The Loss of the Ovalau.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 243, 12 November 1903, Page 3

The Loss of the Ovalau.

FULL PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER. INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN TODD AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE. Recent Sydney papers contain full particulars of the loss of tho Ovalau near Lord Howe Island. Those who had been anxiously awniting news of the long over-due desse! were unprepared for the receipt of information of a disaster of a three-fold character, but everywhere the news was received with joy that no lives had been sacrificed, -Day by day innumerable enquiries were made by the anxious relatives add friends of those on board as to the whereabouts Oi ulio steamer. Grave fears "ire entertained by many that the Ovalau had been lost ; still, those who were most deeply interested cluftg to tho hope that nothing, more serious than a Breakdown of the machinery had taken place. Many theories were advanced in shipping circles to account for the non-arrival of tho Ovalau at Sydney, and disasters of various kinds were predicted. Still, it never occurred to anyone for one moment that the vessel had been on lire.

The ill-fated vessel was well on her way from Norfolk Island to Lord Howe, when to the dismay of all on board, an outbreak of lire was discovered among the, cargo of copra stored in the forehold. Copra, the dried kernels of cocoanuts, is a most inflammable product, and within a very short time the flames had obtained a very firm hold. How the lire originated is so far unknown, and cannot even be surmised, for there is no record of spontaneous combustion among copra. The landing of the passengers and crew was effected none too soon, for shortly aferwards an explosion occurred on board, which rent the steamer and she commenced to leak badly. No definite information has been received as to the cause of the explosion, but the prevailing opinion in shipping circles is that it was due to an accumulation of gas from the burning copra confined in the sealed holds. From this time the steamer was doomed. On the morning of the 20th ult.— the morning following her arrival off the island—the burning vessel was noticed by those on short; to in a sinking condition, and eventually she foundered at the anchorage in about 15 fathoms of water. There are no hopes of refloating the vessel, or of saving any portion of her cargo. It is also moro than probable that the passengers and crew have lost the greater portion of their effects. Since the foundering of the Ovalau the castaways on Lord Howe Island had been anxiously awaiting the appearance of a vessel, in order that they might communicate to their relatives and friend's the fact that they were safe. One can, therefore, imagine the joy with which they hailed the arrival of the steamer Paciiixruc, and the announcement that two steamers would call there within a few hours to render them any assistance that they might require.

THE' CAPTAIN'S STATEMENT. THE STEAMER BURNING IN MID OCEAN. TWO EXPLOSIONS ON BOARD. Captain Todd, master of the steamer Ovalau, was first seen in connection with the lire. The outbreak, he said, occurred amongst the copra in the forehold on Sunday night. The Ovalau at the time was about 100 miles from Lord Howe Island. "As soon as I was informed of the fire, I recognised the seriousness of the position, and at once I gave orders to have the hatches, which had been removed to ascertain the position of the tire, replaced and sealed down. This was done in order to try and smother the flames, and all ventilators from the hold were also covered over. At the same timo I reassured the passengers, and there was no alarm amongst them. However, I apprehended some danger knowing the nature of the cargo, and I prepared for the (worst, and had everything in readiness should it be necessary to leave the ship at any moment. The boats were swung out and properly watered and provisioned, so that the passengers and crew if necessary had only to jump into them. I also saw the engineer and told him to make special efforts to quicken the vessel's speed, as I was most anxiious to reach Lord Howe Island. We managed to keep the lire fairly under control, and made rapidly towards Lord Howe Island. It was tough weather with a head wind, and t.ie foam shot up over the vessel's bows on to the deck as she dived into the seas, her speed having been quickened considerably. To our intense relief we sighted Lord Howe Island about 6 a.m. on Monday, and a few hours ljalter were off Uiie land." "Do you know the origin of the fire ?" Captain Todd was asked. " It is an absolute mystery. There was no indication whatever of a fire until smoke was seen issuing from the forehold by one of the crew. I can only attribute the fire to spontaneous combustion of the copra cargo."

" There was a violent explosion, was there not ?" " Yes, a fearful one, and we thought at the time that the vessel would go down and leave us floundering in tho water. There- were really two explosions. The first occurred at a quarter to eight o'clock on Monday morning. Wo were tin sight of Lord Howe island at the time, and we were busily engaged in sending tho passengers ashore by the boats. When the explosion occurred there was still another boatload of men and women ready to put off. The forehold was blown right out, and pieces of wood sent a tremendous height into the air, whilst the clouds of smoke and flame that were shot up were terrific. This explosion was no doubt duo to an accumulation of gas in the hold." " And the second explosion ?"

It occurred about eleven a.m. The passengers had by this time all left the steamer. The fire was now raging furiously, and the hold was a mass of ;.'eethi'iiß flume. I believe this explosion was due to the boiler bursting." " Did ihe explosion result in much damage ?" " Yes," replied the master, "it did a gmit deal of damage and bulged out the side of the vessel on the port side. We could distinctly see the damage from the shore with our glasses." " I suppose the fire continued to gain on the ship ?" " Yes, alter we abandoned the ship the flames made great progress, and in a short time the whole vessel was a mass of lire from stem to stern. I then had no hope whatever of saving h«r." "When did your steamer founder?" "At about four o'clock on the following morning (Tuesday). We could not, of course, see her from tho shore, it being pitch dark, but we knew she had foundered by the sudden disappearance of the terrific file. I may say that before we abandoned the Ovalau, the saloon was on fire and she was burning at both ends."

" Where was she lying at the time she foundered ?" " We were at the anchorage about a mile on the western side of the island lying off a reef."