A LIGHTER WRECKED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3159, 10 August 1917, Page 6

A LIGHTER WRECKED

FOUNDERS OFF WANGANUI COAST ALL HANDS SAVED (B.v Tclcgranh-Snecial Correspondent.) Wanganui, August 0. J-lio coast off Wanganui has taken further toll in tlio wreck off the Head': ot the New Zealand Kct'rigcrating Company s lighter Dorset, which vessel sank m a ] :011 t 80ven f a tlioins of water. J. ho crew and two of the "passengers" on. board had an exciting experience, but no lives were lost. Tlio Dorset, laden with a full load of about 450 quarters of beef, left the NewZealand Refrigerating Company's works mi * m ' a y Stead between i and a p.m. -Lhero was a nasty sea running when tlio little vessel reached thft river entrance, and she was considerably knocked about whilst going out. It vras about half-tide when she passed through the entrance. All went well till the Dorset was outside, when suddenly she appeared to strike something. The. impact, caused the propeller to be knocked off, and the steering gear became unmanageable, «nd tlio lighter commenced to drift hi the direction of Kai Iwi Beach. Captain M'lntyre and Captain Connor were at the pilot station, and had vatched the Dorset go out. She appeared Jo be going all right, and then sue appeared to stop and drift. The two captains thought that the skipper of the Dorset had stopped tlio vessel, to allow t'»e crew to have tea before going alongside the vessel in the roadstead, a practice which is carried out occasionally. Suddenly flags were hoisted on the Dorset, but as it was dusk the harbourmaster could not make them out. A litllo later tlio Dorset burned blue lights as signals of distress, and those watching from tlio pilot station immediately realised that something serious was the matter. Captain M'lntyre used the Hone light to signal, asking what was wrong, and, iccirir.g no reply, lie immediately burned "flare-ups" to acquaint those on board wit!; the fact that their signals had been seen from the shore. Meantime an outward-bound coasldl passed the Dorset, and apparently did not notice the signals. An incoming lighter also passed, and did not see that the Dorset was in distress. F-om 5 till 8 p.m. every endeavour was made by those on board the Dorset to attract attention. During this time the little vessel was rapidly making water, and as the hours went b.v it was recognised that sooner or later the Dorset must fou.nder. The crew and others renewed their efforts to attract attention, unl soon all the Toekets for signalling purposes were exhausted, and things looked very bad for thoso on board. Some of those on the vessel climbed the rigging and remained there the whole of the time. \ The Dorset was drifting about in a helpless condition, and she was being buffeted by 6eas which on occasions came sweeping aboard, and all the time it was seen that - she was gradually sinking. The night being cold, those on board suffered considerably from exposure. When all hope of rescue appeared to be lost the lighter Thistle, in charge of Captain Connor, was observed to be coming along at top speed. As soon as the Harbourmaster and Captain Connor realised that the Dorset was in trouble the latter- proceeded to get the Thistlo ready for sea. It was fortunate that the men on shore acted so promptly, because soon after the crew had been rescued by the Thistle the Dorset sank with her full load of beef. Those who wero on board the wrecked vessel are loud in their praiseof the seamanship displayed by Captain Connor, of the Thistlo. It was entirely .due to his good work that all were removed from the sinking ship without accident of any kind. On arrival at the wharf the wrecked mariners were given every comfort, and to-day tliey are little the worse for their unenviable experience.