The New York herald., 1921-06-09
SHIP HITS ICEBERG,
STILL KEEPS AFLOAT
British Freighter Seapool Re-
ports She Is Making for
st. Johns, n. +.

radio message was received at st
Johns. N. F.. last night from the Brit
ish steamship seapool. which struck an
iceberg early yesterday morning. stat
ing that II the vessels bulkheads con-
tinue to hold she Will be in no danger
of foundering If weather conditions are
favorable II is expected that the Sea-
pool viii be able TO dock at st. Johns
about noon to-day.
The message from the Seapool was
sent at 6 O'clock. and said that the for
ward compartment was dry. but that
the water in the forepeak had gained
swo feet since noon. It added that the
ships stem and plates were badly dam
aged from the twenty-five foot mark
downward as a result of the collision
W IN the ice. Dispatches from st. John >
said that the steamship rngleby had left
that port and will stand by the Seapool
to give any necessary assistance.
IL is supposed that the Seapool poked
her nose into a berg while CROPPING
through fog that has not only en-
shrouded the northerly course OF
freighters for the last several weeks.
but has also smothered the vision OF
ravigators of liners thet keep in the
southcrly route prescribed for them be-
cause of the unusually low drifting OF
big bergs and heavy ice.
The wireless messages that gave the
first intimatIon of the trouble to the
seapool were confusing and caused the
eport to get about that the vessel
which had been nit by the berg war
the French line steamship Tsochambeau
which sailed from Havre for this port
on June |. This report was strength
ened by the fact that the Rochambeau
had reported having sighted several
large icebergs on Tuesday afternoon
and five more in the evening. At this
time she was about 800 miles east of
Cape Race. in q course trifle high,
considering che ice danger.
Whether she was in the ice herself
she did not say. She may have been
on its southerly edge and sighted the
bergs ten or more miles to the north OF
her position. The Cunarder Saxonia
which arrived hero on Saturday, was
forced to drift two days in fogs Off the
Banks because of the proximity OF bergs
Reports from the patrol cutter Seneca
ON Tuesday showed that ice has drifted
across the steamship tracks. She sent
broadcast wireless warnings which prob
ably turned the liners TO the south The
Rochambeau doubtless was among the
fleet that headed away from the danger
zone. The fact that she did not repor,
her position yesterday does not indicate
that anything has happened to her. in
fact, 1t Is good evidence that she is in
shfpshape.
Among the ships that picked up the
call of the Seapool was the Orduna OF
the Royal Mail Packet Line. from Ham
burg and Southampton for this port
and one message. evidently garbled. said
that she was standing by the freighter
In reality she was several hundred miles
away and far south Of the position OF
the Seapool.
The first message from the freighter
according to one wireless rurnor. was
an S o s that gave her as in peril OF
sinking. Later a message was received
by the Canadian naval staff at Halifax
saying that she was proceeding slowly
to St Johns, n. j., and required no I'm.
mediate assistance"
One OF the results Of tho Wild wireless
rrixup and the mention Of the Rocham
beau IN connection with the mishap u
| the freighter was jangle OF telephone;
for hours In the offices Of the French
line. Friends OF the Rochambeau' 20
cabin passengers had become uneasy
about her because OF the published
rumors
A wireless message was received al
the offices of the French Line last night
stating that the Rochambeau was In
no trouble at sea. and that she would
arrive here on scheduled time to-nor-
row afternoon.