LATEST PARTICULARS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 35, 9 August 1895, Page 2

LATEST PARTICULARS.

(Per Press Association.) Sydnky, This Day. Crano says tbe captain, first and second officers, and Captain Fawkes surveyed tho scene from the bridge, over which tbe seas stormed from time to time, and from there directed operations with tbe boats, wbile the men wbo were under tbe direction of tbe third officer worked to get tbe starboard boat out in order to save tbe women, wbile the vessel threatened to go down any minute. It was then seen tbe steamer must go down before mauy seconds elapsed as sbe was settling by tbe stern. A moment later a sea which appeared to tower as high as tbe top of the mast struck the doomed vessel and swept her from stem to to stern. Wben it bad passed Captain Shannon bad disappeared from the bridge, washed away by the sea. A second or two later the Cattprthun rolled over and sank. Crane was drawn down by the sinking ship, but soon came to tbe surface again, and then swam to the boat. Captain Fawkes states that tbe outlook was dirty and the weather squally, and a gale was shrieking through the rigging witb a fury wbich accounted for the tremendous sea running and breaking over the reef and tbe 9teamer. Boat after boat was carried away, and tbe poop and after part of the vessel going steadily down, when a mountainous sea sweptf'the vessel from end to end and carried everything before it. Tbe bridge on which we were standing was smashed up. Captain Shannon, bwo officers, and myself, were thrown ; into the boiling sea. All tbis happened in a few seconds, and he did not learn till after what a terrible effect the sea had. I think this sea carried away i most of the passengers and crew. The < men made desperate efforts to pass the < passengers into the boats. About thig timg tlie port life boat was smashed and carried away by a sea, oue 1 or two of the crew going with it, Nei- 1 ther they or. the boat was seen again. J The sea 4 seemed to rage more furious-' ly as the officers and crew made, heroic .< attempts to launch the boats, and even A had they succeeded in these it is doubt- -( ful if any Of the smaller boats would- 1 have lived. ACalmhess aad good discipy 1

line prevailed amongst nearly all on board. Dr Copeman says when word was transferred to tbe starboard cutter he , went forward and got into it with some others. Several attempts were made to : <^et this cutter into the water, but the ' seas breaking over tho vessel hampered tho work terribly. : Ultimately a giant wave broke on ; board and smashed the cutter to pieces, i , and those who were in it wero all thrown I , into the water excepting myself. I managed to cling to a spar of the davit, and hung there in a desperate condition for some time. The breakers were rolling over the reef with a terrible roar, and the sea made a seething chasm beneath me. How I clung to the spar I do not know. After some time had elapsed I heard a hail , beneath me. I then let go my hold and drooped into tho water with tho good fortune that I sank right in front of the lifeboat. A moment later the Chatterthun disappeared entirely.