TERRIBLE COLLISION AT SEA.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1697, 29 July 1879, Page 4

TERRIBLE COLLISION AT SEA.

A telegram from Lloyd's agent at Calcutta, dated Mayi26th, states that the Ava, British India Steam Navigation Company's steamer, from Calcutta for Madras, Colombo, and London, and the Brenhilda, inward bound from Algoa Bay for Calcutta, have beon in collision leventy miles from the Sandheads. The Ava sank ; sixty-six of the crow and four passengers were drowned. The Brenhilda put into Calcutta damaged. The Ava was an iron threo-mueted screw, constructed with five bulkheads; groes tonnage, 2600; Glasgow built, and classed 100 Al. The Brenhilda is an iron ship of nearly 1400 gross tons, classed 100 A 1, built; at Glasgow, and owned in Greenock. The following further details have been received :—" Ava sunk seventy miles from tho Sandheads fifteen minutes after collision with the ship Brenhilda. Second officer's watch. Captain, doctor, clerk, second steward, and fourth engineer loßt ; also Simpson (first class), Goodsir and Heather (second class passengers), and sixty natives." The " Standard" Livorpool correspondent states that a telegram was received there yesterday from Calcutta, announcing the arrival at that port of the British steamer Brenhilda, in a damaged condition. When ■sventy miles off the Sandheads the Brenhilda and the steamer Ava came into collision. Tho latter sank in a very short time, and aix}y of her crow and four of her passengers were drowned. The Ava belonged to the British Steam Navigation Company of Glasgow. The Glasgow correspondent of the same journal states that the Ava was an iron screw steamer of 2600 tons gross, and was built at Dumbarton in 1873 ; Bhe was upwards of 350 feet long, and had engines cf 316 horsepower. The Ava -was well known in the Calcutta trade j she wa3 a regular packet between London and that port, and was the property of the British India Steam Navigation Company (Limited.) The Brenhilda was a Glasgow built ship, and well known in the Clydo. She is a vessel of 1321 tons, and was launched in 1874. She left Gravesend for Algoa Bay in December last, and having discharged her cargo was freighted to proceed to Calcutta, and left on her voyage on tho 31st of March. She is registered as the propa'ty of Mr John Hendry, Greenock. According to the latest particulars which have reached London, it would appear that the Ava, which was then in charge of the second officer, was trying to cross the Brenhilda's bows, aad was struck amidships and almost cut in two. There was a heavy swell at the time and no moon, but the night was clear and fine. The Ava carried five boat?, one of which was unfortunately destroyed in the collision, and another stove in while being launched. The remaining three were got into the water, and nearly all tho passengers and officers got off in them to the Brenhilda, which had immediately hove to, but had drifted such a distance that it took two hours to reach her. Captain Dickenson, commander of the Ava, refused to leave his ship, and was last seen on the bridge just before she sank. !Pifty-three persons wore saved in tho boats and seventy lost, including the captain, the surgeon, the purser, and the fourth engineer, one first-:lass passenger named Simpson, who was a tea-planter in Cachar, three secondclass passengers, and tho majority of the deck passengers and crew. The Brenhilda was much damaged, but was able to continue her voyage to Calcutta, where she arrived on Monday with the survivors of the Ava.