New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-15
TWENTY-SEVEN PERISH.
STEAMER SWALLOWED UP.
cargo. Washed OCerboard, Batters
HuH-Heroic ReScues.


. NE marked the loss Of the Phoenix Line
y" .ner British King. which foundered in
..-n about hundred and fifty miles south of
-. Island last Sunday. and carried to death
.,,r.seven members of the crew.
-sir.,en men were rescued from the sinking
sol by the Leyland Line steamer Bostonian.
Ind from Manchester to Boston, and eleven by
=, German tank steamer Mannheim, from Rot
..r5sn for New-York. Five others. who had
,.sp sucked down in the vortex which engulfed
.ss British King. were picked up by the Bos-
,,7isr srom a frail bit Of wreckage. which they
,sd grasped after desperate struggle for life
Tho Bostonian arrived here this afternoon. and
ne details OF the disaster became known.
CAPTAIN James O'Hagan of the British King
Ard on the Bostonian from the effects of in
,uries sustained in trying to save his ship.
The rescued brought here include James Flani-
ran second officer; ]. d. Crawford, chief en-
eineer Adolphus Beck. fourth engineer. and
william J. Curry, steward. The others were
cosl passers and sailors, mostly Belgians and
one stowaway. Henry Parketch. of New-York.
Two lfebosts from the Bostcnian were crushed
n fragments. and the volunteer crews which
manned them were thrown into the raging seas
while engaged in the work Of rescue, but all
we're safely landed on board the steamer
When the first lifeboat was lowered from the
Bostonian the small craft was swept against
The stern OF the big ship and destroyed. Several
n The seamen were bruised and MANNED, yet,
5sspite the boisterous condition of the sea, the
volunteers were rescued by lines thrown out
from their steamer.
A second attempt TO reach the sinking ship
rps successful and thirteen men. including Cap
tsn OHaEan. we've taken from the British King
10 The Bostonian. Then again a gigantic billow
carried the lifeboat against the side of the ship
and destroyed il. The lfesavers were thrown
INTO the sea. TO he rescued only after an hours
s,-eggle by their comrades.
Volunteers from the Mannheim, after an heroic
hattie with the waves. had taken off eleven from
the British King. but after this. in consequence
Of the increasing gale neither of the steamers
could make an attempt 10 reach the foundering
freighter. Darkness fell, and it was impossible
10 DO else than wait for moonlight TO guide them
10 the stricken ship.
In this darkness the British King, which was
then waterlogged and helpless. plunged down..
bow first and was lost TO view.
RANMED BY HER OWN CARGO.
For three days the captain and crew of the
British King. working against unconquerable
ODDS had tried TO prevent or at least postpone
their ships destruction On Friday, in the
height Of the tempest the deckload Of oil barrels
q the British King and all her fittings were
csrried overheard. The barrels and wreckage,
tu-mng into q powerful ram were driven down
BM her sides with crushing force by the break
iEg Faves opening up the vessels plates and
Allowing the water 10 pour into her holds The
erten, Of the leak was not understood until the
blowing day however, and then although all
hands were placed at the pumps. the water
gained considerably.
The fires had been extinguished and the en-
enes rendered useless by the rising water. The
only remedy ar hand lay in repairing the dam
aged machinery. and, while personally superin-
tending this work Captain O'Hagan sustained
fractured leg and internal injuries. Although
h was unable TO stand, he continued to direct
The efforts IF his crew.
At the end of the three days when all hands
had lsbore6 ceasdlessly without rest and with
little food the Bostonan and Mannheim were
sighted. and 10 these Captain OHagan displayed
the signal for assistance.
T is expected that the Mannheim will reach
NeU-York te-rnorrow or the next day Until
that tine the names Of the men who were lost
cannot be learned. The Mannheim saved the
hrd officer and ten lnen. but the identity Of the
sailors is not known here.
The British King went down in latitude Al: 40
north and longitude 6O:11 west, or about $50
miles east ~ Boston Light and $50 TO the south
If Sable Island Both the Bostonian and the
Mannheim stood by the scene Of the wreck until
Monday morning. but no bodies were recovered
Tie British King sailed from New-York last
"Wednesday. bound for Antwerp with miscel-
laneous cargo and $50 head Of cattle. The
passage was unevcntful until Friday morning
vhen the ship was struck by a strong north
Wrcsa~ rTr-
gsie The hatches were battened down and
Captain OHagan prepared Tor bad storm.
Suddenly the gale developed into a hurricane
tnd tho deck fittings Of the steamer were carried
away The water. which had been gradually
Frightening. now moved I'm huge billows and
inese broke over the deck OF the steamer. un-
!oosed the faetonings OF her deck cargo OF OIL
barrels and cast them into the sea Later some
q the matches were torn open and great volumes
n water flowed into the ships compartments
putting out her fires and making her engines
Useless soon the ship became absolutely help
less
The rudder lad hold for a time. enabling Cap
an OHsgan 70 steady his ship in the storm
OUT soon This, too, was swept of. All this uine
Ne vrockaEa and oil barrels had been gathering
seout the steamer, and now the pillows carried
nem down with tremendous energy against the
taes of the ship. The hull was started badly
pl' not until Saturday did the crew realize that
ne water had entered the ship to such an eX-
'n' thai il seemed inevitable that she would
grk
ShAAEN SUFFERED FROM EXPOSURE
Inc se5mon suffered constantly from exposure
i'n The attacks of the waves which flooded the
1. IRON lack of sleep. from hunger and from
4'srs and Injuries received by being tossed
ward and backward upon the vessels deck
saturday the British King had settled no
@+'oF i1 the water Realizing the necessity
= Nnok actIon. Cantain O.Hagan himself went