New-York tribune., 1907-09-13
SHORTENlS CARS CRUISE.
Grounding of the StandWt D70es
Imperial Family to Small Yacht.

St. Petersburg Sept 12.-Tke loss or the
STANDARD, a magnificent vessel and the favor1te
yacht Of Emperor Nicholas. which is tast
aground off Horsoe, near Hango, Finland Is
likely to shorten the cruise Of the Car and
Czarina. as no other suitable vessel can be
placed at their disposal. The Alexandra, which
has been hurried to the scene of the wreck ~
an out-of-date vessel of only 500 tons. and en-
tirely unsuitable for the accommodation Of the
imperial family and it's suites.
The Emperor and Empress. with their at
tendants left the STANDARD at 10 o'clock last
night. and are now on the dispatch boat ASIA
The Emperor was urged to leave the vessei
when she struck the rocks, but he refused to do
so. and waited until the Asia was ready to take
him and the imperial family on board.
It was announced to-day. in dispatch from
Hesingfors. that the STANDARD has two large
rents in her bottom. one forward and the other
amdships. The latter is forty-two feet long
The pumps of the salvage vessels were kept
going all night long In orGer to keep down 'he
water in the STANDARD.
Though it has been suggested that the ac-
cident to the STANDARD was due to members of
her crew who purposely her on the rocks.
II is asserted in naval circles here that the dis
aster was due to the nerrowness OF the channel
between the islands of the Finnish archipelago
near Hango. The entrance of a big vessel ike
the STANDARD into those waters is declared TO
have been hazardous. and il is insisted that the
accident unavoidable.
The accident to the STANDARD recalls num-
ber of untoward happenings by which Emperor
Nicholas at various times has been placed in
danger Among them is the attack made on
him while he was heir TO the throne and on his
way around the world by Japanese fanatic at
Kobe Another was his narrow escape from
death on January 10. 1905. at the time Of the
ceremony Of the blessing of the waters of the
Neva here when a charge Of grapeshot swept
over the Neva in front of the Winter Palace
from one Of the guns Of battery Of artillery or
the guard on the other side Of the river. mar
rowIy missing the Emperor, who was in little
chanel built for the ceremony at the Waters1de
Furthermore. during the Emperor's coronation
ceremonies at Moscow May 80. 1895 great
panic ensued on the Khodinsky plain as the re-
suit Of the faulty arrangements. and about
fifteen hundred persons were crushed to death
and ESQ others were injured.
The Standard is a steel vessel launched at
Copenhagen in 1895. and has a displacement
of $500 tons Her engines are Of 1o.6H horse
power giving her estimated speed OF nearly
90 knots She carries about 900 tons Of coal.
has two propelIers and two smokestacks and ts
rigged as a three-nasted schooner Her length
on the waterline IS 37o feet she measures 423
'"''N'
% feet Of water. The yacht IS fitted with water
tube boilers. has two sets Of triple expansion
engines carries A crew Of so officers and men
and mounts eight 9-pound quick firing guns.
Hango. Finland. Sept. IA representative Of
The Associated Press visited the STANDARD this
afternoon. Confusion reiEned on board the i'm
perial Yacht. Efforts were being made to save
the Yacht and to for the imperial property.
but little consistent method was to be observed
While the correspondent was on board the
Emperor came 10 the STANDARD from the
Alexandra returning later TO this vessel. The
Emperor and the members Of the imperial fam
lily are housed board the Alexandra and will
remain there until the arrival of the Polar Star
from ST. Petersburg. They VIII then return 70
the capital
At the time the yacht on the rocks En-
peror Nicholas and his family were at dinner in
the dining saloon. The STANDARD was making
fifteen knots hour. and when she struck the
reef all the tableware crashed to the floor and
the lights went ont. The children began crying
but neither the Emperor nor the Empress
showed any excitement. They remained calm
and uuieted the children His majesty did not
leave the ship until he driven away by the
inrushing water.