A TASMANIAN DISASTER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8777, 3 April 1907, Page 2

A TASMANIAN DISASTER.

Per Press Association—Copyright. Launceston, April 2.

Last night the steamer Togo collided with the steam launch Alice in the river Tamar,

The meagre details to hand indicate that out of sixteen persons aboard the AliCe'only six Were saved, tho victims iUolUdirig MS S. Macdonald, hU wife, ancl two boys, Mrs E. .MiiciqhaltJ, Miss Macdonald, Mrs Campbell, Miss Pilgri, Mr J. Presmall,

liAfEtt. the dlaVsthS! state that the steam launch Alias was returning from the upper river, where a party of sixteen aboard had been picnicking. The Alice was in charge of J. T. McDonald, a partner in the engU neering firm ef Salisbury ftnd Company, and part owner bf the lailAdh. itlie | river steamer Togo had riiri an eicur- 1 Sion from Launceston to Georgetown re- j gatfca during the diy aid was returning t 5 j take tip hot usual PrlMliig. At nine o'clock Vvii'oh nearing Fresh Water Point . the night was fine with bright moonlight, and the lights of the approaching launch were seen, Those aboard the Togo state that the Alice attempted to Cross the bows of the steamer. The latter blew her syren and the order was givCU tb reverse engines but it was too late, thC i Alice being struck amidships, I'hC ini-1 pact was with finch terrible suddenness i that scarcely a cry was heard. ThC I launch was out down below the waters 1 line ahd sank almost immediately. | TliC Togo’s boats were quickly manned j and lifebuoys thrown to those struggling 1 in the water, six being rescued. Oily j those in the, fete pdrt of tile Alice were | saved'. The majority of the victims were in tho cabin at the time of tho disaster. A STORY. One, of the surveyors states that McDonald was steering the Alice', which w.qs on the starboard side of tho Togo. Evidently McDonald did not sob her coming very close to the Alice when Gilbert McDonald went up to his father and said, “ Don’t you see the Togo ?” The course of the Alice was then altered to ayoid tho Togo, but the latter having good speed on the Alice did not get clear in time and the Togo struck her with great force, cutting the launch right through. Six bodies were recovered from tho cabin to-day. April 3. Only two bodies have boon recovered, one terribly mangled. It laid evidently been struck by tho colliding steamer. Mr McDonald, his wife, two sons and a daughter, were amongst tho drowned, Mrs Frank McDonald and Miss Pilgrim were sisters. Tho Alice had previously been sunk in a collision four years ago. No lives wore then lost.