THE LOSS OF THE STEAMER MONGOL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 39, 15 February 1875, Page 2

THE LOSS OF THE STEAMER MONGOL.

We much regret to have to record the total loss of the above steamer, Captain Flamank, which left on the morning of the 12th December for Yokohama. She started about 10,30 a.m., with a pilot on board, and had fine weather. The pilot left her justoutside the Ly-ee-tnoon pass at 11.30. At a quarter to 12, wheu they were in the vicinity of the Nine pins, the second officer (Mr F/y) was on the bridge along with the •"captaiu. The captain told him that there would be a rock ahead, and asked him to go down and look on the chart to see if he could discover its position. The second officer went down aa requested, but could not discover it, and came up and told the captain so. The captain told him to keep well off the islaud, and he went down to examine the chart himself. s He returned to the bridge soon afterwards, and' said he could uot discover the rook, andjonly saw an island which would be above water. He then altered the ship's course a little more towards the land, und five minutes afterwards she struck. The captain then at once gave orders to souud the pumps, and then fouud that the ship was making water. Be/ lieviue; that the steamer was resting o y n the rock, orders were given to back the engines, with a view to getting her off, but it was discovered that she had gone right over the rock. The aecond officer then ordered the man at the wheel to turn the ship's head round and/ make for the shore. The water by this time was reported paining on the ship forward, ond, seeing that it was useless to proceed, orders were given to stop the^yjgines, and attempts were»made\to get the boats out. The captoiu and aecond officer then left the bridge. The mate and the surgeon were looking after the captain's wife, who was an invalid. Two boats were lowered, and a number of the crew made off in them, in fact, they were filled before they reached the water. Those remaining ou board tried to get another boat down, but the water was gaining so much forward and the vessel was 6iaking so rapidly, that it was impossible. The seeoud officer, seeing th«t all was over jumped overboard and swam from the ship. Immedijotely afterwards the vessel went down, the captain, his wife and several others were lost with her. While the second officer was in the water, the bodies of tpie cuptain's wife and chief officer were floating close to him. As the veesel was sinking a violent explosion took place from the water coming in contact with the boilers. The boats which made off were away some little distance, and after a time catne back, picked up the second and third officers, a fireman, and a Chinaman, who were all struggling in the water close together. The vessel at the time she struck was going about nine knots an hour, with a strong monsooq aud a heavy swell against her. So sudden was the sad catastrophe that she sunk within five minutes after she struck. The two boats were taken in tow by a junk, and arrived here about 5 o'clock thisafterooou. Tbe Mongol was a new vessel Ibjiilt on the Clyde last year and was onto of the fleet of the New York, LondoD, pud "China Steamship Company (limited). yShe had a crew iv all of 52, of whom 15 have been lost. The names of those drowned are as follows:— Copiuiu J. Flamank, Mrs Flamank, W. H. Gawthorpe, chief officer; W. F. Ring, 4th offi -er; Campbell, 2nd engineer; J "Mniih, 4'h engineer; J. Genlle, Boilermaker; Smith, carpenter; Jewell, 2nd steward; S. Bevis, mess steward ;Ludlow, Murdoch, and Lewis, firemen; Fruukenstone, and Stone, Bailors; and twophinese.