The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-19

fectcd the rescue OF the l03 passengers
J on tho Spanish steamer Balmes. which
/ took fire nj sea November Is. and
4 how the pannonia conveyed the blaz-
/ nF vessel 56i miles to Bermuda, was
| told for the first time o-day in Il !
radio message from Captain Robert
! cappcr Of the Pannonia. to The Times
/ Dispatch representatives.
/ by CAPTAIN ROBERr CAPPER.
| tBy Wireless from the pannonia, via
ScaEa.cD
| received the first s. O. s. call from
/ Captain Juan Ruiz. or the steamship
/ 1iaimes at 1915 y. NJ. on November -. !
/ His second message said the Balmes
/ was at latitude 81 degrees 5 minutes
/ north and longitude 53 degrees Is min
/ utes west We were at latitude 30 de
Grees IS minutes north and longitude
50 degrees 80 minutes west. 2SI miles
! from the I3almes. We picked up tho
Balmes 1t 1880 f. NJ November l3. 1T a
! point 10 miles from where she was
( when she sent us the first :. O. s
/ Owing to lack OF detail in the first
fcw messages we received from the
! lSalmes. l considered that possibly the
danger of the vessels condition had
perhaps been exaggerated. but never
thcless. | decided to proceed to her AZ
once The weather WAS adverse. there
! being Il very heavy sea and il strong
southerly gale. l ordered All steam put
on and put double watches on At the
same time we got our boats ready to
launch after placing provisions. mcdi-
cincs and all necessary supplies in
\ them. | also had all life-snving anna
ratus Tor both day and night made
4 ready.
We We're in almost constant radio
\ communication with the Balmcs. and
as wc-nnared that vessel wc learned
that no other reply tnan ours had been
made 10 the 5. .. $. call. The probable
reason for this was that the BaImes
was far OF the beaten track OF travel
IA that section of the Atlantic
me Salmes could only steam ut ton
knots. but Captain Ruiz thought il
neS' 10 come toward us for his passen-
gers all OF whom We're Spaniards or
cubans In the stccragc who were pa mic,
stricken. and his crew OF nftv-eipht
could do but little against the fire un-
der tue circumstances AS We neared
the Balmes, and the passengers on both
vessels learned that the meeting would
I take place after dark til, c%citon.nt
ana anxiety ran high.
No Need OF Rort s:...
Captain Ruiz had told Ia "a q r;,,.io
ne would fire rockets At n:ayvaIs after
hiSntfail but there was no need OF
tAis. When we first sighted the
i'almes the vessel seemed to he ablnze
from her ferecastle to hcr stern and
hcr must have been burned to death.
AS We drew close. we saw her stand
out plainly against the horizon, and
there was great relief when we could
Scc the passengers and crew moving
about the decks.
had the boats, ladders, lifeliues and
I iisht on the 'annona made ready so
We could set over the side In a mo-
meht. and as | was about 10 send away
lile hrst boat received a Morse lamp
signal from Captain Ruiz
/ he said the cotton in No. hold was
abiaze, and that he had 200 packages
| OF rum on the deck. as we'll as consid-
erahle more below hatches He said
| II was impossible to open the hatchcs
because No hold WAS like II blazing
' .oicano' an" he was afraid the fire
would reach the rum OH deck
lie also advised against the pannopia
getting. too close TO his vessel for the
sea was running high He said it
Wonid be impossible for him 10 uso
any OF his iifty men in the rescue, as
many had already been overcome by
hsphyNia aud the others were ynable
10 leave the ire stations.
replied That ! would gladly send
the 'annonia boats, and every man in
lhe crew immediately volunteered to
60 Captain kuiz said il would he hot
ter 10 wait until daylight as bc had
many women and children IN the steer
age ana he was afraid Of an accident
IN 4 night transfer. He thought il best
10 steam as fast rs possible toward
lScrm uda aGi miles distant NV ON
GERS and men asked To be allowed 10
go TO the assistance OF the Baimes'
crew. but Captain Ruiz declined TO let
them risk their lives on his vessel.
| Vessels One Mile Apart
l, was night fraught with anxiety
ana terror as the two vessels. keeping
one mile apart steamed toward Ber-
lhuda.
AZ daylight on Tho lth sent three
boats from the 'annonia Tho first
was IN command - the first officer ana
carried the doctor. A,other doctor. the
purser and chief stcI. Il took tho see
ohd On the way 10 Tho Balmcs tile
iirst boat lost her rudder and the FIRST
oihcer was forced to steer with an oar
After tho doctor was put aboard the
'almes, thirty-seven women and chill .
dren were taken off by means OF n
human ladder the men clinging with
hand and leg to the rope ladder while
they passed tho passengers down to
our lifeboat. The first boatload or pas
scngers reached the Pannonia at 1850 |
a.. A., and the last were taken off at |
9;l6 y. NJ. This boat got TO the Pom
nonia just in time. for hardly had tho |
last man touched tho deck when n ter
rihc storm, first thunder and lightning |
and then torrential rains broke over
US. and the Balmes was practically lost |
to sight
All of tho crew and passengers on |
the Pannonia Were eager to give cloth
Ing and ali possible assistance to tho |
rescued, and IL was rot long before |
all were made comfortable Many
OF tho childion suif,rcd terribly dur