The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-08
HUNDRED LIVES LOST
IN A COLLISION OF STEAMERS NEAR
MARSEILLES.
LIBAN WENT TO THE BOTTOM
WITH ONE HALF OF HER PASSEN-
GERS AND CREW.

InsuIaire Ran Down the Liban-Great
Hole Was Made in the Latter's
Side-Her Captain Tried to Run
Her Ashore, but She Soon Went
DOwn-Other Vessels Gathered
AbOut-Rendered Rescue Service
as They Saw the Liban Sinx-Un-
fOrtuDates Left Struggling.
Marseilles, June IA terrible ship
ping disaster occurred a little distance
from this port at noon to-day, when
two passenger steamers. the Insulaire
and the Liban, both belonging to the
Fraissinet Steamship Company of Mar
settles, came into collision. The Liban
sank and over 100 of her passengers
and crew perished.
The steamer Liban left Marseilles
this morning on her regular passenger
trip to Bastia, Corsica, and was run
down and sunk by the Insulaire off the
Marie Islands.
The collision was witnessed from the
pilot boat Blechamp. which was about
two miles distant. The Blechamp i'm
mediately repaired to the spot to rem
der assistance.
Stove in Her Side.
The force of the collision had cut
great hole in the I.iban's side, and she
Her captain saw the only chance was
to run the steamer aground, and the
Liban was headed full speed for the
shore; but within seventeen minutes of
the collision and while still in deep
water, the forepart of the steamer
plunged beneath the waves and a few
minutes later she had entirely disap-
peared.
In the meantime the Blechamp, the
steamer Balkan, also belonging to the
Fraissinet company, and other YES
sells, had drawn near the sinking ship
and were making desperate efforts to
rescue those on board. The Blechamp
picked up forty persons, many of whom
were at the point of exhaustion. The
Balkan rescued thirty-seven passen-
gers, and up to the present it is known
that in addition to the passengers, sew
enteen of the crew were also saved.
1t Was a Terrible Scene.
Officers of the steamer Balkan de-
scribe the scene just before the Liban
disappeared as 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 cling
ing to the laundering vessel and utter
ed despairing cries as she went down.
At the same time the boilers exploded,
intensifying the horrors. For a 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 her boats and
the other vessels did all possible to
save the victims in the short time that
elapsed between the time of the col
lision and the sinking of the Liban.
Up to o'clock this afternoon thirty
bodies had been recovered.
How the Collision Occurred.
The list of the passengers on board
the Liban has not yet been issued, the
Offices of the Fraissinet company be-
ing closed. but it is believed that over
gao embarked at this mort
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 off the 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 details of the dis
aster.
The weather was splendid when we
steamed out of Marseilles harbor, and
all the passengers were below at table
when the shrieking of whistles gave
the alarm. On coming on deck 1 saw
the Insuloire approaching us at full
speed.
The mlptain gave several orders
but no attempt apparently was made
to change the steamers course Some
of the passengers reproached the cap
tain for his negligence in this matter
When the Insulaire crashed into US
great panic prevailed on board.
Were Caught in n Trap.
Attempts were made to lower the
boats, but only one boat was gotten
away, and in that / and a few others
escaped to the Blechamp. AS the YES
sci sank bow first the passengers took
refuge on the after deck, 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 in
jured in the collision. The Insulaire
sustained considerable damage to her
bows, but managed to reach port safe
ly. Thus far only four bodies have
been identified.
The French steamer Liban was
three-masted schooner-rigged vessel,
POS feet long and Of 2.9Os tonnage gross