LINER ON FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 43, 31 May 1910, Page 7

LINER ON FIRE.

1000 PASSENGERS IN PERIL. SCENES OF PANIC. FIGHT FOR THE BOATS. .London April 0. With nearly 1000 persons on 'nourd when outward bound -from London to Portland, Maine, .the Newcastle steamer Cairnrona, belonging to the Carin Li mi, caught fire in mid-Channel yesterday morning. There was a. panic among the passengers, who consisted chiefly of alien emigrants. With splendid promptness the passengers were tian-ferral .to other steamers which came on the scene, and the Cairnrona returned to Dover in company with the rescuing vessew. A number of passengers were injured iby «ui explosion on deck. and one child was killed. By tin explosion in the engine-room nine of the crew were injured. The Cairnrona was carrying about 850 steerage .passengers, in addition to a number of cattlemen who were returning to America and a large crew, the total number of those on board beingi about a thousand. The foreign -passengers 'had joined the -ship at Newcastle, and were being -taken out as emigrants to America, Tlie Cairnrona was off Zeuchy Head •when, it is stated, one -of her boilers burst and the 'bunkers caught fire. It was about half-past 5 yesterday morning that tftie first dramatic, incident occurred ou board. A number of 'womei were sitting on a hatch, some of them with children in their arms. Suddenly there was a violent explosion ami the ha-tt-'h wa* blown off, 'the women and Children .v.. re hurled to all ;parts of the dees and many of them badly injured. A ibaiby was thrown so heavily' on to the ■iron deck that it was killed outright. The hatch was Blown to pieces and heavy sections of it struck several passengers. There was at once a panic among the ■passengers, mainly -Russians and Armenians, men and women running about the decks wringing their hands in despair. Many fell on their knees and prayed. The officers of the ship attempted -to pacify them, liut without .avail Meanwhile'the smoke pouren om in dense volumes from the burning hold. Fortunately, soon after the panic broke out on deck the Cairnr-oua's signals for assistance were observed by the steamer Kanawha, of Liverpool, which was on a voyage from London to Halit-a-x and St. John's, while the Scottish steamer Upland was also soon on the scene. The captain of the Cairnrona decided to transfer everybody but the crew to these two steamers. -Great praise is paid by the passengers to the prompt manner -in wliifJh they were transferred from the burning ship. Boats were lowered from the various vessels and -the transfer was accomplished within a. very short s,pace of time. Many of the foreign passengers. •however, were in such an agitated state that in their hurry to get from the ship into the hoats four fell into the sea and were only rescued with considerable difficulty. Some of the men fought with the women in their desperate endeavors to get to the -bo-aits. A wild scene or con met. raged for some minutes round the davits. The ship's officers, seconded by the British portion of the crew, came to tne women's assistance and were compelled ■to knock many -of the foreigners doWn in order -to get the hysterical and fainting women -into the boats. The scene last night at Dover when the people were landed was a striking one. The first party comprised a great number of women and children, the majority of whom were Russians. The ■women were wearing shawls over their heads, and ithe men were in- all kinds of strange dress. Special arrangements Glad been made to supply the emigrants with food, which they ate ravenously. Some of the women appeared to be in a very exhausted condition, and their wants', as well as -those of the children, were the first to be supplied. The police ambulance was in attendance, and one woman was taken to the hospital with a fractured spine. Offers were made by Prince Louis of Batten/berg, Commander-in-Chief of .the Atlantic Fleet, in Dover harbor, of any assistance in -his power a-s soon as he ■learnt of the disaster. His flagship was lying at the Prince of Wales pier, where the rescued were lauded, and the patrols were mustered ready to render any help that wias needed. / The naval surgeons -were iplaced at the disposal of the sufferers, as well as t'he catering facilities of the fleet. Prince -and Princess Louis of Battenberg were giving a dinner party in the flagship to the Prince of Wales, but om learning of the calamity this was at once broken up, the Prince and Princess .proceeding; immediately to the pier where the Cairnrona's passengers were landing. Prince Louis aided by interpreting for the passengers and with the Princess personally assisted in serving out food and drink and helping generally. At tlhe suggestion of the Princess cigarettes were given to the men. Naval officers and seamen were also actively engaged in handing round food. Over 300 of the rescued emigrants left Dover for London last night. Over 500 are still on hoard the Kanawha. The Cairnrona is a steel four-masted steamship of 6025 tons and was built in 100-0 on the Tyne. She arrived off Dover at 10 o'clock last night. The fire is being got under.