New-York tribune., 1912-03-17
P. & 0. LINER SINKS
AFTER CHANNEL CRASH
Four Passengers and Several
Sailors Believed to Have
Been Drowned.
ss.ooo,ooo IN BULLION LOST
Part of International Chinese
Loan-Many Rescues in Heavy
sea-Women Reach Lon
don in Night Clothes.

passengers and several sailors are be-
lieved to have been drowned this morn
Ing as a result Of collision between the
Peninsular and Oriental liner Oceana
and the German bark Pisagua OF
Beachy Head, in the English Channel
For some time the lives of the liner
forty-one passengers and Of the $50 men
of her crew were placed In jeopardy
The courage of the officers and the
speedy arrival of assistance, however
prevented a heavy loss of life.
Twenty eight Of the passengers were
landed here and nine at Eastbourne in
small boats. but 1t is feared that the
four others have been drowned together
with some members of the Lascar crew,
by the capsizing of boat which was
transferring them TO a 'cross-Channel
steamer standing by.
It was thought at first that there were
four hundred passengers on board, but
the company says that most Of them
were to join her at Marseilles.
Steamer Bound for Bombay.
The Oceana was bound from London
for Bombay. As she was proceeding
down the English Channel off Beachy
Head the bark Pisagua, from Mejillones
for Hamburg. smashed into her broadside
on and practically tore the side out OF
the steamer.
The passengers and the steamers off,
GERS behaved with great calmness, but
the crew, which was composed of Las
cars, was panlcstricken and delayed the
lowering of the boats. Lifeboats were
sent out from shore in reply to signals
Of distress An attempt was first made
20 beach the Oceana, but she sank
quickly.
The collision occurred in the early
hours of the morning while all the pas
sepsers were asleep in their berths.
When they dashed out Of their cabins on
feeling the shock of the collision and
hearing the crash Of timber the water
rushed in so quickly that the lower
decks were awash in a few moments.
Passengers Wade Through Water.
The passengers trying to make their
way to the upper decks, dressed in their
night attire, had to wade through water
up to their waists.
The first boat lowered was swamped
and the passengers thrown into the
water but they were all picked up. The
second boat was just sinking when
lfeboat from shore reached it,
One of the 'cross-Channel mail steam
ers running between Dieppe and New
haven saw the signals of distress and
Immediately hove 20 and lowered her
boats, in which many Of the passengers
were taken off. II was during this
transfer that one OF the small boats was
reported to have capsized.
The bark Pisagus proceeded on her
voyage with most Of her headgear car
ried away
The Oceana had on board nearly S5,-
100000 i'm bullion. which was being con-
veyed to China as part of the advance
being made by international bankers 10
the Chinese government.
The steamer is one Of the oldest Of the
Peninsular and Oriental liners, and this
was to have been her last voyage. She
has been running continuously since
1888
London, March 16-A score Of pas
sengers from the wrecked Peninsular
and Oriental liner oceana reached Vic
toria Station this afternoon, clad only in
night dresses and pajanas and covered
with dressing gowns and overcoats.
11n
were mostly in a state of collapse. Their
hair was hanging on their shoulders in
. tangled rnass. Some of them were
without stockings or shoes, and two or
three of them who had fallen into the
water during the rescue were still in
their dripping clothes.
The passengers say that the collision
occurred at o'clock in the morning.
The weather was clear, but big swell
was running in the Channel
When the passengers rushed on deck
after the first shock the water was al
ready dashing over the liners bows.
The officers and some OF the members
of the crew quickly marshslled the pas
sengers near the boats.
When the boats were lowered the
women were passed down first. but a
panic occurred among some Of the Las
cars. and they tried to get into the boats
with the women. They were, however.
quickly thrown out again.
A few cases Of broken arms are re-
ported among the passengers who landed
at Esstbourne.
OF the crew of 2S0 men only y are
white seamen. The officers. including
the captain and 130 Lascars. were landed
AT Newhsven, while others landed at
Eastbourne but their exact number has
not been sscertained.
Dover. England. March 16.-The Ger
man bark Pisagus arrived here in a
sinking condition. several tugs being in
attendance.
Although none OF the insurance on tho
s5e00.000 IN bullion aboard the Oceana
was carried by United States underwriting
companies. details Of the wreck were eager
~ awaited by marine underwriters here.
While the belief appeared TO be general
that the bullion would be recovered, IL was
pointed out that until that was done II
would cost the underwriters $54s day in
interest charges alone. on the basis of q
per cent rate for money, and that this
would soon make big hole in the yearly
profits earned on that class OF business.
The cost 10 the shipper Of insuring ST.