THE STELLA DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11059, 10 May 1899, Page 6

THE STELLA DISASTER.

details OP THE wreck, NARRATIVE of the survivors. London, March 31. The passenger steamer Stella, plying between this port and the Channel Islands, crashed upon the dreaded Casquot rocks, near the Island of Alderney yesterday afternoon in a dense fog and foundered in ten minutes, her boilers exploding with a tremendous report as she went down. In spite of tins, it is said, there was no panic 011 board. Iho coasting steamer Lynx, which brought tho news of tho disaster here, picked up four boats and forty persons. Estimates of the number of drowned varv from 70 to 120. The second officer of tho steamer, who was among those rescued, says that a collapsible boat was launched full of people, but lie thinks sho struck 011 the rocks owing to tho fog. Another steamer has picked up a boat containing 45 persons, including 20 women, who oscaped from the wrecked steamer. They havo been landed here. The Stella, which belonged to tho London and South-western Railway Company, left Southampton at noon yesterday, conveying the first excursion of tho season to the Channel Islands. There were about 185 passengers 011 board, and the crew numbered 35 men. The weather was foggy, but all went well until tho afternoon, when tho fog bccamo dense. At four o'clock the Casquot rocks suddenly loomed tip through tho fogbank, and lie steamer immediately afterword struck amidships. The captain, seeing that tho steamer was fast sinking, ordered tho lifeboats to bo launched. His instructions wero carried out with tho utmost celerity, and tho womon and children were embarked in tho boats, then tho captain ordered tho men to look after themselves. A survivoi slates that he and 25 others put olf from tho Stella m a small boat The sea was calm, but thero was a big swirl around the rocks. When this boat was a short distance away from the wreck tho boilers of the Stella burst with a terrific explosion, and the vessel disappeared stem foremost in the sea. Tho last tiling tho survivor saw was the figure of tho captain of the Stella standing calmly 011 the bridge and giving his last instructions. The captain perished with his vessel, owing to tho suction caused by the sinking steamer being very great indeed. Continuing, tlio survivor referred to raid: —"The suction was so tremendous that wo thought our boat would be engulfed. I saw five boats and tho collapsible boat, besides our own, leave the wreck. They contained altogether between 80 and 100 persons. Five of tho boats were soon lost to view, but we took a boat filled with women in tow and the occupants of our boats took the oars in turn, and rowed all night long, until most of us dropped asleep, thoroughly exhausted. " We. sighted a sail boat at six o'clock ill tho morning, but the Great Western Railway Company's fioamoi Lynx, from Weymouth, had meanwhile hove in sight. She bore down 011 us and look us all on board. Sho eventually landed us at Guernsey." Tim Ureal Western Railway Company's steamer Vera, from Southampton, has picked up 40 others of the survivors, and landed them at Guernsey. According to the estimates of the officials of the London and South western Railway Company, 70 persons were drowned ci.t of tho 220 on board the Stella, when she f!rockon the rocks. Other reports, however, place the drowned much higher. Three boats, including the collapsible bent, arc mining. Later accounts say that 1110 Stella had 110 passengers 011 board, and >hat her crew luiiubercd 42 persons. Another steamer of the same company, which ariived at the Island of Jersey at about noon It ('ay, reports having parsed many bodies cf \ietims of the disaster about the Cusquet rocks. Other accounts of the Stella disaster sry that Captain Reeks supposed the fog was merely in banks, as is the usual experience, and decided to run through it, but as it became continually denser ho lost his bearings.

When the Stella struck there was a terrible sensation, a noiso of metal and woodwork being lorn away, (lie vessel passing over tho jagged rocks at full speed, and her side being ripped open like matchwood. When sho slid over the rocks she. turned co npleiely over, carrying a lot of people with Vr. Tho eight survivors who were landed at 01 rrl'otirg by the lug IFwmiin worn picked off floating furniture, vans by a fishing J. sat. The ladies on board one of the lifeboats sang hymns all night long lo keep up ilio spirits of their companions. Two bodies we.'o washed ashore 011 the Island of Ahlcruey.

One passenger .-ays he remarked to the crew on the Mill rale of speed at which the Stella was travelling in the fog, telling them ho did lie! consider if safe.

