The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-05-15
AUTO-BOAT RACE ENDS
 IN COMPLETE DISASTER
ALL OF THEM SUNK OR DIS ABLED IN 4 VIOLENT
 STORM.

Accompanying warships Pick Up the
 Cresvs--One Boat Missing and Great
 Anxiety IS Felt for Her SafetY-Con-
 voying Torpedo Boat Destroyer Also
 Unaccounted For-Crews of the
 Racers Have Terrible Experience-
 Their Clothes Torn to Ribbons.
 Toulon. May 14.-The autoboat race from Algiers to Toulon has ended un- fortunately, all of the boats participat- ing in the second stage of the run from Port Mahon to this port, being either sunk or disabled owing to heavy storm when still many miles from the finish. Happily the arrangements for escorting the craft were efficiently or ganized and loss Of life was avoided.
 The seven racers left Port Mahon Saturday morning at o'clock for Tou- lon. A torpedo boat destroyer accom- panied each autoboat while two cruis- CTS followed. The sea was somewhat rough at the start and soon became worse. The competing boats were un- able to withstand the violence of the storm and requested the Warsllips to tow the. Shortly afterward the Mercedes c. F., sank. men from the torpedo boat destroyer Hallebarde res cuing her crew. The cruiser La Hire hoisted the Fiat and her crew aboard. The Camille was abandoned, the de- stroyer Dart saving her crew. The Heracles II. is adroft, but her crew is on board the destroyer. Carbacane. The Malgretout sank and her crew was taken on board the destroyer Carabine. The Mercedes Mercedes had to be. abandoned, the destroyer Pertrusane saving the crew.
 There is no news concerning the Quand- Meme, about which there is considerable anxiety. Her crew con- sists Of seven men including the Duke Decazes. The cruisers Desaix and Kleber are searching for the vessel.
 Accounts furnished by officers of de- stroyers which have arrived here with the wrecked autoboats crews show that the storm which overlook the frail craft shortly after their departure from Port Mahon was of terrible inten- sity, the waves attaining height of twenty-five feet. It was impossible to keep the fiotilla in tow, steel hawsers breaking repeatedly owing to the seas fury, and the destroyers themselves being in imminent danger. Tn several instances they were compelled to cast off tow lines in order to avoid sink ing themselves. Some of the competi- tors, however, persisted in raving until they were swamped. Sometimes, ow- ing to the mountainous waves, they were lost from their consort's view.
 The cruisers Desaix and Kleber, though much buffeted by the tempest, kept up constant wireless comnunica- tion with the conveying destroyers, standing by in order to render assist ance.
 The condition Of the racers crews bears out the statements regarding their awful experiences. All were thoroughly exhausted and scarcely able to reply to inquiries. They consider themselves fortunate to have escaped with their lives, Many of them had their clothes torn to ribbons, and some are bruised, whilst member of the. gMahlgretout's crew had a leg brok- en. When they were landed at the Toulon quay by the destroyers a great gathering of sympathizers awaited the crews, the event having attracted sportsmen of many nations to the fin- isling point owing to the internation- al character of the original entries, which ircludde French, German, Ital- ian, British and American boats. The. latter, two, however, did not take part in the race owing to their late arrival
 Anxiety regarding the fate of the au- to boat Quand-M Meme is growing i'll in- tensity, more especially as the convoy ing destroyer Arbalete is also unac- counted for. The cruisers Kleber and Desaix returned to harbor this evening after vain search being obliged to seek shelter from a terrific hurricane accompanied by torrential rain.