THRILLING STORY OF THE SEA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81904, 17 December 1906, Page 4

THRILLING STORY OF THE SEA

m GALLANT KESCL'E Bi liKillSU SAILOKS. London, November .1. A thrilling story of the perils of the sea was told nt U:e Receiver of Wrecks' offices at Liverpool yesterday by the officers and crew of the Johnstone liner Vedaraore. When she wa9 215 miles <offi the; Fastnet rock in the early hours of Thursday last, battling against enormous seas and a north gale, her lookout man saw lights of distress. Presently a large stealer came into new, rolling helplessly in the mountainous seas. Captain W. Henry held his vessel up till daylight, when he found that the distressed ship was the steamer Xemea, of the Baltic Line. She was apparently sinking. All her engines were disabled and her bulkheads were carried away. Captain Henry called for volunteers to man the lifeboat. Every member of the crew responded, though the task was a perilous one. The men were picked and the lifeboat launched, but almost at the same moment a boat was lowered from the Xemea. This boat had been launched by the foreign sailors of the doomed "si!ii», who clambered into her in a panic, leaving their British officers to their fate. By % skilful manoeuvring of his ship. Captain Henry got near to the crowded boat, and so thoroughly had the foreigners lost their headu that id had to threaten them wjlh penalties if they did not calm down and act like men. It was only in this way that he was able to save them.

.Meanwhile the Vedamore's men got their boat to the Xemea, and brought oil' the officers and the British members of the crew. One of these, an Irishman named Shannon, had his Ie« broken. He was first put into the Ixiat, but could not be lifted out. He lay at the bottom and remained there until the second r-seue trip had been completed, when he was swun" on board still in the boat. °. The rescued men numbered twentvfive, but two othor men bail been (luring tie three the arrival T.i o;,lv relatives of the <■>''»• «'! ,e, the -bi,, were sisters of til- tv... ;„,.„ „1,0 were ,|,„»„e,|. <"apl-i:n Henry is said to have ;,.t- i eil with great gallantiv. He eonvs •>f i-n :.i,-ient seal.,ting (a,„j| v „f Ua'.-if :'. - n ,l one of lis brothers. another Mid captain, holds the Humane medal for leaping overboard i.'i a gall? and saving one of his saih"