COLUMBIAN DISASTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8737, 20 May 1914, Page 7

COLUMBIAN DISASTER

THE SURVIVORS A TERRIBLE STORY OF THE SEA. STEAMER AFTER STEAMER PASSES. Hy Telegraph Press association—Copyright HALIFAX (Nora Scotia). May 18. The revenue cutter Seneca has arrived with four survivors of the Columbian. Their condition is serious, but it is believed they will live. They left tho Columbian so hurriedly that they bad no time to secure provisions except those stored in the lifeboat for emergencies.

Tho .single cask of water was soon exhausted, but rain fell, enabling the men to avoid thirst. Hunger, however, dominated them, their only food being a small supply of hard-tack.

Efforts were made to attract the attention of steamers, but several passed without taking notice.

One after another the men died, some becoming insane before deathThey were drinking salt water. Their comrades cast over their bodies into the sea with their little remaining strength. Some were badly burned, and collapsed after the first day’s exposure.

The four rescued were found huddled in the bottom of the boat. They were unable to talk. An extraordinary feature of the affair is that a search by five transatlantic liners for several days proved fruitless. Those rescued are the chief officer (Mr Robert Teiro), two seamen (Kendal and Belanger), and a fireman (Lurwigsson). Captain Johnson, tho Seneca’s commander, states that- the survivors abandoned the Columbian in the middle of the night, and kept her in sight owing to the glare of tho flames until daylight, when rain fell, and they lost sight of the vessel. The party remained in the neighbourhood, hoping to be picked up. They tried to light a I ant-urn, but the waterproof matches had become wet. They drifted after that, and saw steamer after steamer pass by on tho horizon. A Cunard liner came within plain sight, and headed towards them; then changed her course and disappeared. Afterwards, much rain and fog prevented them from seeing other vessels. A sailor’s coat was hoisted on tho boat, and caught the attention of the Seneca’s lookout. This led to the rescue.

It was previously reported that thirteen survivors of the British steamer Columbian, from Antwerp to New York, which caught fire at sea a few days ago. were picked up hy the Cunard liner Franconia. Another boat containing Captain McDonald and thirteen of the crew was saved hy the steamer Manhattan. The third boat, referred to above, could not be found.