Maritime Disasters

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 137, 12 May 1891, Page 3

Maritime Disasters

(I'RR UNITED PItKSS- ASSOCIATION.) — •:■'; .- . _ .; MEtßotißvi:. VI ay O The ship Joseph SeauinieU, from New York, totally wrecked near Cape Qtway, Svas valued at ;£IO,OOO end her cargo ' iftiO,OOO. The boats in .winch the crew ■ saved their lives were lowered with great .'•■-. "difficulty." ..•; V . ; . , The four masted ship Craigbum came ashore during the night. Fourteen of the crew left the ship in one bodt. and stood out -to sea. Fifteen in another boat - -•. attempted to land on 'he beach,' but the boat capsized four tiroes and five of the occupaiiDs were drowned. V •'.■■"■' Tile captains of. the .tugs which were •■ 'sent i -from Melbourne to render assistance v immediately the casualty was reported, ; ■•« ih'ade several efforts to tow the ship dear •'■ ■■•'/■■ of the breakers, but. the captiin firmly ; ■ declined to accept the proffered help. :. vr The pilot who was on board the Craigblim strongly protested against, the action 'of the ' captaiu, and despite his refusal °ave'_ orders for the tugs to take the vessel in tow, at the" same time locking the captaiu up in his cabin. " ' ' The tugs' made fast to the ship, but here anpther difficulty presented itself, as the -carpenter of- the' vesseli' who side;! ■— ; With the captain,; declined to supply steam to the. winches, with- which to noist the anchors. A few minutes Infer tlie tugs being unaware, that the anchors: we; e not ■up, went, ahead, but: carried, every tuing; > -away. . The .pilot then left, the ship, and >th"e captain -again took .possession. •; .•:•*■>: -Tije ;CraigbuYn soon began to. blimp : preipa l ra.ti6ns ■ to- lea ve lieiv The^esiptain declined to go ■ashore : ':witli the men, and most of the crew took io the boats, r those remaining > - on the ship .being; the. captain, chief mate, carpenter and one seaman; - There were . - :fltil];three bouts on board. ;' i; :.. The first: boat with> fourteen of the crew, which stood to sea in charge of the • - s gi]qi;, arrived at Queenscliff in. safety. 'J: -^" : '■' /;: ; : May 10. Those of the crew of the ship Craigo burn who r were ' drowned 'by the capsizing of the boat in attempting to reach the beacK are Blackburn, Whitefield, Johnson, • McXearsoh, and McFarlane. ' Many ofthe survivors were severely injured Thie Socket Br gade fired a line across the ! ill- fate J. vessel, for the purpose of rescuing the captain, mate, carpenter, and a sailor who had refused to leave the ship when the; others left. The carpenter was the first who essayed the waves,; arid though he was completely covered, by the ■waves twice he was landed safely. The captain fqllowed, arid after a hard struggle reached the shore in uu unconscious state. The mate ■declined to make the attempt. And McKerizie, the sailor,; remained on board with hiiii; Eventually the vessel began to break up rapidly, and when only : two of the 'four masts were left standing, the mate and McKenzie agreed to risk getting ashore by means of the .Rocket Brigade line; The latter was landed safely, but the mate was drowned. ■ ■ May 11. The pilot complained bitterly of the - inactivity of the auchorities. Every soul could have been saved had the lifeboat "been sent out;; :' ' ■ '.'/'■''■ • ( Gaptaiil, Wilson, of the tug^ said' that j had the anchor been slipped i hie could i }mve got the ship away in ten minutes, He considers the ship and six lives have j fceen sacrin'ced vvithout necessity. The name of the chief officer,, of the <Ctrtiigburn vvho was drowned is Ure. ( It "is reported that McKenzie, the sailor who acted so vaJianfcly in his en<deavours to save him, is in a dangerous •condition..' -