SHIPPING DISASTER.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13063, 13 March 1908, Page 4

SHIPPING DISASTER.

COLLISION !X ATTKLANT) UAHBOCR,

A SCOW aWTv. (PKESS ASSOCIATION TKi.ECRAM.) AFC KLA NT), .March 11. Tho k.to',' Moon-ill, a- vessel of 83 tons, ov.rnv] !>y tho Northern Coal Company, whilst entering the harbour, loaded villi ,>*:il. .shortly before olevon lust- Tiirrlit, coilirinl v.-itli tho Union Company's stcaiiici Wainuia, Hound for Newcastle. Tho "Wajrnna left the railway wluarf at a boat ten o'clock, and ua-s proceeding down the harbour under easy steam, uhon suddenly, when nearly of! the Calliope dock, tho Rtoamor's office.* state that the tights of a, small v.xr.; ... ere discovered in close proximity to the steamer. The order, "Full sjw-inl am'i'.rn," was given, but it was too Kit-.-., to avert a collision. Tlio .-•.earner crushed i.nto th-f* scow ajnid-.-hips. and th,. semv sank almost immed lately. Boats were lowered from tho Viairiina. mid all t-lio mo.n belongin*' t-o uio scow nero rcNoucd, .excepting a man mmcd Fred Smith, of whom no trace cuiiM Ik- fourth The ofti-.vtx of the Wa.inina. and th"""!.o Ixdon'.-ug to tho scow, ar<' roti- « cnt as to tho collision. Ono of tho Moon/ih'.s crow .'aid: - -Jt wa.s a very Middi-n call. A.« the steamer cam© down upon us I <ovid _w*» what, was coming, and seized a. lifebuoy. I ru.-.hcd aft. followed by Smith." Wo wc-.ro all forward who.n tho big steamer crashed into us, and wor« ail in the wat-or in a few .seconds. Ido not know how Smith was drownryl. but I think ho must have gonu down with tho scow." The scow Aloonah waa built fv' T years a_*o at a cost of -.'-ofTO. «.*> lo was not in-.-r.-red. Sin; is sunk in six f anion-, or water. r:p;h: in the fairway. I tie hull is practk-aily cut in two; the fore topmast just shows above tho wator, and th- mizzon mast haa broken off by the deck.

One of the scow*, crew wrus aloft furling the to*^ :i i] when the vessels col-hd.-d. and he was thrown on to the de:-k of tlio srt-eamor. but e*caT>ed serious injury an*] avoided a ducking. llxi ma_ter of the fcow was at the wheel when the Awiiruna struck his vessel. Hm 1<"_; »;is broken by the wheel spinning beyond his control.