Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-12-03
Population of Whole City Watch
ed the Catastrophe Unable
to Rescue Them,
OVER 100 LIVES WERE LOST
The British steamer Carolina Total
Loss-It< Boats Crushed or Buru-
cd before panic stricken PnS-
scnErrs Could Get to Them
Captain Dies at wheel.

Nalotta. Island Of Malta, Nov. 25.--
! A terrible disaster in which more
| than 100 persons lost their lives, oc-
CURED at tho entrance to this port
this morning, within sight Of the
whole population Of the city. who
were roworl"ss to rive aid Tho
British steamer Sardira Of the FL
herman line, hr'l!ng from Liverpool
and bound for Alexandria with crew
Of ~ EnRlishmen. II first and six
second cabin English passengers and
nearly 200 Arab pilgrims aboard.
caught fire and within a few ninutcs
was a roaring furnace surrounded by
clouds Of blacl, smoke through which
flames burst upward to a height q
200 feet. from frequent explosions in
the hold.
So rapidly aid the fire spread that
the frantic efforts OF the crow to OPP
crate the fire apparatus proved uso-
less. for It senmcd Luz n moment hc-
fore the upper works and masts crash
ed down upon ttn dock. while the
ships boats were cruehcd by tho fail
ing debris or set on fire ana quickly
burned.
Safety lay only in the sea for no
ore could save himsolr except by
jumping overheard and taking chances
Iof hciug picked UP. Assistance was
hurried to the burning vessel from ait
the warships in the harbor and from
the shore but the work &C rescue was
greatly impeded by the strong tide
That was running. Even tho naval
launches. which came as fast "a they
could he driven. were unable TO q
alor g1idc Among the Arab, there
was panic that could not lo coN-
trollod. Many of them we're too tor
rifed to jurp and they were burned
TO death. Others casting themselves
into the waves worc drowned.
CREW WIS COURAGEOUS.
The crew behaved with admirable
courp 70, serving out life prcservers
to tho last. and WORKING the pumps.
Whom the pumps became useless. car
tain Charles Littler. commander Of
the Sardinia. took the helm and di-
rectod his ship towards the shore SO
long as IL could be nAvigated lie
rerished at his post First officer
Frank Watson, all three engineers.
Seasraves, Hislop and Nee!, IS of the
ships compan" and two first class
passengers, one Of them a boy named
Grant. are missing. Fifty or nu"c
bodies have been recovered and %
persons were rcecued. 1t is impcs-
sib!e at present 10 say just how many
were drowned or burned TO death, be-
cause the Nst Of Arab pilgrims IS in
conf lctc. but the number viii doubt
less far exceed hundred.
After tho vcsse! refused to obey hcr
helm she dricted around three times
and finally was b"ached broadsi1c on
tho rocks at the mouth If the narbor.
She was stil burning th.s afternoon
and will be total lose.
The British Vice-Admirel s'r Ash,-
ton Curzon-H Howe and Admiral Fisher
directed the rescuing boats which did
gallant work IN saving those who
were yet alive and hr!n ging the bodies
Of the dead ashore. capt. Littler's
body, which was terribly mu,ilated.
was landed this afternoon IN the
presence OF great crowds VINO stood
uncovered. The other bodies wero
also mutilated and burned. F.:ty six
of the injured are neing cared Tor in
the hospitals.
The cause OF the fire is not known but
denial has been :rade that there were
explosives aboard, Unquestionohly, how
ever. explosions occurred, and 1t was
first believed that the rapiI spread of the
flames was due largely TO the flowing
nnphtha.
The Sardinia left Liverpool on Nov. IA.
She stopped at Valctta, landing a few
! vsaucara pr1 taking the DilEr'lnS,