Tim .steamer llonfleur relumed in night, after having made the cire'n- of the Casipiot rorln _ She picked up two boats containing women s clothing, money, jewellery, and an opera-glass case. The l ist had ' evidently been used in bailing. Many pathelio incidents reported. In several cases men lifted their wives and ran with them to the boats, and (lien perished in their pawnee. ■ Ono wife who was thus bereaved lust her rta--1 6011. STORIES OF SURVIVORS. I SCENES AS THE VESSEL WENT DOWN. A survivor of the disaste, named Bush says tho speed of the Stella in the fog was ; net diminished, though the fog whittles were I sounded. Hush adds that at half-past three i a.m. the engineer showed him in the engine- ; room a dial registering a speed of 18J knots. ; lie says the ves'el struck within twenty-fivo , minutes afterward. 1 Bush further asserts thai two lifeboats 1 were sunk with the steamer, which, after resting on tho rocks for ten or fifteen minutes, split in two and disappeared. Tho second mate was the only officei of tho Stella who j was saved. j Continuing, Rush said: "When the Stella i disappeared, 40 or 50 persons were discovered ; clinging to pieces of wreckage or cabin fur--1 niture, and crying pitoously for help. All . the passengers and crew had been provided ! will) llfo bolts, and there was little panio as : the ship sank. 1 first slipped into the water, 1 anil then swam to ono of tho boats, into | which I was helped. \\ o rowed supposedly ] in the direction of Guernsey, but seven , hours later found ourselves near tho scene of 1 the wreck, and saw dozens of persons cling- : ing to the rocks." t The boat in which Bush was a passenger j was afterwards picked up by the Lynx. ; The passengers all agree that perfect order , and discipline prevailed on board the Stella. The crew promptly took up their stations when the steamer struck, served out tho lifebelts, and lowered the boats. _ Hush says the scone at the moment of the sinking of the vessel was heartrending. Those I who had succeeded in getting into the boats I had a. narrow escape from being engulfed, ; on account of Iho suction caused by the sinkI ing vessel. The voice of Captain Keeks from | the bridge was frequently hoard urging the I rowers to null 10. their lives. The boats ■ worn adrift fifteen hours, during which their i occupants were without food or water, and ! as their clothing was drenched, they suffered ; greatly. j Mr. King, who was among the last lo leave I the ship, said Towards evening we enI countered a mist, which soon developed into l a dense fog. There was, howevor, no ap--1 prehension. Suddenly a great shock told us j that the Stella had struck the rocks. Screams | rent the air, but the coolness of he officers | considerably allayed the excitement. Tho crew behaved splendidly, lowering llie boats with tho greatest promptitude. Every woman | was supplied with a lilehcit. At first we j thought there would be time for nil tho | boats to clear away, but suddenly tho boilers burst with a deafening report, rending the ship amidships." Mr. King and two firemen, Oshorno ami Bailey, wore tho las! to leavo the vessel. He had just given up a lifebelt to aid a clergyman's wife, and was literally pulled into a boat by Second Mate Reynolds, who was instrumental in saving nianj lives. Tho boat, with 22 persons, drilled for 15 hours, in the intense cold, and was finally picked up by the Great Western 'Railway's steamer Vera, from Southampton. l Mr. King believes that five boats wore launched. He saw one upturned, with children clinging to it. The testimony of the passengers who have arrived hero confirms the early accounts of the disaster, except that some deny that the boilers exploded. Hopes are still entertained that others may have been picked up. London, Am-il 1. Tho steamer Vera arrived her this afternoon with tho survivors of the disaster. Tho quays were thronged, and as soon as the gangway had been placed in position the officials of tho Vera invited all persons having relatives or friends among tho survivors to go on board. The scones that followed were most pathetic. Tho joy of tho fortunate ones were veiled in the presence of the harrowing grief of those who wore fruitless searchers for loved ones, and vainly appealed to the resetted for news of the missing. Tho stories of the passengers who were saved add little that is new, except the belief that many; women and children must have perished in the saloon, so sudden was the inrush of water. One of the rescued says that before the Stella sank she stood with her bows porpendicular for a moment, and then shot down like an arrow. All who were "left on board wero pitched sternward in a heap, and disappeared with tho skip., '-v.-; j ...