TOTAL LOSS OF THE P. AND O. COMPANY’S S.S. ‘RANGOON’ OFF GALLIC HARBOUR.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 58, 13 December 1871, Page 3

TOTAL LOSS OF THE P. AND O. COMPANY’S S.S. ‘RANGOON’ OFF GALLIC HARBOUR.

EUROPEAN AND INDIAN MAILS FOR AUSTRALIA LOST.—THREE NATIVE “WRECKERS” SUPPOSED TO BE LOST. Point de Gat.le, November 2. —The hour appointed for the ‘ Rangoon’s ’ departure was G p.m., and at that hour she weighed anchor in order to clear the harbour with daylight. Arrived at the entrance, her speed was slackened while the China mail-boat came up. The pilot as well as the officers on board had no idea of the strength of the current on this particular evening, for it was running, as it was afterwards calculated, at the rate of five miles an hour. The steamer came under its influence to so great an extent that, before the dangerous position had been observed, she Avas alongside the rock, and, with two or three tremendous shocks, she struck, knocking more than one hole in her iron plates rather aft of ’midships, and through these openings the ship at once began to leak at a fearful rate. Water was rushing in at such a rate'that the only chance of keeping it under lay in the steam-pumps and machinery being kept working. The engines were forthwith started, but preparations were simultaneously made to land the passengers—ladies and children first —while bluelights, rockets, and, later on, signal. guns were used to apprise the steamers in the harbour and authorities ashore of the danger. The ‘Rangoon’ was got under way to keep afloat; what seems to some a mistake, appears to have been made here in not turning her head back to the harbour, and, with full steam on, endeavour to beach her. She was instead turned in the direction of a couple of large sailing vessels, the ‘Bernice’ and the ‘ Sydenham,’lying from two to three miles off the harbour, and the passengers, now placed in the boats, were carried to these ships. The crews of the 1 Bernice ’ and ‘ Sydenham ’ at once came to the assistance of the hapless steamer; a boat was despatched to the harbour for further aid from the consorts there stationed, but every moment was critical; and, the enginefires having collapsed, there was nothing further to be done for the ‘ Rangoon.’ The safety of crew, mails, and luggage became the only consideration. Accordingly, the anchor was let go in about 15 fathoms of water, and, to steady the vessel against the strong current, two sails were set, the wind being in the opposite direction to the current. Luggage and a portion of the mails were got into the boats, and, as the ‘ Rangoon’ was fast filling, all prepared to leave her. Meantime, the officer making for the harbour despatched a messenger from the s.s. ‘ Baroda’ ashore, and very soon after the master attendant and local agent of the P. and O. Company made their way on board. The night was a peculiarly calm one ; the water, even outside the harbour, comparatively smooth. About 10 or 10.30 p.m., the water was rushing across the main deck with every heave of the vessel. The captain, officers, and crew hovered round the vessel in her boats. The little steamer 1 Arrow ’ and the ‘ Hercules ’ now arrived, hut it was too late to cut the ‘ Rangoon’s ’ cable and take her in tow. About midnight the settling down, which had been visibly progressing, became more threatening. At 12.30 there was an unexpected wiki yet steady plunge of the stern, and, the ‘ Rangoon’s ’ stem pointing upwards, she disappeared. Whatever natives were on board—three it is supposed —perished, and the canoes close by ran much risk. Settling down in about 15 fathoms of water, two masts of the ‘ Rangoon ’ still projected 15ft. to 20ft. above the surface, and for some time the debris of houses on deck, coops, and spars covered the spot. The different boats, filled with the crew and spectators, now made for the shore. Many of the passengers, laden with impediments of various kinds, followed. A good deal of luggage seems to have been lost, besides all the local (or Ceylon) mails for Australia. It is a fortunate thing now that the China mails and generally valuable cargo were not in. For a want of watchfulness, the pilot, I believe, confesses his responsibility. But the official enquiry has not yet taken place. A diver is to make experiments, but there is little hope of the mails being recovered in a state to be serviceable. The s.s. ‘ Rangoon’ was a vessel of about 1,770 tons, 450 horse power, built in 1808, and had, under Captain Skottove’s direction, made two of the quickest trips on record between Sydney and Gallo, arriving in Australia six days before her contract time, and coining into Galle two days earlier this last voyage.