The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-04-27
British Gladiator Badly Dam
aged in Collision
IN DENSE SNOW STORM
Liner Had Been Delayed an Hour By
SnOwdrifts Which Impeded Progress
Of Train---cssualties on the
British Boat

liz
American line steamship st. Paul,
which left Southampton on her regular
voyage bound for New York, Saturday
afternoon, IN rense snowstorm, ram
med and destroyed the british second
class cruiser Gladiator off the isle Of
Wight The FIRST reports stated that
from 20 10 30 Of the Gladiatof's crew
had been drowned, but later intelli-
gence reduced the number Of casualties
greatly. The exact extent Of the dis.
aster, however, cannot be accurately
known for some hours at least. No one
In the st. Paul was killed or injured,
but the bodies Of Steward WidgeTy,
Writer Cowdrey and Maltese steward
named Ditbras. all attached TO the
cruiser, have been brought ashore; one
officer, Lieut.. William Graves, an Irish
man, who attempted 10 swim to land,
il missing, and eight injured have been
taken to the niilitory hospital at
Golden Hill for treatment. 1t II be-
licNei that only fer Others are mac
counted for.
The st. Paul left Southampton at
1880 o'clock. she was an hour behind
her usual time Of sailing, the delay be.
ing due to the belated arrival Of the
passenger train which was blocked BY
snow drifts on the trip from London.
The weather was comparatively clear
in southampton waters, but imme.
eiately the st. Paul turned into the
Solent, which runs parallel to the Isle
Of Wight, she encountered fierce biz.
zard. Capt. passow and his chief Of
ticer, with the American lines regular
pilot, were on the bridge, anu look
cut man was posted ia the bows. Sud
denly ship appeared Immediately in
front Of them II was the Gladiator at
anchor. Instantly ~fuli speed asterur
was ordered in an endeagor TO clear
the cruiser, but it was too late
The ST. PauI's sharp stem ramnied
The anchored vessel amidships; the
llneg quiyered and reeled and her pas.
singers rushed on deck in great alarm,
the women on the verge of panic. The
officers ami crew acted with the great
est GOODNESS. and allaypl the terror
with fine display Of discipline, as
though the ship were the best-trained
lnan-of-war. Five lifeboats were low.
cred within a few minutes to rescue the
crew Of the Gladiator, which has sus
tanned death blow. The cruiser be.
gan To sink almost &C once Her men
gave a magnificent demonstration OF
discipline. At the captains command
they formed in line on deck, ana stood
ia ranks while the cruiser settled down.
IN obedience to orders, successive
patches marched to the ganQways and
entered the st. Paul's Boats until prac-
tically the whole crew hod been taken
oil and landed at Yarmouth, Oh tile Isle
Ct Wight
Capt Lumsden Last to Leave.
The Giadiators crew numbered 4s9
men, and Capt Waiter Lumsden, tFua
TO naval traditions, was che hast ID
leave his ship. Only few men then
were missing, and II Was thought that
most Of them had been saved by al
boat which hal put out from Yarmouth
Capt, Lnmsden on landing at once sent
Il message to Capt passow. thanking
him for Bis promptitude in lowering
boats, and speaking III the most com.
terms of the conduct 81 the
American seamcn The Gladiator soon
settled down. Only hex upper works
ere now visible. The ST. Paul returned
t0 Southampton and her passengers
we're put ashore, seeking aceonmoda,
tions at the various hotels They Will
sail BY The Teutonic On Wednesday,
special arrangements having been made
III the American company. The fact
that the Paul sustained no worse
damage than q badly buclled bow and
4 comparatively small hole on4her port
side II the most remarkable feature of
the whole occurrence. Her injuries
we're temporarily repaired before she
put back to Southampton. On the
other hand, the Gladiator was a pro.
tteted cruiser, especially designed for
ram1ning. Unfortunately for her sne
suffered the full force Of the st. Paul,s
amidships and she was cut
almost in half
The storm which was responsible for
the collision extends along the whole 1
southeast coast of England and II Is
described as the worst since the bliz-
gard OF 1881
ST. Paul Events.
One Of tne few Transatlantic liners
flying the American flag, the steamer
st. Paul has distinguished herself in
several respects. During the Spanish
American war she and the st. Louis. |
her sister ship, were chartered by the
government and turned into armed |
cruisers. The ST. Paul was commanded
hy Capt. Charles p. Sigsbee OF the
n outh of the harbor OF San Juan, p. |
r., in June, 1898, she was attacked BIZ
the Spanish torpedo boat Terror. caaen. |
panied by q gunboat The st. Paul |
opened fire and in half hours fight /
slnt several shells through the Terror's |
Plates. One Of them raked her engine |
nom and the Terror fed and was beach /
ed to prevent her sinking When the I
American forces were landed at Qua /
tanamo the st. Paul shelled the Spanish
cavalry. which contested heir landing /
ana she also guarded he harbor Of SAN
tiago, Cuba. before the American fleet I
euived. bombarding the forts alone. T
She also acted a a troop ship. carving i
the sth Chic regiment TO Cuba ana the /
4th Obio to Porto Rico. She was built /
Is William Cramp & Son Of Philadel- I
pbia in 1896 and won the transatlantic /
record from Southampton to New York /
in 1906, holding It for nearly two years
Her fastest time was six DAYS. 81. Her
best ncurly average was 2l0s knots 1
an hour. The St. Paul is owned BY The
mercantile marine com.
PaEy. }