Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-12-27
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DUKE AND DUCHESS OF FIFE AND
DAUGHTERS NARROWLY Es-
CAPE DROWNING.
SMALL BOAT is cAPs $, ! ( .
Six French Sailors Drowned When
They Go to Rescue Of Stranded
Liner or Moroccan
Coast.

Gibraltar.-Princess Louise VlctOrll,
sister of King George v. of England;
her husband, the Duke of Fife, and
their daughters hadsa thrilling expert
ence when the steamship Delhi, on
which they were yoyaging to Egypt
struck the reefs of Cape Spartel, tho
northwest extremity Of Africa.
While being taken ashore by the
longboat of the British armored cruiser
Duke of Edinburgh they were thrown
into the water by the capsizing Of the
boat, one Of the daughters having 9
narrow escape from drowning. She was
rescued by a sailor and carried to land
with the others, all suffering severely
from the bitter cold.
Six sailors of the French cruiser
Friant were drowned when q small
boat which had been sent to the aid OF
the English vessel was swamped by q
gigantic wave. The others reached
the shore in desperate condition and
several still are suffering.
II It was still dark when the Delhi,
having lost her bearings in the dense
fog, was blown by. a terrific gale on
the rocky shores of Cape Spartel. The
passengers all were in their cabins
when the boat hit and the first warn
ing they had Of any danger was when
the big liner began pounding. There
was a panic on board, but the officers
OF the ship were prompt in their ac-
ton and soon succeeded in calming
the fears Of the passengers.
The life boats were at once manned
and made ready. AS soon as daylight
had fought Its way through the smoth-
ering fog all the women and children
aboard were put into the boats and the
start made for shore.
Time and again it was feared that
the terrible swells would swamp the
boats, and groan after groan went up
from the men assembled on the upper
deck-many Of them with their wives
and children in the disappearing boats
las huge sea would lift the small
boats to the crest Of a giant wave and
an instant later send 1t plunging to q
depth OF thirty feet to meet a still
larger swell.
In the course Of an hour or two they
were landed at point five miles from
Cape Spartel, from where they We're
driven through drenching rain 4 to
the lighthouse. wet to the skin, and
hurried to hotels in Tangier, where
extra clothing was furnished. 1t was
necessary to administer stimulants to
many OF the frightened and exhausted
women.
The lifeboats at once returned to
the wreck, and with the aid furnished
by other craft, among them the life
boats Of the French cruiser Friant,
which had by that time arrived, all the
other passengers were safely taken
from the Delhi and landed.
1t is believed that the Delhi will be
complete loss, as she lies in an ex-
posed position and the storm, which is
one Of the worst experienced in years,
has whipped up a sea that will soon
batter the boat to pieces.
Wireless messages carried the news
OF the Delhis plight to the British
warships at Gibraltar. Realizing that
several members Of the royal family
were on board, all was excitement and
hustle in a moment The two cruisers,
the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke
Of Weymouth, were at once dispatched
to aid the stranded passengers.