AN AWFUL SEA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 30 December 1912, Page 5

AN AWFUL SEA.

CATCHES -Ajf STEAMER. EXCITING EXPERIENCES. HEROISM OF THE CREW. (Received La«t Night, 5.5 o'clock.) LONDON, December 28. The P. and O. Company's steamer Naming (with 280 passengers on board) which was reported as being in distress off Ushant arrived at Grayesend at 6 o'clock on Saturday morning. Her hu'warks wore considerably damaged, and her fore-deck was a mass of wreckage. Her batches wore stove in, and she had a (heavy list to the .starboard. Captain Bidwell left the bridge on the vestal's arrival for the first time since Thursday. The gale commenced after the vessel had passed the Channel Island? on Christmas everting, and increased, in fury until 7 o'clock on Christmas morning. < . 1

j When off Usbant, the Pairing was J shipping water heavily. The speed of the vessel was reducI ed to dead slow, and her head was kept to the gale. Afterwards she hove to, and remained in this position all the morn- . ing, the waves breaking over her right up to the bridge. The captain states that lie had never experienced a galo with such tremendous seas, during the thirty years lie has been .on the water. In the afternoon, a mountainous wave swamped the whole ship, burying her forward, and wrecking all the j tackle in front of the mast. | The passengers' accommodation wag flooded, * and sma-sbed winches burst through the bold. Women antl children occupied flooded ca!bins. The wavefi tore up the iron deck, and turned it back like brown paper. It was impossible for the vessel to proceed, and isihe was turned round, to prevent another such sea striking her. Had she taken another, it would, in the enntain's opinion, have been all up with. her. The turning in the teeth of the gale provided a very anxious time, h<yice the request for assistance. The turning occupied eighty minute?, and the vessel ran for four orfive bours before sbe was out of danger. The cliief officer (Mr Poistle) estimated that the wave which caught the vessel was seventy feet high. A seaman was, washed off his feet and had three ribs broken It was impossible for some time to remove the women and children from the wrecked cabins. The captain declined to take food while the vessel Was in danger. Debris imprisoned five men in their cabins for ten hours, Hie male passengers exhibited great coolness; baling out the water from the knee-deep cabins. The women and children suffered considerably through thei.r feet being in the water. Many were 'helpless through, sickness. PASSENGERS' NARRATIVES. Passengers narrate that at the moment the great wave struck the vessel, Cant.ain Bidwell shouted to the crew, "Now boys, its?'life or death 1 Don't twuble about anything else!" Tlia order and discipline was splendid th-rou£rhout. The stewards .did everything, possible. but were unable'to maintain the supplies of food, many being Toodless tor forty-eight hours, except for tea and biscuits. , The wirelesg operator (named Reynolds) was working for fifty hours. Firemen worked waist deep in the water. The coal was swept out of the bunkers. Tbe wamen on Friday night gave up their bunks to women and children. Lloyds estimates' the value of the steamer's cargo at £100.027. ANOTHER STEAMER IN TROUBLE •"-•••-The-«teft.nTPr- Buchess-"- of" Cornwall has reachecl Falmouth. She reports having encountered tretnendou:--. seas, which tore a way he.' funnel, smashed all her boats, and put out her fires. Two men were drowned. The stokers and engineers worked up to the'V knees in water. Tt w-ae cnlv an heroic effort that saved the shin. Hi a storm destroyed Sallv P.iit. at old Portsmouth, whence Lord Nelson and other heroes embarked.