The Times, 4 January 1890
COLLISIONS AT SEA
---
The White Star mail steamer Britannic, inward bound from New York, landed at
Liverpool yesterday the pilot and five men belonging to the Cornish
brigantine Czarowitz, which was sunk after a collision with the Britannic on
the previous night. The captain of the Czarowitz was drowned, and the
account of the disaster as given by the survivors shows that they had a
terrible experience. The Czarowitz was a brigantine of about 350 tons dead
weight, and was going to Runcorn from Fowey with china clay. On Thursday
evening about half-past 7 she was in the Crosby Channel, and about to enter
the Mersey, when a steamer appeared and a collision occurred. The steamer,
which turned out to be the Britannic, struck the brigantine on the port
quarter and literally went through her, cutting off about 20ft. of the
Czarowitz's stern. The latter sank like a stone. One of the crew went to the
boat and tried to loose it, and this was the only man to whom the captain
spoke. He just remarked that his ship was done for, and in that instant the
vessel foundered. All the crew were in the water, but rose to the surface.
When the vessel struck ground some portion of her masts were above water,
and to this circumstance all the survivors owe their lives. The captain,
whose name was Peter Pengelly, was not afterwards seen. He was a native of
Looe, in Cornwall, and leaves a widow and five children. Two boats were
promptly launched from the Britannic, and in about 15 minutes the
shipwrecked people were taken out of the rigging. The weather at.the time of
the collision was somewhat foggy. The men were received at the Liverpool
Sailors' Rome. The Czarowitz belonged to W. Polkinghorne, of Liskeard.
The crew of the steamship Friendship, of Rye, were landed at Shields
yesterday by the steamer Tanfield. They state that during a fog off
Flamborouch Head their vessel was run into and sunk by the Tanfield. No
lives were lost.
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COLLISIONS AT SEA
---
The White Star mail steamer Britannic, inward bound from New York, landed at
Liverpool yesterday the pilot and five men belonging to the Cornish
brigantine Czarowitz, which was sunk after a collision with the Britannic on
the previous night. The captain of the Czarowitz was drowned, and the
account of the disaster as given by the survivors shows that they had a
terrible experience. The Czarowitz was a brigantine of about 350 tons dead
weight, and was going to Runcorn from Fowey with china clay. On Thursday
evening about half-past 7 she was in the Crosby Channel, and about to enter
the Mersey, when a steamer appeared and a collision occurred. The steamer,
which turned out to be the Britannic, struck the brigantine on the port
quarter and literally went through her, cutting off about 20ft. of the
Czarowitz's stern. The latter sank like a stone. One of the crew went to the
boat and tried to loose it, and this was the only man to whom the captain
spoke. He just remarked that his ship was done for, and in that instant the
vessel foundered. All the crew were in the water, but rose to the surface.
When the vessel struck ground some portion of her masts were above water,
and to this circumstance all the survivors owe their lives. The captain,
whose name was Peter Pengelly, was not afterwards seen. He was a native of
Looe, in Cornwall, and leaves a widow and five children. Two boats were
promptly launched from the Britannic, and in about 15 minutes the
shipwrecked people were taken out of the rigging. The weather at.the time of
the collision was somewhat foggy. The men were received at the Liverpool
Sailors' Rome. The Czarowitz belonged to W. Polkinghorne, of Liskeard.
The crew of the steamship Friendship, of Rye, were landed at Shields
yesterday by the steamer Tanfield. They state that during a fog off
Flamborouch Head their vessel was run into and sunk by the Tanfield. No
lives were lost.
-30-