THE LARGO BAY COLLISION.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 56, 7 March 1889, Page 5

THE LARGO BAY COLLISION.

Papers received by the mail steamer give the following additional particulars of the collision between the barque Largo Bay, for Auckland, and an unknown steamer in the English Channel :—

London, February 6.

■ The British barque Largo Bay, bound for Auckland, was towed to Spithead to - day in a sinking condition. She reports that on Monday night last she was in collision with an unknown four-masted steamer off Beachy head, aud that the steamer was sunk with all on board. Tho seamen of the Largo Bay say they are certain thatthe lost steamercarried passengers, and they estimate that the crew and passengers togebher numbered at leasb 100 persons. The steamer sank eighb minutes after the collision occurred.

New York, February 7,

In that unaccountable way in which disastrous news disseminates itself, the indefinitecablegramannouncingthelossof afourmasted steamship in collision with the British barque Largosßay off Beachy Head spread through the city lasb night, all those who had friends upon recently outgoing steamships bound for London direct or German ports, received the news as an electric shock. Soon after midnight anxious souls could endure no longer bhe awful indefiniteness, hardly knowing what to do or whether to turn, the friends of ocean travellers donned their outer clothing and went oub into the night bo seek intelligence. Aboub the various steamship companies' offices on Bowling ■ Green and lower Broadway were seen gathered groups of anxious men, bhough a few women also had braved the zero weather to glean some intelligence as to the identity of the lost steamship. Confidences, hopes, and fears were freely exchanged, bub nothing was learned.

Can it be the Weria of the North German Lloyd ? This was bhe tirsb question asked by many lasb nighb. She had on board between 270 and 280 parsons, including passengers and crew, and her value i 3 over §100,000. Captain Rink, an able and experienced mariner, is her commander. Henry Clausen and many New Yorkers arc on board. Two- points which led' to the general impression that the fated steamer may be the Werra are, that she has not yet been reported ab her destination and thab she is a four-master. There are several Rotterdam steamers also carrying four masts, bub bheir course would nob lead them near Beachy Head ; neither would the Werra's course take her very near the place of collision, bub bhere is a bare possibility that she gob lost in the fog and disabled her machinery and wandered from her path.

[More recent cablegrams state that the steamer in collision with the Largo Bay was supposed bo be bhe Glencoo, from Glasgow, with over 50 souls on board.]