The Florida Collision.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 218, 9 August 1884, Page 2

The Florida Collision.

NARRATIVE OF A SURVIVOB. The clearest account of the Floridi wreck is given by the ship's surgeon Dr Andrew Steele. He says :— " About tun o'clock m the evening ! on April 18th, I was reading m m; cuhin. I had been on dock, am j noticed tlrat ib was a clear, starligh night. Suddenly I heard a clanj jjoing m the engine-room signallinj tho engineer to buck the engines a full spued. At the same time then was a confused trampling on deck. '. hastened on deck, when I saw plainly the spars and canvas of a big sailing ship heading diiectly for us. Hei port light was distinctly visible. Tin men on deck shouted. The collisiot took place the next moment. Oui ship rolled to starboard on a big wave and the other vessel crashed into us s viking nearly amidships on the starboard side. The shock completely demoralised everyone The men cried " Take to the boats," but many wen too frightened to help themselves even after the boats were m thi water. The ship was sinking to( rapidly to enable the crew to do mucl to save life. The stewardess wai lowered into a boat, but no olhei woman was on deck. I entered om boat. In a few minutes both vessel: sank. The captain and two neamei of the barque were found clinging tc the wreckage of their vessel and taket into one boat. We drifted for twe days, having neither food nor water The weather was fair, but we sufferpc .severely from cold. We separatee from the two other boats which wen launched. On the 20th we attracted the attention of the Norwegian barque Theresa, bound for Quebec, whicl picked us up, treated us kindly, anc two days later transferred twenty oj us to the barque Louise, bound foi Quebec, as we were making sorioui inroads on the provisions." The thirc officer of the Florida says that th< night was perfectly clear, that th< chief officer was m charge, and thai the captain failed to realise the gravity of the situation until too late to save life. Nobody m able to account foi the collision m such weather.