FURTHER DETAILS OF THE FOUNDERING OF THE AUSTRAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3550, 24 November 1882, Page 4

FURTHER DETAILS OF THE FOUNDERING OF THE AUSTRAL.

Sydney, November 14. Great consternation was caused in tliis city on Saturday by the report that the Austral, the latest addition to the Orient Steam Navigation Company's fine fleet, had sunk in Neutral Bay at 4 o'clock a.m. It soon became evident that the report was too true. The Austrial had discharged her measurement cargo, and was taken to the moorings on the north side of the harbor to take in coals. Her coal was being received on the starboard side, vhile the cargo was being discharged on the port side, a collier lying on one side and a lighter for the cargo on the other side. At present it is not definitely known whether the vessel careened till the portholes were level with the sea on the starboard side ; but it seems improbable that such a list could have occurred without attracting serious attention. One theory is that the valves near the bilge were left open, and the water ran in quietly and noiselessly, and the ship settled down until the portholes on both sides were level with the water, when a short time would suflice to Hood the vessel. It, however, seems agreed that the ports were open, although the vessel had a listconsequent on taking in coal and hardly any cargo, left in her. Be that as it may, the vessel filled with -water and sank in eight fathoms. The crew were nearly all asleep, but hearing cries of alarm about the ship sinking, ran on deck without waiting to clothe themselves, and gained the lighter before the vessel sank. It was a fortunate circumstance that the lighter was alongside, otherwise the loss of life would certainly have been very great, as a dense fog prevailed at the time. The cries of distress were heard by the watch on board the Wolverine, itnd boats went off from that vessel, and also the police boat. The crew of the Austral landed at Circularquay, and were then taken to the Sailors' Home and provided as much as possible •with clothes. It was first thought that no lives had been lost, and people congratulated themselves on the remarkable escape, but when the roll was called several were found missing, including Captain Murdoch, the first officer, the purser, and many others. The captain and first officer turned up on board the Wolverine, and several others in various places, bnt the purser, Mr Perkins, and Mr Alexander, the refrigerating engineer, were still missing. Eventually when the clivers went clown in the evening, they discovered the bodies of the purser, engineer, and three Lascar seamen. The body of the purser was found floating in a sitting position, with the legs crossed. He had evidently been sitting in a chair in the cabin, when the flood came in, and perhaps asleep. Both the purser and the refrigerating engineer were on their first voyage to Australia. The vessel lies with the mast and funnel out of water, the decks 2ft. awash. She is on a sandy bottom. As the Austral is a new boat it is thought there ivill not be any damage to the hull except straining. The only doubt is if the sand is too soft°ancl she sinks so deeply as to become embedded. Divers have been at work daily since tho disaster, ascertaining the amount of damage and searching for bodies, but owing to the intricate arrangement of the interior tho divers have great trouble in finding their way about until a plan is procured from the agents. On Sunday many thousands of persons visited the scene, and a steam launch was employed to keep boats off. Some ex- , perienced men have expressed doubts whether the appliances to be obtained in the colony are suitable to raise her. In any case, the fittings of the interior will he irretrievably ruined, to say nothing of the damage to the costly and intricate machinery. The formal evidence of Captain Murdoch has been adjourned till Tuesday. The cost of raising the vessel will necessarily be enormous, and competent judges say it' will be £50,000 at least. The first operation will be to close up all tho apertures ; then powerful pumps will reduce the water. Morfcand Co., of Sydney, havo arranged to supply iron plates for covering the port holes, hatches, &c., for which the divers have taken measurements. When these arc fixed powerful centrifugal pumps will be applied to pump out the water. The captain of the steam collier Wononga, which was lying alongside the Austral at the time of the accident, states that he was awakened by a loud noise, and heard everything in terrible confusion, and found that tbe Austral was rapidly heeling over

with her ports just under water, and the vessel filling rapidly from the large rush of water through the port holes. A panic ensued on board his craft, and great fears were entertained that the Austral would roll over and crush the collier, and that everybody on board both vessels would be drowned, but by dint, of great efforts the collier managed to keep clear. The whole time occupied in the sinking was not 20 minutes. The operations for raising the ship have been commenced. No further bodies have been found, and the inquest was resumed to-day. Captain Murdoch said there ought to have been 190 hands aboard on Friday night. All the officers slept aboard. At 2 in the morning he looked over the star-board side of the vessel, and she was then perfectly upright. About a quarter to 4 the chief officer called him, and told him the ship was sinking, when he immediately gave the necessary orders to guard against; the loss of life. When lying at Circular-quay the vessel had a list to starboard, and was taken into the stream to be loaded to restore her to an even keel. Tbe captain said he had never heard of a similar accident. There was no other opening by which the water could enter except by the hatches and bunkers. He was unable to account for the disaster.