I COLLISION NEAR BELFAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 132, 5 June 1923, Page 5

I COLLISION NEAR BELFAST.

LIVERPOOL FERRY SUNK. AM. ON BOARD SAVED. VESSEL BEACHED ON A SANDBANK. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, June 4. The Belfast Steamship Company's steamer Graphic (1871 tons), from Liverpool, collided with the American cargo steamer Balsam (5104 tons) in Belfast Lough. The Graphic had a big hole on the water-line and took a heavy list. The skipper, with instantaneous decision! made for a sandbank and ran the Graphic ashore. Two hundred passengers, including many women, were summoned to the decks and wore hastily transferred to the lifehoats as they were, the majority being in their night attire. There was no panic, the women and children behaving admirably. A few minutes later the Graphic sank, but not a life was lost, though if the accident had occurred a few miles down the lough there must have been a heavy casualty list, as the ship would have foundered before there would have been time to launch the boats. One traveller in the excitement of the mishap forgot, to take £50,000 worth of jewels from his cabin, though he picked up his camera. He was taking snapshots on deck when the steward tapped him on the shoulder and bunded him bis case containing the forgotten jewels.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)