DISASTER IN CHINA SEA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1881, 15 October 1913, Page 3

DISASTER IN CHINA SEA.

BOAT'S CREW MISSING. News reached Sydney last week of a disaster in the China Sea, involving, it is feared, the loss of a boat containing six men, of the North German Lloyd liner Kcongwai. Tho vessel was towed into Singapore with her tail shaft broken, and the captain told a remarkable story. When eighty miles from Capo Padaran the Kcongwai, a steamer of 1115 tons, broke down, with 900 coolies on board. She commenced to drift immediately, and, fully alive to what might result, Captain Petersen dispatched the second officer, second engineer, and four sailors iu one of the life-boats for assistance. Instruction were given to tho officer to mako Cape Padaran, where lie would find telgeraphic facilities. The boat put off in a heavy sea, and finally disappeared l in tho direction of .the land. In the meantime tho wind increased, and all night the Kcongwai drifted in the trough of a very heavy sea. On the following day her signals of distress were observed by the Warrack lino steamer Atholl, but in attempting to take the German .liner in tow tho Atholl got a wire hawser round her propeller, and she, too, became disabled. Both vessels were now drifting like lame ducks, and gradually, as tho day wore on, tho captains wero faced with another danger, for slowly, but surely thoy found they wero drifting together. It was only by means of some sails that were hoisted that tho Iveongwai avoided what might have been a fatal bump from the Atholl, a vessel of some 3000 odd tons. All night they drifted, until again with morning came assistance from the south. The Tjiliwong, on the Java-Japan run, had seen the signals, and sho, in turn, came up with her hawser ready. She was about to make fast when the captain of the Kcongwai sighted tho N.D.L. steamer Rajaburi to the northward. He slipped tho heaving line, and so avoided a "tow," preferring to wait for assistance from his company's boat. The Tjiliwang transferred her attention to the Atholl, and the two proceeded off on what was believed to be a course for Saigon. Tho Kcongwai was taken in tow and arrived in Singapore five days overdue. No news had been received of tho missing boat up to last advices.