WRECK OF A TORPEDO DESTROYER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 217, 21 September 1901, Page 3

WRECK OF A TORPEDO DESTROYER.

CABLE NEWS. (By Kleoteio Telsgraph.—Copyright,)

t FIFTY-NINE MEN LOST. A BRAVE MAN'S SELF-SACRIFICE. London, September 19. The torpedo destroyer Cobra bas been wrecked while makiDg a trial run from the constructors' yard at Newcastle to i Portsmouth. She struck a rock on Dowsing Shoals, and broke in halves, and foundered. Six bodies have been brought to Grimsby, j Received 20, 10 50 p.m. I London, September 20. The Cobra was a sister ship to the Viper, just completed at the Elswick works. She struck at seven on Wednesday morning. The sea was terribly rough, and in a few moments the vessel b- oke amid- j ships. A whaleboat and a dinghy were launched. Fifty men crowded into the whaleboat, which was swamped, drowning all. The chief engineer of the Col ra, with nine bluejackets and two of Messrs. Parsons' turbine fitters were in the dinghy, and were picked up afrer battling for ten hours with the waves, Besides a navigating parly of 53, under Lieutenant Thosworth Smith, there were a number of civilian workmen aboard, also the manager of Parsons'turbine works, nid f *e on"i"earing manager of tho E Hwick woiks, making a total of 71. It is feared all were drowned excepting those in the dinghy. L : euteu*nt Smithstood on the bridge with folded iarms, and w;nt down with the vessel. At the last moment the chief engineer, who stood beside him, dived and was p-cked up. A sailor clinging to the dinghy, seeing in was full fell back into the water, saying, " Never mind, mates, no room for me," and was drowned. i