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N0KFQ > TODAY 27.09.14 16:02l 46 Lines 1951 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 36829_N0KFQ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Sep 27
Path: IW8PGT<IZ3LSV<I0OJJ<N6RME<N0KFQ
Sent: 140927/1500Z 36829@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQK1.4.60
Sep 27, 1854:
Ships collide off Newfoundland
Sudden and heavy fog causes two ships to collide, killing 322
people off the coast of Newfoundland on this day in 1854.
The Arctic was a luxury ship, built in 1850 to carry passengers
across the Atlantic Ocean. It had a wooden hull and could reach
speeds of up to 13 knots per hour, an impressive clip at that
point in history. On September 20, the Arctic left Liverpool,
England, for North America. Seven days later, just off of the
Newfoundland coast, it came into a heavy fog. Unfortunately, the
ship's captain, James Luce, did not take the usual safety
measures for dealing with fog_he did not slow the Arctic, he did
not sound the ship's horn and he did not add extra watchmen.
At 12:15, the Arctic slammed into the steamer Vesta, an
iron-hulled ship piloted by Captain Alphonse Puchesne. Since it
was the Arctic that hit the Vesta, the crew of the Arctic
initially directed their energy at helping the Vesta. They had
not realized that the iron hull of the Vesta had actually done
much more damage to the Arctic than vice versa.
Soon, the Arctic released lifeboats, but many capsized in the
choppy waters. As the crew of the Arctic discovered that their
ship was seriously damaged, Captain Luce decided to try to beach
the ship. In doing so, he ran over several of the lifeboats,
causing even more people to drown. The Arctic was too far from
shore for the attempt to be successful and the action only
increased the rate of flooding inside the ship.
General panic then ensued. Desperate Arctic crew members took
lifeboats from women and children attempting to escape. When one
of the ship's high-ranking officers tried to stop this, the crew
killed him. The final 70 people left on board crowded onto a
makeshift raft as the Arctic sank. Reportedly only one member of
this group survived.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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