HOW THE GREAT QUEENSLAND MAY HAVE BEEN LOST.

Kumara Times, Issue 575, 31 July 1878, Page 2

HOW THE GREAT QUEENSLAND MAY HAVE BEEN LOST.

The special reporter of the Melbourne Argus. after giving soma of tin- wreck of the Loch Am says': —“ In the course of conversation with Mr Gibson last evening. I hemvi from him an incident that may perhaps give a dee to one ship that has been long missing, and < f which no iidings have ever been heard. Some time in March. 1877, there was a party of visitors at Glenample. One evening Mr Gibson went oaiside to smoke his pipe, and strolling to tho higher ground close to the bouse he looked seaward, and saw a great, glare. There appeared to be in the midst of it. three points of greater brightness, which he supposed weiethe raasU of a ship on hie. He ran back lo the house, and called out thosfe inside. The party rushed out of the house, and he took the n to the spot from where he had seen the fire, but although he had not been away more than four or five minutes, nothing could be seen. The whole of those present, however, simultaneously remarked what a strong smell there was of gunpowder. The whole thing was laughed off at the time, but if I recollect right the Great Queensland was about due in Melbourne at that time, and it is well known she had a large quantity of gunpowder on board. Might not the supposed vessel have been the Great Queensland, which caught fire, and blew up, killing all on board? I am sb'll further greatly strengthened in this opinion, as one of the men on the station afterwards told me that be had seen portions of ship’s planking lying on the beach.”