STOPPING THE LEAK

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

STOPPING THE LEAK

Down m the stove compartment a gallant orew were stopping up the hole m the ihlp'i Bide with mattresses and driving wedges m a great crack that gaped qpward towardi the deck. The pumps on the port side were rendered useless by the collision, and Captain Perry had the water tanks emptied m order to lighten the vessel, as seventeen feet of the sea had entered the Injured compartment. Then a big pad of canvas waa drawn by chains ovor the holes m the aide. Thia entirely shut out the upa. By midnight the Britannia started for New York, aqoompaniod by the Oeltf.e, Both vessels blsgad with cl^otrlo Hghtß and fired oalnnte guns, so that neither should lose the other.

MANGLED BOMBS SEWN Iff BAOKB. A man came down among tho women In the eteerage at two o'clock on Friday morning. There was no color m hiß face and he shivered. "My God !" he cried, " they are aewlog up tho dead people m Backs." It wbb go. Under tha pallid gleam of the elecirio lights » gronp of seamen were otitehing silently at dark bandies. A few men sto)d aroand. Tears stole down the broczed facet of the sailors ss they did their solemn work on the wide, lonely ocean. Then eaoh bundle was lifted tenderly and reverently to the bulwark and plaoed upon a plank,

Splash! Splash 1 Splash! The rough me a wiped their eyes and Cuptain Perry burled his face m his hands. Splash ! Splash ! The winds howled, and the waves splashed, and the mother of the little dear girl wailed over her wounded boy. When the morning eun rose m splendour the sea was oa'm and gentle. The haggard passengers hung over the rails of the two riven veasols like some starved host on the wall of a besieged city. A NRW DANGER. Then the Bteamer Marengo of the Wilson line hove into sight. She waa signalled for help, and, turniDg about atoamed as an escort between the two White Star vessels. All day Friday the journey was kept up. The passengers on the Britannio became more and more uneasy. It was feared that the cargo of wheat, being wet, would swell up and burbt the ahip. A SOLEMN ASSURANCE. At last Captain Perry called them all together on the deok. "I want to tell you," he said solemnly, " that there is no immediate danger, but we cannot tell what may happen to-night. We may have to take to the lifeboats. If we do, I want to say that the first man who tries to jump into a boat before the women and children will be shot dead. But !o the ! presence of God 1 promise you that I can answer for the safety of the ship for a long time yet. " A wild cheer greeted his noble words. Towards nightfall the i Inman line atoamshlp British Queen wai sighted. Ab the British Qaeen drew near the Britannic her passengers broke into deafening cries of good natured welcome, never dreaming that anything was wrong. Suddenly they caught Bight of the signals of distress and there waa a dead sileaoe. All the fUgd of the British Queen were lowered to half-mast as her captain learned the tragic story by aignals, The British Qauen then escorted the Britannio, while the Marengo escorted the Celtic. So the four vepsels arrived at the Scotland Light • Bhip at one o'clock and anchored.