SYDNEY CALAMITY

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 January 1909, Page 7

SYDNEY CALAMITY

FATAL COLLISION. FIFTEEN BLUEJACKETS DROWNED STEAMER BINKS PINNAOE. (Nt TELEonApa—pnrss association—eorrttioMr.) .- Sydney, January 6. The wooden screw steamer Dunmore, 277 tons, collided with a pinnace containing seventy bluejackets off Garden Island., : Fifteen of the bluejackets wero-drowned. TERRIBLE SCENE. PROPELLER PROBABLY' KILLED ~.. ........... MANY. . „ (Reo. ;January 5, 5.3 p.m.) Sydney, January 5. - The Duntnore was moving from the north side ofthe harbour to load at Woolloomooloo. At the time of 1 the collision. a slight haze overhung tho \yater. Tho disaster was witnessed by bluejackets on tho neighbouring warships and on Gfortlen Island: Thoro was a terrible scene a» ■lie drowning-men straggled arid shouted for help. : ~ " >It.'is feared ."that a number, of the bluejackets, were injured by the steamer's pro- . poller. • Divtrs froar Garden Island quickly, got to ; work, located tho sunken boat, and recovered tho bodies of Evans, Hornsby, Bristowe, .Outten, Donn, Cunningham, and Gregory. A great crowd gathered in the Domain watching tho operations. ■ LADEN WITH ARMS. , NAMES OF THE MEN DROWNED. (Rec. January 5, 3.6 p.m.) Sydney, January 5, Further details show that a longboat, with eighty bluejackets, fully armed for nflo prao tice at the Randwick ranges, left the Naval Dopot at Garden Island this morning, in tow of a small launch. ■When the boat got within 200 yards of Lady Macquarie's Chair the Dunmore came along, and struck tho longboat ,on the starboard side, cutting her severely, and injuring a-number of the inmates. - ... . .... i AH were thrown into tho water; The ma* jority were able to keep afloat while the launch picked them up. ■ A boat-from the Dunmore also went to their assistance. Tho -collision..was also; noticcd from tho warships,and soon a boats was .on- tho Scene, rendering assistance. . . ! After rescuing all those afloat, it wag dis* - covered that fifteen men were- still, missing. ■ Laden" with and heavy., cartridge belts,they had evidently been unable to recover thomsclves.whfcn thrown Into the.water,.and ■ sank before-help reached them. Others ware injurot[ I 'by:iho:Jnipaj3ls /.<. The names "of the 'missing" men* areGpr» ling, Balcombe, Barrett, Evans, Btrolita, Hornsby,; Hill, Marsh, Bristowe, and Outten. (seamen),' and 'Donn, Cunningham, HumbprBtone, Searle,-and; Gregory, (stokers). I ill n<:'' • •-'v 1 - ■ • " 'nj{ i j .AN ALTERED COURSE. , ! STEAMER PASSES THROUGH -THE! MASS OF MEN. < , .?■ . j.-(Reo. January ■■},•■ 9.25.p.m.) ... * Sydney, January 5. ■ ■ Jtiat' what- caused the-disaster : has -not been' roveaicd. The naval authorities are ret-ioent .until the inquiry ;ib heldj while tho Dunnjore,. proceeded to- sea shortly after the accident. ■ ■ ; • ■ Tho sea was smooth • and the day .was . clear,: although. there js . said to- havo beon a hazo at the time. '' ' . =, ' "From 'those* who "were aboard the Dunmore it-is- gathered that tho. captain gave one blast of tho whistle when ho saw tho boats .{o indicate the course ho was steering. He < that the pinnace would pass • Under;, tho stern of the Dunmoro, hut suddenly tho towing, launch altered its course ! and camo-across .his bows.... Cpod,'Swimmers, Drowned. •; Tho pinnaco. Was completely ■ turned over by the impact.- Those-who-wore! crowded in ' tho'centre 'of 'her were apparently stunned arid unable to help - ---All -.were heavily clothed-- and weighted with -ammunj- ; |ion" and; accoutrements. . ' inffi to H.M.S. . Encounter, which'was lying''alongside Garden Island. The victims iaro.-all Englishnicn,' and all are unmarried, excopt ; Gregorys who .-leaver's, wifo.and.daughter in Liverpool; :-, ■ : ! It- is_ clear, that, many of .those lofct be» . iame entahgled.'iii'tlie gedr'fn~ : the hoat as ; she overturned.- One was found* in held fast by. tho hand, i Another had- the calf of his leg-torn as if'by the propeller. Many of tho men drowned were good- 'swimmers, and they must have by . tho impact. .' .. ; By 5 o'clock all tho bodies had been recovered with tho exception of that of Marsh. As each body- was found it was wrapped in 1 the-Union. Jack and conveyed'aboard.-.the Encounter. ■ Tho appalling nature of tho disaster'caused alargo assembly .df people on the sloping ground of the Domain overlooking the:soeno. a*.;> : => .-■• \ A Struggle for Life. : 1 Eye-witnosses desonbo the . sceno as thrilling. 'The men were struggling in tho water in a * mass, •' olutching wildly ~at floating - oars or anything likely to keop them afloat, Fortunately plenty of assistance was at. hand, and that prevented? an .even greater loss of life. Fourteen men were actually" drowned outright. Tho fifteenth, Gregory, was picked up in a bad way, and subsequently died. Tho survivor* .state that when they saw -that the situation:.:;was dangerous they shouted . to■.tho. towing launch to .cut, the • painter, but there wnß not time : to do so, the Dunmoro passing over tho bunt 'and through tho floundering men. The disaster is.about tho worst on record in Sydney harbour, and has .created a profound sensation. - - -•' - ; ' .r: LATER DETAILS. ' THE VICTIMS .ALL YOONG MEN. . . <" -(Reo. January 5, 11.5 p;m.). - Sydney, January 5. | An officer-of the Encounter states ihat it appeared as if tho boat wds stiddonly folded togother : by tho force of tho collision j then the sides went back again to their placfls.' T " l '" A Rembrsaiosg" Squeezo, Ho thoaglit.it possible that the mon in iKo centre of the" boat" v we/e squeezed in' J sucli a

way that they sank at onco. There was a hole in the boat throe feet in width' and three feet in depth. All those' drowned wore aged between J9 and 21 years. . .. Another eye-witness states that the boat seemed to bo "sucked under'the, steamer, which passed right'over'it., Ho men throw up their hands and sink, before assistance could reach them. The towing launch, though crowded with marines, did excellent Tescuo work.'

Upturned Boat Sinks With Human Freight. ' Many men reached the upturned boat and clung to her, and also helped others on to the bottom, but the weight was too much,' and she sank under them. The respite thus, gained, however, was valuable, as it enabled the rescue boats to roach them. ' It is now stated that the men were'not > carrying.their ammunition, which was stowed in boxes at the bottom of the boat. The funerals will tako place to-morrow. (Rec. January 6, 1.15 a.m.) Sydney, December 5. , Marsh's body has been recovered.

Garden Island partially closes the entrance to Woollooraooloo Bay. The island is hold by the Imperial Government as a storo for naval supplies. A conspicuous object is the immonre. "sheerlegs" crane, indicating the position of the works where tho .vessels of the Navy lie up for repairs and refitting. On entering Sydney harbour Woolloomooloo Bay is the first portion 6een'of the commercial port'proper, for here' a largo number of vessels _ and steamers go alongside to discharge and ship cargo.