The Wreck of the Northfleet.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 175, 18 March 1873, Page 6

The Wreck of the Northfleet.

The Americans are so used to what they term “big accidents,” that the loss of the i Northfleet and the drowning of 321 persons occasioned them merely a passing thought. None of the papers to hand contain anything beyond a brief telegram concerning this appalling marine disaster ; but by putting the various cablegrams together we are enabled to glean the following additional particulars ; —The Northfleet had 412 passengers, exclusive of her crew ; and the collision took place two miles off Dungeness. Only 85 persons were saved. No attention was paid by the steamship to the emigrant vessel after the collision, and she proceeded on her course, leaving the sufferers to their fate. When I the collision occurred between the emigrant ship Northfleet and an unknown steamer, the passengers of the former vessel became panicstricken and rushed from their berths to every portion of the ship where they thought they might be safe, and utterly refused to j obey the orders of the captain. That officer j at last had to resort to force, and was compelled to fire upon the horror stricken people, and one of them was wounded. It is believed that if the passengers had obeyed, the oi’ders of the captain, more of them would have been saved. The Northfleet was lying at anchor at the time of the collision. Three hundred and twenty-one persons were drowned, including the captain of the ill-fated vessel. Details of the collision were published in London on January 24, the day after it happened, and on the 25th the Queen sent a subscription of £2OO in aid of the survivors. •—Dunedin Eveninj Star.