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"LA FLANDRE'S" NARROW ESCAPES
The New York Times, July 6, 1890, Sunday

A READY HELM SAVED HER FROM COLLISIONS WITH ICEBERGS.

Tlie oil-tank steamer "La Flandre", which arrived yesterday from Antwerp, had two narrow escapes from ice-bergs off the Banks of Newfoundland. Capt. Minnes reports that when the vessel was approaching the ice belt, June 28, it became foggy, and the engines were slowed down. Next day, when the ship was in latitude 43° 27' and longitude 49° 55', an iceberg was sighted.
Soon afterward the fog became extremely thick, and the vessel felt her way very cautiously. Suddenly the fog lifted and revealed an iceberg directly ahead and within halt a ship's length of the bows. The helm was put hard to star-board, and the ship swung around and barely succeeded in clearing the ice.
Several more icebergs were seen while it remained clear, but these were easily avoided. The Captain was beginning to entertain some hopes that it would remain clear until he could get out of the ice belt, when it again became very thick, short time later the fog again lifted suddenly, and he discovered an iceberg directly ahead and within 200 feet of the ship.
A collision was avoided a second time by putting the helm quickly to starboard. Altogether fifteen icebergs were seen by "La Flandre", the last being in latitude 43° 11', and longituda 50° 24'. The foggy weather lasted forty-eight hours.
Capt. Hatfleld of the ship "Lansing", from Dundee, reports that from June 22 to 24, between latitude 49°, longitude 53°, and latitude 45°, longitude 51° 30', he counted no less than,150 icebergs, some of which were of enormous size.