SHOCKING CATASTROPHE AT SEA.

Western Star, Issue 1546, 21 March 1891, Page 2

SHOCKING CATASTROPHE AT SEA.

[By CABr.ro.] Londox, March IS. The Anchor Hn«r Utopia, hound from Gtvioa to Now York wi‘h eight hundred and fifty—chiefly Italian o.migrants on board came into eollis'O’'l with the British ironclads Anson and Rodney, lying at anchor off Gibpa! tar. The Anson’s ram tore a hole thirty feet long in the hull of the Utonia, which sank in ten minutes. Five hundred and seventy of the persons on hoard perished. The boats of the ships of the Channel squadron rescued many. I)urine the night the steam launch of TT.M’.S. Tmortalite, while engaged in the work of rescue was smashed and several British sailors were drewnod. The electric lights with which the fleet is equipped enabled scores of the unfortunate emigrants to be rescued during the night. The crew of a Swedish corvette also lying at Gibraltar saved manv lives. Further particulars received from Gibraltar state that a strong current was running at the spot where the warships were lying and swept the illfated Utopia right across the Anson’s bmvs. A fierce gale was raging at the lime and the gallant efforts made bv the British sailors to save the lives of those who were struggling in the water arc said to have been such as have ripely been witnessed before.