Baltic - Hartlepool - 1898

Hartlepool Northern Dail Mail, Monday, March 28th, 1898:
THE GREAT STORM WRECKS AT WEST HARTLEPOOL. BRAVE EFFORTS OF LIFEBOATMEN. Rocket Brigades at Work. EXCITING RESCUES OF THE CREWS. Although the storm which has been raging on the North - East Coast since Tuesday slightly abated yesterday, it still continued with considerable force. The sea was not running so heavy as on the two preceding days, but still it was very rough.
In the afternoon a schooner was observed in difficulties off West Hartlepool, and after vainly trying to make the harbour for some time she was driven ashore just under the high wall which runs parallel with the N.E.R. goods sidings behind the Old Town. The vessel took the ground about 150 yards from the shore just at five o'clock. It was then seen that she was the Baltic, hailing from Drammen, a Norwegian port. The cause of the stranding was that the vessel got too far to leeward. A tug boat went to her assistance before this and had got two lines on to the boat, and was in the act of getting the hawser on board when the chain of the steering gear broke, and the tug boat had consequently to leave her.
The Stranton lifeboat Foresters' Pride was at once launched, but could make no headway against the wind and sea, and after several attempts had to put back again. The Hartlepool lifeboat was also out. In the meantime the Stranton rocket machine, which was in charge of Mr. D. Collins, was got to work from the high wall opposite the ship, but after the first shot part of the apparatus fell over into the sea.
It was essential that this should be recovered before the work could be proceeded with, and Mr. Jones, a young engineer, residing at 15, Ward Street, who happened to be present, volunteered his services, was lowered over the wall in the breeches buoy, and recovered the article, sustaining no more serious injury than a few bruises. Ultimately a line was thrown over the vessel, and fell across a rope high up in the rigging.
In the meantime thousands of people had collected, and every available site was occupied, including the railway waggons which were crowded with onlookers. As the tide rose volumes of spray broke over the wall and did the men who were working the rocket machine some service by keeping the crowd back, but nevertheless they seemed to be a good deal impeded in their work by people who in their eagerness to get a good view pushed and jostled them at every turn. In fact the behaviour of the crowd was anything but good, although this was no doubt the result of thoughtlessness.
As the line was thrown over the rigging of the ship a considerable time elapsed before the hawser could be fixed, and it was well for the crew that they were not in imminent danger. They had been battling with the storm for the past four days, and consequently were not in the best of trim tor making the most of the opportunities offered to them. The vessel too, had suffered considerably. Her stanchions had been carried away, she had lost her topsail, and she was making water long before she came ashore.
The crew consisted of seven hands, and these were all brought to land in the breeches buoy. Several of them had rather a rough passage along the rope, and were under water for a considerable part of the journey, but all were safely landed. The captain came last, and he seemed almost prostrated. They were taken in charge by Mr. Larson, assistant to the Swedish and Norwegian consul, and accommodation found for them at the Station Temperance Hotel and Mr. Watson's restaurant.
The Baltic, we may state, was bound for Boston, and had had an exceedingly rough passage.

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