THE TERRA NOVA

Press, Volume L, Issue 14978, 27 May 1914, Page 10

THE TERRA NOVA

REPORTED LOST OFF NEWFOUNDLAND.

A DOUBTFUL STORY

Early in April the Newfoundland sealing fleet was overwhelmed by an appalling disaster, the steamer Newfoundland being lost off Capo Race in a blizzard, 09 of her crew of 120 mou perishing from cold and exposure. In the same gale, the sealer Southern Cross.went missing with 175 men aboard.

In their accounts of the disaster, the London newspapers state that "The Southern Cross was formerly known as the Terra Nova, a name rendered famous by her association with tho Antarctic Expeditions of Captain K. I<\ Scott and Sir Ernest Sbackletou." It may be mentioned here that tbo Tcri-.i Nova had no connexion with the Antarctic expedition of t»ir Ernest Shackleton, whose ship was the Nimrod.

There appears, however, to be strong grounds for the belief that the Soui.iern Cross was not the famous Terra Nova. In its special account of the disaster, the London "Daily Telegraph" state* that the sealer I'.rik from the Gulf of St. Lawrence with 2! ,th"-«t seals, arrived at St. John's (Newfoundland) on Sunday. April sth. Her master stated that the Erik and the Sont:iern Cioss were together on Thursday, March 26th, when the latter left for home. Tbe Southern Cross had on board 17,000 soak and was so deeply laden that she had to stow-her provisions and part of her bunker coal on deck. The account further states "the sealer Terra Nova, also from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with 26,000 seals, arrived at St. John's, N.F., on Sunday, April sih. Her commander, Williani Bartlett, says he saw .the Southern Cross on Friday week, apparently steaming homeward. He k"r--vs nothing concerning her since, but has litt;< hope for her safely. - '

This statement apoears to prove conclusively- that the Terra Nova, which was sold to the Hudson Bay Sealing Company after her return to England last" year, is pursuing her calling as a sealer under her original name, and J6 safe and sound in St. John's. It is curious, however, that Sir Edward Morris, Premier of Newfoundland, is reported in the same column' of the ''Daily Telesrraph" .as bavin,? stated that the Southern Cross was Shackleton's old shin the Terra Nova. Jt i.« more probable that the Sonthern Cross was the old Nimrod.