STEAMER COLLISION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1635, 27 December 1905, Page 2

STEAMER COLLISION.

IN AUCKLAND HARBOR,

FIVE LIVE 3 LOST.

STEAMER NEARUV CUT IN TWO.

(Per Press Association.) Auckland, Sunday night. A collision which rosul'oi in thoiossof five lives occurred in tho harbor lost night, when tho coastal steamers Kjpanui and Claymore, both belonging to tho Settlers Steamship Company, ran into ono an Tho Kapanui sank in fivo minutes, being 1 nourly out in two. Evory effort was made to save too passengers, but tho following were drowned: —

Po’or Carter (a boy). Eboy (a boy). F. Claik (carter). John Fletcher (Syrian hawker). Bernard Vipond (laborer).

Just before the collision took place the Kapanui’s red light went out, and m turning tho vessel obsoured her green afterwards the crash came. There was a scene of wild confusion on board the Kapanui, andorios for help were hoard by those on board tho Claymore. Some of tho passengers of tho sinning vessel jumped overboard, and wore rescued. , . , . Tbo only woman on board jumped into the water with her husband, who had placed a life belt around her. He was a good swimmer, and succeeded in supporting bis wife until they were both rescued.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. PASSENGERS DISPLAY REMARK-

ABLE COOLNESS.

A WONDERFUL ESCAPE.

SENBATIONAL HONEYMOON TRIP,

[(Per Press Association.)

Auckland, last nigh l

The steamers Claymore and Kapanui collided jußt inside the North Head on Saturday night. The Kapanui was cut to the water’s edge and sank in five minutoß. Twelve of her passengers were saved by the boats from the Claymore and other vessels. , The following were drowned : b. Clara, 35 years, leaves wife and one child ; Peter Carter, 19 years; James Fletcher, an Assyrian hawker, aged 18; Bernard Vipond, single, 50, bushman, and Hevey, o boy who resided with his stepfather in Auckland. . The only woman aboard the llapaoui was Mrs LarsoD, who with her husband, a blacksmith of Pokeno, wes returning from their honeymoon trip at Wajwera. The couple were in the ladies’ cabin on the deck when the collision occurred. They escaped through the door and gob into one of the steamer’s lifeboats, but Larson, seeing it could not be detached quickly, though the steamer was rapidly sinking, plaeed a lifebelt over his wife’s shoulders aod jumped overboard with her. Mrs Larsou also displayed remarkable coolness. With quiet confidence she hang to her husband while he endeavored to swim away ’ m the sinking ship, fearing that they m. D ht be drawn down in the vortex. They were tossed ahout considerably whon the Kapanui took her final plunge, but kept together till after a lapse of ten minutes. They were picked up by a boat from the steamer Gael. A passenger named Featon, who was sitting in the saloon when the Claymore made the breaoh in tbe Kapinui’a hull close to him, had to make a fight for his life, from which he only just escaped successfully, having actually to clamber through the hole in the Kapanui's hull to reach safety. Fenton wa3 talking to Vipond, one of the victims, when the collision happeoed. The lights went out immediately. There were five men altogether in the saloon, and only three osoaped. Fenton clambered upon a table and saw through the broken hull the Claymore receding, leaving a big gap through whioh the water poured. FeDton wildly scrambled through the splintered wood to tbe main deck, becoming to exhausted that although the water was rapidly rising around him he had to wait for strength. Thon he got upon the awniug deck but the steamer rapidly sinkmg by tho stem left him floating in the water up to the armpits. He was rescued by one of the Gael’s boats. Ho s’ates that Vipoud, one of the drowned, seemed to scramble the same way as himself, but the steamer sank so qoiokly ho was p-obably overwhelmed by the ruth of water. F.etcher, the Assyrian hawker, was, ho says, asleep in the saloon when the collision happened. A stewaid named Hall, who was the first of tbo Kapanuis’ crow to get to the lifeboat, says the ship sank so quickly that the boats got tangled with tho lifelines or falls and could not get away. The crew shouted for knives with whioh to cut the boats away, but none were forthcoming. With six others he got into the lifeboat, whioh was dragged under water when the Kapanui sunk. They found at last that the sinking steamer did not drag tbe lifeboat below the surface, so they stuck to it, anchored to the Kapanui, until rescued by another boat.

OPENINa OF THE INQUEST,

,(Per Press Association.) Auckland, last night At the inquest on Frank Clarke, Dr Lang stated there was a large wouad on the foreheal. The bones of the nose were fractured, Other indications lad to the conclusion that deceased was killed before getting into the water. The ioquesi was adjourned until January 10th.

HEROIC ENGINEER.

HOW CAPTAIN SOUTHGATE WAS

SAVED. (Per Press Association.) Auckland, last n : ght. Frost, the engineer of tho Kapanu ntarviewed, said : “It was a dark night

gloomy, and showery. The steamer was going at a good epeed to reach town in good time, We passed the steamer Gael, What courso the Kapanui steered after

that I don’t quite know. The first I saw of tho Claymore was whoa she suddenly loomed up ahead, big and blurred, heading straight for us. She was so close wo knew she must ram us. In an instant it happened. She hit us a terrible blow abaft tho engines. The Kapanui healed over hard

o starboard. I rushed below to the engine rjotn to cut oil steam. The steamer was sinking beneath U 3. In the hall minute occupied in cutting off steam the water rose to my knees. I grabbed my coat with £ll in tho pocket, putting it on bs I returned to the deck. Just then the steamer gave a violent lurch, and I found myself in the sea with a horsa box rrarly on top of me. Tho steamer had sank by tho stem, the bow shooting out of the | wa'er as she sank. It could cot have be c n more than two minut s after tho impaot that the Kapanui sank. As I went over I wronohed a lifebuoy from its fasten ings. On this I rested. I heard a voice crying for help. Being a Etrong swimmer I struck out for it* owner, who proved to be Captain Soutbgato, and gave him the buoy.” F,oit is retioent in doscibing his rescue of Captain Soutbgat", but the latter says : “if it had not been for the engineer I Bhould not have been saved." Frost heard a voice otying from the darknesp, “ Help, help, I am going.” Shouting “ All right, hold on a minute, ’ Frost Bwam to the rescue and surrendered his lifebuoy. Southgate was so exhausted he had not strength to put his arm through the lifebuoy. Frost had to pull him through. Frort remained by the oaptam until they picked him up limp and almost lifeless. Then he himself accepted assistance. Southgate’s body had beoome livid. Animation was restored with difficulty.