An item reported that in France people were concerned about the delayed transport Vienne which left Rochefort on 10 December 1903 towards Toulon. Torpedo boats were send out searching for her id she had perhaps engine problems. The last weeks was the area harassed by heavy storms. Her crew numbered 50 men.
The edition dated 5 January reported that the sea prefect of Toulon received several telegrams that’s the La Vienné was sighted on a distance of about 120 miles from Gibraltar with a very low steam due to engine problems. She refused the support of the Swedish steamship Romsdal. The Carthagêne and other ships were send to support her.
The edition dated 11 January 1904 published an item reporting that since the Swedish steamship sighted her was nothing more hear of her. The 12th was reported that the spouse of the commanding officer Barbier was in a really worse condition lacking news of her missing husband. The15th was reported that still nothing was heard of the Vienne or of the Galilié which left Gibraltar a week earlier searching for her. The 16th was reported that it was almost certain that she was lost with all 49 crewmembers on board. Some believed that that the large quantity of explosives on board perhaps caused a disaster. Four days later was reported that according to rumours at Brest she was sighted near Ireland in a bad condition and without a crew on board which seemed to have left the ships with the boats. The department of navy denied this news in contrary to the newspapers of Brest. A tug left Rochefort seeking for her off the Spanish and French coasts. An officer of the sea prefect at Brest stated that she had just for 14 days victuals on board so if she was not sunk her crew must be starved of hungry. The 23rd was reported that a tiding of her stranding at Las Palmas was not correct.
The edition of 17 February reported that near La Rochelle on the beach a bottle was found with within a undated small note signed by Barbier that she was 150 miles west of the bridge of Rochebonne in a storm. At Lorient was a chest of the ship found. Seven days later reported the newspaper that the Tuesday before a French fishery lugger arrived at la Rochelle bringing with her a small bottle with a pencil written note that she was wrecked on the rocks near Oleron.
