THE ELINGAMITE WRECK.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 691, 10 December 1902, Page 3

THE ELINGAMITE WRECK.

.CONELICTINO STATEMENTS

.(Per Press Association), AUCKLAND, last night. At the Elingimite enquiry, Passey, a steerage passenger, stated that the steamer struck on/ the bottom and seemed to slide aloog tlie rock immediately before she struck. Tlie officer on the bridge called to everybody to hold on. After that there was \ a fearful bumping, tlie ship rolling rail half under and the water on the saloon deck. The ship did not go astern after tlie telegraph rang. The land was so Lose they could almost jump ashore. 'l'lie Austrians swarmed No. I boat like bfcfjs ; otherwise the passengers rather assisted titan hampered the crew. Home landed on the Judge of rock through seaweed, hut Uic men struggling in the water were pulled off again He could not say if the rising tide washed any jieopie off the ledge. He saw no lire or boat drill on the slea-

flier. Philip Jones .stated he was .standing forward with the look-out nia.n and saw something like a big hank o t cloud ahead. lie asked the loos-out , man what it was, and- the look-out , man called out, “ Breakers ahead.’ He was pretty sure the bell was not rung. Charles Lennon said that he saw something like a. cloud ahead at the same time as the look-out man. They looked until they could sec plainly what it was, for about minute, and

Ilit'ii Hie look-out man tailed “ UreaIters.” The telegraph rang. The liow touched three minutes later, 'the propeller seemed to stop instantly. Gunther, a saloon passenger, and 'inspector, of the Sugar Company, said that lie was walking on deck, when some one called 11 Look.” lie saw rocs. 1 } and surf ahead. The engines stopped before the vessel touched.

DE BEATTIE'S EVIDENCE.

Per Press Associati in

Auckland, lust night. At the Ellngamito onquiry Dr Boattio said that on tho day of tho disaster ho heard the boll ring violently in tho engineroom. The ship continued to go ahead, although tho engines scorned to stop. It was at least a ruinuto from tho time tho telegraph rang until tho ship struck. There was difficulty and confusion in getting tho boats out, duo almost ontircly to tho interference of passengers. Ho saw five or six dead bodies in the water. No. 4 boat was pretty full. Ho believed the last he saw of her was on tho Sunday afternoon, when lie saw a boat appurontly ahead of them. They suddenly lost sight of them, which suggested a catastrophe.

DE GOLDIE’S EVIDENCE,

Di Goldie Haid ho saw the chief engineer on tho deck when tlie telegraph rang. Thoro was some confusion in getting out tho boats.

Ho was cross examined at some length as to his statement re the chief engineer being on deck when tho telegraph rang. Witness denied being excited.

Mr Haseiden, S AL, said tho Court was of opinion that tho reputation of the chief engineer wus not affected by the doctor’s statement, which Biinply came out as part of his narrative.

MELBOURNE, Dec. It. The Devonport, has arrived from the Thames. She passed a quantity of ■wreckage in the vicinity of the Three Kings on November 17, but saw no sign of boats.