THE SOMERSETSHIRE IN A HURRICANE

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 298, 9 April 1874, Page 2

THE SOMERSETSHIRE IN A HURRICANE

Wk hare now further information of the disarters which befell the surew steamer Somersetshire on her » oyage fi oia Melbourne to London. The Somersetshire sailed from Melbourne on October 28, and all went .veil until Nov. l(», when a strong breeze sprung up "On the 17th, when in lat. 51.54 S , long 1 10 52 W., the gale increasing, all hands were called on deck to shorten sail, batten down the hatches, and mako everj 7 necessary prepartion to meet what proved to he a terrible hurricane. At noon the barometer had lowered to 28 30, the wind and sea still rising, the ship, uuder foresail, foretopsaili, and lower inaintopsail, and running before the gale at about 14 knots au hour. At 9.30 the upper foretopsail was lowered on to the cap. At 10 a heavy guat of wind caught the ship, and the starboard clew of the foresail gave way, splitting the sail into ribbons, causing her to roll hea\ ily to starboard, and to ship tremendous quantities of water, flooding the deck and completely buisting away the iron bulwarks from the fore to the main riggiuq, and of course carrying away the mam braces, and leaving the fore and topsail yards entirely adrift. Being now almost at the mercy of the waves, she shipped another heavy sea by the port main rigging, which earned away the skida that held the boats over the quarter deck, the stem of one boat falling through the after booby hatch and entirely smashing the starboard saloon door, the water rushing down and flooding the upper and lower saloons. Every Jendeavour Mas now made to secure theafter hatch by means of any spare sails which could bt> obtained, in doing which William Jones, the boatswain, unfoitunately lost his life by being crushed against the poit bulwarks by one of the boats which had broken away ; at the same time two seamen, George Smith and John Gilbertson, received severe injuries, having their' ribs broken. At 11.30 (the barometer dowu to 28 25), the gale had mci eased to a hurricane, the ship taking heavy water before the main rigging and flooded the deck from the le^side and washed the oanvas covaring away from the hatches. All the passengers were- now called on to assist in bailing out the water, which made iti way below m tons, the general conviction now being that the|slnp was fast settling down stern first, the donkey-engines and all available pumps, having very little effect in reducing the large bodies of water w Inch continually made thoir way below. At this time the ship's decks Ipresented a deplorable aspect, being covered wit h. wreckage of all descriptions. Soon after she shipped a tremendous sea abaft the fore rigging, and two of the firemen, 3f. Starkey and John M'Carthy, who were engaged on tbe funnel-casing securing the Imrpauling, \» ere carried amir nnd seen no more, the ship at this time rolling almost oi< to her beam ends; and so the night was passed up till se\eu o'clock in the morning, when an endeavour was mads to ecure the foremast yards, which wa» partially successlul, but nothing could be done with the topsail jards, which were suspended and swinging round the must, th« rolling of the (ship preventing any adequate means beiug taken to secure them. At noon, the wind having moderated a little, the ship's muster roll was called , when it was found that one had been killed, two washed overboard and drowned, and six so severely injured during the night that they were unable to get on deck. The remaining portion of the crew were set to work clearing the wreckage aiid securing the hatches. At six o'clock, the ship still rolling heavily, and taking large quantities of water, after great difficulties the propeller was successfully lon ered, and the order given to steam slowly ahead, bearing away to the northward. On the 19th the ship was found lobe in lon*, 50"54 S., 106 23. W., and the barometer standing at 29 70, and the wind and sea gradually moderating, when it was decided to shape her course for Va lparaiso." .After refitting, the Somersetshire left Valparaiso on December 31, and she is expected at London about Febeu nry 20.