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25 November 1908 — San Antonio Palace, Malta | |
Wednesday. 25th [November 1908]. We went to town by motor in the morning to go again into the Ball room question. It was very cold & I chilly. Sir John Meriweather met the Dss there & Mr Ranpell was there & I had some talk with him. It appears he is of Huguenot descent– His family 1st went to U.S. to Charlestown & then came later to England. I invited him to come & see me at Venice. While at the Palace there came news of a horrible disaster which had just taken place– An Ellerman steamer while going out of harbour with a lot of Arabs bound for Mecca had caught fire, there had been explosions of benzine and a great loss of life– The ship being outside the harbour was at the mercy of the waves & tide—her fireman being killed there was no one to stop the engines, the steering machines became useless—the boats sent to the rescue could not approach her. Many who threw themselves into the sea were killed by being dashed against the rocks—others were caught in the screw of the ship. It is said some 100 were lost. Many people saw the whole thing from their windows & all are horror stricken. Most of the victims are poor Arabs. I did not go out after lunch being rather feverish. Mrs Savory a pretty little American wife of a naval officer came to tea. We were all going to the Opera in the eveng to join the Duke who went to dine in town with his regiment– At the last moment the Duchess & I gave up going neither of us feeling well & only Myles & Miss Pelly went. After sitting with the Dss for abt an hour in her room we went off to our beds. | |
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