Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-05-15
.ALI::I:0ST
Abrupt Ending Of
Auto Boat Race
Started Off Port Mahon
for Tou|on, France.
Rough Sea CompeIs Abandon
in G Of All the Boats.
One Still Missing g--Crews Of
Others All Rescued.
Seven Boats, Luckily Escorted by Torpedo
Boats and Cruisers.

Iouioll. MdE l4.-1ne auto DOaC races
from Algiers to Toulon has ended un-
fortunately. all of the boats participate
ing in the second stage of the run from
Port MahOn to this port being either
sunk or disabled owing to Il heavy
storm when still many miles from the
finish. Happily the arrangements for
escorting the craft We're efficiently or
Sanized and loss of life was avoided.
The seven racers left Port Mahon. at
o'clock. Saturday morning, for Tou-
ion. A torpedo boat destroyer accom-
panied each auto boat. while two
cruisers followed. The sea was some
what rough at the start and soon be-
came worse. The competing boats were
unable to withstand the violence Of the
storm and requested the warships
TO tow them.
shortly afterwards the Mercedes c.
F. sank, men from the torpedo boat de-
strOyer Hallebarde rescuing her crew.
The cruiser La Hire hoisted the Fiat
and her crew aboard.
The Camille was abandoned, the de-
stroyer Dardc saving her craw.
The Hercules III is adrift. but her
or, w is ON board the destroyer Sdraba-
cane.
The Malgre-Tout sank and her crew
WAS taken on board the destroyer
Carabine.
The Mercedes had to be abandoned.
The destroyer Pcrtrusane saved the
crew.
There is no news concerning the
Ouand- Meme. about which there is
considerable anxiety. Her crew consists
of seven men. including the Duke De-
ca2cs. The cruisers Desk and kleher
are searching for the vessel.
Accounts furnished by officers of the
fiostroyers which have arrived here
with the wrecked autoboats' crews
show that the storm which overlook
the frail craft shortly afetr their de-
r,rt,,re from Port Mahon was of ter
,jble intensity, the waves attaining u
height of 25 feet. 1t was impOssihle
II keep the fiotilla in tow. Steel haws-
ers breaking repeatedly owing TO the
seas fury. and the deStroycrS them
cclycs being in imminent danger. Some
,f the competitors, however, persisted
in racing until they were swamped.
The cruisers Desaix ana i<leber.
though much buffeted by the tempest.
kent in constant wireless communica-
,;,n with tie conveying dcstroycrs,
standing bv in order to render assist
ance.
r,o r,cars' crews were thoroughly
exh,,.eted and scarcely able to reply to
inouiries They consider themselves
fortunate to have escaped with the"
I;vae MANY of them had their clothes
l,l hpry yicnH
while member of the Malgre-T"uts
crew mad leg broken.
Anxiety regarding tie fate Of the au-
toho1t Ouand Meme is growing in IN
tensity. more especially as the convoy
;ne destroyer Arbalete Is also unac-
oo,rted for. The cruisers kleber and
Desoix returned to harbor. this even
to- ofter a vain search, being obliged
90 coax shelter from terrific hurricane
,ccompaniea by torrential rain.
Tho ,utoboat crews relate stories of
ing rescues by thc w.;:ships. When
Mme Ducast's Camille broke down. the
1nstrover Dard. having several times
,,,,suc cossfully, attempted to approach
~ .,,o cruiser Klebar lowered a whala-
-, but owing to the darkness of the
,,;1bt and the nedNS tiH tllOil 10
zach the autoboat failed. The Kleber
rhan approached and threw grapplers.
n,ar,y succeeding in saving all on
nnard though Nine. Dugast first fell
into the sea.
The rescue Of the crew of the Her
IL. was an exciting affair. AS soon as
,hn four men taken she went adrift
With the other two men. Ten attempts
.a,o made to save them and finally un-
w. nowerful search lights. the cast
-. were taken from the boat just
~ aS.i she disappeared beneath the waves.
,,,ara is still no news of the Arbellet-
>, nr nr' the autoboat ouard Meme, the
:" ,'.+er ~ If is now stated carrying a COM
pliment of II men: 1t is the a, SUI supposition
.n" ,,rection of Corsica. The Kleber will
..art M on a fresh search, IN the morn
ing. ---t