Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-27
WORSE THAN SUPPOSED.
The St. Paul More Seriously Damaged
Than Was At First Thought.

Southampton, April 26.-1nterestlng
details concerning the collision between
the St Paul and the cruiser Gladiator
in the Solent yesterday and OF the res
cue of the men of the British cruiser
were told today by various of the pas
senec1, on the liner. J. T. Hills of
London, speaking of the delay in low
erirg boats from the st. Paul, said:
IN re sponce tC our offer of assist
ancc. the captain OF the Gladiator re-
p,iod ,hat it was not needed. That ac-
counts for the fact that some tlme-lt
seemed to me about 20 minutes-elapsed
after the collision before the st. Paul. 5
boats were put in the water. At that
time the cruiser was turning turtle.
Some of the bluejackets on board of
her cried, Clover your boats AS the
vessel hceled over we could see the
blueiacksts climbing to the uppermost
side and those who failed to get Sc
cure hold slipped into the water.
1.-The discipline on the Gladiator was
MAGNIFICENT. We could see every man
at his post. There was no excitement
on either ship. One would have thought
it was a moving picture instead of
real disaster 1t was lucky that the
collision happened as close to land;
that very fact gave the sailors and
passengers more confidence"
The passengers on the st. Paul, who
acted so coolly during the trying few
minutes following the collision, could
hardly have realized the danger in
which they stood. They were assured
by the officers who hurried among
them directly after the boats came to-
gether that there was no danger. but
the condition of the steamers bow,
disclosed as she lay at the dock that
she mad very narrow escape from
meeting the same fate as the Gladia-
tor.
AS it was the ST Paul was more Sc
rious.y damaged than at first sup
posed She shipped a great quantity of
water through her broken plates and
from the moment she backed away
from the wrecked cruiser until she
reached her wharf in this port, all her
pumps were kept going to their ut
most. The damaged bow of the st.
Paul indicates that she forced her
nose at least 20 feet through the cruis-
ers side, but fortunately the greatest
damage she suffered was above the
water line.
The bow post was buckled. while the
plates on both the port and starboard
bows were crushed in and gaping
cracks extend all along the side. Just
along the water line the PART has been
scraped away. but from that point
downward there is no apparent dam
age. although the bolts must have
started which Unll1l no
water pouring into her hold Captain
Passow and the first. third and fourth
officers were on the bridge with Pilot
George Bowye. the American Cos. reg
ular pilot at the time of the accident
ana Che closest lookout was being
kept. two men being stationed in the
bow and two in the crows nest. Both a
channel and a French pilot also were
aboard. but of course. they were not
on duty.
Neither Captain Passo nor any of
his officers will discuss the accident,
proferring TO wait until they can sub
nit their reports to the proper officials
1t IS learned. however, that Can't. Pas
SOW is sorely grieved at the disaster.
this being his first serious mishap. A
friend who has been much with the
CAPTAIN of the st. Paul since his re-
turn here. in speaking of the collision
and doubtless giving the captains YER
sion of it. said that it could not have
beer avoided. The snow was falling so
thckly that it was impossible to see
Q yard ahead: it was far worse than
the thickest fog. The weather had
cleared before the St Paul LETT her
dock, but snow began to fall again as
son as the Solent was reached. 1t was
then impossible to stop, for very