BURNING OF THE COLUMBIAN

Press, Volume L, Issue 14969, 16 May 1914, Page 16

BURNING OF THE COLUMBIAN

» — ; - SURVIVORS' TLMELY RESCUE. (Independent Cable Association.) < NEW YORK, May 6. Further details of the destruction by fire at sea of the British steamer Columbian have been supplied by the survivors, who were rescued by the Cunard liner Franconia. The boat picked up by the Franoonia contained 13 men and the corpse of the chief steward, whose body was lying awash in the bottom of the boat. The survivors had nothing they could fly,to attract the attention of passing ships, and in their extremity they were compelled to tear off one of tiie legs of the dead steward's trousers and hoist it oa the end of a boathook as a distress signal. It was further learned that one of tho en<rineers was killed by an explosion, which had occurred after the fire broke out, and that one man was drowned when leaving the ship. When taken aboard tbe Franconia. the men were all exhausted, both bodily and mentally, that little information ctuld be gained from them. They had boon adrift for 40 hours, and some of them were suffering severely from the burns tbey had sustained. Tbey were treated by the doctor aboard the Franconia, and then fell fast asleep. Tho other boat belonging to the Columbian, and containing the first and second officers, and 17 men, is 6till adrift. . - ,