The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-05-26

SHIPS THAT VANISH.

Some Remarkable Mysteries and &c
crets of the Great Ocean.
Fine Ships that Have Sailed Avn,
and Disappeared Forever
from the Sight Of Men.
London Tit Bits says there are few
! things which are so full OF mystery
or which makes such a powerful ap
peal to the Imagination, as the storie:
Of ships that sail calamity out to ses
and OF which nothing is ever heard OF
seen after the masts have dipped be-
low the horizon. At present the pa
pers are full OF the records of these
marine tragedies. Today, it is the
Olaverdale, which left Hong Kong on
November %, for Vladivostok, and OF
which no trace has been found fol
over two months; yesterday it was the
Royalist, which cleared a few days
later from Singapore to Hong Kong
and has never reached her destina.
tion; the day before it was the Idum,
from NOway, which has vanished from
human view; and 80 on, Through the
long list OF ships that have sailed and
disappeared.
What are the secrets of these mys.
terious vanishings of stately ships
with their crews and cargoes? In
nineteen cases Of twenty the secrets
lie with the ships many fathoms deep,
and will perhaps naver leap to light.
To this day no one knows what be-
came OF the City Of Glasgow, which
set her sails 80 gallantly In the Mer-
sey half century and more ago,
bound for Philadelphia, nor was she
seen again after the hills of Wales
were Jst to view.
The Burvie Castle left London some
years ago op long voyage to Austria
liza. She should have made a final
call at Plymouth, out she never came
within sight OF the Hoe, nor has hu-
man eye ever seen her from the day
she dropped down the Channel It
was on May 10, 1854, that Lady Nu.
gent spread her sails at Madras with
367 of the 25th Madras Light Infant
ry and other passengers on board.
Her destination was Rangoon, but
half century has gone, and neither
Rangoon nor any other port has
sighted her.
Nearly two years later the Collins
Liner, the Pacific, dropped down the
Mersey with 180 souls on board. She
was accounted one OF the stoutest and
swiftest vessels Of her time-and so,
no doubt she was. But she went the
way the City OF Glasgow had gone
couple Of years earlier, and for forty.
nine years has been lying at the bot.
tom OF the sea-but where, none NAV
know till all secrets are revealed. The
trading vessel Atlanta started, a quar-.
ter of century ago, for short cruise
In Bermudan waters, and from that
day to this no one knows what be
came OF her and tbe $50 souls she car.
ried.
So On; January %, 1870, the City OF
Boston sailed from Halifax for Eng
land, with 191 souls on board. Sne
was an Inman Liner, a fine ship.
splendidly equipped and handled; but
she, too, was destined to vanish from
tue face Of the waters.
The victim of another still remem-
bered ocean my stery was the Pfesi
dent, fine vessel which was expected
at Liverpool in March, 1871. March
passed and Liverpool saw nothing OF
her. The long delay In her arriva
caused great anxiety, and the widest
rumors began to be circulated. o.
April l3 news came that her engine
and rudder had been disabled in heavy
weather and that she had put into
Madeira for repairs, and there natu.
rally followed a reaction from gloomy
forebodinys to transports Of JOY. The
vessel was expected at Liverpool on a.
certain day, and her arrival was
awaited by hundreds OF people who
had friends aboard; but she never
came, and H. was found that the story
OF her arrival at Madeira was heart.
less hoax. All the time the ill-fated
vessel was at the bottom OF the sea.
On November 80, 1888, large ves-
sci was seen from the beach at Deal,
sailing toward the Goodwin Sands
Sue was fair picture to look on, as
she moved over the waters with heI
stately spread of sails, But as the
eyes OF the watchers followed her she
was seen to pause, and within few
seconds she vanished utterly from
their view. What caused this tragi
cally sudden disappearance of sGate
ly ship? That is another of the count
less secrets which the ocean has in itl
jealous keeping.
Forrest Honored.