DISASTER AT SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1917, Page 5

DISASTER AT SEA.

THE MYSTERY SOLVED. PORT KEMBLA BLOWN UP. SINKS IN TWENTY MINUTES.

LARGE OVERSEAS MAIL ABOARD By Telegraph.—Press Association. Nelson, Last Night. Great excitement was erased (it Nelson about noon to-day, when it became known that the Regulus, whU.li left last night for Westport, h:id passed the Farewell Spit lighthouse, and was returning to Nelson with two boats in tow and si.'.ty shipwrecked persons on board. The lightkeepcr's request for the name of the Wrecked vessel was disregarded. Crowds assembled at the port to witness "the arrival of the shortly uftei' four. Conjectures were set at rest by the announcement that the rescued party were the complete crew of the iPort Kcmbla, now a Cunarder, but late a Commonwealth and Dominion liner. The ves. Bel was 4700 tons, and bound from Melbourne to London, intending to call at Wellington to coal and land a large Australian and overseas mail. A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION.

About one o'clock in the morning, when twenty miles from Farewell Spit, a tremendous explosion took place in the forehold, opening the starboard side of the vessel, which rapidly began to fill, and sank within twenty minutes, there being only time to get out the two boats. The explosion damaged the wireless, which was useless.

WORK OF INFERNAL MACHINE. The strong fumes whkh caused nausea among some of the men, indicated that the explosion was due to an infernal machine. Captain Jack, First Officer Fletcher and Third Officer Sams stayed by the 'ship, and were in the water about half an hour after the ship sank before being (picked up by the cruising boats.

RESCUE BY REGULUS About half past six, when seeking a landing place, those on board the boats were sighted by the Regulus, the occupants being taken on board. Not knowing what might he the condition of the shipwrecked party, the Mayor of Nelson had a committee formed ,to arrange for accommodation, etc., and on the arrival of the Regulus the whole of the ship's company was quickly placed in quarters and their immediate wants provided for. NO LIVES LOST.

A great cheer arose when the announcement was made that no lives had been lost. Tin; Port Kembla had a full cargo of foodstuffs, and carried the Mayoress of Melbourne's and Red Crpss parcels for soldiers. The crew leaves for Wellington by the Pateena on Thursday. RECIUIX'S TOWIXG LIFEBOATS. Nelson, Se.pt. 18. The chief -postmaster has received information that the steamer Regulus passed Farewell Spit at Id.lo this morning towing two large lifeboats. The message concludes with the word "sixty." Whether this means the number of men in the boats i 3 a matter for conjecture. The Regulus left Xehon for the West Coast ports last night. The vessel should reach ,port at 5 o'clock this afternoon. Wellington, Yesterday. Mr. Dyson, acting' manager for the Anchor Company, has been advised that the ''sixty" in the previous message refers to the number of the ship-wrecked crew. He states the Regulus left at 10 last evening, and would pass the Spit at 3.30 this morning and Capo Farewell at ">.30. As she passed t.lib on her return she had -probably picked up $ shipwrecked crew somewhere between' Cape Farewell and the K.v!»-~angi lighthouse, unless the vessel's course was diverted, nvhich is unlikely, owing to thick weather.

STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS. ' v ' 4C5 BAGS OF MAILS LOST.

Wellington, Last Night. "I regret to announce," said the Hon. G. W. Russell in the House of Repre< sentatives to-night, "that a vevv serious marine disaster has happened close to our shores. A few days ago a large steamer of the Commonwealth and* Do. minion Line, called the Port Kembla, left Australia for Homa laden with provisions for the Mother Country. I understand that she was loaded by free labor. She was calling at New Zealand for the purpose of obtaining coa 1 , Shortly before midday to-day word was received from the lighthouse-keeper at Cape Farewell that tho steamer Regulus had been .seen towing two boats holding 60 persons. These proved to be tho officers and crew of the ship. The cause of disaster, I regret to say, was an internal explosion which acted bo speedily that there was no time to save anything except, I am thankful to say, the lives of all the officers and crew. Not even the ship's papers were saved, and 405 bagu of mails have gone to the bottom of the sea. Further information may be received, but this is all that in available at present. I regret to have to make this announcement, but, as rumors may get about, I think it advisable to give members all the facts.

The Hon. A. M. Myers also made a statement: "My friend the Minister of Marine has said that the vessel was on her way to New Zealand to take in coal That statement is quite correct. I would like to mention that, as Minister in Charge of Supplies, when the agent applied to mo for coal, my answer was that it was impossible to let him have it, owing to the complicated state of affairs in Australia and the scarcity of ?oal here. Sir Joseph Ward made a statement regarding the mails on board the stoamcr. The great bulk of the mails, he said, were for New Zealand." I have an impression, but I am not quite sure, that a portion of these bags were of English mails. , ~ Mr. Russell: That is so. Sir Joseph Ward: The English mails would come via Suez. Mr. Hudson: Were there any Indian mails 1 Sir Joseph Ward: There would almost certainly be Indian mails on board in addition to t.ho otheift