BARQUE BURNED AT SEA

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16262, 12 July 1918, Page 6

BARQUE BURNED AT SEA

ESCAPE OF THE CREW

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMO

AUCKLAND, July 11

The Cardiff-owned barque Inverness, bound from Durban to Iquique with a cargo of coal, was burned at sea in the South Pacific, on April 27th. The crew numbering 24, reached Auckland this morning l'rom Papeete, having made an adventurous voyage of 660 miles in open boats to Rapa Island, the nearest land.

It is understood that the fire was due to spontaneous combustion in the cargo. The crew were unable to check its progress, and when it bccame apparent that the ship was doomed, all stores possible were put into two boats, and the whole crew embarked in them. The boats set Sail northwards for Rapa. Fortunately. tho weather was moderate, with favourable winds, and both boats reachod land; one in nine drjs, and the other in ten days. Captain Hughes and tho first mate (Totman) commanded the boats. The boats Were fairly well provisioned, and tho men's chief anxiety appears to have been for their supply of water, which they carefully husbanded. On making land they still had a supply in tho tanks, but all had suffered a good deal from thirst, th? lips of some becoming cracked and brown in colour.

At Rapa the only white man was the French administrator, who at onco did everything iji his power to supply the needs of the castaways. The natives, the crew say, wero kindness itself. In about six weeks an. auxiliary schooner, which had temporarily replaced a steamer, called at the island, and the crew left in her for Papeete. At Papeete the crew were cared for by the British Consul, who got passages for them on the Flcra, which was leaving for Auckland almost at onco.

The Inverness was a fine steel barque, of 1959 tons register, and was built on tho Clyde in 1902. For a sailing ship she was quite a new vessel. Up to last year she was registered at Aberdeen. 1