Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1875 — The Loss of the Steamer Schiller. [ARTICLE]

The Loss of the Steamer Schiller.

Nuw Yobk, May 8. The Eagle line steamship Schiller, Capt. Thomas, which sailed from New York April 28 for Hamburg, by way of Plymouth and Cherbourg, has been wrecked off the Scilly Isles. The steamer sailed from here with 149 cabin passengers. The Scilly Islands, a group of about 140 islets and rocks, lie off the . southwest coast of England, about thirty miles from Land’s End, and in latitude 50 north, longitude 6 wedt of Greenwich. The larger of the group are St. Mary’s, Tresco, St. Martin’s, Brechar, St. Agnes and Sampson. The aggregate area is 5,770 acres. The islands rise abruptly from a deep sea, in a limited circumference of thirty miles, Mid consist for the most part of solid, uninhabitable granite. In a few places the soil is sufficiently fertile to enable the few people who attempt existence there to raise small crops of rye, oats, barley, etc. The chief means of subsistence, however, are fishing and the manufacture of kelp. The location has always been a dangerous one for shipping, and many horrible wrecks have taken place in the vicinity. A large light-house rests on the little Island St. Agnes, but has often proved an inefficient protection. One of the noted disasters which have been caused by these islands was the sinking of three line-of-battle ships, under Sir Cloudesley Shovel, on the 22d of October, 1707. London, May 9. The following additional particulars of the disaster have been received: A heavy fog prevented observations on board the Schiller since Tuesday. In consequence of the fog the engines were put at half speed and sail reduced at nine o’clock Friday night. At ten o’clock the same night the ship struck the ledge. Great panic prevailed. Capt. Thomas is highly praised for his conduct during the terrible scenes which followed. Two boats were filled with men, who refused to come out. The Captain fired his revolver over heads to drive them out, and then fired at them, but without effect. Afterward the ship was washed with her broadside to the sea, and all on board these boats perished. The tackle at the stern was released too soon, leavr ing the boats suspended by the bows. Three boats then got away. One, a lifeboat, was so badly injured that she sunk, and eleven of the people on board were rescued by other boats. The fog lifted an hour after the steamer struck, and the lights were plainly visible. Two of the boats on the steamer were crushed by the falling of the funnel. Rockets and guns were fired from the steamer until the powder became W»t. The deck, which was crowded with people, was swept away at two a. m. The Captain gathered some of the survivors on the bridge. All were gradually swept away by the flood tide, which took the doctor and Captain last. The rigging which remained above water was crowded with passengers and * crew all night. The mainmast fell ht 7:30 a. m., and, being of iron, sunk with all who had taken refuge on it. The foremast gave way soon afterward. The lifeboats and wreck stuff saved the lives of some who drifted miles away. One man was rescued after being in the water ten hours. Two boats from BL Agnes arrived a short time before the masts fell. They were unable to approach the steamer on account of the shoals, but picked up stragglers in the water. r The passengers say Capt. Thomas left the bridge at three a. m. to assist those on deck, and when he reached the deck was ?wept away by a heavy sea. All concur in saying that he exercised the greatest care, and was not abed for five nightaprevious to the disaster. The sea began to break over the vessel half an hour after she struck, and the tide rose twenty-five feet before daybreak. Only one woman was saved. The survivors who were landed at Tresco escaped in the Schiller’s own boats. A special dispatch from London on the 9th to the New York Herald says the total number of lives lost is 811. Of these over 100 are women. The special says: “ The survivors were taken to-day from Penzance to Plymouth, whence they will be sent forward to Hamburg, where there is the greatest excitement. It is asserted that life-saving belts were issued to the women. It is certain that most of the passengers found none. An

order was given that the first boat should take the women and chiMnen. This boat capsized. Paleman says seven boats were launched and only two livgd. The others were staved and swamped immediately. The cries for help lasted until three o’clock. The last voice heard was that of a little child in the cabin. It is not probable that the boats could have lived even if they had been successfully filled. The whole number saved is for-ty-four. Thirty bodies have been recovered.”