THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE CANDAHAR AND KINGSBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 411, 2 January 1875, Page 2

THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE CAND AHAR AND KINGSBRIDGE.

In yesterday's eare( l a short account of the above dHfiuH^flpiv fr° m the Times of the 16th October.^^^^Hibig fuller particulars are given in the Ma^Mejm* The ship Candahar, of "verpool, 1418 tons, owned by T. and R. Brocklebank, Liverpool, bound from London to Melbournefi|j(jh a general cargo, put into Falmouth onCtej£>ber 15, making a great i deal of water, witjh, lolB»jib-boon and bows stove in, having been on the previous day, 10 miles off the Lizarflgjra* the Kingsbridge, ship of London, 1498 tons, owned by George Crashaw, Fenchurch street, bound from London for Sydney, which vessel foundered in three minutes. The master, his wS^jaughter, and eight men were drowned. The following are the names of part of the crew saved from the Kingsbridge, and taken to the Royal Cromwell Sailor's Home .- — McDonald (first mate), Jackson (third mate), Jackson, carpenter, Richards, cook, Petersen, Hansen, Anderson, Keelan, Calf, Parker, Allen, Andersen, Scarborough, Lees, Butter, Riglan, Cockle, Mills, Roach, Stevenson, and Cashion, able seamen. The first and third mate aid the rest of the survivors of the ill-fated ship Kingsbridge arrived at Plymouth late on October 15, on their way to London. They all looked exhausted and sleepy, and many of them bore on their faces the bruises and cuts received during the terrible collision in their attempts to escape from drowning. Questioned upon the sad affair, the cfiief mate, McDonald, said his ship was a fine iron sjiip'of 110& tons register, launched only five years since. She was commanded by Captain Symonds. an American, and was owned by George Crashaw and Co. Fenoß|rcli-street, Igggtau^On October 10,!^^tJJK)ngpn for Sydney tntKsft general cargo. ancN|»MisP*«ll tlie collision. CP 11 ' west, a large shifl was observe4pß(|ifFpOTt feto^ coming right upon them. For H&^ptes she wtis watched, and as she neared, without uky indication of an alteration in. her course, tbftro##as great^ consternation on board the Kingsbridge ; blue lights were burnt, and all hands on deck-joined in shouting, but not the slightest notice was taken, and at 7 o'clock the Kingsbridge was struck abaft the main rigging on the port side by an iron ship just as large as herself. She turned out to be the Gsplahar, Captain ZoughisjuL-J^ejJa^tfe^tiie collision was exceedingly gwat ; four of the Kingsbridge's men were at the time aloft stowing away the main royal; two men were thrown on to the deck of the Candahar, one being so badly injured that he died shortly afterwards ; a third fell overboard, and was never seen afterwards ; and the fourth, who also fell into the sea, saved himself by clinging to a portion of the floating wreckage. For just a minute the ships remained together, and some of the crew of the Kingsbridge, appreciating at oncethe damage done, got away by the rigging into the Candahar ; some in their fright jumped overboard, and were lost. Captain Symonds had on board his wife and daughter, a girl qL 11. They were below at the time of the colliaon, but the chief mate at once t brought them on deck, and carried the daughter to a place where she might have with little difficulty reached the Candahar. She refused, however, to leave the ship without her father and mother, and returned to them. The captain believing his ship would float for hours, sent his wife and daughter below whilst the boats were got out but one minute afterwards, and less than three from the time she was struck, the Kingsbridge suddenly gave a lurch and sunk. The Candabar had by this time got her boats out, and picked up on spars, &c, the third mate and several seamen ; but Captain Symonds, his wife and daughter, the second mate, the steward, the boatswain, and five seamen went down with the ship. The suddenness with which the Kingsbridge sank was caused by the Candahar, in clearing herself, tearing away iron 'plates out of her side. The Candahar herself was badly injured, and had a hole in her bow, n which the mate said a railway carriage might have been placed. Fortunately the collision took place only sixteen miles off the Lizard, for in the four hours run to Falmouth, the Candehar made water so rapidly, and her condition became so critical, that lights were burnt and rockets sent up. It is s*aid that the Candahar was in fault, for she had no efficient look-out, and being on the port-tack, should, according to the rule of the road at sea, have given way, The Kingsbridge and cargo were valued at £40,000.