New-York tribune., 1902-05-16
KINGS ST VINCENT CONTRIBUTION.
London, May liking Edward has given
f4o0 to the Mansion House fund for the relief
THE VALKIRIEN'.S TRIP.
DANISH CRUISER FIRST FOREIGN SHIP
TO REACH ST. PIERRE.

ST Thomas, Danish West Indies. May b
The Danish cruiser Valkyrien has returned here
from Martinique. The correspondent here Of
The Associated Press has had an interview with
one of the Valkyrien's offio ers, who said:
We left St. Thomas the afternoon Of May
9, The next day, when seventy miles from
Martinique, the falling volcanic ashes became
troublesome. We approached the island and
discovered St. Pierre TO he burning. We made
signals to the shore. but replies were re-
ceived. We then lay off for the night and wit
messed a remarkable spectacle of fire and light
ming. Ashes fell. and detonations were heard
In the morning we saw the French cruiser
Suchet, and went nearer the shore. The ashes
became dense approached, and many dead
bodies were floating on the sea, They were
burned and swollen and floating in groups, in
some cases of ten each. The dead hands were
! knotted and the limbs were Cramped. Nearly
all the bodies those OF white persons. AS
we approached St Pierre the town
covered with ashes. We then Joined the cruiser
Suchet and the cable repair ship Pouyer Quer-
tier, and together went toward La Precheur
The rain Of ashes was heavy. and shTouded the
Suchet. Soon the atmosphere cleared up and
we ran close to lie Precheur and then 10 Ha-
meau dcS SabineS. The boats from all three
ships were put overheard. and the rescue OF peo-
pie from the shore began at IL o'clock in the
morning. We all covered with gray ashes,
our eyes We're weeping and the heat was in
tolerable. Some Of the negroes came out to us
in small boats: they were nearly naked and
crying Some Of them carried chairs with them.
while others brought dogs and kittens as all
their property. Their woOlly hair Was thick
with ashes Several big pans board our ship
were filled with cooked food and placed on deck;
they were soon surrounded by a crowd OF chat
teTing natives.
The negroes were all saved by o'clock I'm
the afternoon except n few who refused 10 leave
the land. At this hour the Suchet signalled
The operation is over; thank your" The Suchet
/ then steamed away in the direction OF Fort de
france But our boats had not yet all returned
to the ship; still waiting for the last
one, when there was tremendous report from
the crater OF Mont Pelee. quickly followed by a
/ second report These explosions caused great
excitement on shore, and our last boat returned
TO us bringing the remainder of the negroes
including those who had previously refused 10
leave They had been frightened by the re-
ports, and jumping into the sea, had swan out
to the boat
We saved six hundred people from the north
size, Where. on account of the wind, there were
not so many ashes. We take great pride in the
fact that the Danish flag was the first foreign
one al the scene OF disaster We proceeded 10
had rescued, as well some provisions At the
/ latter port government official came on board
! the Nalkyrien and thanked us all for what we
/ had done The SuChet returned TO st. Pierre
ana secured the gold from the bank at Martin
/ lque. The coins had melted together
Last Wednesday, May H. the officers OF our
! ship attended mass at Fort de France and we
| LETT there TO return here the same day We
| passed st. Pierre noon. The British steamer
Roraima was still burning; she appeared TO he
/ aground Mount Peee was still smoking and
! the town of ST Pierre now resembles Pompeii
! we saw a biackened wreck which we thought
! TO be the cable repair ship Grappler"