The Starving Crew of the Iroquois
A US Navy vessel arrives in Port Townsend after a harrowing, months-long drift across the Pacific, leaving its crew near starvation.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Port Townsend, March 10—The American man-of-war, Iroquois, arrived in port this afternoon. She left Honolulu on the 20th of November for the Samoan islands. On the 23rd of December, she broke down and had to use her sails, but could make no headway and was eventually driven to this port. On the 19th of February, the crew were put on half rations and since the 26th of February, they have been reduced to one-quarter. Lieutenant C.A. Clarke stated that had they met with another southerly, they would all have starved. The crew consists of 176 men and 19 officers, who suffered terribly having no winter underclothing.
“Lieutenant C.A. Clarke stated that had they met with another southerly, they would all have starved.”
The arrival of a starving, unequipped naval crew at Port Townsend serves as a stark reminder of the isolation and dangers of Pacific maritime travel in the late 19th century. Today, Port Townsend remains a critical maritime hub, though safety regulations and communication technology have evolved significantly since the days of 'drifting into port'.
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