NAVAL PISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 404, 13 January 1909, Page 11

NAVAL PISASTER.

i/ DROWNING OF DLUEJACKETS.: ''■': > . ■-'."■:■■■'' ..•Sydney, January G. The most disastrous accident in the history of the British .Navy in these waters occurred yesterday morning in Sydney Harbour, when a pinnace containing about 60 men from the warsliip Encounter, on their way to rifle practice at Kandwick range, was run down by the coastal steamer Dunmore, with the result that .fifteen or the. bluejackets were drowned. : . . ,i; : The party had -left the warship, .whioh is lying.at the Royal Naval Depot at Garden Island, shortly after half-past six o'clock in the morning, for the periodical musketry practice, which: has been carried on by the ship's company sinoe Monday. The men, under the charge of Lieutenant .R. G. Dinwoodio, embarked in the pinnace; which was then taken in tow by one o{ the steam launches of the Garden Island station, by which the officers and a large party of the Itoyal Marine Light Infantry travelled; The intention was to land at Mnn-.6'-War. Stairs, Farm Covo,.and, then proceed by- them to the rifle'Tange. Thougli the morning was fine, there was a slight haze, but-it was not. thick enough-to obscure ■'.the harbour, or the landmarks.-.. , '"■',....■■■■'■ '..-.'■'■, ..When; the pinnace was about 150 yards from Mrs. Macquarie's 'Chair, the South- Coaststeamer Dunmore, headings for Woolloomooloo Bay.withia load .'of blue metal, bore down upon her and passed over her,: causins seriousinjury to many of tae Wuejackets, and ripping ■a large hole in the boat. . ; In a few minutes there was nothing to be seen of the pinnace,' which, it is 6aid, turned completely over, and her living -freight was struggling'in the water. -Most of the meri managed.to : keep afloat while the launch steamed .round, picking them Tip.. The collision was noticed on board the warships, arid immediately there was a perfect .flotilla of , small boats'rushing to-the scene. .The men on the Dunmore, including a number of labourers who are employed at the blue metal depot, at Woollooinboloo Bay, to which tlie steamer was' making her way, joined prdmpUy in the work of rescue. : Several,of the bluejackets had the presence of mind to jump clear from the pinnace when , they saw a collision was inevitable. Thus the

pinnace was left less crowded, but the accident occurred ■ so. quickly that almost before .'■ anyone; could realise what had happened, ! the, men were struggling- in the - water. Some , '-of' the i unfortunate sailors, "it is believed, tank at onco. hai-ing been 'stunned.: by the. impact. '." Others clambered on to the upturned pinnace, but after a time, the number, of those who-did so proved too great, and the pinnitce sank altogether. The work of rescue was car-, ried on'so smartly that many lives were eaved which otherwise would hnve been lost. It supposed also that those who were drowned were carried down by the undertow from the Dunnioro's propellors as she passed through the crowd of struggling men. When:all who.were.seen had Deen ] le ]ped out of the water, it was found that fourteen men were massing,: whilst one. of those . rescued,' a' plumber's mate named Gregory, afterwards, died on'iboard.vtbe Encounter. The work of dragging; for the bodies was; at. once begun, four divers being isent off from the. warships, who were: assisted by : the .Water. Police. The search, lasted, all day, the last of the.bodies ;being found at 5 v 30 o'clock. Shortly ntter the divers began their work one body was sent to' the surface. The ■ poor fellow was still carrying his cartridge belt arid other mar. While engaged in. the search for bodies, the divers discovered the pinnace, which was subsequently raised.-and hoisted out of the water.' The starboard side is badly battered,, giving :.ample proof -of the severity. of the blow.:

