The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-27

by the officers, who hurried among
them directly the boats came together,
that there was no danger, but the con-
dition of the steamers bows. disclosed
as she lies at the dock. shows that she
had narrow escape from meeting the
same fate as the Gladiator. Asst was,
the 81. Paul was more seriously dam
aged than at first supposed She
shipped great quantity OF water
through her broken plates. and from
the moment she backed away from the
wrecked cruiser until she reached her
wharf all her pumps We're kept going
to their full capacity.
Damage Above Water Line.
The damaged bows or the st. Paul
indicate that she forced her nose at
least twenty feet through the cruisers
side, but fortunately the greatest dam
age she received was above the water
line. The bow post was buckled, while
the plates on both the port and star
board bows were crushed i'm and gap
ing cracks extended along the side
Just along the water line the paint has
been scratched away, but from that
point downward there is no apparent
damage, although the bolts must have
started, which would account for the
water pouring into her hold. Captain
Passow and the first. third and fourth
officers were on the bridge with Pilot
George Bowyer. the American compa-
ny's regular pilot, at the time of the
accident, and the closest lookout was
being kept, two men being stationed
in the bows and two in the crows nest
Both channel and a French pilot also
were aboard, but, of course, they were
not on duty.
Officers Will Not Talk.
Neither Captain Passow nor any of
his officers would discuss the accident,
prefring TO wait until they can sub
nit their reports to the proper officials
1t is learned, however. that Captain
PassOw is sOrely grieyed at the disas-
ter this being his first serious mishap.
A friend who has been much with the
captain of the St. Paul since his return
here, in speaking of the collision and
doubtless giving the captains version
of it. said that it could not be avoided
The snow was falling so thickIy that
1t was impossible TO see a yard ahead:
1T was far worse than the thickest fog
The weather had cleared before the
St. Paul left her dock, but snow COM
menced to fall again as soon as the
SOlent was reached. 1t was then i'm
possible TO stop, as a very strong tide
was running. which might have car
ried the steamer on the rocks. The
only alternative was to go ahead and
keep the closest lookout, and this, he
explained. was done.
Theory Proved True.
Had the cruiser been painted any
other color than slate she might have
been seen earlier and the collision
averted, but Great Britain has decided
that her warships attract less atten-
ton when thus painted, and what is
considered the necessity of war pur-
pose has contributed to a serious ac-
cident
From an officer of the st. Paul, who
did not wish to be named, it was
learned that the slight delay in getting
out the boats, of which some have
complained, was due. to the fact that
more than two feet of snow fell in
Southampton during Friday night and
Saturday morning, and had continued
internationally up to the time of the
accident. This had to be cleared away
before the boats could be manned, but
it took very little time, every member
of the crew. even including the cooks,
lending a hand. The boats, when low
cred, were manned partly by stewards
as it was necessary to keep many of
the able seamen aboard to assist in re-
pairing the damaged bows.