MARINE DISASTEdR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3808, 12 May 1891, Page 2

MARINE DISASTEdR.

Wreck of the OraigburnSensational Incidents. Five Lives Lost Melbourne, May 9. The four-masted ship Craigburn, came ashore during the nigbt. Fourteen of the crow left the ship in one boat and stood out to sea. Fifteen in another boat attempted to land on the beach, but the boat capsized four times, and five of the occupants were drowned. The captains of the tugs which were sent from Melbourne to render assistance immediately the casualty was reported, made seveial offers to tow the ship clear of the breakers, but the captain firmly declined to accept the proffered help. The pilot who was on board the Oaigburu Btrongly protested against the action of the captain, and despite his refusal gave orders for the tu ,b to take the vessel in tow, nt the same time locking the captain up in his cabin.

The tugs made fast to the ship, but here another difficulty presented it" self, as the carpenter of the vessel, who sided with the captain, declined to supply steam to the winches, witb which to hoist the anchors. A few minutes later, the tugs being unawaro that the anchors were not up, went ahead, but carried everything away. The pilot then left the ship, and the captain again took possession. The Craigburn soon began to bum p heavily, and the crew made preparations to leavo her. The captain declined to go ashore with the men, and most of the crew took to the boats, those remaining on the ship being the captain, chief male, carpenter, and one seaman.

The first boat, with 14 ot the crew, which stood to sea in charge of the pilot, arrived at Queenscliffe in safety. Those of tho crew of the ship Craigburn who were drowned by tho capsizing of the boat in aUenibtwg to reach tho beach are Blackburn, Johnson, Whitefield, McKearson, and Mcfarlane. M>my of the survivors were severely injured. The Rocket Brigade fired a line across the ill fated vessel for the purpose of rescuing the captain, mate, carpenter, and a sailor who had refused to leave the ship when the others left.

The carpenter was tho first who essayed the waves, and though he was completely covered by tho waves twice he was landed safely. The captain followed, and alter a hard struggle reached the shore in an unconscious state. The mate declined to make the attempt, and McKenzie, the sailor, remained on board with him.

Eventually the vessel began to break up rapidly, and when only two of the four masts were left standing, the mate and McKenzie agreed to risk getting ashore by means of the Rocket Brigade line. The latter was landed safely but the mate was drowned.

Captain Kerr, of the Craigburn, has given his version of the circumstances connected with the wreck of the vessel. He states that aftor the towing line slipped, finding that he could not beat out to sea, he anchored a good two miles off shore, where ho knew the ship was safe. He then put out all the chain he could. When this had been done the pilot took change ot the vessel, and told the master of the tug to take the hawser, Kerr thereupon went to the pilot, and putting bis hand on bis shoulder said, " Why have you got me into Uiis position ; you're a rascal." The pilot, having taken possession of the ship, ordered the be skipper to taken aft, which was done, and the pilot then locked him (the captain) up in his cabin, where he was kept prisoner.

Captaiu Kerr says he did not like to interfere with the pilot, aud contends that no vug could have taken the vessel out of the position in which she was placed. The pilot after taking: charge of the ship, left her, as he was afraid of being drowned, but before doing so he told the men to take to the boats. The captain, on the other hand, strongly advised them not to leave the ship, but they would nqt listen to him.

The men left the captain without any boats except those which were secured on board the ship, and he explains that if the boats had been hanging alongside her the three men who were with him would have been able to get ashore in safety.

McKenzie, who was the last man i rescued from the Craigburn, behaved heroically, standing by the mate, who was under the influence of liquor, to the last. McKenzie states that after the line was fastened to the foretop, three of them were in the top when they thought of the mate. The captain said—"You are a younger ' man than I am ;go back and fet ib him." So he went back. The mate, however, was not in a compliant mood, and it was only after some difficulty that McKenzie succeeded in overcoming his obstinacy. Both men stayed aloft after the rest had been i-escued till the masts began to swing so terribly that they shifted te the forecastle head. He wanted the mate, who was a married man, to take the buoy and go ashore, but the latter would not, saying he was a good swimmer. McKenzie went up the foremast to try and cut away the maintopmast stay so as to keep the mast standing as long as possible, when three tremendous seas struck the vessel, He looked down and the mate was gone, Glancing round ho saw him standing right outside on the far guy that had

carried away. He called to him but received no answer. McKenzie, who could not swim a stroke, was then pulled ashore by the Rocket Brigade. Pilotßlanchard.tillaftersuboiicting his report to the authorities, declined to give any information as to what took place on board the Orajgburu before launching the boat. He totally denied the report that the crew were mutinous. It was quite the contrary. Speaking of the captain he expressed his hearty sympathy, saying—"Peor old fellow, he is sixty five years of age, and this was to be his last voyage." The pilot complained bitterly of tho in activity of the authorities. Every soul could have been saved had a life boat been sent out.

The second mate highly praises the pilot's fine seamanship in bringing the boat to Queensclifte. Captain Wilson, of tho tug, said that had the anchor been slipped he could have got the ship away in ten minutes. He considers the ship and six liyea have been sacrificed without necessity,