The Nemesis Wreck.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 169, 21 July 1904, Page 4

The Nemesis Wreck.

PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER. THIRTY-TWO LIVES LOST. A TERRIBLTC STORM. The Sydney Morning Herald of July 13 last gives a full account oi the loss of the Huddart-rai'ker steamer Nemesis, -in tho terrible storm which raged along- the Australian coast for several days. The Sydney morning Herald says The worst fears entertained by old sea salts that a shipping disaster on our coast would be associated with the late terrific tempests have unfortunately been realised. The Nomesis, a well-known passenger -ami cargo steamship Ix<lio«igiikTg|:to the,fleet of Messrs Huddari-Parker -and Co. Proprietary, Limited, is missing, and there is little room for doubt that sho foundered with ail -bands. The evidence which has -boen gathered indicates that the Nemesis met her doom at a late hour on Saturday night when oil' Port Hacking. Sho sailed from Newcastle with a cargo of coal and coke for Melbourne on Friday last, and passed Nobbys at o«na p.m. Meeting the southerly gale and mountainous seas, her progress was retarded, and throughout the fearful night of Friday she bravely battled with tho elements. The Neimesis continued on her coucse, but made very little headway, for at two o clock on Saturday afternoon she was off Woollon-gong, 25 hours having been occupied in covering a distance of a little over 100 miles. Apparently the Nemesis wws quite safe on Saturday afternoon, for the Adelaide Company's- steamer Marloo passed her of Wooilongong, and she was then making good weather of it. The Nemesis made no signals, and did not appear to have suffered any damage. The Marloo overtook the ill-fated steamer, and continued her voyage to Melbourne, which port sho readied yesterday.

During Saturday afternoon and evening the gale increased in fury until it attained the force of a severe hurricane. Vessels oi greater tonnage and ot much more modern type were navigated with the utmost dilliculty, and tho Nemesis throughout that afternoon was in a position oi great peril. What course Captain Lushei proposed to take to ensure the salVty oi Jus vessel will probably never bo known, but it would appear that the Nemesis either turned back to run or a haven of safety, or was driven ** estraOTd| »«i- '<»■<*

urrilv that k " OWn ' S t,hnt 011 Saturday night a vessel in distress wu» sel Was the Nemesis is beyond doubt fIL qUmt - iutervals r ockets were S aS t S>gml tofchoso 011 eri h,?f L Was require,ni,M SUC a seaway nothing could be done. It is a foregone con? elusion that at this time the ill-fated vessel was nearing her end, for before midnight the signals ceased. What happened to the Nemesis can only -be conjectured. y

? wr ™ ka «o discovered it is evident that all her w a s carried away, and that her hatches wWrh remOVOd ' The seas which were running must have been breaking completely over her tore and alt, and m all probability when the signals of distress were m a do her fires had been extinguished.

The first definite information that a shipping 'disaster had actually occurred was the discovery on Monday ol large quantities of wreckage, '.tearing the name of Huddart-Parker, on the •Cronulla Beach.

Captain T. Langley Webb, one of the directors of Messrs Hu dart-Park-er and Co., Proprietary, Limited, commenced a search along the Cronulla Beach at daylight yosterday, and upon his return to the city yesterday afternoon he held out practically no hope that the missing Steamship would ever again be heard of. Among the wreckage discovered were the No. 2 large life-boat which was stove in on the port side, and portions of two of the other boats. Five Ol- six of the oars, broken in halves, were picked up, as well as--20 or !!0 life.belts, several life-buoys, pieces of the deck cabins and houses, about a do/.en hatch coverings, parts of internal fittings and furniture of the Nemesis, a few pillows, the ship's parcel box, and a miscellaneous (luautity of wreckage. The latest advice irom Cronulla is to the effect that wreckage is still being washed up. From the fact thai parts oi the saloon fittings and furniture have been found, it is feared that the Nemesis has completely broken up. The ship's company of the Nemesis numbered H2 hands all told, and but faint hopes for their safety are entertained. That the Nemesis is still afloat is regarded as impossible, and that the lifeboats could live in such a sea as that which was running on Saturday is considered unlikely. The Nemesis carried five or six lileboats, and portions of three of these have already been washed ashore.

The officials of the Navigation Department, as well as the police, are leaving no stone unturned to fathom the mystery, and throughout yesterday an exhaustive search was made for any traces of the crew, but without success. The wreckage was strewn along the northern part of Cronulla Boach for a distance of about three miles, but beyond Longnose Point no debris was discovered connected with tho wreck.

