LOSS OF THE S.S. BLACK SWAN.

Southland Times, Issue 707, 9 August 1867, Page 3

LOSS OF THE S.S. BLACK SWAN.

The s.s. Black Swan on leaving Melbourne, on the 16th, was run into by the Geelong paddle-steamer Luna — a very fast steamer — and sunk in a short time. This occurred off Williamstown. Portunately no lives were lost, but aMr Higgs, a passenger, broke his leg. Some sheep and luggage were the only portion of the cargo ot the .Black Swan that was saved. The Steam Navigation Board are now sitting to enquire into the circumstances attending the disaster. It seems- that "Williamstown Pier prevented the two steamers when coming in opposite directions from seeing each other until they emerged from behind the Break Water, and were upon each other instantly. The time they were in sight to each other was too short for anything to •be done to prevent the collision. Captain "W*. H. Saunders was at his post, and immediately gave orders to prevent the collison ; but the Luna came on before he could get out of the way, and ran into the bows of the Black Swan and gradually she sank. The Luna is also much injured but managed to reach the wharf. The " Geelong Advertiser" of the 27th says — "After two days sitting during which the evidence of the Captains of the steamers Luna and Black Swan, and that of a number of other witnesses was taken, ijk% §fcam Navigation Board has terrain..

ated its investigation into the circumstances attending, the collision which occurred on Tuesday last, off the Williamstown breakwater, between the two vessels named, and this morning made known its decision, which is to the following effect : — That the board is unanimously of opinion that the sole cause of the collision was the conduct of the master of the Luna, Thomas Webb, and that his certificate be suspended for nine months. In delivering this decision, the chairman animadverted strongly on the lack of caution which had been displayed, and trusted that the occurrence and its results would be a warning to masters of vessels navigating the harbor. The Government divers were at work on Thursday trying to recover the mails from the sunken steamer Black Swan, and any portion of the cargo. Several articles, including a piano, were recovered, but I the mails were not found.