SHIPPING CASUALTIES.

Gisborne Times, 18 October 1906, Page 2

SHIPPING CASUALTIES.

FATE OF DREDGERS,

PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT Capetown, October 16. Tbe dredge Ostopua sprang a leak. The Btokeboles were flooded. A carrier pigeon carried ashore news of tho danger of the vessel founderiog. Two boats that were launched were swamped. Captain Ogilvie’s wife, with two children in her arms, wiib her husband olasping his wtfe’d waist, was swept overboard. A wave tore the wife from her husband’s grasp and she aud tbe ohildren were drowned before his eyre. The orew were rescued.

Petennaritzlourg, Oct. 16 Durban reports tuas grave aox'esy is felt ai the nsu-repariir.g of another dredger for Geelong, which left Durban on August 13th.

Melbourne, Oo;

Too dredge Ooiopus, which foundtrad off the Afrioan coast, was witn tee dredge Walrus, purooas6d by the G'elong Harbor Board from the Natal Govermumt for £BOOO eaeb. An additional £2OCO was spent in fitting tbe Octopus for tbe voyage to Australia. Grave fears are entertained for the Walrus, now three weeks overdue.

THE PORT STEPHENS. PRESS ASSOCIATION Dunedin, last night. A nautical enquiry into the abandonment of the Port Stephens commenced this morning before Mr Graham, S.M,, assisted by Captains Gordon, Moffatt, and A. Morrison. Mr Fraser represents the Crown. The evidence at the enquiry shows that the Fort Stephens was only provisioned for two weeks. She had no shaft couplers of any kind on board. The captain was the last man to leave the ship. He left tbe vessel watertight. The oaptain of the Ravensoourt, the rescuing vessel, and Captain Jolly provisionally agreed that tbe Ravenscourt should take the biggest proportion of the orew and land them in New Zealand, and that the others should remain standing by the ship, but when Oaptain Jolly mustered hands on returning to the Port Stephens and pul the faols before them, pointing out the perilous position, all bat the ohief engineer and oarpenter walked aoross the deck as signifying their wish to leave.