A FRIGHTFUL DISASTER. COLLISION IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. LOSS OF 140 LIVES. HEARTRENDING SCENES. London (via Adelaide), November 21.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 236, 7 January 1888, Page 5

A FRIGHTFUL DISASTER. COLLISION IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. LOSS OF 140 LIVES. HEARTRENDING SCENES. London (via Adelaide), November 21.

A terrible collision between two steamers occurred in the English Channel on the night of Saturday, November 19th, by which nearly 140 lives were lost in the screw steamer W. A. Scholten, 4,000 tons burden, belonging to the Netherlands American mail service. It Beems that the vessel left Rotterdam, to which port she belongs, on Friday morn ing, 18th, and was bound, with passen fers and general cargo, for New York. She ad on board 210 passengers and crew, all told. Of these, 78 were caved, tho remainder having, it is supposed, all perished. After the vessel left Kotterdam all went well, .except that sho encountered foggy weather and was unable to make much progress. On Saturday evening the captain of the Scholten deemed it advisable to anchor till it cleared up. The vessel anchored about 10 miles to the south-east of the South Sands Head light ship, and remained there until, about 10 o'clock, when, ,the fog having lifted and the weather generally cleared, anchor was weighed and the vessel proceeded on her voyage. The collision occurred at half-past 10, and, at the time the captain and three officers ,were on the bridge, the proper' number of officers on the bridge being only two, but owing to the hazy weather, for the safety of the vessel, it was deemed advisable to have an additional watch until she got out of the channel., From the statements of both passengers and crew there is not the slightest doubt that a good look-out was kept on the ill-fated ship. Soon after the vessel got under weigh a steamer was seen riding at anchor with lights up and showing no side lights. The Scholten gradually approached the other vessel, the officers giving her as they supposed a sufficiently wide berth to clear her amply. When, .however, they gob within a short distance of the vessel they saw, according to the statement of the survivors of the Scholten, that she was steaming 'towards them, and a collision appeared ' iinminent. Every precaution was taken to' prevent this on board the Scholten. The .whistles were blown and 'other signals, were made to her, but either it ( was .too late or there was- not a good , lookout,, ,, K and the vessels came in collision. The other, steamer, which was the Ifasa MariejuOf Hartlepool, and which has' since, ;put t in u to Dover, struck the Schoiteji ,on : iier popt-bow, near the fore- ' risrgihgjf aas, made ,a ! lai'ge • breach. The second jSteam or .drifted away> rendering no -assisijaflce %q • the .Sjoholten,, which at once began within 15 oi" 20 'miriutes ( shg#ankV, „}{,;,, , ',<}/ . <i i

„ ■ .Tjh'e' captain arid first.-pffic^jr^a^k^witih .the} vessel} aftej; frying to ftho lasfc,to,nHaintaity order bii bpa^d'.anci save .as many, as< .^possible. Nearly all tW'passengers were •be,low when the collision occurred, bub only had actuality/ retired night, i&olt of the others takipg. pavt^ in an onter•iiainnaenb, .which was PWjeedmg, ( There •seems to BHve nbeen aii uhhm}te,d Supply of jlifetbelts / oii""the"ie^s&l^'an'd*ever^ 6n f e *dh ,boaVdr]hiAQfe3dience£to ithe,fiommandsiof thej^em^lrr^fie^pdnic WBich ensued. The fi§rfd mtf }q^ickly-M«Mirtilt|pa4tely;? uj t.s' j^f