Evening star., 1918-02-25
Three Vessels Arrive at St.
Johns With First Survivors
From Cape Race.
ROUGH SEA MAKES RESCUE
WORK DOUBLY DIFFICULT
Steamer Florizel, Bound From St.
Johns to New York, En-.
counters Blizzard.

ST. JOHNS, N. F., February S5.-
Forty-three persons aboard the Red
Cross liner Florixel. wrecked near
Cape Race, in n storm early yes
| terday, were rescued today. Three
rescue ships brought the first batch
of survivors to port and others were
ON the way in the afternoon.
Among the survivors are i've
saloon and seven steerage passen-
gers.
of the crew. Among the survivors
| are Mai. Michael Sullivan, bound
for Halifax, Ralph Burnham of the
Royal Flying Corps, Alexander
Ledingham of st. Johns. Archibald
Gardner and two women. Miss Min
ME Daniel and Miss kittie Cantwell.
ST. JOHNS, N. F., February 25.-
Forcing his ship against q blizzard in
which binding snow was driven by
winds often reaching hurricane proper
| tions, the commander of the Red Cross
liner Florizel, Capt. W. ]. Martin, yes
| terday morning sought to round Cape
Race on his voyage from here to Hall
fax and New York.
Apparently, however, he misjudged his
position, for the Florizel rushed on the
jagged rocks of Broad cove on the east
side of the island north of the cape
The region is uninhabited and means of
rescue were not available. One wireless
message said the steamer was rapidly
breaking up and nothing more was
heard until rescue parties reached the
scene. These reported that boats could
not be used and expressed doubt if any
on board could be saved. Through the.day
reports came that the ship was going
to pieces and that her after decks were
submerged. =.
Forty-Three Reported Saved.
Forty three persons are known to
have been saved from the wreck o: the
Red Cross liner Florizel, which is
pounding to pieces on the rocks near
Broad cove. where she struck at 5
o'clock yesterday morning.
The coastal steamer Prospero was re-
ported just before noon as on her
| way here with the survivors. The
| names of the rescued. SO far as known,
and the identified dead are:
Survivors.
| Passenges, John Kelly; crew, Capt.
w. 5. Martin. St. Johns; Chief Officer
James. and Wireless Operator Cecil G.
| Carter. New York.
Identified Dead.
| Passengers Mrs. Fred Butler, St.
| Johns, N F.; Edward Froude, St.
Johns. N. F.. and Corp. Fred Snow,
Royal Flying Corps.
pany, including seventy-seven passen-
gers.
| The first batch of forty-three survivors
was taken of in three lifeboats and four
dories, but the sea was SO rough that
| they were unable to approach the
| shore, near which the Florizel struck
All had suffered terribly from cold
| and exposure. Steamers met the boats
and took the rescued aboard. A wire
| less message from the Prospero to
| John Crosbie. minister of shipping,
| early today was the first word of hope
that any of the seventy-seven passei1-
| bers and crew of sixty-nine had been
| saved. The Prospero reported that
| every effort was being made to trans
| fer them from the battered hulk.
Relatives Seek Information.
| Frantic efforts were made by rela-
tives of the passengers aboard the
Florizel to learn the names of those
picked up by the Prospero. The first
message from that vessel stating that
at least forty persons were waiting
| to be rescued held out hope that 9TH
| ers might be saved and the Prosrero's
| commander was directed by the min
| lister of shipping to send the names
at the earliest possible moment.
| Although the sea today was not so
| rough as 1t was when the steamer
struck on the rocks. reports indicated
| that rescue work was extremely dan
gerous The Florizers wireless was
| wrecked, fires were out and the ship,
| helpless and at the mercy of the waves
offered little protection against the
| cold and the fury OF the elements.
Many Of those lost yesterday had at
| tempted to reach shore in small boats
| which were tossed about and swamped
almost in sight Of men and women
! watching from the bow of the Florizel.
or from the rigging where a few had
climbed for safety. Others who had
taken refuge in the forecastle were
driven out when that part of the ship
| was battered in.
The Prospero, a stanch coasting ves-
sci, had been dispatched at the first re-
port of the disaster from P1acentia bay
| seventy-five miles around the coast
from Broad Cove. but after her depar-
ture government authorities felt that
her task was hopeless. With the seal
ing ships Terra Nova and Home, she
| stood outside the cove while reports
were sent by observers on land that the
sea had not sufficiently subsided to al
low the launching Of boats before day.
light.
Hope Slight for Thoss Aboard.
When naval guhners had shot a Zine
from the shore across the bow Of the
Florizel as she lay submerged from
her funnel aft, and saw no attempt on
the ship to make the line fast, IL was
believed all those on board were dead.
About midnight, however, watchers re-
ported that lights had been sean In the
Continued on Fourteenth Page.)