LOSS OF THE TUG ADVANCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 January 1909, Page 10

LOSS OF THE TUG ADVANCE.

v :. The, " Sydney, Commercial,i ; l^©ws.f , : ,,.o£:. December 29 saysSrf-'.' A'"telegram' Tfroni";Newcastle states that : the well-known . tug; Advance,'one of Messrs.' J. Fenwiok and' Sons fleet,, has' been' lost.' It- seems that. shortly after 6'; p.nv.' last. the -four-masted, barque Iverna",'>inwar(l."| bounr 'fromT:-.Mel-bourne,; arrived off'the 'port,'and signalled for tug-boat assistance. ■ The Advance wa's dispatchbd, and by some means unknown came into collision with the barque. -Both vessels then Sheared off, the barque' righting herself^while'ithe .tug capsized,; and subse-. q'ueiytly .foundered. ■"'' Gaptairi'Fagen,' of. the oh'ce had boats lowered! and al"thdugh"anr exhaustive search' wa? conducted, hone: of .the \ crew were picked up. . The. folr lowing, morning,. however, the mate: of. the ; tug reached thV shore on j'some wreckage, 'and-.as';.far.'as.kno\vh ; 'at present-is-thejjonly survivor; ■\Thtf-IvdniaV>was';.tpw«sd intd.-.pqrt early !<in --SaturdayV ■ bjc the tug Com? ■lnodore,' ahdv;a^hasty! examination; repealed that;; she] .had? : .sustained,vsome, damage through. the■ collision.v.-Captain-' Fagen ;made a statement,to the effect that when'the,-Ad-vance, approached :bis vessel hei could see the .collisionV was; unavoidable, and that-he,"only l-'felt'a':'slight impact A when the vessels'mat; ahd.ihe next thing ho saw was-thetug oh her.side coming along, bur; lee' how. 'After the : ,' collision;:; the: tug heeled'- ■ oyer '■ and; - Her ■boiler exploded.,;; As-;.the boat .'sank, the'icaptain'of'tne Advance^grabbed a grating.'i-We were then travelling at, a speed of about 11J knot's, with .th'e,: southerly gale: behind' usi Captain- .Mackenzie... of the Advance,v : was well known locally.' ;',:'.., i':,-.; ; ,,-:.::■..'•.■;■