THE TERRIBLE SHIPPING CALAMITY

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2527, 16 May 1882, Page 3

THE TERRIBLE SHIPPING CALAMITY

AT TIMARU. WRECK OF THE SENTENCE AND THE CITY OF PERTH. SEVERAL LIVES LOST. We reprint full details taken from the “ Timaru Herald About twelve o’clock on Saturday night the sea began to make and rapidly increased in force, there being little or no wind. The vessels in port at the time were the Norwegian barque O. E. Eunoh, lying at the ballast ground, the ships Benvenue and City of Perth at the inner anchorage, and the schooners Kate McGregor end Julius Vogel inside the breakwater. At midnight the tide was within an hour or so of being at its highest, and it was naturally expected that the sea, which had come in without any warning, would be worse as the tide receded. Such proved to be the case, for as the night advanced the roaring of the surf on the shore could be heard for miles away. Captain Mills, the harbor moster, who had been keeping watch all night, finding at daylight the vessels were riding heavily, fired the gun for the Rocket Brigade to assemble. The brigade soon put in appearance at the lighthouse, and as the sun rose it was seen that although all the vessels were still at their anchors, there was a very heavy sea—in fact, the heaviest since the wreck of the Melrote, Lapwing, Fanny and Glimpse running. Broken rollers were visible for several miles out. The barque O. E. Ennoh, although stern on to the sea, seemed to be taking it easy enough, but the Benvenue with two anchors and the City of Perth with three, looked anything but safe. About 8.30 o’clock the Benvenue parted one of her cables, and as it was noticed she had a heavy list to starboard, great fears were expressed that she would fall over on her beam ends, it she did not actually “ turn turtle,” so far as the depth of water allowed. A signal of distress was flying from her at this time. About nine o’clock a fresh draught, of wind came away from the north-west, and the Benvenue gradually swung round head to the land. Captain Mills then ran up various signals, including special instructions to the Benvenue to trim her cargo (to which she answered that her rudder was out of order), and general instructions to the various vessels to get ready to go to sea. He, in fact, took every precaution to insure their safety. The City of Perth at once loosened her topsails, and as the sea showed every sign of going down it was hoped that all danger was over. The Benvenue ran up the signal “ sailing,” and as it was known she was all but ready to proceed to Port Chalmers it was thought, after trimming her ballast, she would go right away. The City of Perth, which had also swung round head to the north-west, answered the signal—“ls anything wrong?” with “ All right,” and so the minds of those on shore were to a certain extent eased. “ Do you want an anchor ? ” was asked of the Benvenue about 11 o’clock, after she had, much to the astonishment of the Rocket Brigade, hoisted “ Drifting.” She replied in the affirmative, but the sea off the end of the breakwater was still breaking so heavily that Captaiu Mills deemed it unsafe to launch a boat to go to her assistance. By this time the neighborhood of the breakwater and the lighthouse was lined with a dense mass of people, who exhibited the liveliest interest in what was occurring. The wind continued light and variable, till about halfpast twelve o’clock when it fell altogether. THE BENVENUE. About a quarter to one o’clock it was noticed that the Benvenue was drifting, and at the same time a boat was noticed being lowered from her. She slowly but surely went down towards Caroline Bay, and her crew were observed leaving her in a boat, and makirg for the ship City of Perth. In the meantime the Rocket Brigade, not knowing that they would do so, had proceeded to the cliffs near Woolloombe’s Lagoon, where they fixed their apoaratus in readiness to rescue the crew. Very steadily and very quietly did the doomed ship drift towards the shore, and had she been sailing into a dock and under a careful steersman, she could not have headed straighter for her goal. She was within fifty yards of the beach before she struck the ground, and when she did so, she gradually canted broadside on to the sea, and was soon almost high and dry, with all her spars standing, close under the cliff, her stranding being witnessed from the height above by many hundreds of people, who from their vantage point had a capital view of the whole scene. So far the vessel seems to have suffered little or no damage. Prom Captain McGowan wo gathered the following particulars of the diaastor to his ship He states that about one o’clock on Sunday morning the sea became very heavy, and the vessel, which was lying stern to it, began to roll and lurch heavily. Several blind rollers came on board, breaking in some of the stern windows and sweeping the poop. All hands wore then called, and soon'afterwards a very heavy sea struck her, and it was thought she had hit the ground, but on examination it was discovered her rudder had been broken, and the rest of her stern ports smashed. A boat was also swept off the skids, the seas being described as something,fearful. The second anchor was let go, the ship fell off into the trough of the sea, and the coals in the hold, although held by shifting boards were thrown over to