New Britain herald., 1927-10-28
300 ON MAFALDA
 UNACC0UNTED FOR
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unti lthe end came.
 Lifeboats Unsafe
 Many Of the survivors declared that the lifeboats of the Principessa Mafalda were in bad condition and that some of them shipped water while others were swamped by the crowds in them as they were lower ed. The Italian embassy denied that the llfesaving apparatus was faulty, isuing a statement saying that the lifeboats had a capacity for 1923 persons while only 1,256 places were needed, and that they had been in spected in Genoa before the Princi- pessa Mafalda sailed for South America.
 Rescuers Praised
 The survivors praised the crews Of the rescue ships. Many of the sailors aboard the Athena jumped into the sea risking their lives to save the victims laundering among the debris and calling for help. If it had not been for the speed with which the Athena and Formosa had eiiSN 'lN Nd tllS n V D. ol lIlt Md dlIu, passengers said, the disaster would have assumed worse proportions.
 The horror of Tuesday night was reflected in the faces of many of those who were landed. One woman who lost her seven months old son was almost insane with grief, while another woman who lost a five year old boy went temporarily insane.
 The rescue ships today began transferring their survivors to Flores island where they were given attention by doctors who found many of them in a weakened condi- tion because of the lack of proper food and water. Food was served to them. The landing of the sur vivors proceeded in good order All of them were destitute. having lost everything when the ship sank. Clothing was distributed by the Bra zllian authorities. The Italian am bassador is working to lessen the suffering, most of the third class passengers being Italians bound for new homeland ill South America.
 Survivors Tell of Horrors
 As the survivors gained strength they told of ths horrors of the dis aster. Four French women, who were travelling first class, saved themselves by swimming in the sea until picked up while other pas sengers were in the water for hours until the rescue ships came to their aid.
 Jose Cano, first class passenger from Buenos Aires, who was rescued by his wife. told a reporter for the Associated Press that there had been no explosion in the ship and that 1t took six hours for the steamer to founder.
 Captain Guli,' said Cano, "per- ished at his post. The Principessa Mafalda had to stop three times dur ing the trip so that repairs could be made to the machinery which failed to operate properly between Barce- Iona and the Cape Verde islands.
 T think that about 400 must have perished. The explosion story ap- pears to have started among mem- bers of the crews of the rescue ships which, arriving after the Principessa Mafalda had gone to the bottom, found much floating debris"
 The Dutch steamer Athena arriv- ed about the same time and both ships were occupied in rescuing vic tins from the sea and from the Mafalda boats till about TOO D. m. when the rescuers continued taking off men. women and children from the Mafalda which was now set ting by the stern and listing to port.
 At S:15 p. m., the French steam ship Formosa arrived and later the Mosella, Rosetti, Solen and a Greek steamer. At 9:40 p. m. the Mafalda capsized and sank.
 Many on Raft.
 All boats picked up all the suryiv- ors that could be found and at day light the vicinity was searched by the rescue steamers including the Avelona and the Rosetti which res cued a number from a raft.
 All the survivors were transferred to the Formosa with the exception of those aboard the Athena which took hers to Rio Janeiro and the Rosetti which left for Pernambuco with 27 survivors.
 Dispatches from Rio Janeiro make no mention of these 27, whose rescue presumably will cut down the missing to approximately 300.)
 Good Order Maintained.
 After the first rush, good order was maintained on the Matalda. An officer who was rescued reported leaving the commander on the bridge when ordered to abandon the ship. It was gathered from this officer that shaft broke and the engines were smashed, the engine room being flooded and placing the NJafolda in darlxnaSs unti1 the last.