End of the Kanowna

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 592, 19 February 1929, Page 9

End of the Kanowna

VESSEL SLIPS AND SINKS All Passengers Transhipped SHIP STRANDED IN DENSE FOG (Australian and X.Z. Press (United P.A.—By Telegraph — topyric /« SYDNEY. Monday. THE steamer Kanowna, which stranded on Cleft Island * South Victoria, slipped off the rocks and sank from sight yesterday morning. All who were aboard had been removed to safety before she sank.

Captain Newberry, master. informed the ship’s owners of the disaster. Captain Newberry joined the Kauowna at Sydney on Saturday to relieve the permanent master. Captain Sharland, who is on leave. Captain Newberry has a fine record with the Australian United Steam Navigation Company, owners of the Kanowna. which is running under the agency of the Huddart-Parker Company. The passengers were transferred to the cargo steamer Mackarra last night and are expected at Melbourne by her late to-day. The captain wirelessed saying they were all well and happy. The crew remained on board the stranded steamer when the passengers left, as she was then thought to be in no immediate danger. Early this morning, however, the erew were taken on board the collier Dumosa.

The Kanowna carried more than 2,000 tons of cargo, valued at £IOO.OOO. There were three motorcars on board, also a racehorse. A wireless message from the naval sloop Marguerite this afternoon read: “Found wreckage 14 miles south of Cleft Island.” General relief was felt when it was announced that, all hands had been saved. In addition to the passengers, who, it is now stated, numbered over 1,000, the crew total 130. PASSENGERS SHRIEK SUDDENNESS OF THE SHOCK EXCITEMENT SOON QUELLED MELBOURNE, Monday. The steamer Mackarra arrived at Melbourne this evening with the rescued passengers from the Kanowna. Mr. J. Gilbert, farmer, of Quambatook, Victoria, one of the passengers, said be was playing chess when he heard the Kanowna’s engines put hard astern. There followed a loud grinding and the ship heeled over to starboard to a serious degree The passengers shrieked and fell to the decks. The officers calmed them and ordered the crew to have the lifebelts ana boats in readiness. The feelings of the passengers were relieved when they saw Cleft Island through the mist. The sea thereabouts was moderately calm. After that there was no panic. The passengers just patiently awaited the arrival of the Mackarra. When that vessel arrived at the scene she stood off and picked up all the passengers from the Kanowna’s lifeboats. The women went first, then the male passengers. RESCUERS PRAISED

The crew of the Makarra gave their bunks to the women. The majority of the men passengers slept in their lifebelts on the deck, on hatches or anywhere available.

Mr. Gilbert said he packed all his personal effects but the majority of the other passengers lost everything they had. One man lost £ls and his boots.

All the passengers regarded their escape as very lucky, and as emphasising the value of wireless. They paid tributes to the fine rescue efforts of the Mackarra's crew.

The representatives of the HuddartParker Company this evening arranged for special accommodation lor the stranded passengers and made provision for the resumption of tlieir voyage to Adelaide and Fremantle by other vessels.

The Kanowna was requisitioned by the Townsville military authorities on August 8, 1914, and joined the Australian fleet, which was escorting the troopship 15errima to Rabaul, at Port Moresby. T he Kanowna’s detachment, however, consisted mostly of untrained youths and old men, and instead of proceeding to Rabaul to take part in the subsequent capture of German New Guinea was sent back to Thursday Island and, finally, back to Townsville. , On June 1, 1915, she was taken o\er by the Australian Government and -onverted into an hospital ship, in which capacity she served until the end of the war mostly between Australia and New Zealand. She had accommodation for 452 cot cases, with a nursing and medical staff of 88. SEARCH BY CANBERRA THRILL FOR PASSENGERS NOTHING TO BE SEEN MELBOURNE, Monday. The passengers on the steamer Canberra were thrilled when an S.O.S. call was received from the Kanowna at 8.30 p.m. yesterday. The Canberra is a fast ship and was 54 miles ahead of thf Kanowna. although she had left Sydney an hour after that steamer on Saturday. The Canberra was put about Immediately and reached the vicinity of Cleft Island at midnight. Nobody could see anything, not even the powerful light on Wilson's Promontory. The Orvieto was also cruising about in response to the Kanowna’s S.O.S. The sirens of both vessels were sounded for the. dual purpose of acquainting the Kanowna’s master of their presence and of keeping the two ships at a safe distance from each other. The captain of the Canberra then received a wireless message from the captain of the Mackarra saying he had rescued all the passengers off the Kanowna and that he had resumed his voyage to Melbourne. ! Mr. Dunk, chief lighthouse-keeper ! at Wilson’s Promontory, stated to-day | that he w r as not aware the Kanowna had grounded on Cleft Island, which is only six miles away. For the past two or three days the Promontory had been enveloped in one of the densest fogs he remembered.