starboard, giving her a heavy list. Daylight was then anxiously waited for, the lime being occupied in getting the boats ready for lowering. About 9 a.m. the starboard cable parted, with 135 fathoms of chain. Got the third anchor up and a steel wire hawser bent on, at the same time trying to trim the coals, but as fast as they were shovelled one way the rolling of the vessel sent them back again. About 12 30 p.m. the third anchor was all ready, but owing to the lurching of the vessel, the task of getting it over the side was attended with difficulty end danger. Shortly before one o’clock the second anchor parted, and as it was found the ship was drifting, and gradually settling over, the crow, who were bolow trimming the cargo at the time, were called on deck and got into one of the boats. The vessel, Captain McGowan says, was stuck to until she got into broken water, when he abandoned her and made for the City of Perth. The Benevuo was an iron ship of 999 tons register, and classed Aal at Lloyd’s, She was built by Barclay, of Glasgow, in 1867, and was owned by Walton Bros, of the same port. Her hull and freight were insured for £13,500 in home offices. At the time she was wrecked she had on board between 400 and 500 tons of coal, fully insured by Mrßbenezer Smith in the Standard Company. It was expected she would be in readiness to-night or to-morrow morning to proceed to Port Chalmers to fill up for home. THE CITY OB PERTH. Hardly had the Benvenue struck the beach when the ship City of Perth was noticed to be adrift, at the same time firing her ensign down and a signal for “medical assistance.” It was naturally concluded that some one of the crew had been seriously injured, and such afterwards proved to be the case. Four boats were seen leaving the vessel and making for the breakwater, one of them being that from the Benvenue. The ship after drifting about an eighth of a mile and striking the ground became stationary, having been brought up, as was afterwards ascertained, by a hawser let go before she was abandoned. On the boats arriving at the wharf, it was learnt that Mr Blacklook, the first officer of the City of Perth, had had one of his legs broken in two places while trying to clear the oables.lhe throe by which she riding having got foul. Ho was promptly attended to by Dr Maclntyre, and conveyed in a trap, thoughtfully provided by Mr Mess Jonas, to the Hospital, where his injuries were attended to. We must mention that shortly before this a boat, containing a volunteer crew, consisting of Mr Murray and Mr Davies, l»to first and second officers respectively of the barque Duke of Sucherlaud ; James Grey, one of the seamen of the same' vessel; John Elliot, of the schooner Julius Yogel; and James Keith, of the firm of Grave and Keith, belonging to Timaru, had put off from the shore to see what assistance they could render to the Benvenue and Oily of Perth. The latter vessel hung to her last anchor for about half an hour, and then gradually drifted towards the beach, stern foremost, eventually bringing up slightly to the northward of, but further seaward than the Benvenue. Owing to Captain McDonald being in a weak state, the first officer having had to be taken to the Hospital, and the third officer being drowned, wa were able to gather but few particulars of the City of Perth's adventures during Saturday night and Sunday morning. It appears during the early park

of the night she was riding stern on to the sea by one anchor and 135 fathoms of cable , with springs on it. Heavy seas broke over her time after time, filling the main deck, smashing in the stern windows, and doing other damage. Later on two other anchors were let go, the first having parted. With these she rode safely till shortly after two o’clock, when one of them snapped and she had to be abandoned. Had there been a tug available, both she and the Benvenue could easily have been towed out to sea. The ship City of Perth is an iron vessel of 1189 tons register, is classed Aal, and is a sister ship to the unfortunate Oity of Cashmere, Like that vessel, she was towed down from Lyttelton by the p.s. Lyttelton. She was built in Glasgow, by Connell, in 1863, and is owned by it. Smith and irons, of Glasgow. She is, so far as we can learn, uninsured, She was loading for Homo on account of the New Zealand Grain .Agency and Mercantile Company (Limited), and the cargo she had on board—some 6000 sacks of grain—was fully insured in the Union Insurance Company. The vessel herself is valued at about £IO,OOO. Up to a late hour last night neither the Oity of Perth nor the Benvenue seemed to be much the worse for making an acquaintance with the beach, and if the sea goes down hopes are entertained of floating one, if not both, of the vessels. THE O. P, PUNCH. The barque O. F. Punch rode out the seas of Saturday night and yesterday comparatively easily. She appeared to drift slightly yesterday afternoon, nut at a late hour last night was considered in safety. She held no communication with the shore. THE SCENE AFTER THE WRECK OF THE BENYENUE. Nothing more occurred until the Landing Service whaleboat and another host, fully manned, were launched from the Service and started for the abandoned ship about a quarter of an hour after the crew landed These boats were manned as follows ;—L%nd- ' ing Service whaleboat—W. Collis, coxswain, 1 and J. Bead, Martin Beach (or Beattie), ( Emanuel Neilson, Bobert Collins, George Davis, and Charles Moore, oarsmen, with Captain Mills, Harbor Master, in command. The 1 other boat, which was the ship's gig, had on board Captain McDonald, of the Oity of ’ Perth, Bobert Gardner, his second mate, ! with Phillip Bradley, coxswain, and Michael Thompson, Isaac Bradley, W. McLaren, and ■ Walter Stanley, oarsmen, in all fifteen men. 1 These two boats reached the derelict vessel in safety, and from this point began one of | those series of catastrophes which are seen but once in a lifetime, and which make strong £ men wring their hands in impotent despair. 