THE ARCADIA IN A SNOWSTORM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 45, 22 February 1901, Page 4

THE ARCADIA IN A SNOWSTORM.

In ihe earlier stages of her voyage from London the well-known Royal mail steamer Arcadia, which arrived at Sydney on Saturday, experienced an unpleasant variety of weather. The rim

"down channel was productive of strong winds, which increased to such an extent as she proceeded that the vessel was put upon her best behaviour by a severe nor'westeriy gale when she entered the Bay of Biscay, the conditions moderating, however, off the coast of Spain. Again, upon approaching Marseilles, after a comparatively pleasant run from Gibraltar, the Arcadia was compelled to fight out a moderate storm, but it was not until she was passing through the Straits of .Bonifacio that Ihe worst was reached. It came in the nature of a thick fall of snow and hall, which covered the vestal from stem to stern, and drove the great majority of passengers to the shelter o" their cabins. The fall lasted for six or seven hours. The atmospheric temperature fell to 32 degrees, but that of the sea •in the vicinity was at 51 degrees. Dense clouds which appeared to hover just above the mastheads, added to the gloom of the situation, while from the surface of the water volumes of vapour arose, caused by the contact of the freezing air with the 'comparatively warm sea. Several very line waterspouts were also observed in close proximity to the vessel, affording an interesting spectacle to those who braved the elements and remained on deck.