Collision at Sea.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 232, 28 August 1884, Page 2

Collision at Sea.

■ t ('Per Mail Steamer.) The survivors of the steamship .JLexham, which collided, with th«> Spanish steamer Gijjgon on 23rd .Jalyi near Corunka, off the coast of Spaip, reppr^ ihat on the evening of the cpllisiou there' a thick fog, and Ithe Lexham was going slow. Both! steamers were sounding their whistles. The : Gtggon struck the Lexham amidships, and the latter was nearly cut asunder near the funnel, and the rtteampipe burst, and the; ,chwf engineer was horribly scalded. Most of the Lexham's. crew. bounded oil to the Giggon, and Captain Lothair tied his wife and child to himself, and all three were hauled on board thevGiggon.— The Lexham, sank 20 minutes after, the collision. Tt Wiirt not long before the Giggon began Iko, settle down, when a terrible confusion prevailed..' The captain sioodjwith revolver m hand, bat was unabK to ke,ep order. The . passengers and crew were fighting for their lives,, and the boats were lowered and filled to tho gunwale, hot could not accommodate half the people. Those who were fortunate enough to secure places were obliged to keen off others, with their knives. The Giggon sank bow first with her quarter-deck crowded with men a women. The captain and officer* were standing. on the bridge. Tt is estimated that 130. pers'ous perished. Captain Newton, a pas-ehger on the, Lexham, escaped -with fifteen Spaniards, and landed at Murgs on 4s6fch J uly. He reports that, immediately after the collision, the captain of ihe; Giggon shot himj»elf. The Spaniards say he behaved badly. Nfr'newß- had been Teoeived up to. the 81st of the captain of the Lexham.