The San Francisco call., 1905-05-15
STORM ENDS
CONTEST OF
AUT0-B0A1S
Seas Wreck Frail Craft and
the Crews Of Two Vessels
That Started From Algiers
Are Not Accounted For
RACER AND 4 TORPEDO
BOAT DESTROYER LOST
Other Water Machines Soon
Come to Grief and Their
Men Are Picked Up by
the Escort of Warships

Men Are Picked Up by
the Escort of Warships
ToULON, May 1.-THE auto-boat
race from Aigiers to Toulon has ended
unfortunately, all of the boats partici-
pating in the second stage of the run
from Port Mahon to this port having
been either sunk or disabled owing to
a heavy storm when still many miles
from the finish. One boats crew is
still unaccounted for, as is the torpedo
boat destroyer which acted as consort
] for the racer.
/ The seven boats left Port Mahon on
Saturday morning at o'clock for Tou-
| Ion. "A torpedo-boat destroyer accom-
panied each auto-boat, while two cruis-
ers 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 warships to
tow them.
Shortly afterward the Mercedes C. P.
: sank. men from the torpedo-boat de-
/ stroyer Hallebarde resculng her crew.
The cruiser Lahire hoisted the Fiat and
: her crew aboard. The Camille was
abandoned, the destroyer Dard saving
her crew. The Hercules II is adrift,
! but her crew is on board the destroyer
Sarbacane. The Malgre Tout sank and
her crew was taken on board the de-
Stroyer Carabine. The Mercedes had to
be abandoned, the destroyer Pertru-
j sane saving the crew.
There is no news concerning the
! Quand-Meme, about which there is
/ considerable anxiety. Her crew con-
sisted Of seven men, including the Duke
F.: de Cases. The cruisers Desaix and
Kleber are searching for the vessel.
! Accounts given by officers of the de-
stroyers which have arrived here with
the wrecked auto-boats' crews show
that the storm which overlook the frail
crafts shortly after their departure
from Port Mahon was of terrible in
tensity, the waves attaining height
OF twenty-five feet. 1t was impossible
to keep the flotilla in tow, steel haw-
sers breaking repeatedly owing to the
! seas fury, and the deStrOyerS them
selves being in imminent danger. In
several instances they were compelled
| to cast off tow lines in order to avoid
sinking themselves. Some of the COM
| petitors, however, persisted in racing
! until they were swamped. Sometimes,
owing to the mountainous waves, they
were IOSl 4NltW.
The cruisers Desaix and Kleber,
though much buffeted by the tempest,
kept up constant wireless communica-
ton 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 thor
oughly exhausted and scarcely able to
reply to inquiries. They consider them
selves fortunate to have escaped with
their lives. The clothing of many of
them was torn to ribbons, and some
are bruised while a member of the
Malgre-Tout's crew suffered fracture
of a leg.
When they were landed at the Tou-
lon 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, Ittlian, British and
American boats. The latter two. how
ever, did not take part in the race
owing to their late arrival.
Anxiety regarding the fate of the
alto-boat Quand-Meme is growing in
intensity, more especially as the con-
yoying destroyer Arbalete also is un-
accounted for. The cruisers Kleber and
DeSaiX returned to- the narDOr this
evening after a vain search. being
obliged to seek shelter from a terrific
hurricane accompanied by torrential
rain.
The auto boat crews relate stories
! of daring rescues by the warships
When Nine Dugasts' Camille broke
down the destroyer Dard, having sew
eral times unsuccessfully attempted to
approach her, the cruiser Kleber low
cred a whaleboat, but owing to the
darkness of the night and the heavy
seas, the effort to reach the autoboat
failed. The Kleber then approached
and threw grapplers, finuily succeed
ing in saving all on board, though
Nine Dugasts fell into the sea.
The rescue of the crew of the Her
! cules also was 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 taker
| from the boat just as she disappeared
| beneath the waves.
Duchess de Cases is reported to have
received late tonight telephone mes
sage from Toulon. stating that her hus-