ABLAZE IN MID-ATLANTIC.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9020, 6 December 1907, Page 4

ABLAZE IN MID-ATLANTIC.

PANIC ON A LINER. Hindered by hundreds of panicstricken emigrants, the officers or the Austrian liner Giulia worked their burning ship through a miaAtlantic storm, and brought her, battered and charred, into Brooklyn harbour. , Sne carried a crew of 90 men and over 800 passengers, many of whorn had their faces and hands bandaged and were suffering from wounds and other injuries. _ Tire Giulia left Trieste on September v l4th, calling at Grecian ports, and then proceeded across, the Atlantic. ' On the morning of the Thursday, October 3rd, soon after sonrise, the alarm of Are coursed through the ship, which was then labouring heavily in the teeth or a ' storm. When the smoko was seen filtering up through, the hatches, ; some of the passengers raised an alarm, and there was a wild scene of confusion in the steerage quarters. Idea, women, and children fo p ght I in (he’narrow gangway to gam the i dock When the hatches were raised and the smoke and flames were seen pouring up. the steerage passengers | went mad with fright. Some of the steerage berths were I so near the fire that the iron Partitions became redhot, ami before the I last passenger had gained the deck 1 the steerage quarters were filled wiili smoke. When the terror. I stricken emigrants reached the deck | they made a frantic rush for the lit', boats, tore oil the canvas covers, and climbed in. When all the places weie taken, those who were unable to get in knelt on the deck and prayed. , . Several attempts wore made to launch the boats, and if they had been successful many lives must have been lost. Some of the cabin * passengers tried to persuade the emigrants to bo calm and trust to the officers and crew, but they might as well have talked to the wind. They were quickly joined by a portion of the crow, who, throwing down the hoses, mutinously declared that nothing could save the ship from utter destruction. In a few b. iof minutes one of the lifeboats aft was unloosed. Before the mutinccis, however, could launch it, the captain. summoning around him a dozen stalwart seamen, drove the cowards with leve led revolvers back to their posts. Most of the panic-stricken women, children and male passongo s after a fierce struggle, wore next’ forced beneath the hatches whore, shrieking in frenzy, they were immured. ’ But the ■ men, after the mutiny was quelled, struggled heroically with the raging flames. . i Streams of water were poured into § the hold, where 34,000 barrels of I dried grapes and figs wore blazing, i It. seemed, however, to have no | effect. Man after man, choked by § the flames, fell exhausted. | The situation seemed hciploss. I Suddenly an immense wave rose i up over the port bow, broke and I crashed down through the open S hatch, falling with a thunderous \ noise into the hold. As though I !N”uigJxr£i hud descended on them, the a flames sizzled and roared, and then, S emitting dense clouds of steam and I smoke, subsided. I The passengers who were released, and the- crew, fell on their knees, I and with the gale tugging at ban I and clothing, offered up thanks to I the Almighty for their deliverance. I When the flames wore finally sub- | clued the panic-stricken passengers I who had taken refuge m the life; I boat refused to leave, and remained I there twelve hours longer, a The captain, however, adopted tin 5 plan of starving them out. The I stewards were ordered to supply uc I food to those in the boats, and ai | the end of the second day they hat I all returned to their quarters m the I steerage.