SHIPPING DISASTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 232, 28 September 1908, Page 5

SHIPPING DISASTER.

m ■ ■■!■■ — BARQUE LOCH FINLAS. WRECKED OFF TASMANIA. TWENTY LIVES LOST. ONX.T FOUR SAVES. (By Cable—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 8.25 a-m.) LAUNCESTON, September 28. •News has been received from Cape Portland of the total wreck of the barque Loch Finlas, bound from Port Pirie for Callao. Residents state that about 9.30 o'clock on Saturday morning the barque was seen coming from the direction of Boobyalla Bay. She held on her course till she struck 9 reef at Foster island, near Cape Portland, and within half an hour had disappeared. On Friday a fierce north-west gale raged, and the sea was heavy. Running -a _ the vessel was at the time, her bottom must have been torn out. I A close searth was made for survivors | along the coast, and late last night word I came that a boat had landed between Cape Naturalist and Eddystone. Few particulars are yet available. The crew were all foreigners, _ad numbered 24. Four boats were launched, but all were stove in. ! Nine men clung to the wreckage as the I vessel sank. I The captain and mate stood by the ship, and the last words of the captain were.- "Don't bustle, boys, don't huny." A fifth boat was s.ifely launched and, with four men aboard, she landed about midnigiit on Saturday. They tramped to Mr. Grove's residence, about eight miles from the scene of the wreck, reaching there at 4.30 on Sunday morning. The survivors state that one comrade was seen clinging to a dinghy, and if saved would be on, Foster Island. The second mate was out of his mind after the wreck, singing hymns and snatches of songs. He then jumped overboard, and when last seen was drifting seaward with a belt tied round his neck. The four rescued men are Scandinavians. The Loch Finlas was a ship -of 2062 tons. She left Port Pirie (South Australia) a few days ago, under the command of Captain Lennon, for Callao, South America. Her owners are J. Sproat and. Co., of Liverpool. The vessel was formerly known as the Bactria. She was built at Southampton in 1885.