New Britain herald., 1915-05-26
DUTCH LINER RYNDAh RAMS TRAMP PFRE|cnIfR Collision Occurs at 4a. n, Off
 Nantucket Shoals Lightsh'p. BOIH VESSELS BADLY DAMAGED Seventy Seven Passengers and 16O of
 Crew of Holland-America Lines, Steamer Transferred to Battleship south Carolina.
BOTa VESSELS BADLY DAMAGED

seventy seven passengers and mill hon-dollar cargo was badly damaged Tn a collision fifteen miles southwest of the Nantucket Shoals lightship at o'clock this morning with the tramp freighter Joseph J. Cuneo, which sailed from Boston last night for Baracoa, Cuba
 Both Vessels were seriously injured. The Ryndam wireless reports indicate was struck aft with such force that hold No. filled almost immediately, water flowed freely into the engine room and began to creep up in hold No. 6. s
 Cuneo's Bows Smashed.
 The Cuneo's bows were smashed in badly.
 s. Q. S. signals were flashed from the Ryndam's s wireless and her passen- gers were transferred hastily to the Cuneo. One hundred and sixty of the Ryndam's crew of 200 likewise were put aboard the freighter. leaving only forty men aboard the liner to navigate 1t.
 Battleships Answer Calls.
 United States battleships in the vii cinity answered the wireless calls. : AAICG& IlOuIS cIlSls9 l1IC ACOll1SAOA1s u = battleship South Carolina was stand ing alongside the Cuneo. The Ryn- dams passengers and those of her crew who had been transferred to the Cuneo were taken off by tn South Carolina. The battleship was directed by wireless from the Newport Navy ard to convoy the stricken liner to this port.
 With the South Carolina alongside, i, the battleship Texas ten miles astern, the battleship Louisiana in the near vii cinity and the Cuneo slowly follow ing, the Ryndam was steaming slow " forsthis port. At l Q o'clock when the Ryndam was l 24 miles east of the Ambrose Channel Hghtship. her cap tain sent a wireless message to the vessels owners, the Holland America line, saying that the Ryndam's en- zines were much strained but stin holding out.
 Six Americans Aboard.
 Previous messages from Captain Van Der Heuvel asserted that the wa ter was gaining in No. 6 hold and that the ship would have to be abandoned if the water gained much more. So far as the line knew, there were only six Americans among the passengers. The other passengers it was said, were Europeans returning home. N The Ryndan, a vessel of 7,976 tons register, net was built in Belfast in 1901. Her length is $50 feet, her beam sixty-six feet. The Cuneo is a steamer of about 800 tons capacity and 210 feet length. She carried U crew of. twenty men and no passen- gers.
 Arrive Late Tonight.
 Dispatches sent during the forenoon by the South Carolina said that the, Ryndam was making thirteen knots on her way to this port. This speed, If maintained, would bring her to New York late tonight or early tomorrow.
 Collidcd About Four A. NJ.
 The collision, it was reported. took place 15 miles southeast of the Nan tucket shoals lightship about four a. m.
 The Ryndam's wireless became fain-l ter and fainter and it was difficult for the wireless stations to conmuni-- cate with her. Two warships of the Atlantic fleet hurrying to the assistance of the disabled vessel came up along side of the Ryyndam about ' o'clock and steamed along with the liner, WliIlAi AAAcLaO NNLy SioW PloSi Sco.
 Thrush of Water Checked.
 From wireless reports received later it was believed that the thrush of wa- ter in the holds of the Ryndam had been checked and the steamship was enabled to increase her speed to twelve knots or more. Meanwhile the Cuneo with the Ryndams s passen- gers and part of her crew headed to the westward towards this port. No wireless messages were picked up from the Cuneo and it was not known here or not she was equipped with long range wireless The extent of the Cuneo's damage has not been as- certained, but it could not have been anything serious, because immediately after the collision all the Ryndam's and part of the crew were
 Had seventy-seven Passengers.
 The number of passengers aboard the Ryndam, 1t was announced at the office of the line today, was seventy seven, of whom twenty were in the first cabin, thirty four in the second and twenty three in the third. The crew numbered 200.
 The Atlantic fleet which has been engaged in maneuvers lies in the neighborhood where the accident oc- cured.
 Ready to Abandon Liner
 The progress Of the Ryndam was 3 continued fight on the part of the 1 crew to prevent hold No 6 from fill ins With hold No filled. the water
 (Continued on Tenth Page,) AA