A TERRIBLE DISASTER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1573, 1 June 1887, Page 3

A TERRIBLE DISASTER

Tho details of the disastrous collision off tho Tungo, a lightship, between tho PeniGsular and Oriental Company's steamfihip Nepaul and tho ChineßO troopship Wan Nien Chinpr, which reeultod m tho foundering of tho latter ond tho loss of over 100 lives aro terrible Tho two vessels camo together dining a dense fog and whilst a high sea was running. Tho Nepaul's engines woro immediately reversed, but before she could. gather stornway crashed into the "Chiuntnan amidships, cutting throu h to her ongino- ' room. Whilst tne ,-vessola wero looked, tho Europeans ecramb ed over the bowa of the Nej uul, biit tho Chinese, m their wild pnnio, cluftorfld by.hundreds on the. deck of their doomed shtp, Tho scenes. wore of the most appalling description. Tho Nepaul's boats were lowered with all dispatch, but had grout difliculty m getting alongside the Wan Nion Ching, by reason of tho mountainous waves. The Chinaman's boats wero lowered with numbers of the men,, but cips zad through overcrowding, and aftor this neither their own officers nor the Nepaul'a could persuade the remainder, without the greatest difficulty, to reßoue them wives by juntipiug, there were more than threo hundred of thorn huddled ou. the airlcon deok of the fast slaking vessel, and the Englishmen boarding it were obliged to push ihem or throw them into their bouts" 'Thla work lasted for half an hour; by whloh time soma 200 of them had been saved. Then it became ntceaßary to sheer off, ml resoue those who were being Bwept to and fro by the w. vos. In 40 minutes from the coUision tho Wan Nien Ohlng naß being washed from otena to stem, end hrr riggings were swarmed with Ohlnamon shouting wild appeals for' help. Thu Nepanl's boats meanwhile kept at tholr work, but the experience was terrible. The poor wretohes who wore being tossed by the wftvea uttered the m-st affectJDg crioa as they were borne away m the darkness. Numbers wore Raved who wero found floating on pieces of wreokago, so benumbed with cold as to be porfoctly holploss, and many of them dying as thoy reached the deck of tho Nepaul. Thore boing but four fathoms of water, tno tops of the Chinaman's masts woro still showing as aho finally sank, aoveral men being carried with her as she went down. More than 100 lives were lost. Tho • survivors wero troatod with great kindness on board the Nopau.l. The rescuing partiea behaved with great heroism, one of the . boats being commanded by^ the fourth officer oE the Nepaul, who loft a siok bed foi the purpose. The Nepaul sustained very lutle damage, and stood by the Wan Nien Clung for several hours after the disaster.