Already acknowledged... Tls. 240 $1,002 Canton Christians in Shanghai 20
Tis, 240 1,012
The long-dreaded catastrophe, the possibility of which has haunted all who have had occasion to navigate the northern coasting route for months past, has come at lea A passenger steamer has struck one of the floating mines with which the sea for miles about Port Arthur was sown, and within ten minutes has gone to the bottom. Fifteen lives have been lost, and the survivors themselves have had hairbreadth escapes. The Gisaster has happened 90 miles south of the North-east Promontory, a part of the sen which might reasonably be supposed to be outside the danger zone.
News of the catastrophe was brought to Shanghai yesterday by the C. N. 8. Chinhua, which arrived here with the survivors of the ill-fated vessol—the C.MS. Hsichho, The facts, as far as we have been able to gather them, are tragic in their simplicity. The Hsiehho was on hor ordinary run from Tientsin to Shanghai, and on Saturday at a little after 6.30 a.m, was at a point Lat. 33' 25° N., Long. 122° 37' E. from which the S.E. Promontory Lighthouse bore N. 3° W. 90 miles. The sea was smooth, the air clear. The officer on the bridge was taking an observation by the sun, but there was nothing to attract the attention of those on the look-out. Suddenly, and without warning, a terrific explosion. shook the vessel from stem to stem, shattered the forward part, and sent'a mass of debris all around. Instantly the Hsiehho began to settle by the head, and so rapidly did she make water that it came pouring through the ship's ventilators. Two boats were released from the davits, as they touched water; a third, in which some of the crew had taken places, was capsized in the hurry and confusion. Some of those on board, including the two foreign passengers, took to the water in their pyjamas, and swam until they were picked up by one or other of the two boats which put off successfully. Captain Crawford was the last to leave his ship.
The Hsichho was carrying no cargo, and the water rushing into her empty hold caused her to settle down almost ike lead. She stood completely on her dow, the masts lying horizontally on the The missing engineers were Mr. Mau-chan (second) and Mr. Muir (third) and every sympathy will be felt with their relatives and friends in Shanghai. They are believed to have been in the boat which capsized.
The foreign passengers were Mr. Basae, of the Kiangnan Arsenal, just returning from his audience with the Empress Dowager, and a military officer. Mr. Base was one of those who took to the water and swam until picked up, 'The mine which caused the explosion was apparently completely submerged in the water, having been weighted probably with' that end in view. It struck the Hsichho right under the forehold, and consequently aft of the small collision bulkhead.
The Hsiehho was built for the China Merchants S. N. Company at Grange-mouth in 1900. She was a stea! scrow steamer of 1698 tons gross, 1082 net, was 260 fect long, 40 feet in breadth and' 18-4 in depth,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.