The sun., 1904-07-04
700 LOST At SEA.
Danish Steamer Norge Sinks
on Coast Of Scotland.
lleEB0ATS ARE SWAMPED.
OnIy ~ Of Those Aboard Known
TO Be Savsd.

IAnes strikes Rockall Reef, Tearing =
Hole in Her Bow-Backs or Into
Deep water and Goes Down-Fishing
boat Picks Up One Boatload OF Sur.
vfvors--Norwegians, swedes. Danes
and Finns the yictims-steamer Bound
for New York From Copenhagen with
Emisrants-Fight To Reach Boats.
Special Gable Dsspaich 10 THE Sun.
LONDON, July a.-The Danish steamer
Norge, bound from Copenhagen for New
York, with about loo emigrants and a Grew
of eighty on board, struck Rockall Reef.
ls4 miles west of st. Kilda Island, OF SCOT
land, at 7:sO o clock last Tuesday morning.
The steamer was 20 badly damaged that
she foundered Only twenty-seven Of
those aboard OF her are known to have been
saved.
The survivors arrived at Grimsby to-
night on board the steam trawler Saliva,
which has returned from a fortnight's
fishing. Only one Of them speaks English,
and that imperfectly. Owing to the lack
of an interpreter and the lateness OF tho
hour complete details OF the wreck are not
yet known.
-. The Norge sailed with more than 100 Nor
wegis cs. Swedes, Danes and Firms aboard.
There was apparently nothing wrong with
the ship, but she must have got out Of her
course. When she struck her engines
were Immediately reversed and she backed
of into deep water There was a hugo
rent in her bow, and through this the water
poured In torrents, filing the vessel very
rapidly.
The Norge carried eight lifeboats and
efforts were made TO lower them. Some
OF them however. we're smashed before
they got clear OF the steamer. Five Of the
boats were filed with passengers, but only
two got away safely The others were
swamped by the heavy sea that was running.
The English speaking survivor says that
he was lying in his bunk waiting for break
fast, having previously risen and washed.
He heard a slight bump. which was fol-
lowed by another. He ran on deck and saw
that something serious had happened.
He hurried back to collect his belongings,
and met scores OF passengers rushing to
the deck.
He returned to the deck and saw boat
being launched. He rushed and got into
1t. Four OF five persons were already in
it. There was no panic. He saw two OF
the boats capsize in the heavy seas because
they had nobody aboard capable Of handling
them
The party In his boat included the only
surviving seaman and he was able to
navigate. They rowed straight away from
the vessel After twenty flour hours they
sighted the Saliva, which bore down and
took them on board. Dozens OF the passen-
gers put on life belts and jumped into
the sea before the boat left the ship.
Rockall Is an isolated rock rs feet high
and 800 feet in circumference. The reef
extends FIVE miles seaward The rock is
rarely visited except by cod fishers. Capt.
Gundell was the master Of the Norge.
FIGHT TO REACH THE BOATS.
A Grimsby correspondent says that the
survivors from the Norge number 20
10 men, Q women and q girl. Two or three
Of them speak little English, Their
story is one OF horror.
They were below when the steamer struck.
They rushed on deck, to find the ship half
submerged and rapidly sinking lower and
lower in the water. Half mad with fright
they struggled for places in the boats.
They fought their way to big lifeboat.
An officer put the women and girl in it
and then told the men to get in. He took
charge Of the craft and got it away from
the vessels side.
Seeing that il was overladen, however,
he jumped overheard in an endeavor to
board another boat, but he did not reach
It, The sea at that time was o mass OF
gasping and choking in the water. The
boat was rowed clear Of this mass. and just
~ it drew away the Norge went down.
For some hours said Peter Nelson,
young American survivor, Eve rowed in
company with other boats, but a strong
Hide drifted our boat away from the others.
Nothing has been seen Of them since. The
next day the Saliva picked us up and we
have len well cared for. Every one Of
is lost his entire belongings. There was
no time in the fight for life to think Of any
thing but getting a seat in a boat
BEATEN BACK FROM OVERLOADED BOATS.
Another correspondent tells OF the strug-
gle to get into the boats. He says that two
of them filled AMI were smashed against
the Norge's side before they could get
clear Of the ship. All In them were thrown
INTO the sea and drowned Three other