Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-10
253 RESCUED

Continued from page uuC.l
Point at the entrance Of the harboE
today and at low tide was held fast
in fifteen feet Of water with the
possibility that she might break up
IL she did not get off or the next
tide.
All Of the passengers were res
cued, being debarkeu safely IN ten
ders despite rough water around the
stranded liner. A British destroyer
co-operated i'm the work and aided "a
bringing the passengers TO safety.
The grounding Of the great ship
took place in miserable weather on
ditions with a cold rain and biting
wind adding to the discomfort Of the
removal Of the passengers through
the harbor to the Cobb docks.
Hole in Engine Room
White Star officials this afternoon
said the Celtic was in no immediate
danger. There was a heavy ground
swell and \ light southeasterly wind
blowing.
The liner stove a hole directly un-
der her engine room when she ran or
the rocks.
Rounding Southeastern Island ia a
gale. the Celtic made for Cork har-
Dor and Cobb, her first port since
she touched at Boston after leaving
New York on the first of the month.
The pilot could not be taken aboard
because Of weather conditions Ind
the liner made for the harbor en-
trance which requires the utmost
skill 70 novigatc even under normal
conditions. PARTICULARLY for a 2i,OO0-
ton ship like the Celtic.
Instead Of clearing the entrance,
the liner moved at "A very slow speed,
thus %probablye ~ayerting disaster. ana
rammed a ledge known as Cow and
Calf Rocks almost dicctly under the
famous Roches Point lighthouse.
Need Good Weather
Talking over the telephone to the
Associated Press. Johnstin, the
lighthouse keeper, gave a graphic
description Of the disaster.
1T was . melancholy sight 10 see
the great liner hard and fast on the
rocks RS If she were held BY a hun
dred anchors declared Johnston.
who knows every inch Of the rugged
coastlinc.
"She i entirely on the rocks.
lying on a flat spur 800 yards from
Roches Point. Her head il due west
and she is 50 firmly wedged that
there is hardly 4 trace of motion Of
her hull.
The liner struck At high water
and four hours sfterward with the
tide reccding. there was hardly more
than fifteen feet Of water around
her hull. Only for the fact that the
liner NYuE Datnn NJ aI,.~ ..-I IT,
would have been a terrible disaster.
Despite this she has been usdly dam
aged and it remains to &c seen
whether she can he floated. am
afraid II viii be necessary TO jstti-
son her cargo 10 tighten the shin as
much rs possible before this can he
achieved.
Fine weather Is essential 10 the
saving Of the Celtic. III the sea be-
comes bad | don't think IL any e.
aEgcration 10 say that she viii be-
come a total wreck. II all depends
on the weather.
rs the tide receded, the Celtic was
left high. helpless and almost dry in
II feet Of water 800 yards from
Eoches Point and from the lighthouse
which shoots a fixed beam from An
elevation so feet above water with \
visibility of IS miles in ordinary
weather.
Roches Point is = life saving sta
ton and apparatus with a party OF
life savers m charge was ready FOR
any emergency.
Only about 60 passengers were 10
have landed at Cobb. G.. W. Wilson
of Toronto was almost thrown out
Of his berth by the force OF the inn
pact. There was no panic. he said.
despite the pitch darkness VI the
carly morning and after the first
alarm everything was quiet and or
derby.
All the passengers were ordered 70
the decks and life belts were dis
trihuted. Twenty-Cight boats we're
prepared. but not lowered.
Like many more. Wilson was only
partly dressed when he came ashore.