The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-26
.FLORIzEL VICTIMS
NOW STAND At 1O2
and Twenty -Seven Grew Mem
bers OF Big Liner.
SHIP AT WAVES MERCY
Naval Gunners Shoot Itne Over HuiI,
But No Attempt Made TO Fasten
Rope--SmaH Boats Sink With Pas
scngcrs.

ST. Jof1us. ". r.. Feb. 2s.--Forty-
four persons were rescued from tho
wreckage of the Red Cross liner
Tlorizel, which was pounded 20 pieces
on the rocks Of Care Race in the
storm yesterday The death list now
stands at 1o2.
The last hope for saving the lives
of more persons aboard the ship was
given up tonight at the offices OF the
offices OF the Red Cross line. The
saved include seventeen passengers
and twenty seven members Of the
crew.
Unless the angry seas wash TO
shore another lifeless body. we vii
hear no more of the others aboard the
ship" stated an officer of the Red
Cross line.
The three rescue ships which were
dispatched TO the scene of the wreck
in answer to the s. 0. s call return
ed to this port late this afternoon.
bringing with them the forty-four sur
vivors who were found cl!nging to the
stranded hull OF the ship.
Unavailing efforts had been made
all night by the lIfe-saving crews. but
the storm would not permit small
craft TO reach the wreck. Naval gum
ners shot a line from the shore across
the bow OF the ship. but there was no
apparent effort to make the line fast,
and It was believed that ali aboard
were dead
When the rescue ships finally reach
ed the scene they found the few who
were saved clinging to the wreckage
in q grim determined battle with
death amid a foaming sea and the Bit
ter elements of the storm which had
not yet subsidized Many OF them were
and were still unable 10
talk when they were brought here
The steamer Prospero, the sealer
Terra Nova and a government ship.
the Home. met tho life boats. which
had first reached the wreck. but were
unable to land. The survivors were
taken aboard the larger vessels.
The captain. of the Prospero report
OF the waves. Her wireless had been
destroyed by fire which started in the
forecastle.
Several persons attem pied to reach
ed that the Florizel was at the mercy
the shore in small boats before help
reached them and were swallowed up
within sight of those who had re-.
manned on boar1.
Ten bodies have been washed ashore,
one woman None of them were
Identified tonight.
Among those rescued was Captain
William J. Martin, who was in COM
mand OF the vessel when she sailed
from here. He was unable to talk
only very little and gave but in few
Sentences the story OF the disaster. He
said that he had not realized the
str ength OF the storm when the Flori-
eel put to sea. Knowing the danger
around Cape Race, he had attempted
to round the cape. giving wide
berth to the danger zone which has
taken a heavy toll In lives. Appar-
emily he had misjudged his position,
being too far north when the vessel
was struck by the storm and was driv-
en- ashore on the rocks.
The master of the ship said that he
knew 1t would be futile to attempt to
leave the ship while the storm was
at it's height ard gave orders that
none OF the lifeboats be lowered until
daylight. He had hoped by that time
that the storm would have subsidized
CROUCH for such an attempt. He sent
q call for help by wireless and short
telling of the wreck. This
which was picked up here,
was broken. Evidently the fire which
swept the forecastle had eaten its way
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