The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-18
fortnight ut sea, then returning here
for fuel and stores

FROM the haste in which the Column
bans crew had to take to the boats
when the series of explosions racked the
doomed Leyland liner, 1t is conjectured
here that there was no time to put any
more provisions aboard than those the
British Board of Trade regulations call
for. AS the ordinary equipment of all
boats, twenty gallon cask OF water and
one hundred and fifty pounds of hard
tack biscuit are always kept in every
lifeboat. the bung hole in the water keg
Is left open until the tarpaufn covering
the boat Is removed, In order that the
water may not spoil. Before the boat Is
lowered the key is sealed in order to
prevent salt water impregnatlng the
drinking supply.
Opinion among shipping men here Is
that the men In the lifeboat died from
exposure and thirst. Twenty gallons OF
water would not go very far among
nineteen men for fortnight particu-
larry as the water was probably not used
very sparlngly at first in anticipation
that they might be rescued any time.
In addition to water and biscuit, a
lifeboat also is equipped with lantern
and oil, matches and signal rockets, as
we'll as oars and a sail.
No further word was received from
the Seneca tonight and she is expected
here about 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing. No special provision has been
made up to late tonight for caring for
the survivors here. but as soon as they
can be landed they will be taken to a
hospital and looked after by the I.eyland
Line agents The men will be In good
hands on the Seneca as she carries a
surgeon and is equipped with a well
stored hospital.
See Small object on Waves.
At 10 o'clock this forenoon the for
ward lookout OF the Seneca discovered
small object in the distance as they
cruised off the Nova Scotia coast. For
months, the trim little revenue cutter
cruised the same waters In quest of Ice
oergs that she might warn ocean trav-
ellers OF their proximity and thus pre-
vent a repetition of the Titanic disaster.
onco the lookout had reported the OBJ
ject full speed ahead was ordered and in
a very short time the Seneca drew along
side a small boat. above which an oar
protruded with a piece of cloth affixed
From the bridge Of the cutie 1t could
be seen that hudded together on the
seats were several men.
Hastily a small boat was lowered over
the side of the big ship and every ounce
OF strength In the possession OF the boats
crew was bent toward pulling 1t alongside
the frail craft afoat. A few seconds
later the boat was alongside the Seneca
and her passengers. weakened and half
crazed men, were being taken aboard the
cutter. Willing hands were ready to re-
ceive them. and within half an hour OF
the time they were first sighted all Ave
were snugly tucked away, with stimulants
administered and hot broths being pre-
pared. Triel, seaman. however, did not
recover consciousness. The other four
likely will be pulled through.
Only Able to Murnur "Colum biaB."
At the outset one managed to murmur
the word Columbian" The Seneca's crew
were unbelieving, for It had been two
weelts since that craft sank and not
man ON board thought that the five had
been able to live during that time. The
small boat had not been examined, but
with that word a closer examination
was made and there sure enough the
name of tho i'll fated liner was found
painted.
A few hours later one OF the quartet
awoke frort the first real sound sleep he
had had In two weeks. He slowly told
story to the Seneca's captain which
revealed the facts.
As the Seneca ploughed her way through
the seas toward this city the men slowly
| reached consciousness, but their lucid
intervals were few. The narrowing ex-
periences had left them In such a con-
ditlon that 1t will take days and possibly
weeks OF the most careful treatment to
bring them back TO normal. Each man
gave his name as he recovered conscious
ness.
These men had nothing aside from that
which had been aboard. Their mates
died one by one and for time the bodies
Jority of those in the small boat had died
the bodies were cast into the sea by
those who yet lived. Only a few OF the
details are known here. but sufficient
has been told to convince the local folk
that the most terrible experience In the
history OF navigation will be written the
moment these men are sufficiently recov-
cred to relate their stories.
The freight steamer Columbian. char
| tered by the Phoenix Line for service be-
tween Antwerp and New York. caught
| fire and was wrecked by a series OF OK
| plosions In her hold when $50 miles south
| of Sable Island on May 3. She was
| sighted first by the North German Lloyd
steamship Seydnitz and at that time ap-
| peared to have been deserted. The
| Seydltz warned other steamers by wire
| less, and the Cunard liner Franconia
| picked up one of the Columbian's three
| boats, containing fourteen of her crew.
! These men were brought to Boston after
the Francona had searched vainly for a
| second boat
Tho second boat, containing Capt Nc
| Donald and thirteen more members or the
crew, was picked up day later by the
steamship Manhattan. This accounted
| for twenty Eight OF the crew. Capt
| Mcdonald reported that three men had
been killed before the Columbian was
| deserted. He reported that e. third and
! smaller boat containing eight or ten more
| men, had put of from tho ship. This Is