New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-15
STORM SINKS AUTO BOATS.
TWO LOST, CREWS SAVED.
Three Abandoaed-One, 5cith Duke
Dccazes ON BCcrd. Missing.

Toulon. May 1.-THE autoboat race from Al
giers to Toulon has ended unfortunately. all OF
the boats in the second stage OF the run. from
Port Mahon to this port being either sunk or
disabled owing TO a heavy storm when skill
many miles from the finish Arrangements for
escorting the craft had been well organized and
loss Of life avoided.
The seven racers left Port Mahon on Saturday
morning at 4 O'Clock for Toulon- a destroyer
accompanied each autoboat while two cruisers
followed. The sea was rough at the start. and
soon became worse. The competing boats were
unable TO withstand the violerce Of the storm
and requested the warships TO tow them ShortIy
afterward the Mercedes c. P. sank men from
the destroyer HalIebarde rescuing the crew
The cruiser La Hire hoisJed the F / A. T. and
her crew aboard. The Camille was abandoned.
the destroyer Dard saving her crew. The Her
acles II is adrift. but her crew is on board the
destroyer Sarbacane The Nalgre-Tout sank.
and her crew was taken on board the destroyer
Carabine The Mercedes Mercedes had 10 be
abandoned, the destroyer Pertrusane saving the
crew
There is no news concerning the Quand-Meme.
about which there is considerable anxiety. Her
crew consists of seven men. including the Duke
Decazes- The cruisers Desaix and KIeber are
searching for the vessel.
Accounts given by officers Of destroyers which
have arrived here with the crews Of the wrecked
autoboats show that the storm which overlook
the frail craft shortly after their departure
from Port MahoD was furious. the waves at
tanning height of twenty-five feet It was I'M
possible to keep the fiotiila in tow steel haw-
sers breaking repeatedly. and the destroyers
themselves being in imminent danger. In sew
eral instances they were compelled TO cast or
tow lines In order to avoid sinking themselves.
Some Of the competitors. however. persisted in
racing until they We're swamped- Sometimes
owing to the high waves, they were lost from
their consorts' view.
The cruisers Desaix and KIeber, though much
buffeted by the tempest. kept up constant wire
less communication with the conveying destroy
ers, standing by in order to render assistance.
The condition of the racers crews bears out
the statements regarding their 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 number of the NAL
gre-Tout's crew had legs broken. When they
were landed at the Toulon quay by the destroy
ers a great gathering of sympathizers awaited
them, the contest having attracted sportsmen
of many nations to the finishing point owing
10 the international character OF Ine OrlSlnaI
entries which included French, German Italian.
British and American boats. The latter two.
however. arrived too late to take part in the
race
Anxiety regarding the fate OF the Quand-
Meme is growing more especially as the con-
voying destroyer Arbalete Is also missing The
cruisers Kleber and Desafx returned TO harbor
this evening after vain search. being obliged
to seek shelter from a hurricane accompanied
by sheets OF rain. The Arbalete carried crew
of eleven men 1t is thought possible that both
vessels are running before the gale in the direc-
ton of Corsica. The KIeber will renew the
search in the morning.
The autoboats' crews relate stories OF daring
rescues by the warships When Nine. du Casts
Camille broke down. the destroyer Dard having
several times unsuccessfully attempted to ap-
proach her. the cruiser Kleber lowered whale
boat but owing 10 the darkness and the heavy
seas the effort TO reach the autoboat failed
The Kleber then approached and threw grap-
piers, finally succeeding in saving all on board.
though Nine. du Cast first fell into the sea
The rescue OF the crew of the Hercules
also an exciting affair. After three men had
been taken of she went adrift with the rsnlAa2p
ing two men. Ten attempts made to -
cure them and finally. under powerful search
lights. the castaways were taken from the boat
just as she disappeared beneath the waves,
Paris May 1.-THE Duchess Decazes Is -
ported TO have received late tonight a sele-
phone message from Toulon. saying that her
husbands autoboat, the Ouand-Menne. has been
sighted in tow of the destroyer ArbaIete. This
report, however. has not been confirmed