Shipping Disaster

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4369, 4 February 1909, Page 3

Shipping Disaster

STEAMER CLAN RANALD FOUNDERS

FORTY-SIX LIVES LOST

A VALUABIE WHEAT CARGO ... Adelaide, February 1 The steamer Clan Ranald was wrecked ifc the Bt. Vincent Gulf, eight miles from Edithburg, late last night, 46 of her crew being drowned. The Clan Ranald was wheat-laden to the United Kingdom. The weather was rough, a south-east gale blowing, and it is surmised that the shifting of the cargo caused the vessel to fill and sink. The crew was composed mostly of coloured men. Eighteen were saved, among them the first mate. > Sydney, February 1.

Owing to telegraphic communication with South Australia being interrupted, very few details of the i Jfcaster have filtered through. **The first news reached Adelaide early this morning that a large steamer, with her flag half-mast, was drifting towards Trowbridge Hill in front of a gale. A steamer went out frem Edithburg, but found the distressed vessel too close in shore to give relief. ; The next news came that one man had been washed ashore, but was too dazod t give any intelligence. Since then 11 bodies have come ashore. The Clan Ranald left Port Adelaide on Sunday night with a wheat cargo valued at £20,000. The spot where she went down is very rocky, and landing is difficult. ACCOUNTS OF SURVIVORS. Adelaide, February 2. The survivors of the wreck of the Clan Ranald arrived at Edithburg last evening, \ The mate states > jat all went well .until two o’clock oh Sunday afternoon, when the vessel, which was 9 |ben in charge of the second officer, took a sudden list and became unmanageable. All hands were brought on deck, and remained on the raised portion of the hull. Two of the ship’s boats were lost and tne remaining two could not be launched. All this time the Clan Ranald twas drifting towards the shore. At 10 o’clock at night the ship went down, and all hands were struggling in the water, Heartrending cries were heard as the’ drowning men tfere swept away by the waves. " A feature of the disaster is the

fact that only those members who) \ could sniiti reached the shore. The first mate and the second engineer came across an upturned boat and clung to it. One of the Cascars stated that six or seven men died during the night after landing. Mr Shaw, who is sixty year*, of a ge, swam ashore with the aid of a lifebelt lie states that when about five miles oil the shore a large wave struck the ship, and she sheered over. From then until sbe sank was about six or seven hours. Two of the boats were washed away in the heavy sea, and two others smashed in -an effort to launch them. It was impossible to get at the other boats on account of the ship’s heavy list. Ample warning was given of impending danger, and everyone was on deck.when the ship took the final plunge.

BATTERED ON THE ROCKS Adelaide, February 2. Several of the coloured crew clung tenaciously to a rudely constructed raft, which they had hurriedly put together, and reached ehe shore by this mebns.

Mr Fordyce stated that the third engineer proffered him a life belt, but be declined, as he was a strong swimmer. He endeavoured to fasten the belt round the third engineer, but the latter would not accept it, and at th at moment the ship sank in a whirlpool, and that was the last seen of the third engineer. The vessel is completely out of sight, having gone d -wn in 14 fathoms of water. All the dead fohnd so far had life belts and all'the bodies bore marks of having been battered on the rocks.

One body was founn at the top of the cliff, the many having climbed the ascent and died from exhaustion at the top. Thirty bodies havealready been recoveredThe pilot who took the vessel out of port says that she had a slight li't to starboard, but nothing out of the ordinary that could not have been lightened by the consumption of coal. OAUBE OP THE DISABTER. Adelaide, February 2 The white members of the crew are reticent as to the actual cause of the disaster. From what can be learned, however, it appears that something must have occurred . aboard the Clanranald. The hypothesis is that the ship struck the Marion Eeef, which lief to the south-east of Troubridge Hill Atsempts to. obtain anything definite, have beeirTiitile.” There is too much' x at stake "-was the reply of the first officer when pressed for information. DEADs BURIED IN TRENCHES Adelaide,- February 2 Tie victims of the Clan Ranald disaster were buried at Edithburg to-day. The 1 . , lascars were buried in a large trench 2oft. long, and the whites in a smaller trench. Some complaints have been made that assistance was not promptly sent. The news that an unknown vessel was in distress was received on Sunday night, buf/assistance was not sent till eight o’clock on Monday evening.