll trimmed
and short of gear, chaos reigned at the
fore and her miz2sn was all that remained
intact.
Dismastsd at the main, crippled woe
fully at the fore, making no progress but
waiting patiently for fair wind TO drive
her along to her destination she made
pitlaple picture She was bound to the
eastward ana, rolling heavily in swell
left by some recent storm, lay with only
reered foresail and leg-of-mutton
spanker set, facing q fresh southeast
wind.
Thinking, humanely that her crew may
be in distress. and may desire assistance,
CAPTAIN Jones altered the Cam mbroman's s
cours, and hove up to the belated bark.
Men could be seen aloft Assiduously at
work repairing the damage that was
evidently hut recently oone, and about
her decks the remainder of her crew,
sturdiIy standing by their cri rippled ship,
watched with interest the swift approach
of the big liner.
But they mads no appeal, and one felt
wave or admiration not unmingled
with Iity for these hardy mariners who,
almost utterly helpless, on stormy
ocean in It's stormiest season, rsfraiLed
from leaving their perilous position when
the passing or the Cambroman gave
them the opportunity, but instead stuck.
like true seamen, with noble intent to
their gallant but sadly crippled ship.
A smart exchange OF signals passed bs-
tween The bark and the swift ocsan grey
hound as the latter went steaming past
The Interpretation of the barks signal
was: II am supposed to have roundered
sinos the sth of February. Report me TO
my owners Thanks"
A pathetic message. and one which,
especially when we consider that the
haroy senders OF 1t are at this very mo-
ment battling their way In their sorry
plight, homeward across the boisterous
wintry sea, must surely strike a chord of
Pity in the hearts OF all its readers.
1t must seem puzzling to the uniniti-
ated shoreman as to how the Britishers
on the Cambroman could so easily oom-
municate with the FrenGhmen on the
bark. This question of communication
betwes ships foreign to each other is a
difficulty that has long been overcome by
seamen by an admirable system Of flag
signals, known as the Commercial Code.
BY its means a dozen ships manned by
men OF dozen different nations can
though not one may know a word OF the
others language carry on conversation,
at once comprehended by all. with the
greatest ease; and by it's means were these
poor French sailors who were supposed
to have foundered on the sSth' able to
send by foreign ship message which /
we hope has already been delivered at
their homes that must surely lift from |
the hearts OF their loved ones load OF
terrible anxiety.
AS the Cambroman steamed on and the
Duohesse Anne dwindled into a tiny
speck on the distant horizon, we looked
back, and while our last God speed sig-
nal fluttersd In the preeze our hearts
went ont to the little band or devoted |
seamen for we'll we knew that months
and months Of lonely patient toll, anxiety |
and nardships may pass ere yet they are
able to sail their ship safely into port. |
And we turned away pleased with the |
thought that the sight of US must have
ohesred their loneliness, pleased with the
thought that we carried with us a mes
sage from the far deep that would reas-
sure many a grier stricken heart with its
welcome news that 1t is as yet, with
those whom they have mourned az lost.
IAN we'll" s. b.
The Dominion coal company's steamer
Brittanie arrived from Cape Breton with
27s3 tons of coal for the Grand Trunk.
. 1 he revenue cutter Woodbury. arrived
In the afternoon from a cruise TO the
eastward.
A. j. Kennedy has bought a fine new
lobster smack which will shortly arrive
from Connecticut.
Tir ng Of the prevailing high rates OF
marine insurance upon cattle from Cana
dian ports, the Elder-Dempstsr Steam
ship company has resolved to do Its own
insuring. At present the discrepancy in