BARQUE ABANDONED.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1976, 5 February 1914, Page 5

BARQUE ABANDONED.

COAL CARGO CATCHESMME;■ ,-\ •■ ~~~~~~ CREW PICKED UP BY PASSING VESSEL. By Telejrepli-Prfijß Ajsoctation-OopyrkW ■ , Sydney, February 4. The American mail steamer brought details of tho burning at sea of tho British barque Battlo Abbey, which was bound from Newcastle to Vancouver, coal ladeii. , s '' ■ Tho barque Eilbek landed, the captain and his wife and'two.young daughters, also sixteen officers and' crew or the Battlo Abbey, at Oregon. Tho Battle Abbey left Newcastle on October 18, 1913,' and when three weeks out a fire was discovered amongst , tho coal-holds, and spread rapidly. . After three 'day's'fighting, when an explosion was. apparently imminent, it was decided to abandon tho' vessel. Tho weather was rough, and the first two boats wore smashed when being launched. However, all aboard got away safely in the third and last boat. From the 'Wednesday morning to the Friday evening tho boat tossed about in a. stormy sea. Thoso aboard were drenched, but there was plenty of food and water, Tho bdat then sighted the Eilbek, and the ocoupants wore taljen aboard. '.'■'• ■ , " The captain declared that the "Battle Abbey would surely have been blown up. She wa.s smoking fore and , aft;, and gas was generating fast, when was abandoned. .'