WRECK OF A CHANNEL STEAMER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1574, 2 June 1887, Page 2

WRECK OF A CHANNEL STEAMER.

THE NEWHAVEN STEAMER WBEOKED OFF DIEPPE.

(From our Paris Correspondent.)

At a quarter to four o'clock a.m. of the 13th April, the steamer Victoria, Captain Clarke, belonging to the Newhaven and Dieppe servico, ran on the Ailly rocks v near Dieppe, on her passage to Nowhaven. There were ninety-five passengerb on board, and the panio which ensued waa indescribable, Several persons jumped overboard, and were oarried away by the tide and drowned. The captain attributes the accident to the fog, and to' the faot that no fog horn was being Bounded, as it usually is. Ha is unable to pive the number of thoso drowned. The men did all they could to allay the panic, and the captain remained on board until after all the passengers had left. Ho has been m the service for twenty-eight years, and never had an accident before. Ho was perfectly mobbed by women, all begging him to save them, his movements being thus much hampered. Capt. Clarke states that the yossel left Newhaven with ninety-live passengers on board. On their nearing the French coast at about 3 a.m. a heavy fog settled down. At four he saw a " dark shado," and ordered the engineers to move astern at full speed. The ship's head was to the north-west. She stopped, ported, wont ahead, and immediately struck, her bows going under. He first heard the fog-horn an hour later. This day's (loth) telegrams say that when the boat capsized the scene was heartrending. There were fearful cries from tbo&o drowning and from those on board. It is reported that four children sleeping m berths m tho foreoabin were drowned. The vessel has become a total wreck, and most of the luggage is lost. Uncertainty still prevails as to the circumstances under which tho passengers (it is said twelve) lost their lives j although Captain White, who had arrived at tho soene of the wreok abjrat five o'clock, attributes the deaths to the paesengers jumping overboard, a belief prevails that some iives were lo'sl by <ho swamping of ouo of the boats which were lowered to save the passengers. The following is the report made by tho captain of the Victoria: — "Dieppe, April 13. Left Newhaven at 11.30 p.m. on 12th ; flood setting; wind east, fresh. AH went well until about 4.15 a.m. Weather thick on land ; had seen no light, nor heard the horn on Gape. All at once I perceived a dark shado, which I thought to be land. Stopped engines, and went full Bpeed astern for the space i three or four minutes; then went ahead on port helm, thinking it was easterly of Dieppe, not hearing horn on Cape. When ship's head was north-west by compass she struok upon the rock and immediately began to fill, settling down by head, still remaining upon the rock. Ordered mate to lower the boats and land passengers. When lowering the port-quarter boat boat level [with the rail passengers made a rush, jumping m as soon as sho was being lowered, m opposition to all the officers could do to prevent thorn, it being tho first boat. When m tho not of lowering a lady's shawl became entangled m the after fall, and after choking tho block, a sea striking the boat at tho time caused the fore tackle to unhook, capsizing the b1 at and throwing all the passengers into tho water, of whom we saved two with a lifeboat. Wo then put as many as prudent into the other lifeboat, and they drifted away to tho leeward of the ship. Landed remainder with the other lifeboat m safety under the Capo. Remained by the ship till the sea was making a olear breaoh over her. I left with the remainder of the Grew and prooeedod to Dieppe, where we arrived about mid-day. I very much regret the loss of life which has occurred, but feel sure that, bad the passengers listened to my entreaties and been amenable to my orders, all would have been saved. Can only attribute tho sad accident to tho fog and the not sounding of the horn at the Cape; — (Signed), " John Clark, master."