Los Angeles herald., 1905-05-15
ENDS THE
AUTO BOAT RACE
MANY ARE SUNK; CREWS IN
GREAT PERIL
DARING RESCUES OF SEAMEN
ouand-Meme, Which Carried Due de
Cases and Seven Men, Miss
Ing and Much Anxiety
DARING REScUEs OF sEAMEN
BY Associated Press.

race from AlgierS to Toulon has ended
unfortunately, all of the boats parti-
cipating in the second stage of the run
from Port Mahon to this port being
either sunk or disabled owing to a
heavy storm when still many miles
from the finish. The arrangements for
escorting the craft, however, were suf-
ficiently organized and so far as known
there has been no loss of life.
The seven boats left Port Mahon Sat-
urday morning at 4 o'clock for Toulon
A torpedo boat destroyer accompanied
each autoboat, while two cruisers fol-
lowed.
There Is no news concerning the
Quand-Meme, about which there is con-
siderable anxiety. Her crew consisted
of seven men, including the Due de
Cases.
Accounts furnished by officers Of the
destroyers which have arrived here
with the wrecked autoboats' crews
show that their departure from Port
Mahon was of terrible intensity, the
waves attaining height Of twenty-five
/
fotilla in tow, steel hawsers breaking
repeatedly, owing to the seas fury and
the destroyers themselves being in i'm
minent danger. In several instances
they were compelled to cast off tow
lines In order to avoid sinking them
selves. Some of the competitors, how
ever, persisted in racing until they
were swamped. Sometimes, owing to
the mountainous waves, they were lost
from their consorts view. The cruis-
ers Desaix and Kleber, though much
buffeted by the tempest, kept up con-
slant wireless communication with the
conveying destroyers, standing by in
order to render assistance.
Tell of Terrible OrdeaIs
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, while member of the
| Malgre Tout crew had a leg broken.
When they were landed at the Toulon
quay by the destroyers a great crowd
Of sympathizers awaited them, the
event having attracted sportsmen of
/ many nations to the finishing point
owing to the international character of
the original entries, which included
French, German, italian, British and
American boats. The latter two,
however, did not take part in the
race, owing to their late arrival.
Anxiety regarding to the fate of the
auto boat, Quand Meme, is growing
In intensity, more especially as the
conveying destroyer, Arbalete, is also
unaccounted for. The cruisers Kleber
and Desaix, returned to harbor this
evening after a vain search, being
obliged to seek shelter from terrific
hurricane accompanied by torrential
rain.
Daring Rescues of Crews
] The auto boat crews relate stories OF
daring rescues by the warships.
When Nine. Dugast's Camille broke
down, the destroyer, Dard, having
several times unsuccessfully attempted
to approach her, the cruiser Kleber
lowered whale boat, but owing to the
darkness of the night and the heavy
seas the effort to reach the auto boat
failed. The Kleber then approached
and threw grapplers, finally succeeding
i'll saving all on board, though Nine.
Dugast fell into the sea.
The rescue of the crew Of the Her
cules was also an exciting one. After
three men had been taken off she went
adrift with the remaining two men,
Then attempts were made to rescue
them, and finally, under powerful
searchlights, the castaways were taken
from the boat just as she disappeared
beneath the waves.
Duchess De Cases is reported to have
received late tonight a telephone mes
sage from Toulon stating that her hus-
bands auto boat, the Quand Meme.
has been sighted in tow of the de-
| stroyer Arbalete This report how