THE ARAWATTA COLLISION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8896, 16 August 1907, Page 2

THE ARAWATTA COLLISION.

i Press Association.—Copyright. Bmsbaub, August 15,

The steamer Arawatta, which arrived hero to-day from Sydney, reports that at 3 o’clock on Wednesday morning, when eight miles off Port Stephens, she collided with aud sank the barque Ingeborg, bound from Wellington to Newcastle in ballast., The barque sauk in two minutes. Boats wore lowered by the Arawatta, aud picked up three men in the water, whilst five others climbed over the Arawatta’s hows. The Arawatta remained in the locality till after daylight, and there being no further sign of life resumed her voyage. „ , , „ . . The saved are ;—Karl Albertson, first mate; John Sorenson, second mate; O. A. Lewis, native of Westport, A.B. shipped at Wellington; Adolph A.B. ; Franz Alder, steward; Ernest Kiehiko, A.B. ; Hans Lusder, A.B. ; Alex Kreutzlin, A.B. The missing are : —Oapt. Schmidt; George Harrison, 18, A.B. shipped at Wellington; George Leder, sailmakcr; Axel Gottfriedseu, Kauut Johansen, Karl Filandor aud Emil Palmer, A.B.’s. The captain lost his life in trying to save the youth Gottfriedseu. The Arawatta was doing 13 knots at the time, aud the barque about four knots. The sailors state that the barque was showing all her lights. The Arawatta’s bows were con-

siderably damaged. Kreutzlin, Lewis aud Sorensen jumped overboard at the moment of the collision aud were rescued by the boats. There was no panic ou the Arawatta, though there was great commotion for several minutes. The vessels remained interlocked for a few seconds, but as soon as the Arawatta backed out the barque went down. Those drowned were in the watch below aud had not time to save themselves. ~ Captain Schmidt could have climbed aboard the but ran below to arouse the youth Gottfriedseu, who was asleep. The captain had almost passed the youth over to tlio outstretched hands of those on the Arawatta, when the vessels suddenly separated. Neither the captain nor the boy was seen again.

Terrible Experiences

August 16. Various passengers, give thrilling narratives of the terrible ordeal through which they went. That supplied by Constable Wardiey gives details of the experiences of the men aud crew -who were huddled upon the bridge of the sunken steamer the long night through, all more or less scantily clad, with simply appalling seas breaking over them. At 3.80 in the morning all the lights went out. aud the men were penned in what looked like a certain death trap. They could not sec each other, hut to one another spoke words of, encouragement which only rarely could bo heard through the awful gale. Before the ship settled down the men on the bridge could hear knocking forward. One sailor managed to work his way along, and ho. found 11 steerage passengers looked in, the door being jammed. The door was broken open, when the passengers inside were found standing in four feet of water. Their escape was very narrow, for they had not long been released when the shij) became almost totally submerged. Several passengers wore battered aud bruised through being swept against the -rocks and struck by wreckage. Further details of the disaster to the women’s boat show that for over au hour after leaving the ship it was in imminent danger of being swamped. When being carried past the entrance the women shrieked in agonising tones “Help! Help! Can’t von come out aud help us?” hoping that the lighthouse-keeper would hear, hut uo visible or audible response came. The wife ot the keeper, who was in the boat, called “Jack, help mo!”, a cry which was Imard by her husband on the bridge of the lighthouse. Ho was powerless to help, hut shouted hack. The occupants of the boat, however, did not hoar him, aud the craft was carried swiftly by the tide to the breakwater. The Acting Chief Officer of the Hautivo, who was in charge, throw a painter to two of the crow, who jumped on to the breakwater. They missed the rope, aud the boatswain of tho Hautivo sprang out and made it fast. Several passengers jumped out of the heavily bumping boat aud endeavoured to climb the stoop side of the breakwater. Mr Grundy, a passenger who was on' hoard with his wife and child, was knocked down, aud lost hold of his child, which ho never_ saw again However, lie saved his wife aud another woman. The Hautivo saved Miss Finch, and the lighthousekeeper arrived iu time to rescue another woman and two children. Mrs Hooper aud her child wore scon to bo in the water drifting away with the tide, aud uo help could he given.