" HOW THE 'HAPPENED.. , ' :The- : Durim6re r 'had' been at Blue's' Point Wharf, North Sydney, during the night discharging'a cargo of blue metal- from: KiamaV on the South Coast. Yesterday morning Cap--' tain Hansen'left■ the ivharf, intending:lo"call at Woolloomooloo B\y, and then go to sea again. From what could be: learnoa, she was on her light course, under easy steam, and gave the , Point a/wide berth.: When the launch , with, the pinnace , in: tow' was sighted, the cap-' tain, according to.'liis'- own,statement,igave f a : blast of '.the sireriV'aiid : slowed ■' down 1 his- engines. ; Instead-''of. keeping .'astern; ■ the launch, he -states,: shot across, his , bows, but the pin'-' nace was- : struck, 'and'went:;down. ; He'heard 6ome one-in tlioiluuii(!h'-give'the-order'to let go.the. painter',: but,': unfortunately, '.this' was' not done. " Ih ; :his''opinion; if those on the', launch had -heeded .'his'" warning , whfstle" fife collision :. ', ■. ; , :v !" - .•' r .;Pn. the.'.othef' : ]iand, it'Ms stated .by ■',eye-wit- , nosses on ehore, that the Dunmoro gave xiS:' whistle. One states that after the collision 'th\? ■Dunraore:'travelled ; -.fully. 200'7'ards on- her''way' before: she could. be stopped. : The naval. , , aijv thorities, on. their part, decline to giveariy in' formation at prosent as to the circumstances b'f the. accident, and the facts, therefore, can only | ;come out, at ' the inquiry,': which ..must, be , - hole,.'-.

-;■ '-'... ■:■ ,THE SCEAMBLEFOR LIFE;'."; '■•'Several men were saved by seizing the. whal'irig: piece: on the side';of the Dunmore.',",One .inan,- who-just'managed to -get-this far, .wasm . exhausted, how'eyer, that 1 he let'go. again, and before anyone in the p'unmprb's boat-could take his hand he'fell into'the.water.and sank, "as if asleep," said oho of the labourers' who .tried to ■ rescuo him. '.: ■ ■. ■' ■ : . ,'■ : .A common theory is that many of the sailors were 6tunned by the impactof the steamer and the. play;,of the., propellers. : - This is highly, probable, as: most men-of-warsmen' , are good in, this.'instance assistance' was :so prompt that, the great number'of Jives lost can-only be"-accotinfed.for'by. assuming that' many, .were'stunned or otherwise, injured, fliin-'. berstohe,: one; of- the : drowned; was considered : a'icfack swimmer; '.'.. '■'.■■ v; , . ■■■■'■■■'■■■ !'.; .The men drowned ; werb:—A..Gurling, A''Bal-' combe, Q. -Barrett; ;W. : Evans, D. Strelitz,' G ' - Hornsby,'A.. Hill, E.. Marshy P.. Bristowe, ordi.nary seamen ;.J.;Outten> able seaman j , A. Dbnn .'«>■■ Cunningham, H. 'Humberstone,', J. Searle, ••stokers;-F. Gregory,.plumber's mate.: ;■ . • ~ All were ;youug men; Gregory, "the ; eldest, of the party, , and the only married man; was only .28 years of age,'and:the others were all from 19.t0 25, years; Gregory'had'been eight years in, the service; but the mothers had been from -«JBjteen.months;-to two years.. The men were all frohi lingland, and the majority, it is believed ■from London.;.: .Gregory's wife is said ; to' ,be'' .in Liverpool.: ; ..■'•, ■'.' ' ' .:-' -,Thb disaster.: caused a':.sensation in Sydney.' The :men; drowned are"' well known here,' and ar .e spoken .of. as; exceedingly.,popular: young. :fellowsf-wel|,. behaved,; and :a fine; set of men\-' ; Gregory, was a prominent worker' in the tem--peraricermovement:. There , were many inquiries: : at : the: ■ Naval Depot at Mau-o'-War Stairs'before the.-list- of the dead was known. Two young -ladies were .amongst those who called, and when' the-.list of- the/missing was produced, one of.them scanned • it• eagerly, until she'cainevtq a;name, "Bristowe." ■ rhe paper dropped'ffoui her hand, and with white, drawn, face, she.turned away without a word. .An , old , lady- came ; during -the ;morning". and- anxiously.: inquired forgone of the Encounter's men, : with manifest-suspense,^uritil:.6he'learned, to 'her delight, ;th'at he was safe...■-. '■■'-■■ . ;..>:■•-,