WRECK OF THE VICTORIA TOWER.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 592, 2 November 1869, Page 3

WRECK OF THE VICTORIA TOWER.

♦ (From the Age.) The Victoria Tower, one of the finest ships that ever left Liverpool for this port, and commanded by Captain John Kerr, went on shore on Saturday night near Bream Creek, about twenty miles from Geelong., Rumors of the disaster reached Melbourne on Sunday forenoon, and considerable alarm was created by the exaggerated character of some of the statements, it having been represented that some of the crew and all the passens gers had perished. Soon, however, £liialarm was allayed by the receipt of telegrams at this office, and by the Commissioner of Customs, the latest rews being that although the vessel is likely to become a wreck, all on board were happily rescued. The Victoria Tower was a new iron ship, launched only on the 16th of June, for Messrs T. H. Ismay and Co., of the White Star Line of Australian packets, her dimensions being — length, 240 feet ; beam, 39 feet 3 inches ; depth of hold, 24 feet, which made her 1550 tons register and 1750 tons builders' measurement, and was classed AAI at Lloyd's, with special mark. Her outfit and finish are described as in every detail being of the highest character, and which may be fully realised when it is stated that she cost L 25,000. Her cargo was a valuable one, and according to Stable's circular was estimated at L 22,000. The following is the list of her passengers : — Saloon : Mr and Mrs Leadbetter, Misses Jennie, Maggie, Amy and Ida Leadbetter, Mr and Mrs George Benning, Miss Benning, Messrs F. M. Whiteley, Wm. Fleming, Walter Wirdnam and 0. Lloyd. Second cabin : Miss Julia Brown, Messrs Geo. Davenport, Jonas Horsfall, Joseph Blair and Patrick F. Griffien ; and in the steerage : J. Basmussin, Wm. Granger, Ellis Hamer, Ferd Korber, Wm. Earsman and wife, Thoß. French, Joseph Hoban, Geo. Walker, Meury S. Carter, Henry and Mary Higginbottom, Jas. Johnson, Wm. Hinckley and Mary Holme. The Victoria Tower left Liverpool on the 24th July. On the 15th October she first made the land and caught up with the Moravian, with which vessel she kept company for some hours, and last saw her at about 1 o'clock. The weather was very ha^, a strong gale prevailed, and rain squalls further tended to make the navigation of the vessel more difficult. Sometimes it was almost impossible to see a yard ahead. After losing sight of the Moravian, the Victoria Tower stood out upon her proper course ; and when the captain thought he had gone sufficiently to the east he wore ship, fired rockets, and burned blue lights as a signal for a pilot. Finding no respnnce, Cape Schanck light then being visible, Captain Kerr close-hauled the ship on the starboard tack, towards the light. At 11.40 p.m., finding his vessel as near as prudent to Cape Schanck, he called all hands, wore ship on the port tack, and laid west, making little or no lee way. No anxiety was fell for the safety of the vessel, Captain Kerr, although he had not been able to take an observation, being tolerably confident that he was in the right track. The first intimation to the .was her striking on the shore between Bream and Spring Creeks, about half a mile from the former. This occurred about one hour after wearing Bhip. The night being dark as pitch, Captain Kerr let go his anchors to keep the ship from drifting inshore. When she struck heavily, the second mate and four seamen were ordered into the starboard lifeboat, ready to land the ladies ; no sooner, however, was the boat lowered than the foremast "went by the board," and the crew were compelled to leave go to get clear of the falling mass. They made fruitless efforts to regain the vessel, but were eventually compelled to ran ashore. They landed in safety, and went inland to seek assistance. Passing through swamps, not knowing how soon they might get over their depth, the boat's crew wandered four hours through the darkness until they fortunately came across a fence. This they followed up until they came to Mr Stokes', who immediately sent word to Mr Noble, and the latter proceeded to the beach, where, obtaining the assistance of a fisherman named Pierce and his partner, he sent the whaleboat back to the ship. The feelings of the people on board the illfated vessel during the long hours of suspense may be better imagined than described. Their apparently only hope, another lifeboat, had been carried away ; the ship, for all they knew, might break up at any minute and they knew not whether the men who had risked their lives to save them had reached the shore. To provide against danger as far as possible, Captain Kerr caused a raft to be constructed, and on this it was attempted to reach the shore, but without success. It was repeatedly launched, and as often hauled back to the ship, until some time after daylight, when it was seen that the whaleboat despatched in the darkness had reached the shore, and was about being launched to the rescue. On the firat trip the boat was placed under the charge of Mr Lidbetter, and his passengers, as a matter of course, were the ladies and children, who landed in safety after a good ducking, and were escorted to residences in the neighborhood, where their wants were attended to as well as circumBtances would permit, Mesdames Stokes, Madill, and White, thoroughly sympathising with them in their hour of distress. The sea by this time had run down, and trip after trip was made until about 3 o'clock, when every person was landed, the captain and chief officer, Mr Rowlands, being the last to leave the ill-fated ship. ' Had she travelled another quarter of a mile she would have "smashed" upon a reef that juts out some distance into the Pacific. The official inquiry into the cause of the loss of the Victoria Tower is postponed until Tuesday, the 26th insfc., as the Government contemplate the appointment of another member of the Steam Navigation Board, and the Executive does not meet until Monday, October 25.