POWDER IGNITED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 155, 4 July 1938, Page 7

POWDER IGNITED.

CANNON EXPLODED. COMMANDER BURNED. CUTTY BARK'S FAREWELL (Special.—Br Air Mall.) LONDON, .lime lrt. A* the Cutty Sark. the famous, China tea clipper. wi« firing a farewell r-uluta to Falmouth on her l«st wij»;t h> London a brass can noli «-.\ [i]i «]<•. i. injuring her commander, Commander <•. C. Steele. V.C. The explosion powder Itll the • lock hii. l «(•; lli«. clothe* iif Commander Steele, who U ea pl,i in stlpcrint cndciil of the training -hip Worcester, ald«i/c. He da died down the <|e.k. w here colIcagtle* tore hit. hla/.in;.' g« I nu'iili- frmu him. A SoameiiV Minion |mijim li nearby jraced to a pilot boat for oil. ; Severely burned. Commander Steele wa- put ;>..-horc and taken to hospital | while tI,H Cutty Sark continued her ;\o_\age. Despite his injuries, lie insisted 'on -end in;: a message to hi*, mother: i I rdiall rejoin the tdiip at the Note." ! It *a h later learned that a backfire li'ruin the r.et alight powder on the «leek. Few „f t )„. thousand- „f onlookers who ha<l given the ( ut 1 v Sink la rousing send-off from t) )c . 8 hon : knew what had hapjierwd. Siren Salutes. The Royal Cornwall Yacht Club vu decorated with flag.., al*o the Coinmo. (lore's yacht Anthea. As the ( utty I Sark swung pa«t Flushing, the railing j'-ltih of th«? village fired a salute. All ships in the harbour sounded their ,-irens and whistles «<nd iVien- war- a i"Oo(td luck, pleasant \o\agc" - .iuil It'i'oni seven liritir.li tankei'r-. ,i llin'-,-h-I Indian uoopohip and a liner of i lie Harrison Line. | Tlie ship was followed niH of har'e-njr jli.v hundreds of rowing, i-mlni- >n>l motor boat-. In London the I .:• ■ ■• > k will lie u-cd ill connection u.'ii I lis ,ti.lining ship Worce-ici.