French translation needed - newspaper articles

[JenClark]

Hello Rootschatters,

I have located two French newspaper articles that relate to my ancestor, and would love some help translating them...Google translate just isn't cutting it 

Is anyone able to have a look and let me know what they think?

Any help will be much appreciated 

Jenny

[thetowers]

This is the second one:

A collision

In the Bay of Biscay - shipwreck of "Danube" - five victims

Lorient, 7 May.

The three-masted Danube, of Bordeaux, has been sunk in the Bay of Biscay on 5 May,
at 9 o'clock in the evening, by the english steamship Woodlalds ; five men have disappeared.

According to the captain of the Danube, the collision was caused by Woodlalds, 
en route (?) to Belle-Isle ;  this steamer could not continue its route because of
serious damage forward.

The Danube was an iron-hulled three masted barque of 642 tons, built in 1870.  It was
making its 98th voyage from Bordeaux to Senegal.

[thetowers]

The first one is the same story but more verbose.

The captain of Danube was named Roux and the captain of the other ship was Bowden.

It appears the actual name of the english ship was Woodlands,  and the second newspaper spelled it wrong, twice.  At least they were consistent.

The last sentence of the first story seems to be a completely unrelated item about a local personage falling down the stairs of his cellar.

[JenClark]

Thanks so much thetowers 

My ancestor was unfortunately the captain of the S.S. Woodlands, William Henry Bowden. I am writing a book on him at present, and wanted to include the newspaper articles.

Is it possible to have the "verbose" one translated fully? Sorry to be a pain, but the more information I have the better I think, I love it when they describe things in fine detail, really makes history come alive 

Jenny

[thetowers]

By telegraph from Bordeaux

The three-master Danube, of Bordeaux, owned by the Maurel Bros and commanded
by Captain Roux, which left our port on the 4th instant for Senegal,  with 100 tons of
diverse merchandise and ballast, collided on the night of Sunday and Monday with the
English steamer Woodlands, captain Bowden, in the Bay of Biscay,  which was travelling
from Bilbao to Newport with a cargo of minerals.

The collision must have been very violent, because the Danube, cut in two,
sank several moments later, takong five crewmen down with it.

Captain Roux and 13 men were saved and have arrived here at Palais (Belle-Isle)
yesterday evening on board the Woodlands, which was seriously damaged forward, from
which the news was telegraphed.

The colliding ship, the Woodlands,  is an iron steamer of 1056 tons, belonging to
the firm J.-T. Hutchinson, of Swansea.  The Danube was a three-masted iron barque,
constructed at Bordeaux in 1870, rated 642 tons.  It was making its 98th voyage
from Bordeaux to Senegal.

It must be mentioned that M. Thivrier, deputy for l'Allier, fell so unhappily yesterday
afternoon while descending into the basement of his house, that he has dislocated several ribs.
He is also suffering from internal pains.

[JenClark]

Thank you!!!!! You are a gem 

Going to love adding this to the book!