THRILLING EXPERIENCE IN THE CHANNEL. Burning Barque Collides With a Gun powder Ship.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 407, 2 October 1889, Page 6

THRI LLING EX PERIENCE IN THE CHANNEL. Burning Barque Collides With a Gun powder Ship.

A Dover telegram says : — During the violent gale on Sunday night two shipwrecked crews were landed at Deal by a Deal lugger which put oft in respon&e Co signals from a Norwegian barque in the Downs. In all fourteen- men were landed, in a very destitute state. They proved to be part of the crew of the barque Lutra, Captain Rogers, of Hobarb Town, and the barque Bondevennen, of Kragero, Captain Holva. Some of the men suffered great hardships from exposure in an open boat in the violent storm on Saturday. Their experiences were of a somewhat thrilling character. The Lufra, which was bound to Milford Haven, was laden with gunpowder. The Norwegian vessel, strange bo say, cauehb tire from the binnacle lamp eAplodinsc in the collision, and ultimately sank off the Isle of Wight. The crew of the Lufra, fearful that their vessel would catch fire, left it. {Subsequently the captain and a number of men returned to it, but one of the boats is atili missing. Another of the boats, containing four men, was picked up and brought on with the Norwegian crew to | Deal. The following thrilling experiences were given by the crew of tho Lufra, who state that their vessel left the London Docks on Wednesday with a general cargo, outward bound for Tasmania. When sailing down the Channel on Saturday they experienced very severe weather, the galo increasing in force as they nearcd the Isle of Wight. When off that place they foil in company with the Norwegian barque, which was also outward bound. Daring the storm the two vestels collided at about half past nine o'clork. The Norwegian vessel was struck in the stern, and her binnacle lamp exploded, setting fire to the ship. The Lufra had a large quantity ot gunpowder amongst her cargo, and the situation was a most perilous one, as she was in close contiguity to the burning ship. The captain at once ordered the crew ao take to the boats, as it was feared their own ship would be blown up. The boats were got out, and the crow tumbled into them hastily, pulling to a safe distance from the ship. The craw of the Norwegian also took to their boats, as it was apparent that the vessel was doomed. She remained afloat, however, for twenty minutes, her hull burning the whole of the time, and she then disappeared beneath the waves. Captain Rogers and twelve of his crew then pulled back to the Lufra, but the other boats were unable to reach her on account of the gale. The two of the Lufra's boats, containing seven of her own crew and two Norwegians who had jumped aboard the ship at the time of the collision, as well as the boats containing the Norwegian crew, were now left to drift helplesslyin the high seas which were running. After being in the boats for three hours, the men were picked up by an outwardbound Norwegian vessel, which brought them on to Deal. One of the Lufra's boats containing three men drifted past the rescuing Norwegian, and was lost in the darkness. The men in the boat had oars, but no rowlocks, and it is hoped they will b© able to keep themselres afloat until another vessel falls in with them. The rescued men state that they had a very rough time of it while in the boats, the seas frequently breaking breaking over them. At the tim« they were rescued the occupants ot one of the Lufra's boats were »p to their "waists in water, although the boat had been previously lightened by four men being transferred to one of the Norwegian boats. The Lufra reached Cowes in safety. — English paper. ,

Speculation in mining stock described ia three words— Mine, miner, minus.