FIGHTING THE FUMES

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 546, 29 June 1909, Page 5

FIGHTING THE FUMES

FIVE DEATHS, TRACEDY ON AMERICAN COLLIER, A BBAVE FILIPINO. (Ti7 Teloeraph.-Proaa AjsoolaUon.-OooyrtßhO (Ree. June 28, 11 pjn.) Port Darwin, Juno 28. Eastern files contain details of a calamity aboard tho Amorican naval collier Nanshan, 2070 tons gross, which arrived at HongKong on Juno 6 from Cavite, in tho Philippinos. > Eu routo tho steamer met a typhoon and shipped several huge seas, which stovo in tho forward bulkhead. Tho water penetrated to the paint-room, where tho storos becarao adrift, and escaping naphtha caused foul gases to accumulate. After tho galo tho cliief officor, Mr. Larkin, and another oflicor, Mr. R»pp, with some members of tho Fillpin6 crew went below to put things right. Subsequently Captain , Carver, missing the . officors, went in searcli of them. A couple of hours later the. bo'sun came up covered with a sticky mixture, and almost suffocated. When ho, had recovered, ho reported that Captain Carver, tho two officers, and sevoral of tho crew weroiin tho paint locker, suffocated. Mr. Saundc'rßon, ,tbo only' offiocr left, headed a rcscuo party.' They could 'sco the bodies awash in the locker, black from tho mixture of lar and water. When tho foul gases had been somewhat cleared by means of a wind sheet, tho Filipino quartermaster, Do la Cruz, volunteered ito go down. Ho was lowered by means of a ropo, and secured ono body. Although suffor-. ing severely at each attempt, and almost , ovorcome by the fumes arising from tbo mixture of naphtha and water, Do la Cruz perBisted in his heroic efforts, bringing up eoven bodies ono by ono. >> .-■. The efforts-at .resuscitation wero.successful in the cases of Captain Carver and ono of the 'Filipuios,. but, Messrsi; Larkin and Rapp and throe others of, tho/ Filipinosiwera dead. Captain Carver was badly injured; Tliii reir.ainilig'omcer, 'Mr. :.SaiindersOn, brought tho, collier, to. Hong-Kong; v ~ Y ': v - , j ■■