The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-26
CRUISER SENT
TO BOTTOM BY
4 STEAMSHIP
American Liner st. Paul Rams
British WarShip in the
S0lent.
TERRIFIC BLIZZARD
BLOWING AT THE TIME
SOME LOSS OF LIFE AMONG THE
CREW OF THE WAR VESSEL,
NUMBER BEING UNKNOWN.

southampton, April 25.-The Ameri-
can line steamship St. Paul, which left
Southampton on her regular voyage
bound for New York this afternoon, in
a dense storm, rammed and destroyed
the British second-Glass cruiser Gladi-
ator off the Isle Of Wight The first
reports stated that from twenty TO thir-
" OF the GladiatOr's crew had been
drowned, but later intelligence reduces
the number of casualties The exact
extent of the disaster, however, cannot
be accurately known until tomorrow.
No one on the st. Paul was killed or
injured. but the bodies of Steward
Widgery, Writer Cowdrey and a NAL
tese steward named Diebras. all at
tached to the cruiser, have been
brought ashore; one officer, Lieutenant
William G. p. Graves, who attempted
10 swim to land, is missing, and eight
injured have been taken to the mill
tary hospital at Golden Hill for treat
ment. 1t is believed that only a few
others are unaccOunted for.
Ran Into Blizzard.
The st. Paul left SOUTHAMPTON at
1890 o'clock. She was an g.our behind
her usual hour of sailing, the delay be-
ing due to the belated arrival of the
passenger train, which was blocked
by snowdrlfts on the trip from Lon
don. The weather was comparatively
clear in Southampton waters, but i'm
mediately the st. Paul turned into the
Solent, which runs parallel to the Isle
of Wight, she encountered a terrific
snow blizzard. Captain Passow and
his chief officer. with the American
liner regular pilot, were on the bridge,
and lookout was posted in the bows.
Suddenly ship appeared ahead imme-
Giately in front of them.
Orders were given on the instant for
full speed astern in an endeavOr to
clear the cruiser, but it was too late
Anchored Cruiser Rammed.
The St Paurs sharp stem rammed
the anchored vessel amidships; she
quivered and reeled and the passengers
rushed on deck in great alarm, the wo-
men on the verge of a panic. The Off
GERS and crew acted with the greatest
GOODNESS and allayed the terror with as
fine show of discipline as though she
was the best trained man-of-war.
Lifeboats were lowered within a few
minutes to rescue the crew of the
Gladiator. The cruiser began to sink
almost at once. At the captains com
mand the men formed in line on the
deck and stood in ranks while the
cruiser settled down. In obedience to
orders, successive patches marched to
the sangways and entered the St
Pauls boats until practically the whole
crew had been taken off and landed at
Yarmouth, on the Isle of Wight.
Captain Last to Leave.
The Gladiator's crew numbered $50
men, and Captain Walter Lumsden
was the last 10. leave his ship. Only a
few men then We're missing, and il was
thought that most of them had been
saved by a boat which had put out
from Yarmouth.
Captain Lumsden, ,on landing, at
once sent a message ITO Captain Pas
SOW. thanking him for mis- promptitude
in lowering the boats, and speaking in
the most complimentary terms of the
conduct of the American seamen.
The Gladiator soon settled down
Only her upper works are now visible.
The ST. Paul returned to Southampton
end her passengers were put ashore
seeking accommodations at the various
hotels. They viii sail by the Teutonic
on Wednesday, special arrangements
having been made by the American
company.
Steamer Not Badly Damaged.
The fact that the St Paul sustained
no worse damages than q badly buc-
killed. bow and a comparatively small