The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-22

! London. Feb 21.-The Rotterdam mail
steamship Berlin, from England. with al
persons aboard, passengers and crew, was
wrecked of the Hook of Holland at the
entrance Of the River Mas. leading 10
Rotterdam. just before o'clock this
morning. and, according To latest reports
received here, with the exception of one
person and ten in the rigging all on board
| perished
/ A terrific southwesterly gale was blow
/ ing inshore, and Grove the steamship on
"A sand bank, close TO the northern jetty.
as she was trying u enter the new water
way.
Big ship Breaks in Two.
Heavy seas quickly pounded the vessel
/ TO pieces. Sine broke in two. her fore
part sinking Immediately, with over a
hundred doomed passengers and crew.
! Tugs and lifeboats. when the alarm was
/ first sounded. promptly put out % the
/ assistance Of the Berlin. but the violence
/ oe the gale and the heavy seas made it
/ impossible to approach the wreck. and
the woud-be life-savers saw tho steam
/ ship break NJ and the crew and passeu-
/ gers washed away without being able TO
/ render the slightest assistance.
| Capt Parllns. Belfast sea captain.
/ was saved. lie was unconscious when
/ dragged out Of the water and taken
/ ashore, and had not regained conscious
/ ness when be was carried to "a hotel in
the neighborhocd.
May BE Ten Survivors.
! Dispatches received At o'clock this
morning gives assurances that some per
sons are SIN alive on the visible part OF
the Berlin. The lifeboat made another at
| tempt L. reach the wreck at midnight. but
the mountainous sea prevented her Erom
getting near it, Another effort viii be
made before daylight Once the boat was
within ten yards Of the wreckage. The
officials and crowd OF persons are keep
ing an all-night vigil on the beach. All
are eager to help. Many Of thcn are rela-
tiy-es of passengers.
The anxiety now IS rather whether those
on the wrecked yesscf-can survive The
cold than the risk of the steamer break
ing MP. The captain Of a vessel that ar
rived in the River Haas says he saw ten
persons alive on the wreck. one was
wearing uniform.
story of survivor.
Capt. Parkinson. the only survivor
ashore. gives a graphic description of his
experience. He SAYS when the crash came
lhe hurried to the bridge To offer his help.
He arrived just in time 20 see the cap
tain OF the Berlin and the pilot swept
off. Capt Parkinson does not know what
Happened then until he found himself in
the sea lie was able TO seize piece OF
wreckage ana keep himself adoat until
he saw the lifebOat He shouted and was
rescued.
Before he was swept from the steamer
he saw about 100 persons hUddled in the
forepart of the Berlin.
Afterward. while he was floating. be-
lnUmbed in the icy sea. me heard mufied
cries on all sides of him. and continually
bumped into drifting corpses.
Gale on when ship Started.
The Rerlin 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 steamship should have
reached the Hook Of Holland at o'clock
this morning. and would have proceeded
for Rotterdam
a great gale was blowing in the North
Sea when the Berlin started. but the
u weather was no worse than ON the pre-
ceding night. when similar vessels made
the trip without mishap. As the Berlin
was entering the waterway at the en-
trance of the River Mas. however. she
apparently became uumanageable on ac-
count of the force of the wind. and was
driven ashore
The alarm was given and Hfebo3ts
from the shore proceeded To the assist
ance of the stricken steamer, but the
seas were so high that the boats were
unable TO approach the Berlin close
enough 10 take off any OF the passengers
or crew. and the lifeboat men had 10 sit
helpless while the steamship pounded
until she broke i'm two and every soul
on board was carried down. The steam
ship. apparently struck about amidships
ds her forepart broke of and sank nH-
medisteIy
The waterway in which the disaster
took place is \ new one. on the ncrth side
of which is the pier and railroad station
The steamship must have been within a
few minutes Of tying up after her rough
passage across the North Se8, when she
was oveItaken by the disaster Land was
only a few yards away. and except in the
toughest weather. those on board the Ber-
lin could have been rescued without diff
Guilty especially as the waterway is nav-
igable at all tides.
Nineteen Opera singers Lost.
Among the persons supposed 20 be
drowned are nineteen members Of a Ger
man opera company, who had just COM
pleted their season at Covent Garden.
Arthur Herbert one OF the Kings mos
sengers. who was journeying 10 the Con-
tinent. is also supposed to have been lost.
He was. a grandson of the third Earl OF
4 Powis. and was on a mission to the
courts of Copenhagen. ST Petersburg.
Berlin. and Teheran, bearing important
dispatches TO the heads of the foreign
offices at those capitals.
Capt. Precious. the drowned commander
Of the Berlin, was senior commander of
the Great Eastern Railway Company's
feet and was considered 90 be a particu-
larly competent officer.
The manager Of Covent Garden, con-
firming the statement that nineteen mem-
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