Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-08
MARINE DISASTER.
Passenger Steamers Coliide-One
Hundred Lives Lost.

A disaster attended with great loss Of
life occurred short distance from Mar
settles, France, at noon yesterday, when
two passenger steamers, the lnsulairt
and the Liban, both belonging to the
Fraissenet Steamship Company, of Mar
settles, came into collision. The Liban
sank and over 100 Of her passengers ano
crew persisted.
The steamer Liban left Marseilles yes
terday morning on her regular passenger
trip to Bastia, Corsica, and was run dowr
and sunk by the Insulaire off the Marie
Islands The collision was witnessed
from the pilot boat Blechamp, which wa'
about two miles distant. The BlechamI
Immediately repaired to the spot Il
render assistance.
The force of the collision had cut
great hole in the Liban's side, and she
already was making water rapidly. He
captain saw the only chance was to run
the steamer aground, and the Liban wa'
headed full speed for the shore, bu
within II minutes of the collision, anc
while still in deep water, the forepart o
the steamer plunged beneath the waves
aud few minutes later she had entirely
disappeared.
In the meantime the Blechamp, the
steamer Balkan, also belonging to the
Fraissenet Company, and other vessels
had drawn near the sinking ship, and
were making desperate efforts TO rescue
those on board. The Blechamp picked
up 40 persons, many of whom were at
the point of exhaustion. The Balkan
rescued 81 passengers, and up to the
present it is known that, in addition to
the passengers, II of the crew were also
saved.
Officers of the steamer Balkan de-
scribe the scene just before the Liban
disappeared as a terrible one. As the
vessel was sinking she was inclined to
such an angle that her masts struck the
water, causing an eddy which made the
work of rescue most difficult.
A mass of human beings were clingng
to the laundering vessel and uttering
despairing cries as she went down. Al
the same time the boilers exploded, in
tensifying the horrors. For few
moments the victims were seen strug-
Cling in the sea, then the waves closed
over them and all was silent. OF about
200 passengers who were aboard the
Liban it is feared that at least half were
drowned.
The Balkan launched three boats, and
the other vessels did all possible to save
the victims in the short time that elapsed
between the time of the collision and the
sinking of the Liban.
1t is stated that the collision was due
to the following Circumstances: The
Liban was putting out to sea just as the
steamer Insulaire was making for the
harbor. Marie Island, which lies ofIthe
entrance to the port, hid the vessels from
each other until it was too late to avoid a
collision.
One of the survivors, a passenger, gives
the following derails of the disaster: The
weather was splendid when we steamed
out of Marseilles harbor, and all the pas
sengers were below at table when the
shrieking of whistles gave. the alarm.
On coming on deck | saw the Insulaire
approaching us at full speed. The
captain gave several orders, but no at
tempt, apparently, was made to change
the steamers course. Some of the pas
sengers reproached the captain for his
negligence in this matter. When the
Insulaire crashed into us n great panic
prevailed Oil board. Attempts were
made to lower the boats, but only one
boat was got away, and in that | and a
few others escaped to the Bechamp.
As the vessel sank bow first, the passen-
gers took refuge on the afterdeck, which
was covered by an awning This, as
the Liban foundered, became a cage, in
which the passengers were caught and
dragged down beneath the waters.
Many of the rescued were badly injured
in the collision. The Insulaire sus-
tanned considerable damage to her bows,
but managed to reach port safely.
MarseiIles, June s.-The latest report
regarding the loss of life in the sinking
of the steamer Liban, which was in col
rs'on off Marie Island yesterday, gives
the dead as 1877. OF this number 80
bodies have alread been recovered. There
were 24O persons aboard the Liban,
when she went down. The fault for the
disaster has not yet been fixed. The
captains of both vessels are blamed for
the collision. 1t appears that the COLI
sion occurred as a result of the Liban
turning the Isle of Marie at a rate to great
to permit her to changeher course when
she saw the Insulaire.