It is doubtful when the wreckage first began t.o come ashore. From what can bo gathered Cronulla Beach for the first time for many years was absolutely deserted on Sunday. So terrific was the tempest that even the fishermen declined to put in an appearance. It is therefore possible, indeed probable, that much of tho wreckage was washed ashore during the course of Sunday, for early on Monday morning the beach was found to be strewn with debris.

HOW THE WRECKAGE WAS IDENTIFIED. A visit was paid to Cronulla Beach yesterday by a Herald representative, and the scene proved to be an animated one. Large numbers of visitors were present, anxiously waiting for any evidence that would lead to the identity of the vessel. Among those actively engaged were Captain Langley Webb-, of Messrs HuddartParker and Co., and Captain Sangs-' ter of the Department of Navigation. The beach is about six miles long, and the wreckage was strewn along it for nearly three miles. The news of the discovery of the wreckage on the beach by Messrs McDonald and McMillan, quickly spread, and early yesterday morning a number of residents were on the beach in the hope of finding further traces of the vessel. The first important discovery made yestemlay was due to Mr W. H. Davies, of the Cronulla Hotel. While standing on the northern headland, known as Longnose Point, or Doughboy, he observed a box about 4ft square floating in the water. Jle immediately secured it, and brought it to the beach. It was then found that the words "s.s. Nemesis, parcels," were painted on the front, .lust below was hrandod Messrs Hud-darl-Parker and Co.'s llag, on which were the initials of the firm. SiAieo the finding of the lifeboat by Messrs A. McDonfikl and McMillan, the one theme of conversation among the residents was the name of the wrecked vessel. Some thought tliat it was probably the steamer liarwon, but the arrival of that vessel in Sydney early yesterday mowing quickly dispelled that belief. Mr Davis" discovery, however, furnished almost conclusive proof of the vessel's identity. Every piece of wreckage that was observed was quickly seized and eagerly scanned for the purpose of obtaining corroborative proof. In all about 18 hatch covers, about 30 lifebelts, a number of buoys, a cabin cushion, and a large quantity of deck fittings were recovered by the various parI ties. Most of it had been smashed, I probably by the fury of the gale when it struck the vessel. After the wreckage was closely examined by !the search parties, numbering in all 1 about thirty persons, it was careful-

ly stacked on the beach. It was evident 'by walking along tihat no stone had been left unturned to secure as much of tao wrockjage as possible. The parties worked almost continuously from early morning until dusk. Every point was thoroughly starched in the hope of finding some further traces. The police visited Marloo Ueacli, which is about three miles beyond I'ort Hacking Heads, and made an exhaustive search, but their efforts in this direction were unsu.ccesr.lul. After their arduous labours the residents returned to their homes. THE OFFICERS AND CREW. The following is a list of the crow ol the Nemesis, as recorded in the (Jovernment Shipping Office, at Newcastle, prior to tho steamer leaving for Melbourne Captain Alex. Lusher, 48, master, England. T. A. Helmut, lift, chief mate, Eng. land. VV. J). Stein, 27, second iiutbo, Uuxl. S. Li milliter, 84, third male, Orkney. N. McLood, 81, lamp-trimmer and A.8., Greenock. 11. Hay, 88, A.M., BanfTs. A. liirkland, 28, A.11., Norway. T. Ilale, 28, A.8., Ireland. W. Coult, 80. A.IJ., Scotland. J. Duruboy, 45, A.11., Liverpool. J. Lockhead, 89, carpenter, Glasgow. J\ Warner, 80, first engineer, England. J. Morrison, 80, second engineer, Sydney. R. Woolhouse, 48, third engineer, England. C. Struchan, 87, donkeyman, Scotland. J. King, 29, fireman, Albany. T. HomtU'i", 80, fireman, London. ('. Currie, 88, fireman, London. IT. Jenkins, 80, lireman, Melbourne. Jo<hnson, 22, fireman, Melbourne. A. Russell, 80, fireman, Sydney, F. Brown, 42, chief steward, Yarmouth. Alfred Oakley, 82, second steward, Irdaml. M. Moulder, 89, pantryman, London. Mrs Hyland, 56, stewardess, Canada. S. Ormiston, 20, messrooin steward, Sydney. J. Page, 58, chief cook, Liverpool. G. Gordon, 48, second cook, Liverpool. A. Oorrigan, 18, I>oy, Sydney, U. Vanderysen, 28, A.8., British' Guiana. Molyncaux, 17, ordinary seaman, New Zealand, D. Johnson, 22, fireman, Melbourne