A PANIC AT SEA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1452, 12 May 1905, Page 3

A PANIC AT SEA.

TRANSATLANTIC LINERS IN COLLISION.

Two big fcrans-Atlantio linors, tho i Parisian, of tho Allan lino, and fcho Albano, a Hamburg-American boat, fcho ono ladou with 1000 passengers, and fcho other with 800, collided off fcho enfcranoo fco Halifax (United States) harbor on fcho night of March 25fch. Both received frightful wounds. With water pouring into their holds and rapidly sinking, they raced at top speed about , eight miles through fcho bay fco fcho docks, while fcho sejeams for aid, mingled with tho shrill blasts of fcho whistles that called scores of tugs to tho sides of fcho colliding ships. Wbon fcho Parisian bumped into hor dook tho vessel's stern lodged io fcho mud, tons of wafeor poured through a gap on fcho starboard side.. Tho prow of tho Albano struck hor just as tho Allan liner was laying to fcako on a point. The Albano had a great hole in hor prow, and needed extensive repairs before she could proceec to Philadelphia, whither most of her passongers were bound. COLLIDED IN THE DARK.

I The accident happened half an hour I after sunset. Tho Parisian, which left I Liverpool on March 16th, with Captain I Johnson in charge, had stopped her engines about a mile outside the rook bound on* trance of the famous harbor. The pilot was about to climb up the side of tho British ship when some of tho passengers j observed another steamer Rearing down on the vessel’s starboard quarter from the I east. I

They shrieked in alarm. Captain Johnson heard the cries, and he himself violently pulled tho whistle oord to warn the upproaohing steamer of tho danger. At the same time he gave the " full steam ahead ” order. Tho Parisian’s screws began to churn the water to a foam, but the veasei was too slow in getting under way, for tho Albano was bearing down on her almost at full speed. With a great crash and roar that drowned the shrieks of tho terrified hundreds, tho German'ship ploughed into the Parisian, striking her on the starboard side abaft the engine-room. Then followed swiftly tho grating of stoel, the creaking of timbers, and the blasts of sirens and whistles. Officers issued orders sharply, sailor* dashed about 'in mad haste to exeoute them. The two ships broke away from each other, and then started forward. The passengers ceased shrieking, and started to weep and pray on the decks of both vossole. Men and women crowded into the lashed life raft 3 and boats. BUSH FOB THE DOCKS.

I Captain Johnson and the pilot on the bridge of the Parisian headed his ship I past the lighthouse, through the narrow

rocky onfcranco and winding bends of the bay. Tho engines churned great seas astern, and there was the wildest excitement among the passengers, for they thought that both ships were going to the bottom at onoe, so terrific had been the impact of the collision and so gaping thoir wounds. i

Tho atom of tbo Parisian was sinking deeper at every turn of the screws. The passengers notitod this, crowded upon the bridge, and implored the captain to save their lives. “We are all right,” he shouted. “We will get in safely. Keep cool.” It was growing quite dark by this time, and before two miles of the long bay had been traversed by the steamers, about three lengths apart, little tugs came dashing up in response to the whistles’ blasts that reverberated among the hills, and even alarmed the greater part of the city. The harbor craft oi every kind sped to the limping, pounding ships.

The crews manned the pumps, the hatches were battened down, and the water-tight compartments closed. These precautions saved tho ships. With a crash that nearly shivered the big ship, the Parisian went into the dock. It took bnt a few moments for the gangplanks to be thrown out. and in a few minutes tho frightened passengers were landed.