SINKING OF AN ATLANTIC STEAMER.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 997, 14 February 1883, Page 2

SINKING OF AN ATLANTIC STEAMER .

■■ The Inman lino steamer City of Brussels was run down by the 'Kirby Hall, a Glasgow steamer, at the mouth of the Mersey, on. January' 6lh, and .foundered almost immediately, ten persons being drowned, A dense fog had prevailed in the vicinity of Liverpool for several days. When the City of Brussels arrived; in the vicinity oftthe North-west

Light-ship, at about six o’clock on day morning, the fog was so dense that the captain decided not to attempt to make beadvvay, but to remain under steam near the'lightship, and a careful look but was kept, the captain and second anid fourth officers being on the bridge, and a pilot also looking put. The boll was kept ringing, and fog horns were frequently sounded. For some, time the steamer lay in safety. Extra look-out men; were kept on every part of the. vessel. These measures had a reassuring effect on the passengers. Suddenly a slow gurgling sound of a vessel approaching was’heard, and a large steamer only a few yards distant, and moving quickly through the water, was looming up out of the fog. Before any measure could be taken to avoid it a tremendous .collision was seen to be inevitable, and immediately the bow of the Kirby Hall struck the starboard bow of the City of Brussels with terrible force, cut her down to the water’s edge, and almost through. The Kirby Hall was on her maiden voyage. She bad left Glasgow only a few hours before, loading and embarking passengers for the East. The moment the collision was seen to bo

inevitable, everything possible was done on board the City of. Brussels to protect the lives of the passengers and crew. Those on board bore testimony to the .presence of mind and coolness of the captain and officers. Even after the disaster the passengers seemed to be unconscious of ; the gravity of the situation, and of the terrible gap which had been made in the forward part of the vessel. She was shown, however, to be, leaking very rapidly. All the passengers were marshalled .into their appointed places, so there was no hurry or confusion. Life buoys were served out, and boats were swungj and every preparation made for any emergency. This proved.to be more, critical and immediate than was anticipated. The passengers had been put.

into the boats, and some of the crew were * told off to man each of those crafts, the captain and the remainder of the men • -continuing on board until"after the safety of ,the others had been assured. The vessel got visibly lower in the watei, and those of the crew, who had not escaped into the boats climbed into the rigging

and results.. In about 20 minutes after the unpact, the vessel gave a tremen-dous-lurch, flinging off thosedn the rigging and plunging into the depths with a fear-

ful swill.: The scene was heartrending in the extreme. The people in the boats •■-•ivere enveloped - in 1 darkness, and those in the water were without help. ' The Kirby Hall, which immediately after the collision had rebounded through the violence of the impact, and was soon obscured in the.fog, was unablo . to lower her boats, or render any active assistance. The boats of . the City of Brussels .picked up all who could be recovered. All the ; people; were taken on board the Kirby Hall, and when they were mustered on board her it was found that two of the passengers had been drowned. They were steerage passengers. Eight of the crew also were lost, including the second officer (Young) and carpenter (Wood). All the others are believed to be saved. The Kirby Hall, after searching for several hours, proceeded to Liverpool, where she debarked the survivors at the landing stage. One of the crew of the lost steamer states that some of tho boats returned to the steamer before she sank, and pulled close to her, so as to give those on board an opportunity of saving themselves. Hone dared to go actually alongside the sinking vessel for fear (heir boats would be sucked down with her. Thus, while a number of those who jumped into the water were being rowed about the vessel, she suddenly plunged down bow. first in about fourteen fathoms of water, leaving only her topmasts visible. The Liverpool Post says a rumor is current that one of the boats of the City of Brussels was about to return to the scene of the disaster, in response to some cries for assistance, but was prevented by a passenger dravvinga revolver, and threatening to shoot the first man ?ttempling to turn back, and (hat the passenger explained that he acted thus because he feared the boat would be sucked under by the sinking of the steamer.