1 The crew of the vessel brought the report on 1 shore that she was hanging to a stout hawser ' only, her cables having parted, and that this c was a fact was plainly visible from the shore, 1 the rope standing out at times tant and rigid as an iron rod, and it was felt to be a question i of time only for the vessel’s fate to be deter- c mined. The time was short, for between two and three the cry went up, “She’s gone,” J and three boats were seen coming away from her. The tide at this time was between a half and a quarter ebb, and the shoaling of I the water made the sea very much more £ dangerous. Watching their chance, the boats came bravely on, and anxious hearts on shore beat high, while many, believing the boats to * ho safe, rushed round the bay to where the 1 vessel, which was now drifting shorewards l . with every sea, would st ike. The two 1 leading boats had either gained, or very 1 nearly so, the shelter of the mole, when the 1 other, which was the ship’s lifeboat, was | observed to be swamped by a tremendous ; white-headed sea, and the coxswains of the 1 leading boats, having evidently seen the acci- £ dent, at once turned their boats and went to the rescue. In the swamped boat were Captain McDonald, his second mate, and one or two others, who had taken it in order, apparently, to lighten the other two boats, and they could be seen from the shore standing 1 up in the boat after they had succeeded in ] regaining her. Cautiously and bravely the : two boats approached the drowning men, ] tremendous seas hearing them sky high at times, until, when almost within grasp of those they went to save, a fatal sea reared 1 itself, a mass of white seething foam, and swamped them, and, in the rush of white seas that followed, it was feared that every soul 1 would be lost. By degrees the true position of 1 the boats was revealed, and they were seen to be floating gunwale under, with men standing ' up in them, while others were struggling in the 1 water, and the sun shining on them, showed i that those in the boats who could, were 1 rapidly divesting themselves of their clothing, j Now the excitement on shore was intense, and j men bit their lips and wrung each other’s 1 hands in the knowledge that they were power- I less to render the smallest particle of help to the fifteen brave fellows struggling for life. 1 The only boat available was the lifeboat, 1 which had not been called into requisition e since that fatal time, thirteen years ago, when * she capsized and drowned one of her crew, * Duncan Cameron. She was speedily launched, however, and there was no lack of brave > hearts to man her, the names of those who 1 went in her being, as far as we could ascertain, D. Bradley, A. J. Mclntosh and Andrew 1 Shah, shore men, and four of the City of 1 Perth’s seamen, named Alexander Petersen, ‘ Mclntyre, John Smith, and George LeMentac. Of these, D. Bradley and one of the eeamen f took the two steer-oars, A. Shah being in the 1 bow of the boat with the lifeline,and hearts beat 1 high and hot tears were hastily brushed away I as the gallant heroes pulled steadily out, the boat now hidden from view, and again her I bow high in the air, breasting green mountains 1 of water. The worst was yet to come. 1 Grandly handled, and kept well to the sea, i she worked down to the helpless men, and 1 one by one those that were left were grasped ■ with a grip that it were death to relax, and were hauled on board, saved—so far. But 1 the white-headed, roaring seas came in again, 1 and up one of these the lifeboat rushed, firmly held by the steersman until lost to view inxts 1 boiling crest, and as the wave passed onward 1 relentless she too was seen to have caps zsd, ] and to be floating bottom up in a maes of heads and upthrown arms. She soon righted, 1 and her half-drowned occupants, or most of 1 them, somehow managed to get on board her again. How, no one can say, the bare fact i alone remains, and also that as soon as they had recovered themselves, the same 1 thing happened a second and a third time, until those who had nerve enough to watch sickened in the watching. Bravely her crew stuck to their work, however, until all were picked up who could be found, and then began a slow and anxious return to the shore. Many a time they were in imminent peril, but fortune favored them, and good management ensured their safety. When they reached the shelter of the Breakwater, from the wharf, thronged with people, rose such cheers as had never been hoard in Timaru before, and all crowded as best they could about the steps to see the poor fellows landed. Some were naked and half dead, some were lying prostrate in the bottom, while others, dazed and bleeding, sat like men who did not comprehend that, somehow, they had escaped death. Then