News by the Suez Mail.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1710, 17 May 1886, Page 4

News by the Suez Mail.

LOSS OF THE CUNABD LINER OREGON. The Cnnard Company have lost a stoiuior. Up to Sunday, March 14, 1886, it could boast that during the term of its existence — juat 60 years — -it had not oniv not lost a steamer, but neither passengers nor mails. The Philadelphia correspondent of the London Times tcl'M'-raplied the following particulars of the occurrence as follows : — " Oa March 1-1 the Ounard liner Oreeon, just before ihylisht, about 18 miles 4o the east of Tiro Island light, Long |Island, was run into by an unknown schooner on the port side. With a great crash the schooner stove a bole eight feet m diameter m compartment No 3, and the injured steamer began to slowly fill. Captain Cottier was below, but the chief officer, Mr Matthews, was on the bridge. . The sea was comparatively smooth. The boats, after some delay, were manned ami lowered. The pilot boat Phantom, No 11, just then came along, and alaothe .schooner Fanny Gorham, and the transfer of those on board the sinking vessel to them began, the ladies going first. 641 passengers and the crew of 205 were all taken off by eleyen o'clock next morning, Captain Cottier being the last to leave the steamer. The Oregan sank at about one o'clock. All the lurgage was lost, with nearly all the mails, only 69 of over 600 sacks being v, : vt!(l. The passengers have lost all their ciL'ds, and many of them are making demands on the agents for reimbursement. Wreckers have been engaged to try and raise the steamer, but doubts are expressed as to whether tlicy can succeed, Tbe passengers report that tl.e stokers and firemen ac'u-J disgracefully, and wanted to seize the ii'.ats required. There was some dilliriiHy m subduing them, and one had to be knocked down by a ship's officer be lie he wdnld o>>ey. Captain Co'tier niado the following statement :— 'We had fiii ft weather all the way across. Tin' weather was clear at half-past four o'clock on Sunday morning, with a freßh breeze from the west. A sailing vessel suddenly loomed up. When first noticed showed no light, but when too close too clear us, she showed a white light. I cannot say on what part of her. The Oregon was running under q full head of steam. The vessel struck us amidships, and stove a big; holfi m our port side. All the watertight com par tnvnfs were closed at this time. The Oregon went down at about a quarter to one, having floated about eight hours after she was struck. She now lies m about 22 fathoms of water. The tops of her masts are' alone visible above the wait 1 * — the vessel being upright. Slifl weut down head first. The vessel running into us must have sunk immediat( ly ; when we looked for her she was not m sight. She must have gone down with all on board." There appears to be no chance of raising the Oregon, and, and it is believed that the ship is broken m two. Tim New York Postmaster reports that 598 sacks of mails were on board the Oregon, and that there were 2400 registered letters m66 sacks. The British and German registered letters have been nearly all lost, and most of the money-order lists.