The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-11-24
SHIP SINKS WITH OVER 100
Steamer Strikes a Rock Near the
French Coast Shin Apparently
Missed Her Course-MOst Of the
Passengers and Crew Were Sleeping
at the Time.

Missed Her Course-Most OF the
Passengers and Crew Were Sleeping
at the Time.
London, November 19.--The South
western Railways cross-channel
steamer Hilda was wrecked this morn
ing off Sc. Malo, on the north coast of
France. and it is believed hat one hum
dred OF more of her passengers and
crew were drowned. The Hilda left
Southampton Friday for st. Malo with
considerably more than one hundred
greatly delayed by a fog in the chan
mel, and, when nearing ST. Malo. she
ran into Il severe snow-storm apparent
ly missed her course, and %foundered on
the rocks off .Jardin lighthouse, three
miles from st. Malo.
Tie company's steamer Ada, out
ward bound from st. Malo, rescued five
of the passengers and one of the crew.
These are now on their way to South
amptOn. There is an unconfirmed re-
port that seventy had been saved.
The crew numbered twenfy-SiX,
and there We're about a hundred pas
sengers all F~renchmen, the majority
being onion dealers from st. Briae and
~neighborhood.
\ telegram from st. Servian, adjoin-
Ing the town of st. Malo, gives the few
particulars yet available. The Hilda
was near st. Malo Saturday morning.
h struck the rocks at 4 O'Clock Sun
day morning in the roadstead off the
| island of CeZeembre, having missed
the side, owing to bad weather and fog.
The majority of the crew and pas
sengers We're asleep at the time. Two
boats were lowered, one Of which, con
tanning five men, arrived at st. Ser
Wan. The second boat was picked up
empty at st. Cost, where thirteen
bodies were washed ashore. The top
of the Hilda's funnel and her mast are
visible at low tide, according to tue tel
egram from st. Servian.
The Hilda was built at Glasgow in
1S2, and registered S4S tons. She was
q screw steamer, of iron construction.
| and was 3 feet in length.
| PROMINENT, PEOPLE ABOARD.
The exact number Of lives lost on
the Hilda is unknown here. 1t is I'M
Gerstood that there were about twenty
frst-class passengers including several
English people. Among the latter We're
the Hon. Mrs. Butler, sister-in-law of
Lord Lanesborough and Colonel Fo-
lett. Though it is not certain that
these were actually on board, they
were expected to travel by the Hilda,
and it is known that al 1.-The first-class
passengers were drowned. These pas.
sengers We're English officers and
others who were coming to rejoin their
families or to spend the season at st
Malo and Dinard, opposite st. Malo.
1t appears to be certain that only six
were saved, these being five onion sell
lers and an English seaman named
Grinter. belonging to Guernsey, and
that the total on board, including the
crew, numbered 05.
The delay in the arrival of the Hilda
at first inspired little anxiety as there
was dreadful weather in the channel
and as everyone had full confidence
in her captain, Gregory. He had
known the dangerous coast Of Brittany
for thirty years.
Lie uISdSI6T was HTSt suspected
through the washing ashore of a body
and the port authorities sent out a tug
1t was then learned that the Hilda was
wrecked On a ~treacherous reef close to
the island of Cezambre, called lie:
Portes." She had apparently struck
broken her back, and Immediately
sunk. leaving no time to launch boats
The Jardin light is quite close to tbs
spot. 1t cannot yet be explained a
what time or how the disaster occurr
ed. The entrance to ST. Malo is dan
/ gerous, the currents and rocks needing
the exercise of considerable caution a
all times, but more especially in baG
weather.
] Many bodies have been washed
ashore at different points, some wearin:
life belts. Six of the survivors &C
cording to a report in circulation here
were rescued by the Ada from tn
rigging.
SIX ARE SAVED.
The Southwestern Railway Com
pany is yet unable to give a list of thu
Hilda's passengers, but they say that
score booked passage at stations be
tween London and Southampton. ant
that to the best of their knowledg'
ninefy-nine were drowned and only ST,
saved.
The company is still without reliable
details as to how the disaster happen
ed Its agent az ST. Malo only brief,
reported. 1.-THE Ada has put back an,
reports HiIda is q total wreck at LIE
Portes reef outside Jardin lighthouse
The Adass boat saved i've unknown
men and q eana named Grinter on
Of the rigging. They appear to be thu
only survivors"