COLLISION AT SEA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1610, 15 July 1887, Page 3

COLLISION AT SEA

The following sensational account from the New York " Herald " of May 23rd, of the terrible collision between the White Star steamships Britannic and Goltlo; may be read with interoat : The two monster White Star steamships, Britannic and Celtic, crashed together m a dense fog 350 miles east of Sandy Hook, at a q 'latter past five o'olook on Thursday afternoon. Both Bhlpa are still fifliat, but the blood of five mangled nteerage passengers, reddens the stoat deok of th 3 Britannic, and the bodies of the victims are rolling at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean . It is one of the most thrilling stories that ever the mighty wnters gave vp — a »tory of horror, of marvellous bravery, of unspeakable cowardic«, and of melting pathoB — at once a tribute and a reproach to human nature. The Britannio waß on hor way from New York to Liverpool The Oeltio waß coming from Liverpool to New York. Toe Britannia oarried 176 cub In passengers and about 300 steerage passengers. The Oeltio was crowded. A white fog had snowed down upon the ocoan, and both vessels kept up the monotonous ohant of steam whistles. The officers of the Britannia heard the whistling of the Oeltio, and soon the two big steamships were engaged In an awful game of blind man's buff. Crowd* of the Brltannio's passengers ran from side to side as the Hound of the Oeltio's hoarse warning came weirdly, now from one direction and now f:ora anuther, through the damp, thick vapor. Both vessels Blaokened speed as they approached neater and nearer. THE DKBADtfUL CONTACT. Suddenly a huge shadow loomed np. There was a general cry of delight as the maje3tfc Celtic swept grandly into Bight. It waß f llowed by a ehrick of terror. The sharp giant prow of the oncoming steamBbip waa headed straight for the Britannic. The Ooltlo reversed her engines It was too late. Ab the two vessels struck there was a terrific roar, and the sea was churned into foam by the shock. The prow of the Oeltio struck the port side of the Britannic abaft the m'zzon mast, tearing a gap four feet wide m her side at the water line. It was a glancing blow, and aa the britannio plunged ahead with her helm hard aport, the torn prow of the Oeltio swept back along her ponderous rival, groaning and tearing away the missive Iron bulwarks of the main deck like bo I machgbrown paper. With blanched faces and soul piercing cries of ter Of a orowd of steerage passen^tß, on the main deok ftad through the iron covered gangway at the side of the vessel below the hurricane deck. The heavy curved iron plates were twisted up and fell with a mass of shattered timbers upon the passengers beneath, mutilating them horribly. Oae man was torn m two. The head of a little girl was cut off, and the fragments of her body spattered the c'othes of her wounded brother, She had been smiling m her mother's face a moment before. Two other men and women were dashed into eternity as the grinding timb.Ta and plates were hurled m all directions, wounding as they fell. DECKS HUN NINO WITH BLOOD. The Bpeed of the Britannic turned the Oeltio around, and as the latter bounded back the air was filled with fearful cries. The deck of the Britannio ran with blood. Huge waves awirled against the hole m her side, and the ocean poured into compartment. No 4, where the single men of the steerage slept. Horror reigned below. " Flush !" cried the steward, an the first shook came, and the vessel shook froaa end to end. " There's no danger. It's all eight. An acoident has happened to the machinery." Sick women with their infants m their arms orawlcd oat of the steerage bnnks, and stared with bloodless countenance. The rough men rushed on deck, children began to ory. Suddenly the Bteward reappeared m the steerage. He lcoked like a oorpse. •• Up to the deok for your lives, ' he roared ' the nhlp is sinking." Then aroio a wild, mad rush for the boats. Two of them had been smaabed by the prow of the Oeltio. Captain Perry ordered the sailors to lower away all the remaining boats and take the women and children off first. Bat the masculine brutes fought their way to the fron*, trampling on the weak and helpless as they went. The fog grew thicker and thicker as the savage crew grew nnre and more tumult cons. The women were pale, ti'ent and heroic; Three noble Bisters of St. John the Baptist stole about m their black robes exhorting their B r »<er passengers not to fear death if they had to go down with tho ship, but to pray for courage. GOWABDS EEBDKED. Many of the cowardly.men sprang over tho sides of the Britannio into the life boats. One sailor or fireman forced himself into a boat. Then the trumpet voice of Captain Perry rang out : " Yon ooward !" he cried, "come back on this I ship. Look at me. Isn't my life as precious as yours 1" There was & flash c f cold steel m the air as the brave commander drew his revolver and loaded it m tho presence of the multitude. " The next man that goes over the side of the ship will be shot dead." All tho o»en shrank back. While the work of transferring the women and children to the boatß was going on a force of cabin passengers and Bailors were at work tearing away the mass of wreckage that pinoed the dead and dying to the deck. Many of the women fainted with terror as the bloody corpses were dragged into view. Captain Perry signalled to the Oeltio to send, all her lifeboats. The Celtic's brave tars were soon rowing towards the Britannio. Meanwhile several women had lost their renoea and jumped overboard, and were with great difficulty rescued by the men m the boats. A stalwart joung roan stood wrh hla arm flang Icvlngly around the waist of his sweetheart on tho Britannio's deck. As the excitement increased he stealthily loft his fair companion and sneaked over tho side of the vecs3l, ollmbiug down a rope towards the boats. {l Gut that rope," ehonted the Captain, sternly. A Bailor leaned over the bulwark, a cold clrole of light flashed from him, and the Dext instant the young mam dropped Into the Bea with one end of tho parted ropo m his hands. A aompaßßlonato seaman dragged him out of the water. Soon six boat loads, of the Brltannic's passengers were flsfe on board of the Celtio, which had suffered no farther damage than her broken bow* Then the remaining passengers ooolod down somewhat.