The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-16
on Beachy Head in the English
Channel.
FOUR PASSENGERS DROWN
Several Sailors Also Are Be.
Iieved to Have Perished.
The Vessel Was Carrying
S5,OOO,OOO in Bullion.

New Haven. England. March Is
Four passengers and several sailors
are believed to have been drowned this
morning as a result of a collision be-
tween the Peninsular and Oriental
liner Oceana and the German bark
Pisagua of Beachy Head in the Eng
lish channel
The Oceana had on board S5.0Oo.oOO
For some time the lives of the liners
forty-one passengers and of the ESQ
men of her crew were placed in dan
ger. The courage of the officers and
the speedy arrival of assistance, how
ever, prevented a terrible catastrophe.
Iwenty-eight of the passengers were
landed here and nine at East Bourne
in small boats, but II is feared that
the other four have been drowned, to-
gether with some members of the
Lascar crew by the capsizing of boat
which was transferring them to e
cross channel steamer standing by.
The Oceana was bound from Lon
don for Bombay. She was proceeding
down the English channel when the
bark smashed into her broadside on.
and practically tore the side out of the
steamer The passengers and the
steamers officers behaved with great
calmness, but the crew, composed of
Lascars. was panic stricken and de-
layed the lowering of the boats.
Boats lowered from cross channel
steamer picked up a large number os
others. Lifeboats were sent out from
shore in reply to signals of distress. An
attempt was first made to beach the
Oceanas but she sank quickly.
The collision occurred while the pas.
sengers were in their berths The
water rushed in so quickly that the
lower decks were awash in a few nc
ments and the passengers trying &c
make their way to the upper decks.
had to wade through water up to their
waists. The first boat lowered was
swamped ana the passengers were
thrown into the water, but were ali
picked up. The second boat was just
sinking when a lifeboat from shore
reached a.. '--r tss.-'s ~ --'ts -r
Tne Pisagaa is reported to have pro-
ceeded On her voyage with most of her
headgear carried away. The Oceann Is
one of the Oldest of the Peninsular and
Oriental liners and this was to have
been her last voyage. She has beeii
running continuously since 1888.
Escaped I'm Night Clothes.
London. March IA score of pas
sengers from the wrecked steamer
Oceana reached Victoria station today
clad only in night dresses and paja-
mas and covered with dressing gowns
and overcoats. Half of the number
were women most of whom were in
state of collapse. Some of them were
without stockings or shoes and some
who had fallen into the water during
the rescue had been unable to change
their clothing.
When the passengers rushed on
deck, after the first shock the water
was already dashing over the liners
bows. The officers and some of the
members of the crew quickly mar
shalled the passengers near the boats.
When the boats were lowered the
women were passed down first, but a
panic occurred among the Lascars and
they tried to get into the boats with
the women. They were quickly thrown
out.
A few instances of broken arms are
among the passengers who
landed at East Bourne
OF the crew of $50 men only 30 are
white seamen. The officers including
the captain and 100 Lascars were
landed at New Haven while others
landed at East Bourne. but their ex-
act number has not been ascertained.
In Sinking Condition.
Dover. Eng. March 16.-The Ger
man bark Pisagua arrived here in a
sinking condition. Several tugs were
in attendance
Schooner Maxwell Sinks.
Baltimore, March 16.-Four members
of the crew of the schooner Maxwell
were drowned today when she waa
sunk after a collision with the steam
er Gloucester of the merchants AMI
Miners line from Boston for Baltimore.
The Maxwell was bound from BaHi-
more for Wilmington. n. c. Tho acci-
dent occurred off Thomas Point. In
Bay.