ATLANTIC LINERS PRESIDENT AND PACIFIC

NZ Truth, Issue 151, 9 May 1908, Page 7

ATLANTIC LINERS PRESIDENT AND PACIFIC

Disappear with 300 Lives.

THE GERMAN STEAMER SCHILLER

Drives Blindly on the Scilly Rocks, and Drowns 300 }h the Dark.

iTlie waves tossed up their ruffled crests, The hoarse winds clamored high ; "Our tiirn has come, and we will test This vessel's build," they cry. "Ah, now no more he name shall be The white-winged Monarch of the Sea." _s The fate of the Atlantic liner President, over 60 years ago, was the subject of conversation everywhere. There had been other missing ship?, with more passengers than the President carried on her first voyage, but none made, a more painful impression m England and America, probably because the ship was , well-known among the travelling public. The President was due m Liverpool from,' NeW York m the month of March, 1341. Severe weather prevails at that time of the year m the Atlantic, and just before the President, had farted out of existence m such a mysterious fashion, unusual quantities, of ice. had been reported m low latitudes.' Passengers and crew numbered 120, and on both sides of the, Atlantic the : . v MOST AGONIZING ANXIETY was for a long time manifested. The manner iii which the melancholy conclusion was arrived at will; be described somewhat fully, because the history of one missing ship is,' m its main features, the history of, all. On iVlarch 30. telegrams cautiously and briefly called attention to the fact that Ihc President had been for a considerable time overdue, and that another ship, the Britannia, should also have been m port. The next day peonlo eagerly sought intelligence of thr. .{ships, but there was nothing beyond the statement that the Britannia ; had been longer on her passage than any olher royal mail steamer had been known id be before, and the suggestion that ihey had both been delayed by the tempestuous weather. On April '2, the Orpheus, which had sailed from America two days later than the President, arrived AFTER A STORMY, but muck, passage- Her captain renorted that on March 18 there had been a frightful gale, which lasted two days., . This sale gave great hope, and little doubt was entertained that the President had been disabled,' and had either ran south,, or was working to the east . imder cymvas. Then the Brilvtannia arrived to buoy up the despondent still further. But other ships dropped anchor m succession from America, and men looked with blank expression at each other when tjie name was mentioned. The subject was avoided, or discussed m undertones, on the quays, exchanges, and shipping places. An idle: story gained credence for a little while, that she had been steam-

ing to Fayal. Next a full list of the passengers on board was published. No comment was attached to .the catalogue, but the names were read as one reads the INSCRIPTION ON A TOMBSTONE. Thus 36 days were passed slowly, and up to April 7 hope was still entertained m some quarters, that the President had run to the Western Islands to repair. Ominous comments were then made as to her construction, and her 1 faults, supposed or real, were dwelt up oh. Friends interested were now warned to hope no longer, but to make up their minds ■ thgt during the two days' gale described by the captain of the Orpheus, the ship had foundered off she banks of Newfoundland, the graveyard of many a fine vessel. On. April 13, a, letter reached London which produced an almost electrical effect. It was addressed to the family of one 'of the passengers, and it stated m plausible terms, that the President had sustained damage to the rudder and engines, and had been driven by stress of weather to Maderia. The news was HAILED WITH UNIVERSAL JOY, and the next day the joy turned into great excitement when the Irish packets reported a large black steamier waiting outside the Liverpool bar ! for high water. Messengers flew 1 about, crowds hurried to the waterside, boats started down the Mersey, and the flag of the ..•onsignee was hoisted to proclaim .-lie President's safety. Haze and smoke prevented a good seaward view., but when the obstruction cleared 5 away, it was seen that the .ship was not the President. The panic day re-was- discovered thatthe lett'er'rloyAlctifig" Maderia was only a "htfciS.^a ;t*: - - « • • The pub:li'c,^stf£|;|;hii_)C)B//srth-on their guard against rujmo^s.' Nevertheless, m London, towards the close of April, ; jt'^a^ c fetatm)4ihk't ;_i merchant had fece«i.v*E Ik .letter bearing the Bristol post-mark, stating that/ a vessel had- tvryj.ved at Waterfprd, reporting that shefhad left the President at Bermuda. The letter was addressed to the . brother-in-law 'of Captain Roberts, m uommahd of the President, and the, city was greatly agitated." Merchants met one another with a gladsome greeting, e-reetihg. ''Have yoii -heard that the President is safe'?" But the communication proved to be ANOTHER MALICIOUS INVENTION ; nothing had been seen of the President m the West Indies. As late as .May 24 there were many persons : who were deluded by the false reports that had been circulated. A leaf of the log-book of a

Portuguese ship was published, stating that she had passed a large steamer resembling the President witk . her machinery diasablcri. A Cork newspaper announced that a bottle had been picked up at sea, containing a scrap of paper, written by, Mr Tytone Power, the. celebrated comedian, who was on board, recording that fact that the '-President was sinking. -This prolonged . suspense at length ceased. The President was given up, and never since has anything been heard or seen of he*, or 'of the 120 human beings who embarked m her at New. York.