COLLISION OFF DUNGENESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 120, 22 May 1890, Page 5

COLLISION OFF DUNGENESS.

FASSENGER STEAMER SUNK.

EXCITING SCENES.

Af disastrous collision occurred off Dungeness Poinb ab midnight on Wednesday, April 2nd, between tho steamship North Cambria, 1,969 tons, belonging to Messrs Hugh Roberts, of Newcastle-on Tyne, and the'Avoca, a screw-stoamer, 844 tone, belonging to the British and Irish Steam Packet Company, Dublin. The latter, which now lies sunk in aboub 20 fathoms ab Dungeness, was built at Cork in 1865. Tho North Cambria, Captain Roberts, was bound up Channel from Baltimore to Hamburg, with maize. The Avoca, Captain Archbold, was bound from London to Dublin. She had a general cargo and twelve passengers on board, and was to call at Portsmoubh, Soubhampton, and Plymouth. The crew of the sunken steamer Avoca, twe'nby-five in number, and twelve passengers were landed at Dover from the North Cambria. George Hall, of Shifnal, a passenger by the Avoca, says, '• I was asleep on the Avoca at the time, but was awoke by a deuce of a bump and noise, and a man who was opposite to me in the bunk said, «Something has struck us.' We went on deck, where immmediately all was confusion, exactly as youreadof in times of shipwreck. The scene was something frighbful. An abtempt was made to get one boat oub, but it would hot work, as there was no plug in it. They went then to the other boats, and these wore gob oub, and after j the women and children I was put into one, I was then transferred to a kind of lifeboat that some of the crew were in. The other steamer—which proved to be the North Cambria—was then keeping near tho wreck, which was slowly sinking, although it was over an hour before she went down. The scene on deck before the boats were gob out was something awful. It was midnight, some miles off Dungeness, and pitch dark. Our crew, which numbered 25, did their utmost for the passengers, and acted splendidly. Our steamer had an extensive cargo of hops, and these kept her afloat longer than 6he would otherwise have kept up. There wore four or five boats belonging to the Avoca, and we waited about near the wreck, and as soon as she foundered we were taken to the steamer North Cambria, where we were well treated on board. I have lost all my clothes and watch, and several others have lost things. The sailors were very good, however, and went on board the Avoca until it sank, searching for things for passengers." The chief engineer, John McGough, belonging to Dublin, stated that he~was in the engine-room with eight hands when the collision occurred. The North Cambria came into them with a fearful crash, the bows ploughing right through the Avoca in a terrible manner, just forward of the engine-room. The firemen managed to leave the engine-room withoubuijury. The water rushed in and very quickly pub the fires out. The vessel had four boats, but one of them was smashed into matchwood in the collision. The Avoca fortunately settled down very slowly.