willing hands were at work and blankets were handed down to wrap those in who were unable to walk, and three hearty cheers went up for Captain Mills and those who came back with him. The dead—those who did not come back—were forgotten for a moment in the outburst of joy that any came. But “ Who’s missing ? ” soon passed round with bated breath, and one by one the names of those who had gone wore told. Before the lifeboat was launched, a surfboat was manned and an attempt made to roach the three swamped boate, and she succeeded in saving three men who swam towards her. But such a boat was unwieldy in the heavy sea running, and those on board were obliged to anchor her. To rescue her occupant* was the next thing to be done, and the lifeboat was speedily manned with a fresh volunteer crew, whoso names were— — George Finlay, coxswain, and Chris. Qruhm, George Sunaway, James e.racknell, Harry McDonald, J. Vogelor, and A. Haylook, oarsmen, the two latter being members of the Socket Brigade. These pulled out to the surf boat, but what happened could not be seen from the shore, as it was getting dusk. What did hapnen was that the lifeboat succeeded in getting some of the men out of the surf-bost, and then once more she capsized, five of her occupants being swept out of her, of whom but four got hack. She then came ashore, and a fresh crew went out nnd brought the remainder of the surfboat’s men back without mishap. The names of this crew, so far as we can learn, were Francis McKenzie, coxswain, M. Boy (late mate of the Oampsie Glen), George Sunaway, William H. Wall, and Harry Truselot. As each lot of men came ashore they were carried to the Royal Hotel where every provision was made for them, all but two, Gaptain McDonald and W. Collis, soon fully recovering. The two latter, however, were

I very weak, though out of danger, up to a lata hour last night. ’ And now, having told the story of their death, we will record the names of those great hearts who died, who voluntarily gave their lives without a murmur for others. These are : —Bobert Gardner, of Alloa, second mate of the City of Perth, single, aged twentyfive; D. McLean, of Prince Edward’s Island, carpenter on the same vessel, married ; Wm. McLaren, waterman, Timaru; EmanuelNeilson, boatman, Timaru; Martin Beach (or Beattie), boatman, Timaru; Harry McDonald, boatman, Timaru ; and Alexander Mills, Harbor Master, Timaru, who was brought ashore alive, but expired soon afterwards. Those who went in the lifeboat say she behaved well; she certainly was well handled, both by the coxswains who took her out andby A. J. Mclntosh, who steered her after her first capsize. The gig in which McLaren was lost is reported to have split open and then somehow to have jammed him. When the lifeboat went off tie was seen to be caught, and with a terrible wound on hie temple, from which the blood was streaming, but the capsizing of the lifeboat prevented any help being given kirn. D. Bradley, who was working ens of the steer oars c-f the lifeboat, saw his two brothers in the water, and he jumped overboard and saved one, the other being saved by the boat’s crew. [press association telegram.] TIMARU, May 15. Captain Mills, harbor master, was a native of Arbroath, (Scotland, and was forty-eight years of ago. He was greatly esteemed by all classes of the com nunity, and the town will be closed to-morrow in respect to his funeraL Ho leaves a wife and seven children, fairlyprovided for. An inquest was held tonight, and a verdict was returned that ho died from the effects of submersion in the water while in the execution of his duty. Telegrams of condolence and sympathyhave been received from all parts of the colony, Mr Bolleston forwarding one from Wellington. The gloom which has been cast over the town could hardly be realised by those at a distance. Subscription lists for the sufferers are opened, and are being rapidly filled up. The Masonic lodges, of which Captain Mills was an old member, are in deep mourning. As regards the rescued man from the boats, all are progressing well. The three worst sufferers are Mr Blacklock, first mate of the Oity of Perth, who has a oroken leg ; Philip Bradley, a waterman, broken ribs ; and John Henicken, laborer, chest crushed. No fatal results, however, are expected to result in either case. Captain McDonald, of the Oity of Perth, is out of all danger. Every attention is being paid to all who suffered by the wrecks. The Benvenue is now a total wreck, but the Oity of Perth is afloat at high water, and has apparently suffered no damage. Arrangements are stated to be in progress for towing her out. The breakwater has suffered no damage except some loose blocks being washed over. None of the bodies of those lost have yet been recovered, but men are ranged along the beach watching. The Standard and Union Insurance Companies are the only local ones interested in the wrecks, so far as ws can learr. Last evening Or, Ryers proposed—“ That the Christchurch Oity Council beg to tender its sincere sympathy for and condolence with cur fellow colonists of Timaru and neighborhood in the sad loss of life caused by the recent shipping accident ; also, to express it* admiration of the heroic courage displayed in the endeavor to save life on the sad occasion. This motion to be forwarded to the Mayor of Timaru.” This was seconded by Or. Bishop, and was unanimously carried.