Fearful Experience of the Bulgaria.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 7493, 17 April 1899, Page 4

Fearful Experience of the Bulgaria.

EMPEROR WILLIAM HONORS BRAVE GERMAN SEAMEN.

The passengers on the Bulgaria (says the Ponta Delgada correspondent of the Daily Mail) give a thrilling description of their experiences. After the departure of the boats on February 5 all took refuge in the galley, the only dry place, in which to shelter and dry their wet clothes. They thought the vessel might founder at any moment. The chief engineer was afterwards heard to order his men all to work, to keep up the fires and set the pumps working, threatening to shoot the first who shirked work or refused duty. The pumps and engines were eventually set working, and the remainder of the crew were employed in jettisoning and burning the cargo, which consisted of wheat and packages of wooden shoe nails, The vessel, in the meanwhile, was slowly Tightening, and was proceeding under steam in a southerly direction. The stench from the dead horses, however, was daily becoming so unbearable that they began to fear the outbreak of a serious epidemic. At the end of six days, much to everyone's relief, the weather moderated, and the hatches were able to be opened. The crew then set to work and threw all the dead putrefying horses overboard. On February 20th the office* 3 and crew succeeded in fitting spars across the rudder, with wire rope lashings, and, by means of tackle fixed to the after winch, were able to set a direct course for this island, which was sighted and reached on the morning of February 24th. All are loud in their praise of the chief officer and the chief engineer, who worked hard for the safety of the ship throughout the most perilous time of danger. One seaman was washed' overboard, and the boat with the second officer and four seamen, which broke adrift~on February sth, is missing. A Renter's message from Berlin on February 25 to the St. James' Gazette states :—The following is the text of the telegram which the Emperor addressed to Herr Ballin, the director of the HamburgAmerican Steamship Company :—" With deep gratitude to God, who has so mar-vellously-saved ship and crew, I express to you my warmest congratulations on the saving of the Bulgaria. Captain Schmidt has, in the manner of a true German seaman, and with firm trust in God, victoriously carried on a life and death struggle for 24 days 3gainst the ocean, assisted by a crew, gallant, self-sacrificing, and devoted to their duty. As a mark of recognition of his services, I bestow upon Captain Schmidt; the Cross of a Commander of the Hohenzollern Family Order. You will be good enough to communicate to me through the Minister at Hamburg the names of the members of the crew deserving distinction." In the Reichstag to-day, before the commencement of the business on the paper, Rear-Admiral Tirpitz, Secretary of State for the Navy, acting upon orders from the Emperor, expressed warm gratification at the saving of the Hamburg steamer Bulgaria, The Admiral referred to the Imperial recognition of the behavior of the captain and the crew, " which," he said, " could not fail to fill every German heart with joy and pride, and which bears testimony to the efficiency of our merchant fleet, whereat we must all the more rejoice in view of our trans-oceanic relations. The navy shares joy and sorrow with the merchant fleet." Herr von Levetzqw, the former President of the Reichstag, then addressed the House, adding some heartfelt words to the Ministerial declaration, and was loudly applauded. Count von Ballestrem, the present President of the Reichstag, declared that Herr von Levetzow's speech reflected the feeling of the whole House.