Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-21
SHIP GOES DOWN
AND ALL ABOARD
LOSE THEIR LIVES
But One Passenger Out of 141I
Saved From Wreck of
the Berlin.
OFF THE HOOK OF HOLLAND
Great Gale Blew the Mail Steamship,
on Bank, Where She Went
to Pieces.
LIFE.SAvERS COULD DO NOTHING,
Heavy Seas Made It Impossible to,
Reach Drowning Crew and Pas
sengers - Members of the p
Covent Garden Opera
Company Lost.
LIFE-sAvERs COULD DO NOTHING,


Berlin, from England, with I4u
passengers and crew, was wrecked
off the Hook of Holland, at the en-.
trance Of the River Mas, leading
to Rotterdam, shortly before 6
o'clock this morning, and, with one
exception, all on board persisted.
A terrific southwesterly gale was
blowing right in shore and drove
the steamer on a sand bank close to
the northern jetty as she was trying
to enter the new waterway. Heavy
seas quickly pounded the vessel to
pieces. She broke in two, her FORE
part sinking Immediately, while the
doomed passengers and crew could
be seen for a brief space of time
clustered on the afterpart.. Then
the afterpart slipped off the ledge
and disappeared in the mountains
GUS waves. Tugs and lifeboats,
when the alarm was first sounded,
promptly put out to the assistance
of the Berlin, but the violence of
the gale and the heavy seas made
it impossible to approach the
wreck, and the hapless would-be
life-savers saw the steamer break
up and the crew and passengers
washed away without being able to
render the slightest assistance.
ROTTERDAM, February IA disastrous
steamship wreck. attended with great loss
of life, occurred at 5 o'clock this morning
off the north pier of Hook of Holland. when
the Great Eastern Railway Company's
steamer Berlin, bound from Harwiek to the
Hook of Holland, was lost. All on board,
III persons in all, of whom 81 were passen~
gers, were drowned.
The wreck occurred during a terrifio
southwesterly gale. The steamer struck the
north jetty while trying to enter the new
waterway. She broke in two forward and
sank while the passengers and crew gather.
ed aft and vanly attempted to use the life
boats.
The Berlin was British steamer 1902 feet
long and l,775 tons. The ship was com-
manded by Capt. Precious, and was built In
1894
Great Gale Blowing.
LONDON, February 21.-The Berlin
left Harwich at 10 o'clock last night, upon
the arrival there of the London train with
the greater number of the passengers who
subsequently lost their lives The steamer
should have reached the Hook of Holland
at 6 o'clock this morning and would have
then proceeded for Rotterdam.
A great gale was blowing in the North
sea when the Berlin started. AS she was
entering the waterway at the entrance Of
the River Mas however. she apparently
became unmanageable on account of the
force of the wind and was driven ashore.
The alarm was given and life boats from
the shore went to the assistance of the
stricken steamer but the seas were so high
that the boats were unable to approach the
Berlin close enough to take off any of the
messengers or crew, and the life boat men
had to sit helpless while the steamer pound
ed until she broke in two and every soul on
board was carried down. The steamer APP
parently struck about amidships. as her
fore part broke off and sank immediately,
while her after part could be seen for
considerable period Of time afterward.
New Waterway Opened.
The waterway in which the disaster oc-
Cured is a new one on the north side OF
which is the pier and railroad station. The
steamer must have been within few
minutes of tying UP after her rough pass
age across the North sea when she was
overtaken by the disaster. Land was but
a few yards away, and except in the
toughest weather those on board the Berlin
could have been rescued without difficulty,
especially as the waterway is nayigable
at all tides.
The Berlin was steel steamer. only
twelve years old. and popular with travellers
to the north of Europe. In summer she
usually was crowded with passengers. but