The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-03-26
SAILORS GREAT FEAR
FLOATING DERELiCT ONE OF
WORST PERILs OF THE SEA.
Forsaken Ships, Practically Unsir X
able, Can Rarely Be Perceived I'm
til Too Late to Avoid the
Fatal Collision.

The dismasted. battered hulk Of
derelict, floating SO low in the water as
to be almost level with the waves, is,
OF course, very great danger to navi-
cation, especially in foggy weather.
The majority of derelicts are sailing
ships laden with timber. They may
have been dismasted and rendered abb
solutely helpless in storms, partly de-
molished by fire, by collision with an
iceberg, or by the mere force of the
waves themselves. The crew, unable
to make their ship seaworthy, may
have abandoned it in the boats, or
have been rescued by some passing
vessel, but, whatever their fate, their
forsaken ship, if laden with wood, re-
mains practically unsuitable and is
driven hither and thither over the
ocean, at the mercy of the winds and
currents.
In course of time the swelling of the
wood cargo may burst the hull asun-
der, but until this happens, or until
the vessel is driven ashore and broken
into matchwood against some ironshod
coast, it will remain a terror to pass
ing ships.
Now and again steamer may be
rendered helpless owing to its ma
chinery becoming disabled by shortage
of coal, by fire or by the loss of it's
rudder or propeller in heavy weather.
It's crew may decide to abandon it and
take to the boats, but if they neglect
to open the seacocks on their depar-
kture their ship may float for many a
NCng day. The erratic movements of
sRe derelicts are almost uncanny.
Notao very long ago a Norwegian sail
ing Ship called the Crown left Nova
Scotia for South American port. 1t
| was laden with timber, and while still
in the North Atlantic ocean was over
taken by terrible storm, which dis
masted and left it a battered wreck.
The crew, realizing it was useless to
remain on board, abandoned it and
took to the boats, never to be heard
| of again, but their ship, although ii
vanished completely for no less than
| three months, was sighted at the END
of this time on the edge of the Sargas
| so sea, a good 700 miles away from
where disaster overlook it. Soon aft
terward it was sighted off Bermuda
but then disappeared again, and may
still be drifting about the ocean.
| Another sailing ship was abandoned
off Cape May. The crew endeavoree
to destroy it by fire on their departure
but, although it blazed furiously, thu
sodden, waterlogged cargo eventually
extinguished the flames. A few week!
later the hulk was off the English
coast and 1t was thought it would b.
dashed to pieces On the shore, but
altering its course, 1t proceeded to tn.
southwark along the French coast ant
was next seen near the Azores. Hav
ing got thus far, it proceeded to cross
the Atlantic, and after covering full,
5000 miles in it's wanderings, finall.
drifted ashore near Panama.
Derelicts are sometimes salved an,
bring in large sum in salvage none,
to the crews of the ships who tov
them into port. On one occasion al
American steamer bound for Liverpoo
with a cargo of cotton ran out of Goa
OF the north coast of Ireland. Tn,
sea was running high, signals Of dis
tress were made to a passing steamer
which passed q tow rope to the help
less ship. But the towing wire snappe;
and the crew we're accordingly take
on board the newcomer. while the dii
abled vessel was left to drift
A Liverpool tug heard OF the afIai,
and being doubtless aware Of the grea
value OF the cotton cargo. determines
to find the derelict and to tow it int
harbor. After a protracted search F
came upon it and eventually took
into Belfast, little worse for its bune2
ing. The enterprising tug netted d
less than E7,960 for its share in ID
proceedings. BY an act of parliament
passed in 1896, the master OF any Bird
ish ship sighting q derelict is bou1
to report the fact to the neareS
Lloyds agent. so that II the abandone
ship Is in the track Of ships q man-o
war may be sent out to destroy o
bring 1t into port.