THE PORT PATRICK.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 316, 17 January 1902, Page 2

THE PORT PATRICK.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrigh

SIDNEY. Jan. 16. The Port Patrick is a steel vessel of 17-10 tons, valued at from £13,000 tu £l-1,000. When the Champion arrived the Port Patrick was riding safely at anchor, close in between the points of two islands. The only apparent damage was to the rails. Soon after the Champion’s crew look possession, the tug Eagle came up and wanted to put men aboard to assist, but they were warned off and not allowed to’ board. Messrs J. and A. Brown sent a second tug to assist the Champion in towing the vessel.

The Abergeldie arrived with the crew of the Port Patrick. Captain Galloway gives the following account of the abandonment of his vessel on tlie night of the 13th, in the vicinity of Wilson's Promontory :—“ At ten o'clock a sudden gale sprang up and tlie ship broached-to. We reduced sail and took every step to get her under control, but she refused to pay off. The wind and a strong westerly current combined threatened to carry her on to Cleft Island. All sail was taken in and the anchors let go. The wind was blowing in fierce squalls. Tlie Port Patrick began to drag, and the land was close under her stern. The crew came to me and said the ship was in a dangerous position, and they wished to leave her. Both wind and sea had then increased. We received no reply to signals of distress sent up midnight to three o’clock, at which hour tlie crew again came aft and said they were determined to abandon the ship. The captain said tie tried to persuade them not to do so, hut without receiving instructions, and in defiance of his request to stand by as long as tlie ship held together, they launched the boats, which had previously been got in readiness in case of emergency, and put off The captain was left alone aboard, tlie officers having gone with tlie men. After staying some time lie realised that lie could do nothing single-handed and hailed one of the boats and left the ship. Tlie boats stood in tlie direction of Wilson’s Promontory, and were picked up at eight in the morning by the Abergeldie. After picking up the Abergeldie they stood back to the Port Patrick, but found her in such a position that they could render no assistance towards getting her off.

A DIFFERENT STORY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, Jan. 16. The officers’ and crew’s versions of the abandonment of the Port Patrick materially differ from the story told by the captain. The chief officer emphatically denies that he left in contravention of the captain’s orders. So far as he knew the men did not ask the captain to abandon the vessel. Everyone was in the agreement about leaving. No orders were given against leaving. He considered the abandonment justifiable, as it appeared certain the vessel would drift into the breakers. There was a big reef sixty feet from the stern. The sea was very heavy, and the anchors were dragging. If the vessel struck the rooks in such a sea not a man would be saved. Everybody was satisfied that it was a proper thing to leave. It was a miracle how the ship held ground.

THE SCANDAL DEVELOPS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, Jan. 16. The second officer of the Port Patrick says that the captain never made a request to stand by. He got the order from the skipper. The men got into the boats, and they acted on that order. The captain was already in the boat when he got in. He considered the abandonment justified. It was sheer luck that the vessel did not drift on to the rocks.

The crew, in a body, angrily resent the captain’s statement that they asked him to abandon, and took to the boats against orders. “ Nothing was said to the captain from first to last,” said the spokesman, “ about leaving. Not one of us was scared. AVe would have stuck like Britishers till she went down. As for clearing out we did no such thing. We took to the boat on the order of the second officer.” They also deny that the captain was the last to leave. They allege that ho was in the starboard boat before the other was fully manned. Received 1.38 a.m.. Jan. 17. Sydney, Jan. 16. The tug Champion has arrived with the Port Patrick in tow.