THF FOUNDERING OF THE TEUTON OFF THE CAPE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 244, 13 October 1881, Page 4

THF FOUNDERING OF THE TEUTON OFF THE CAPE.

TWO HT.HDB2D LIVES LOST,

From tbe latest date of the Cap* Times w=> obtain particulars of the lo?s of 'hs Union Co.'s s.p. Teuton, whicb J-fjs hf n recorded in our cable messages. It .pp-rg th.t thf Teuton left Tabl B y on August. 31_f. She ha*i lunded eighty -three passengers at tbe Cape, and tr.eu sailed for tbe oihi-r ccast porta. She passed Qjoin Point on tbe even.Dg of the above dale. The quarter-roaster Mr Kro^rn, gives the following narrative :— ■ <

"•* Tbe eveniog was beautifully fine. The moo*. w*>s overbeac-, the sfars were shining, an 3 there was no. tbe slightest sim ol fo£ or vapour. Suddenly the ship struck without any waroiog whatever. Ido not know who tha officer was on the wp.'ch. It was not thf cbisf officer. Jast aftei- striking, the ship sbivsred like an aspen leaf, aod heeled over to port. Tbere was some lis* ie confusion— ibe women shrieked, and tbere was a gen-oral rush on deck The pumps were immediately sounded, and it was found tbst the fore compartment waa le_dirg. The order kept on deck was admirable, and officers acd men vi*-.*] in thfir efforts at soothing tha paa3en«ers. Tha boa.s were siuop out board acd tbey wero all rea^'y provision jd with bisr.ait f.m. water within balf en hour of tbe ship striking. The pas.e_.gers were all ordere*"i on the poop, i-nd were to!J to sit quietly unii! tbey were ordered off to tbeir respective boats. Tut' doctor was in charge of the passe u»ers on the poop. Ail thia time the ebip was se<t!ii_£ down by the bead gradually. Volun. teers were called for froaj amongst the passengers for tbe pumps, and they assisted freely. After sinking, ibe chip's head was pot rouod to the westward, evidently with the hope of reaching Simon's B.y. Ihere was a light south-east wind with a little sea on. It was between a quarter-past seven and half-past seven wben the ship struck, and op till half-past ten tbe vessel kept on her way, and everything was orderly on board. At hfclf-past ten the ship's bead was so down that ber stern was oat of the water, and the screw •wre of little use. The captain now gave orders for tbe itarboard waist lifeboat to be lowered, and the women and children were handed into it. The abip was then hardly moving, for her prcpellor was out of water, aad was no longer any us 9 to her. The engines were stopped, and steam •waa gradually being blown off. The Btarboard quarter boat, which bad already been lowered, was ordered alongside to receive passengers, and that was the first time I heard Captain Manning's voice, He said, 'Why don't you hurry up and gefc the boat alongeide?' He had no sooDer the words out of his mouth than the ship g ft ye a dip, and in lesa tban a minute she appeared to make a somersault. I seeing tbis, made a jump overboard at ber port quarter. I could not swim, but I waß fearful of heing carried down by the suction, and I hoped to be picked up by the pert quarter boat, whicb had been lowered some while. I struggled about, and at last saw at a short distance one of the boats showing a light. My cries for help brought them to me in about five minutes, and I waa taken into the carpenters' boat." With regard to the efforts made to sate the passengers, Mr Kromtn states—"We heerd few cries. The bulk of the passengers must have gone down in the vortex. Most of them were on the poop, and when the ship went over, head down, the passengera must have been precipitated into tha water, and they must bave gene down in the suction. Sbe went down liko a streak of lightning. I would not have believed it possible tbat a vessel could have gone down so suddenly. There wae a loud crashing of timber, an escape of steam, a wild rush of water, and tbe Teuton was out of pight. We only saw some wreckage floating about. I fear — indeed I am almost certain — that the boat with the women acd children in ifc was fastened by a rope to the vessel, or did not get clear of the vortex. The moonlight tnabled us to see everything distinctly ; we C( uid nofc see anytbing of the boat with the women. We" heard no cries, and after pulling around the spot for half an bour the course of tbe two boats was msde for Simon's Bay steering for the Cape of Good Hope. The boat's crew pulled all night. Tbe men were most orderly and well-behaved and did everything they could. Sail "was got on the boat at daybreak. There was then a fresh breeze and an ugly jobble of a sea, which compelled us fco keep baling. We overran ten or twelve miles in mistaking the entrance to Simon's Bay, and but for this we should have been earlier in Simon's Bay than we were. The carpenter's boat, which was a better sailer than ours, and had made a direct run for the bay, arrived there first. In fact, she ran out of our flight altogether. There were crowds of people on the wharf as we came up to it, and the greatest kindness was shown to us all. We had to be lifted oufc of the boats, for we were so cramped with sitting and with could that we could nofc move."

The Teuton left Eogland with 236 passengers, Sbe landed 83 at Cape Town. Four were embarked at Cape Town. Computing tbe tfficers and crew at; 85, there were 242 souls on board when she struck. Twenty-seven are known to be saved. Commenting upon the circumstance of the wreck, tbe "Cape Times" observes :-—" Although at present the gallant captain, who went down with his vessel at his post of duty, can be charged with nothing more than over-confidence in the floating qualities of his veisel, and the officers and crew have vied with each other in showing kindness and attention to ths unfortunates on board, there seems fco have bsen a fearful want of foresight displayed. According to all accoants which bave reached ua the sea was comparatively calm, the night was clear, and the greatest order prevailed. Under these circumstances it seems inexplicable -why the boats were not lowered, and the passengers handed into them, and instructions given for them to lie by tbe ship until her re: 1 seaworthy condition was ascertained. To tbis oversight, induced by over confidence, is due the fatality that is withont a parallel in tbe annals of our

shipping since the foundering of the Birkenhead, the particulars of which are known whereever the English language is spoken. Ifc seems, perhaps, harsh ere the voice of the captain has been still but for a few hours, to cay anything that will add to the grief of those who will mourn his loss ; but we cannot allow the opportunity to pass withoufc entering a strong protest against the prevailing fashion of trying to cut off corners 'at sea. in order to make a quick passage. So far as we can glean, the Teuton was too close in shore, nor would there seem to have been the slightest need for her proximity to the coast, unless set thitherward by an unknown current, or oufc of ber course tbrongh deviation in her compasses."