Evening journal., 1908-11-25
100 PERISH In
BURNING BOAT
Holocaust on the Steamer
Sardinia Marked With
Scenes of Horror
OFFICERS WITH REVOLVERS
BEAT BACK PASSENGERS
BY United Press Leased Special Wire

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
VALETTA. Isle of Malta. Nov. Sit
is now certain that more than one hun
dred-the number may reach l5O-per-
ished in the burning Of the steamer
Sardinia today. OF this number a part
were whites from Liverpool, although
no names are yet obtainable.
The holocaust was marked with scenes
Of horror well night indescribable. The
natives tried to overpower the officers Of
the steamer slashed them with knives,
and were only kept from throwing the
boats overheard by the officers beating
them back with their revolvers aAiny
terrified. jumped overheard and were
drowned before aid could reach them.
Up TO o'clock this evening seventy-hve
bodies had ben brought ashore.
Many Passengers Missing
The steamer which plies between Liv-
erpool, Malta and Alexandria. had on
board some 200 passengers. 25 or 80 OF
whom were English and carried a crew
Of A. Many Of the passengers are miss
/ ing and several Of them are undoubtedly
penned in the smoking hull which lies on
the shore OF the harbor entrance. while
others were drowned when they jumped
overheard TO escape the flames which en-
veloped the vessel.
The Sardinia left Malta early today
/ for Alexandria, carrying in addition to
the passengers and crew, a large cargo
OF merchandise. She had hardly cleared
the harbor entrance when a smoke was
observed issuing from the cargo hold.
The crew were summoned 10 fire quarters
and a detachment sent below. Almost
before tehy had disappeared below dacks
the forward hatch seemed 10 explode
and I'm an instant the vessel was ablaze
from stern to stem.
Frlshtful Panic
A frightful panic followed among the
] passengers who had been left to them.
selves while the crew was fighting the
flames. Men. women and children rar
/ frantically to the stern OF the boat the
only place where there was seeming
refuge from the FIRE But strong wind
was blowing and famed by It the blaze
cwept across the helpless people scorch.
ing them where they stood.
Immediately many began to jump into
the sea without trying TO secure life
prescervers and It is feared most OF thes,
we're lost although a few were later
landed from Salvage steamers.
The plight Of the Sardinia had beer
noticed from the shore and all of tn,
admiralty tugs that were I'm harbor hur
ried to the scene. Owing 10 the gal,
which famed the fire they could not ap
proach very close but finally lines werl
run out and the Sardinia towed to tn
shore
She was beached as quickly as posi-
BILE. and every effort was then made {,
extinguish the FIRE This was impossible
owing TO the clements and the infamma
BILE nature Of the cargo which was nov
completely ignited. The harbor tug
We're directed to stand by and search tn
ruins as soon as they could be coole'
while other tugs were detailed to cruis
about IN the hope that some OF the sur
vivors might stnl be ahoat in the sea-
The Sardinia was built OF iron an,
steel and was Of 1876 tons burden. Mos
OF the surviving members Of thee rev
were badly burned and the cause Of tn
fire is a mystery although it is believes
TO have been Spontaneous combustion
lamong the cargo.