New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-14
Liner Carmania
Barely Escaped
Big Sea Disaster
Crash With Freighter Off
Cape Race Threatened
Loss of Every Life on
Board for the Moment

HALIFAX, Dec. 13.-Recitals of pas
sengers on the Cunard liner Carmania
which arrived here this morning after
being in collision with the American
freighter Maryland Wednesday evening
or Cape Race, indicate that marine
disaster of serious oredr was barely
averted. The Maryland was heading,
pow on, for the midships' section Of
the Carmania when she doomed UP out
OF the fog and darkness. Only quick
maneuvering of both vessels converted
the shock into glancing blow, which
smashed in four ports and sheared off
rlvets and damaged plates on the liner
over an area twenty-five feet square.
Temporary repairs, which we're made
after the collision, were inadequate to
keep out the water during rough
weather encountered the following
morning, and rooms and corridors were
flooded.
Two Suffer rom Shock
The principal force of the collision
was felt in the third class quarters
Two passengers, Elizabeth Aspdon. of
New Bedford, Mass, and Elizabeth A.
Fitzpatrick, Of Pawtucket, R. l., who
were in their cabins, directly in the
path of the Marylands bow, when the
two vessels crashed, were removed to a
ing from shock only.
Most of the third cabin passengers
had lined up for entrance to concert
in the dining saloon and were thrown
from their feet by the impact. Women
became hysterical, several tainted and
great excitement prevailed until word
came from the bridge that the liner
was not seriously injured First class
passengers, who felt the shock to a
lesser degree, united in praising the
presence of mind Of the captain and
officers of the Carmania.
Another minute and every life
might have been lost" said Richard
Croker one of the passengers, de-
scribing the quick decisions Of the Of
ticers.
Three infants born at sea a few days
before the accident were given Cunard
names.
Wreckagc Strews Shores
Wireless stations and rescue ships
continue to-day the search of the North
Atlantic for ships in distress in the
heavy seas that for three days have
been driven by northwest hurricane.
The shores are strewn with wreckage.
The storm was abating to- day.
Many ships are in peril. The United
States Shipping Board steamer David
son County, crippled by the loss of her
propeller, was drifting east at noon to-
day in the gale 480 miles south of Cape
Race and in the middle of the Gulf
Stream, according to radio reports. No
ships were standing by. The United
States coast guard steamer Apache is
going to her aid, to take the place of
the West Togus, which sprang a-leak
yesterday when sent to assist the
Davidson County, and which was forced
to return to port.
The British steamer Sheba, the for
mer German steamer HOrnsee, now
under British registry and the steamer
Chetopa were last reported virtually at
the mercy Of the seas and in need of
immediate assistance.
United States Shipping Board steam
ers Lake Galewood and Lake Eimsdale
are ashore at Port Hood Island and
Blue Cape, respectively, and the Amer
lean schooners Donald Moulton and I.
M. Nicholson are beached in Humber
Arm, Newfoundland. The steamer E.
D. Kingsley, bound from Montreal to
Halifax, went ashore yesterday at the
entrance to White Head Harbor but
was foated again to-day and made this
port under own steam.
steamer Angelo Toso to-day reported
damage to her rudder and asked for a
tug. She was expected to reach here
late to-day.
The steamship Pro Patra, which had
drifted fourteen hours in the gale be-
cause of engine trouble, arrived at
North Sydney to-day under her own
steam after a trip of 70 hours from St.
Pierre