Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1885-06-13 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS AT SEA. Particulars have just been received at Queenstown of the accident off the coast of Newfoundland, when the Anchor Line transatlantic steamer City of Rome ran down the French fishing barque Georges et Jeanne. The fishing vessel, it will be remembered, foundered immediately, carrying with her twenty-two hands, all of whom perished. From the account given by the passengers of the City of Rome, it appears that the steamer was speeding through a dense fog on the Banks of Newfoundland on the afternoon of the 25th ult. at the rate of fourteen to seventeen knots, when , she suddenly ran athwart the quarter of the Georges ' et Jeanne, cutting her in two as if she were a piece of cheese, and sending her to the bottom. Out of a total of thirty-four on board twenty-two were drowned in the sinking vessel. One was dragged out of the water and knocked back again by a piece of wreckage, and a fourth came :to the surface, but was seized with cramp and sank before assistance could reach him. The fog was very dense previous to the collision, and the whistle was sounded every half minute. Captain Munro was on the bridge watching anxiously, when at half-past four the look-out man discovered the outlines of a vessel on the edge of the fog, directly ahead. The sails of this vessel were furled, and she was apparently at anchor. "Sail ahead!" cried the look-out, and Captain Munro instantly ordered the engines to be reversed. It was too late to clear the strange vessel, and through the fog four figures were seen to rush forward on her deck, uttering a wild cry which will not soon be forgotten by those who heard it. In another instant the City of Rome struck the barque, her sharp iron nose meeting the side of the doomed vessel. The crash of wood and the wild clamour of human voices filled the air, but not for long. In less than half a minute the wrecked vessel had sunk, and four men were seen floating in the icy water, clinging to the wreckage. Before the collision the signal had been given for the Rome to go astern full speed, and in a very few seconds the propeller was churning the water furiously, sending great billows forward, which further imperilled the floating men. Two lifeboats were quickly dropped into the water, and several life buoys were tossed overboard. By this means Herbert Albert and Alphonse Marie were drawn on board, almost exhausted. Another man of the French crew struggled for a time in the ice-laden water, and then uttering a piercing cry he seized a piece of debris, and clung to it, looking up piteously for help. "A hundred pounds for the fellow who saves that man," cried an excited passenger of the steamer who was watching the scene. Three sailors prepared to plunge overboard, and a shout of encouragement went up from the assembled passengers, but the fourth officer, Mr. Turner, pushed them back, and putting a line round his body climbed over the railing. Meanwhile a small line was thrown to the drowning man, who had lost his hod of the piece of wreckage. He seized the line and was being slowly hauled up and Mr. Turner was descending the steamer's side when the man suddenly fell back exhausted and instantly disappeared. All the men of the barque were married. The passengers of the Rome, who were deeply moved by the disaster, made a collection for their benefit.  A STRIKING illustration .of the small quantity of water in the Thames has been afforded. The large steamer Redfern left Hampton Court about half -past five the other evening with between 200 and 300 passengers for London-bridge. Opposite the Star and Garter at Richmond the steamer went aground in mid-channel. Considerable alarm prevailed when she swung round. Nearly half the passengers went ashore and finished their journey by land. After about halfan-hour or three-quarters the steamer was got off and proceeded to her destination, reaching it very late. JOSEPH BEST, solicitor, has been sentenced by the Liverpool Recorder to fifteen months' imprisonment, and Josiah Bates to five years' penal servitude for swindling several persons, altogether in amount representing nearly £OOO, by means of fraudulent advertisements.  A STRANGE suicide has occurred at Middlesborough. Ann Rees, aged twelve, was told by her mother to take tea to her father, who was at work. She refused to go, and ran out of the house. Her sister saw her afterwards, but she would not return. Nothing further was heard of her until a policeman heard a cry of " Help " from the river, and saw her floating, but she sank, and when her body was recovered she was dead.  A YOUNG married man from Queensferry, Hawarden, painter, named Shakespeare, went down to the Dee the other afternoon to bathe. Shortly afterwards a man passing along the banks noticed a heap of clothes, and, seeing no one bathing, raised an alarm. The river was dragged, and the body of Shakespeare recovered. It is assumed that he was either seized with cramp, or that, being unable to swim, he fell into a hole and was drowned.