The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-08
Frenzied M en- f ig h t
With Them for
Life Boats.
TERRIBLE PANIC
ON VESSEL AT SEA
Series Of Explosions on British
Steamer Causes Stampede,
and Rescue Is Accompanied
by Scandalous Scenes. .
Exhausted Survivors Are
Landed at Dover.

Dover. Eng. April "A terrific ex-
plosion occurred early this morning
on the British steamer Cairnrona, Off
Dungeness, which wrecked tho wo-
mems quarters. killing one child and
injuring n number of women and chill
dren. The steamer caught fire and
panic ensued, in which mon fought
for the possession of the boats. and
had to Ls beaten back by the crew to
allow the women to be taken off first.
A large number of the passengers
We're landed here this evening, many
of them in an exhausted condition. In
all, twenty were seriously injured and
not less than fifty were slightly in
iured by tho explosion and in the
panic that followed 1t.
The Cairnrona sailed yesterday from
London for Portland. Me. She car
ried hundred passengers. for the
most part emigrants. and general
cargo. By great good luck the steam
at hand when the Cairnrona caught
fire. They stood by and took off sew
eral hundred passengers and landed
them here
Several of the drst-class passengers
and American cattlemen gave thrilling
details of the accident.
shockinEly Injured.
a number of women with children
in their arms were sitting on hatch
when suddenly a violent explosion
hurled them TO all parts of the deck
Some of them Were shockingly injured
and one child was killed. The hatch
was blown to fragments.
terrible panic ensued, the emil
grants, mostly Russians, running ur
and down screaming and wringing
their hands. Their terror was In
creased by the volume of smoke which
poured from the burning hold. The
captain and officers made ineffectua
efforts TO calm them, and then signals
of distress were sentnp. IN the mean.
tiLae# snotael e&ptosioa occurred in tht
engine room. inturing several of tbs
engineers.
The Kanawha and Upland steamed
up quickly, and the captain decided To
transfer all the passengers. This was
accomplished speedily. but was ac-
companied by scandalous scenes. scores
of the men tried to rush the boats, and
many of them fought with the women,
tearing and dragging them aside, and
even trampling them under foot Tho
crew battled valiantly against the
panic-stricken emigrants. using fists
and feet and any weapon they could
find. Not few of the frenzied mob
of men were felled to the deck before
the hysterical, fainting women and
children could be gotten in the boats.
In the stampede four persons fell or
We're pushed into the sea, and We're
rescued with difficulty.
Reaches Port Safely.
The captain of the Cairnrona reports
an explosion in the starboard bunkers.
wreckng the women's quarters. This
was followed by several minor explo-
sions. Until o'clock in the afternoon
water was pumped into the bunkers
and the vessel proceeded, reaching
here at o'clock tonight. Though it
is believed that the fire has been ex-
tinguishcd, the steamer Will remain
here until morning in order to he sure
that she can proceed in safety.
The Kanawha and Upland reached
Dover with the rescued passengers
late in the afternoon, and the scenes at
the landing We're piteous. Exhausted
by cold and exposure, many of them
half famished and others suffering
from injuries. they We're brought
ashore and supplied with food. cloth
ing and medical attendance. Admiral
Prince Louis. of Battenburg, and the
princess, with the British naval Off
GERS lending assistance. The naval
surgeons attended the wounded, many
of whom were removed In ambulances
ia the hospital