The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-15
27 SAILORS WENT
DOWN WITH SHIP
Members Of Crew Of Steamer
British King Perish.
TWENTY-F0UR WERE RESCUED
Crew Of BOStonaa and Mannheim Did Brave
Work 10 Taking Off Men From
WatsTIOggtd Graft.
TWENTy-FOUR WERE RESCUED

Boston March l5.-Suffering. mental and
physical. and self-sacrifce for the saving
OF others rarely exampled in the history
of tragedies OF the sea. attended the loss
OF the Phoenix line steamer British King,
which on Sunday last. in raging West
Atlantic storm, foundered about 100 miles
south OF Sable Island and carried 20 deatn
% members OF the crew.
Thirteen men had been rescued by the
Leyland steamer Bostonian, bound from
Manchester 10 Boston. and II by the Ger
man tank steamer Mannheim, Rotterdam
for New York, and five others. who had
been sucked down into the sea In the
vortex into which the British King was
engulfed, were rescued by the Bostonian
from a frai bit OF wreckage which they
had grasped after a desperate conflict
with the whirlpool The Bostonian arrived
here this afternoon and the details OF the
disaster became known
Capt James o'Hagan. one Of those res
cued from the British King. died after
ward from the effects OF terrible injuries
sustained In trying 10 save his ship.
The rescued, who were brought here
yesterday, include James Flanagan, the
second officer; j. ID. Crawford. the chief
engineer. Adolphus Beck the fourth en-
gtneer, and William j. Curry, the steward.
The others were coal passers and sailors.
mostly Belgians. and one stowaway. Hen
ry Parkotch of New York.
The British King went down In latitude
II 40 north and longitude Sill west Cor
to me Ss soh eas o Sable 81 soTGn sn Bo5
the Bostonian and the Mannheim stood by
the scene OF the wreck until Monday
morning. but no bodies were recovered.
BOUND FOR ANTWERP.
The British King sailed from New York
last Tuesday. bound for Antwerp with n
miscellaneous cargo and $50 head Of cat
tie. The passage was fair until Friday
morning, when the ship was struck by a
strong northeasterly wind which gradual
~ grew into a gale. The hatches were
battered down and Capt. o'Hagan pre-
pared for a bad storm.
Suddenly the gale developed into a hur-
ricane and the deck fittings OF the steam
er were carried away. The water. which
had been gradually roughemng now
moved in huge billows and these broke
deck OF the steamer, unloosed the fasten-
ings OF her deck cargo OF oil barrels and
carried them into the sea.
Some of the matches were torn open and
great volumes OF water flowed into the
ships compartments. putting out her fires
and making her engine useless.
Soon the ship became absolutely help
less.
HELP SIGHTED.
At o'clock Sunday morning Capt
O'Hagan sighted the Mannheim and short
~ afterward tho Bostonian. While pre-
pairing TO lower boats away to the helpless
steamer. the Mannheim signalled to the
Bostonian that the British King was in
distress. Capt Perry of the Bostonian
Immediately altered his course and ran
down as close as safety would permit.
The British King signalled that she was
waterlogged and would have 10 be aban-
doned At s o'clock she sent another sig
nal, which read: "Do not abandon me-"
Previous TO this every small boat OF the
British King had been demolished and
there was no way In which the crew could
desert their ship. The half-hundred or
more men OF the wrecked steamer were
in plain view Of those on board the Bos-
tonian and Mannheim, who could do moth
ing in the way OF rescue. since IL would
have been suicidal TO launch a boat At
/ 40 p. m. the British King slgnalled:
Help us: we are sinking"
The Mannheim lowered a boat in charge
OF a volunteer crew and after perilous
and most difficult row 20 the British King
II OF the latter's crew were taken OF
some OF them jumping into the water
and being rescued therefrom, and others
leaping into the boat itself
Sailors OF the Bostonian We'd with each
other for the honor OF sitting I'm the
lfeboat and were not deferred from this
when the first boat. having been lowered
Il was soon dashed 10 pieces against the
steamers stern. First officer William
Brown and tho six seamen with him were
left struggling I'm tho water. but eventu-
ally everyone OF them was preserved by
means OF lines thrown from tho Bos-
tonian They were wounded and
bruised.
A great cheer went up from the Bos-
tonian when. at 4 o'clock. tho starboard
lifeboat was successfully put out in
charge OF Second officer Cromwell the
steward and four sailors. and tho encour-
aging cheers were kept up as the little
crew pursued a terrific struggle 90 reach
the steamer. This they did and took Oft
~ men, including Captain O'Hagan. who
was lowered by hie men by means OF n
line from the stern OF his vessel
Both the Mannheim and the Bostonian
sailed 10 the point where the ship had
foundered. and Il had just been decided
that all on board had perished. when
feeble cry was heard In tho darkness
IL was half an hour before Captain Perry
OF the Tostonian located In the turmoil
~ sea a small section OF a cattle deck
10 which. as it proved. vie men were
cllnging
These were Second officer Flanagan.
chief Engineer Crawford. Adolphus Beck
fourth engineer. and two caftemen. They
had been carried down with the steamer.