COLLISION IN THS BAY OF BFNGAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 206, 11 September 1879, Page 4

COLLISION IN THS BAY OF BFNGAL.

SUPPOSE, LOS OF NEARLY !03 LIVE-'. The Calcutta Englishman gives {'jo following account ol tho collision between ths Bteamer Ava end tho ship Breul.iL'a on the 24th of May, by which the former veßatl was sunk ond 70 lives were lose— We regret to havo to report the t'tal loss oi the British India Steam Navipntiou Company's steamer Ava (C»ptain Dickenson), which left this port at half-past 6 o'clock lest Thursday moi ning (22ud Jtfay), and a: tbo Saudbeods at about 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon. From what we htve been abb to glean of the particulars of tbis sa>l catastrophe, it appears tbat tho Ava was struck amidships by (he ia.comiog ship, Brenhilde, at a little after 2 a tn. on Saturday, while in charge of the second officer. A large bole was made io ber side by tbe collision, and she filled rapidly and went down in less than 20 minutes. Of about 150 souls cn board, somo 50 were saved, includiog all tbe first-class passengers, except Mr Simpson, a planter from Cacbar, three of the secood class pses-ngers, and all the officers of tbe ship, except the captain, doetor, and purser. Between 80 and 100 souls, including as far as we can learn tbe deck passengers and the greater part of the native creiv, went down with the ill-fated ship. One boat 'was smashed by tbe collision, and one stove in by tbe sea. Great promptitude w&b shown in lowering the other three, tbe firßt of which, the gig, oonlained tbe ladies and children, Mrs Laurie and infant, and Miss Hart, with Capiain Martin and Mr Laurie, first-class passengers, Ihe chief officer, tbe stewardess, a native ayah, un orphan boy of tbree years, who bad been sent to England in charge of the doctor, tbe gunner and one Lascar. Poor Captain Dickenson, who is said to bave displayed tbe great st presence of mind aod behaved most admirably throughout refused to leave bis ship, and was last seen standing on the bridge. Mr Simpson jumped over tbe stern of tbe steamer, and it is believed, must bave been struck by tbe screw, or sacked under, as be sank at onoe. The •hip's dootor hesitated to jump into the boat wben told, and is believed to bave gone down witb tbe ship. One of bis last acts was to go below and bring np tbe little boy above mentioned, and put bim into tbe boat. The boat containing tbe passengers got clear of the etevmer with great difficulty, owing to tbe persistent efforts of the Lascars to haul ber back, in which tbey would bave succeeded bad not the chief officer, who, as well as the otber officers, behaved splendidly, jumped overboard ■nd cot. the rope with a hatchet. The Brenhilda (Captain Sherr) hove-to after the accident; bnt she bad drifted to aome distance from the Ava, and the first boat, containing the passengers, was nearly two hours reaching her. Dnriog thia time the boat in question was half full of waler, partly owiog to the heavy sea and partly owing to the plug being knocked out in tbe baling. Tbe otber two boats remained near the scene of tbe disaster till daylight, and •acceeded in rescuing several persous from the water. Tbe chief officer also returned with tbe first bo»t, manned by a orew from tbe Brenhilda, but nothing was then to be seen of the Ava

or those who were on board when she went down. The Ava went down by the stern, after her deck had blown up with a loul report, aod ber masts had fallen, the foremast falling across the bridge. A few minutes after sbrt waa struck there were fourteen fest. of water in the engine-room. The Brenhilda had her bows stove in by the collision, and her fore compartment filled with water. Fortunately, ehe was very light, beiog in ballast, or it ie highly probable ibat fbfi too would hnve foundered, wben not a soul coald heve beeo save! She arrived in port with ths survivors frcm the wreck. The night being beautifully clear at the time, the collision appears inexplicable. Every attention waß Bhown on board tho Brenhilda to the paesenpers, who, it iB needless to any, saved nothing but the clothes they had on at the tima of the accident.