The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-03-01
HELPED BY PRINCE
Brave Lifssavers Save Eleven
Persons From the Berlin
THREE LEFT ON WRECK

For Many Hours on Attprpar
OF Vessel, Though In S GIN o
Land All the Time
Hook Of Holland, Feb. 23.-Largely
as a result of the courage and determi-
nation of Prince Henry of The Neither
lands, the prince consort. that which APP
peared to be an impossible task has
been achieved and the heroic and un
flinchlng Dutch lifeboat men have sue
ceeded in rescuing alive II more of the
survivors of the Inflated steamer Ber-
lin, but one having previously been
rescued.
The gallant lifeboat men were re-
warded after more than 80 hours of
hard and dangerous work Buffeted
and driven back time after time, the
sturdy Dutchmen refused to relax their
attempts to rescue the handful of ship
wrecked people and finally, at 800
o'clock yesterday afternoon. the reced-
ing tide and some Improvement in the
weather having made the conditions
easier, their long fight was crowned
with success.
Although several of the persons res
cued were in the last stages of eXhaus-
ton, they now are on the road to re-
covery and some of them have been
able to tell the story of their awful ex-
perienceS. Two women and a child are
still on board the wreck, but it is feared
that they are dying. Nothing daunted,
however, the brave Dutchmen are pre-
pairing to make further desperate eff
forts to rescue these unfortunates.
1t now appears certain that after the
catastrophe there were many more
than u persons remaining on the wreck
and that most of them were gashed off
by the waves. One woman was car
ried away Just before the rescue was
effected. The survivors huddled to-
gether for warmth and the members
of the crew who were still alive shared
their food with the others. There was
not enough to go around, however, and
for "A hours not morsel of food
passed the lips of these unfortunate
people.
The survivors praise highly the
graciousness Of Prince Henry. who per.
sonally assisted the women. The
prince wrapped his fur overcoat about
one woman. Captain Jansen Of tn
lifeboat and the other rescuers warmly
praised the courage of Prince Henry,
who went out in the smaller boat and
worked hard pulling at the oars and in
helping to hoist the survivors aboard.
This was not accomplished without
difficulty owing to the heavy surf, but
the rescuers managed to get a line
aboard the wreck and make the other
end fast tc the lighthouse. The sur
vivOrs then climbed down and were
carried one V one through the surging
waters, breast high, along the pier and
placed in small boat, whence they
were transferred to the pilot boat
Helvoetsluis.
The wind has decreased in violence,
but the cold is intense and the fury Of
the sea is terrible.
1t has been discovered that the
wreck is resting on the remains of the
British steamer Leeds. which was lost
on this same spot in 1882.
London, Feb. 22.-The worst disas-
ter for many years in the history of the
busy crOss-channel traffic between Eng
"a Il
q violent gale shortly before 6 O'Clock
yesterday morning, when the Rotter-
dam mail steamer Berlin. from Har.
witch to Hook of Holland, having safe
ly weathered the hurricane. was sud
denly wrecked as she was entering port.
No cause yet has been assigned for
the terrible accident and it probably
never will be known how the steamer
missed the channel, which although 300
yards wide and well buoyed ard lighted.
is always difficult of access in rough
weather. 1t is conjectured that some
of the engines or steer
ing gear may have rendered the vessel
LifebOat Captain Jansen, who has
a record of 1856 lives saved, made desper-
ate efforts all day long to reach the
wreck and rescue any possible sur
vivors. Many times the lifeboat and !
the tug that accompanied it were flung
back on the shore. Three times COM |
with the Berlin was estab- |
ished but each time the lifeboat parted |
Ter anchor and hawser and was swept |
lway. Once she was within 10 yards |
If the wreck and her crew could hear
he cries of the survivors clinging to the
stern of the Berlin. The boiling sea.
however. made a nearer approach i'm
possible and the lifeboat was compelled